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Theo still hasn't learned to much about this place, so you know what that means, right? More recon! This time he's chosen to examine the entrance of a park. There's lots of trees there, so there's lots of places that his spiders can look down and get a good view of the place. And so, in short order there's about ten of those spiders scuttling around in the trees, and about fifteen on the ground, still skittering through the underbrush.
Theo himself? The blond youth is sitting in the grass nearby, half-hidden by bushes. He's not... actually TRYING to hide, but he's still not sure of this place, and would rather have a... 'buffer', there we go. A buffer against whatever weirdness might be going on.
Gonta Gokuhara is not very used to this place yet himself. He's been around a short bit and is still exploring as well. That said, he's wandering the street near the park when he pauses, eyeing the trees, and then down at the ground as well. He seems confused as he moves in closer, leaning down to look at the spiders on the ground.
Several of the spiders notice him, and point! Because one doesn't seem to have noticed Gonta. The ones that noticed scatter, shrieking, "Muriiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" The one that doesn't, seems confused, raising its front leg to scratch at its head. And then it seems to notice the shadow and turns. It jumps, seeming to panic a bit, running around in a circle. Again, like the others, with a "Muriiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"
Theo's generally being quiet, but when this giant starts peering at the spiders, he jumps a bit. See, he sees things from their perspective, and HORY SHET that is a huge person! He ducks into the bushes a bit more properly, making a loud rustle. Possibly as loud of a rustle as the one happening in his jimmies! Since they have been well and truly rustled too!
Gonta Gokuhara blinks and frowns at that. "Nothing's wrong Mr. Spiders...Gonta just wants to say hello," he says as he holds out a hand, seeming rather confused. He then peers toward the bush, but doesn't approach it.
On the bright side, that does seem to be able to calm the remaining spider. It pauses in its panicked flailing, and tilts its head. Yes, it has a head. It's almost a humanoid head. Almost a skull. But made of metal. Thin. And behind the thin metal 'teeth' is a small squirtie-looking nozzle. The rest of the spider looks like it's made from twisted-together gutlery, weirdly enough -- two-tined forks for legs, spoons for a body and abdomen.
The remaining spider that hadn't run from Gonta scoots back a bit from the offered hand. Though when it doesn't hurt the spider, the spider pokes curiously at the hand. "...Riii?" It starts to be understood when the spider touches him. ('...Threat?')
Himself, Theo peeks up from the bush then, when the spider stops shrieking. He's curious.
"No, no, of course Gonta's not a threat," Gonta says with a smile before pausing and frowning, "Well maybe not /of course/ Gonta is big and scary looking to humans so he must be really big and scary looking to you. ...Gonta's never seen a spider that looked like you before though."
('Tiny!') the spider squeaks. It means itself of course. Gonta is ANYTHING but tiny! The spider makes a distinct ^.^ face though, derpy as it is, as it's mentioned that he's nevr seen a spider like it. It takes that moment to board the offered hand -- should it still be offered -- and turn in a small circle. Now Gonta can see it better.
A moment later, Theo stands up from the bushes. A few sticks and leaves are stuck in his hair. "I'm terribly sorry..." he replies, with a formal bow. "That's... it's one of mine. Normally people aren't able to see them, but here in Twisted, I'm finding quite a few people who can." He doesn't sound terribly upset about that, though.
Gonta Gokuhara tilts his head. "Why are you sorry," he wonders, "...the Mr. Spiders are usually invisible? Are they using camoflauge? Ah, sorry, Gonta is Gonta Gokuhara, it is nice to meet you." He bows carefully, making sure not to accidently hurt the spider on his hand.
Theo nods, and approaches a little closer. He bows as well, and offers in return, "Theodore Rabanne -- Theo, if you like. A pleasure to meet you." The spider can actually skitter up a little on Gonta's arm so he's not in the way of getting smacked during the bow.
As for whether they're camouflaged? "Not... exactly. I have... well, they are part of a... power I have." One spider rappels down from a branch, onto his hand, on a golden string that crackles and disintegrates when it is no longer in use. "It's... I'm told they're called a 'Stand'? But I'm not sure, since I ran away when they first appeared. So... unfortunately I have little information. Other than to say they are quite literally part of me."
Gonta Gokuhara blinks at that. "Bugs are part of you? That's amazing," he replies with VERY obvious enthusiasm. "Bugs aren't part of Gonta but Gonta sometimes does things like keeping bugs in his hair."
Theo winces a bit. "Not... exactly," he notes. "And I don't really know if they're bugs, per se... I think this is just the shape they take." He does think of another way to get his point across. Someone who keeps bugs in their hair? That's something weird. But then that also means that Gonta might not get as grossed out as others by how Theo's spiders come and go. "Well, it's... like this. Watch."
He hopes not to gross Gonta out like this. But he brings his own hand, the one with the spider that had come down from the tree, close to his mouth. As he opens his mouth, the spider willingly crawls inside. And Theo leaves his mouth open, as the spider sort of... turns into a liquidy golden energy, and just disappears.
"See?" Theo notes. "I didn't eat it, no. They're made of metal, but they're also made from my... energy, I suppose."
Gonta Gokuhara does seem to freak out, though in quite the opposite way than most would. He tries to keep Theo from eating the poor bug before realizing he isn't actually eating it. He still looks a bit worried though. "...Mr. Spider is ok?"
Gonta relaxes and nods. "That's amazing, " he says again, though it's less edged with enthusiasm due to him recovering from the momentary shock there. "So all of the Mr. Spiders are also Mr. Theo?"
"Something like that, yes," Theo confirms. "I'm still learning about it myself. And they clearly have minds of their own." Demonstrated when the spider that just crawled out, crawls up to his hair. Using his nose as a road. "Augh..." he grumbles. He grabs hold of the spider, and holds it between thumb and forefinger. "What have I said? No crawling on my face. Hair is fine, but not my face."
"Riiiiiiiiiii!" the spider complains -- and it is a clearly a complaint -- flailing its front feet at Theo. Theo waggles a finger at the spider, and then puts it on the top of his head, where it was trying to go when it crawled up.
Gonta watches and smiles at that. He carefully pets at the spider on his own shoulder. "Gonta thinks they're cute," he states before nuzzling carefully with his cheek.
Theo chuckles. "Thank you," he notes. Though then he jumps a little, as if startled. It happened about when Gonta nuzzled at the spider still on his hand. And Theo blinks a little. That... was weird. He picks up the spider on his head again, and pets at it... and shivers, one of those 'someone walked over his grave' sorts of shivers. "Oh. That's... new," he notes, seeming a bit embarrassed.
Gonta Gokuhara blinks a little. "Did that bother you Mr. Theo," he wonders in concern, "Gonta doesn't mean to do anything bad like that..."
"Oh no," Theo shakes his head, waving a hand before him. "No, I was only surprised. It's... as I mentioned, I'm still learning about these abilities. And it seems, they... well, I can feel what they feel."
Though it's worth noting that the spider that got nuzzled did indeed carefully rub its side against Gonta's cheek, with a quiet, "Riiiii!"
Gonta Gokuhara smiles and pets at the spider's head carefully. "It's been very nice meeting you Mr. Spider. How are you and the rest of Mr. Theo doing?"
The spider raises a front leg in a salute. ('New! Worried!') it squeaks -- of course Gonta can only understand this due to his connection with bugs. And these, while not bugs in the truest sense, do take their forms and have some of the same traits, so he can understand them 'well enough'.
Theo actually doesn't seem to be able to understand his own spiders, hilariously enough. But he does say something similar. "Ah, I'm rather new here. I've visited the welcome center, but I've not had the chance to really scout the city itself, only to be told a few survival tips. That a city needs survival tips aside from the obvious ones worries me, I will admit..."
"Oooh, Gonta hasn't been here very long either," Gonta explains, "Gonta was told about the apartments, but Gonta doesn't know if he wants to use one or not. Gonta also learned about the Usual Resturaunt and a place where there's an edge to the world. You should not try jumping off of the edge."
Theo nods. "That's about what I've been told as well. Though... out of curiosity, why not use an apartment?" he inquires. "It seems like a perfectly serviceable place to sleep." Despite not actually having 'taken the plunge', either way -- the apartments OR the edge of the world!
"Gonta's more used to sleeping outside...it does seem like the more 'proper' thing to do to sleep in a bed but...Gonta feels happier outside," the large boy explains.
"It does get cold sometimes," Gonta agrees hesitantly, "Maybe Gonta should use a bed sometimes?" He tilts his head curiously at the spider, but doesn't question it just yet.
Gonta Gokuhara blinks a little as he comes to understand what the spider was doing, he then...amusingly for how mismatched it is to his size and originally intimidating apperance, blushes and practically squees. "Thank you for thinking of Gonta Mr. Spider," he says as he rubs a little watering from one of his eyes. "...Yes those sound good to Gonta..."
Theo looks a bit sheepish. "Ah, I hate to say, but... I don't think it's going to last," he hedges. "The blanket, I mean... the threads tend to break down when they're no longer in use. But I know of another way to make a proper blanket." Assuming he could find some yarn and a crochet hook, anyway. Hey, you didn't think the spiders were the only ones that knew how to weave and knit threads, did you?
"Awww, that is ok, the thought made Gonta happy enough," Gonta says honestly, smiling hugely. He's either very easy to please, not at all used to getting gifts like that, or a bit of both. "Gonta doesn't know much about this place yet, but he will help Mr. Theo if he can."
"Oh, that's all right," Theo replies. "I'm used to having to take care of myself, not to worry." He offers a smile. "What about you?" Looking over Gonta, "The suit indicates you may be a little more accustomed to have people around you than nature." Which conflicts with what he's been told... and conflicts with the wild hair and barefootedness. It's a bit of a confusing image, taken all together like that...
Gonta shakes his head. "Gonta was...um...Gonta's not sure how to say it without sounding ungrateful to his human parents..." he murmurs, "...but Gonta was mostly raised in the wild before his human parents found him and-..."
Theo rubs his chin thoughtfully. Hilariously, so does the spider on his head -- it seems to fold it front legs and rub the metallic lower jawbone. "I see... so you're more accustomed to nature, then." He chuckles. "I had started to learn how to live as a street kid in a city when I first came here. So I do understand your plight, in a way -- I'm honestly not sure if I should go find an apartment or not, either, since I had started to become accustomed to sleeping on the streets."
Gonta Gokuhara nods in reply. "Gonta's used to sleeping in trees or leaves and grass or caves..." he states, "But Gonta has slept in beds more recently before arriving here. Gonta's human mother thought that sleeping outside was 'barbaric'."
Theo also nods, thoughtfully. "That is, unfortunately, a common thought amongst we 'civilized' people, I'm afraid," he agrees. "Though I personally think that as long as whatever one wants to do isn't hurting anyone else, they should be left to it. But not everyone shares that philosophy."
Proving how completely untroubled with some of the things humans would be, Gonta just suddenly asks thoughtfully, without any real hesitation about it. "Maybe Mr. Theo and Gonta should share an appartment since neither are sure they want one?"
Theo reacts with visible shock at this, though it doesn't seem to be with disgust. Just obvious surprise and shock. "Th-that's... a bit sudden," he notes, rubbing at the back of his neck. "We've only just met." A pause here, and he things. Gonta said he was raised more or less in the wild. So... he thinks about that a moment. "It would be like... letting an unknown creature who just walked in from the woods share your sleeping den," he tries. "It might eat you if you let it in without knowing more about it."
Of course this analogy is likely to break down at the first hurdle... Theo doesn't realize that it's really only people that are the kind of creature that would pretend to be friends when they aren't. An animal would be honest about wanting to eat Gonta in that situation, in all likelihood!
"Animals are usually honest," Gonta states, "And besides, if Gonta is eaten it's Gonta's own fault for not being alert. Though, Mr. Theo is probably right...Gonta forgets humans aren't always as easy to understand as animals."
Theo tilts his head, still seeming a little sheepish. "That's... true," he admits. "I remember a wildlife researcher saying something like that. He was referring to crocodiles in particular, but I think it could be applied to most animals -- 'Crocodiles are easy. They try to kill and eat you. People are harder. Sometimes they pretend to be your friend first.' Something of the sort."
But Theo does give this some thought. "Then again there is 'Craigslist'," he remarks. "Some people advertise for roommates on it. It's generally a bad idea, mind. But there are also more reputable places that people advertise for roommates on. And aside from an interview, they tend to agree sight-unseen. So... well, we would have an advantage in such a situation, in that we've actually met in person..."
Besides, it's a hell of a lot safer than just sleeping on the streets. Sure, he can make hammocks and whatnot out of his golden threads, but he can't just hang from a streetlight. Despite his powers being Spider-Man-esque in a couple of ways, he isn't Spider-Man, and is unlikely to make that work. There is something about Gonta that makes him seem trustworthy. Besides, if he really was raised mostly in the wild? He's liable to be very honest. And he's also liable to be very confused at the city nearby. Theo's good with cities, and could probably help him!
Gonta listens closely to this and nods in reply. "Gonta definetly wouldn't move into someone's appartment without asking them first," he states, "He doesn't know if he would without seeing them first either..."
"People are weird," Theo states, with a chuckle. "But... well, I'm sure I could do worse for a roommate. Particularly since it's been demonstrated that you don't find these little ones repulsive or frightening, nor do you seem to be terribly disturbed by their... means of egress. So... I should ask -- do you have any 'personal rules'? Anything that, if I did, you would find it unforgivable?"
Gonta tilts his head some before crossing his arms and settling into trying to to explain. "Gonta isn't sure what he'd ask of Theo, but Gonta is trying to be a gentleman and has things he is trying not to do himself..."
Something familiar about that wish to be a 'gentleman'. Theo knows he hasn't got it in him to do. But he isn't going to begrudge someone their own limits. So he nods. "Such as what? I'll try not to bring things that might facilitate not following those rules into the house. On the bright side, I don't drink or smoke, so I won't be bringing that into the house." Which would be laughable if he said that to anyone else -- they probably still card for cigarettes and booze here!
Gonta tries to explain through it more, thinking harder. "Umm...oh, don't squish bugs or any other mean things like that," Gonta decides, "Squishing bugs is what's unforgivable."
Theo nods. "I try not to do that anyway. Cleanup is a hassle." Maybe a little disturbing from Gonta's POV, that, but at least he won't be squishing bugs! "I'll generally try to catch them in a container and toss them outside. Nature belongs in nature, not in a house." That's a little better, maybe?
Gonta Gokuhara does, indeed, give a little shiver at first with that answer, but relax with the last bit. He offers a nod then and just tries summarising things up with, "Just try to be a good person to everything."
Theo tilts his head a little at the shiver, not understanding exactly what's going on. Hilariously, the spider on his head tilts its head too. The other way. It looks a little like a pair of puppies, tilting their heads the opposite way. The spider even emits a short little, "Rii?"
But yes, Theo does agree on that one point. "I do try," he confirms. "It can be rather difficult when people are determined to be rude or unkind, but getting upset at them just means they win. And I try not to give those people the satisfaction of seeing me upset."
"Being upset doesn't make you a bad person," Gonta states, "It would make you a bad person if you killed them or broke their leg just because they made you upset."
"Oh, I know," Theo assures, with a smile. "But even then, if they make me upset, they win. They get what they want. It strikes me that, really, only a bad person would want to make someone upset on purpose, just to make them upset, without reason. Denying people what they want when they don't deserve it is a favored pastime of mine."
Gonta Gokuhara looks thoughtful and nods. "Gonta thinks that that way of thinking sounds good," he states, "It is better not to do really bad things to people unless they're bad people that are hurting others that should be protected."
Theo chuckles. "I admit I'm not that noble," he replies, with a shake of his head. "I'm just vindictive enough to want to see bad people have to really work for it, if they want to really be horrible. Have you ever heard the phrase 'an eye for an eye'?"
Gonta Gokuhara tilts his head. "Gonta does not recognize it, but it sounds like it's fair..." he murmurs uncertainly.
"It's the opposite of 'turn the other cheek'," Theo offers in explanation. "That comes from the Christian holy book, where it says something like 'if a man slaps you upon one cheek turn to him the other and offer it also'. I... do not practice that. Because that just lets people think that it's all right to take advantage of people."
Gonta looks more uncertain. "Fighting isn't really a good thing, but play fighting is fun...but if someone hurts a friend then you should stop them from hurting that friend so...Gonta guesses doing that is ok?"
Theo smiles. It's a weird smile, one with a bit of an edge to it. "Fighting is too dangerous for me. There are other ways to teach someone a lesson." The smile turns back to normal though, after a moment. "But, it's all right. My little swarm here seems to like you, so you do seem like the type of person I wouldn't have to worry about that sort of thing with."
Gonta Gokuhara offers a nod. "Gonta can fight for you if you have to fight," he notes, "Gentlemen should protect friends."
Theo chuckles at that. "Thank you. I hope it never becomes necessary," he notes. "I'll do what I can, but I have to 'fight' a little less directly, and a little more indirectly. Som might call it 'cheating'."
"It isn't cheating if it's what you have naturally," Gonta points out, "At that point it is the rule of survival. Cheating is when you're using things outside of your own ability to fight."
"Well..." Theo tilts his head thoughtfully. "When powers get involved, I think that line between 'using what you naturally have' and 'cheating' tends to blur a little. I mean... I don't know much about these powers, so I don't know where they came from... but I didn't always have them. So I guess it's a little... strange. That said I have no qualms about cheating when I have no choice."
"It sounds natural to Gonta," the large boy states, "Theo is not picking up a gun and shooting at things that can't fight back."
Theo tilts his head. "Well, no... but a lot of people -- at least in my world -- don't have abilities like mine. In fact they're so unusual to me that, when I first got them, I got scared and ran away. That's how I ended up here. I later found out that someone from my world might have been able to shed some light on them, so it was a little premature..." He gives a sheepish shrug. "But yes. It's a little unusual for others from my world to have."
Gonta Gokuhara gives a nod. "Others from Gonta's world are usually scared of him and cannot do what Gonta does. Probably because Gonta was raised in the wild. But Gonta can fight things like bears even though other people from Gonta's world usually can't."
At this Theo's eyes widen. "Bears? That's... that's really dangerous," he notes, looking worried. "Hopefully you won't have to do that. Though I understand there's a lot of different kinds of people here, so... disagreements are bound to happen."
"Yes, disagreements are normal," Gonta accepts, "But Gonta doubts he will have to fight any bears here. That doesn't seem natural..." As if much is natural to the place, but then that might be what he means.
Theo nods. "Yes indeed... most of what I know about this world is city," he observes. "I don't think bears like cities very often. The rest, if the welcome center pamphlets are correct, is just this wasteland that it's advised we not go too far out into. Which suits me quite well -- I'm most definitely not the 'wasteland explorer' type."
"Wasteland doesn't sound tempting to Gonta either," the larger boy states, "Seems like it would be a bad place for animals to live..."
Theo nods. "I'm told that 'living' is not a thing most things do in the wasteland," he notes. "It's kind of a place that fights the whole 'living' aspect of living." It's a bit of a joke, but it might not be understood that it's sarcasm.
Gonta tilts his head some. "It doesn't sound good to Gonta whatever it is," he states in slight confusion, "It sounds scary to Gonta."
"Indeed," Theo agrees. "Definitely not somewhere I'll be putting on travel plans anytime soon." He turns a look back to the city. "So... if we're to be roommates then, shall we see what the apartments have to offer?"
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