Application for Tachibana Sakon and Ukon from Karakuri Zoushi Ayatsuri Sakon

[ukon-sakon.livejournal.com]

Tachibana Sakon is a bunraku puppeteer. Ukon is a bunraku puppet made in the 1870 (the series is set in the late 1990s). As Sakon is shy enough to be practically mute without Ukon and Ukon is a puppet, they are together. Sakon is also a master ventriloquist. His mouth doesn't move when Ukon talks and their voices are different. He can also mimic voices he's heard, though he tends not to very often as he feels that mimicing voices is something similar to channeling. Ukon can be touched, but permission would be needed, either IC or OOC to actually remove him from Sakon's control. For Sakon's sanity, though, Ukon shall have to be indestructible as his version of the 'no kill' spell (or, in other words...I'm fine with curious poking, asking to take the puppet, but no taking apart the puppet).

One of the joys of being a performer was being able to travel. Sakon enjoyed being a street performer, enjoyed the more formal stage performing, even enjoyed the practice for performing. He loved puppetry, loved learning more of it, exploring more. He was going to a museum in Hokkaido, a long way from his home, to learn more about the art of puppet making and repair. While his family did have ties to a school of puppet makers, it was still a good idea for him to know as much as he could about as many different techniques as he could. And, he enjoyed the opportunity to travel. The journey also coincided with the autumn festivals, giving him a chance to perform as well.

He was dressed for travel, as well—a long, brown trench coat with and elbow length cape over the shoulders to keep out the cold, his sneakers on his feet, comfortable for walking and standing in, black pants, a black, long-sleeved shirt and the sleeve covers that kept his sleeves out of the way of his puppetry, and a gear-like collar. On his back, the green wooden case that held Ukon and in one hand, the suitcase that held clothes for him. He traveled light, his family only providing enough for the train fare up. It was up to him to earn the fare back and to cover a place to stay—a task he'd yet to fail in.

When he arrived at the gates of the castle, he thought it a little strange. He couldn't remember any building like the one before him in Japan, but he also knew that western style archetecture wasn't completely unheard of. The grounds looked different, too, but it was his first trip to Hokkaido, so he wasn't entirely sure what to expect. As the gates were open, he started to proceed, only to pause. He brought the case on his back forward and Ukon burst out of it.

"What is this, Sakon? This doesn't look like a museum!" the puppet declared, looking around, even over Sakon's shoulder.

"I'm not sure, Ukon. This is where the train and the map led us," the boy replied, his voice much gentler, quieter than his puppet's.

"Are you sure you read it right?" Ukon demanded.

Sakon chuckled, handing over the map. While Ukon examined the map, Sakon adjusted the case on his back and picked up his suitcase and started toward the castle again.

"Oi, Sakon, that lake is on the wrong side," Ukon said as they approached the doors to the castle.

Looking over at the map the puppet held, Sakon considered a moment then turned it around. "No, it's not," he said, raising his hand to knock on the door. It opened before him, though, before he made contact.

"This place gives me the creeps," Ukon complained.

"Hush, Ukon. We were invited," Sakon replied, though a shadow of doubt flickered over his features.

They remained in the door, though, a portrait of contrast. Sakon, with his dark clothing, dark hair, fair skin and violet eyes, still, only his eyes moving as he looked around the strange room. Ukon, a child's puppet, a masterpiece of work, with bright red hair, blue eyes and a yellow haori over a white kimono, a blue collar showing at his neck, a square sash around his neck with white medallions on it, looking around avidly, his neck craning, trying to take in everything.

"Well, I guess we're here," Ukon declared, his hands coming up behind his head. "Might as well see what this place is about, Sakon."

Sakon walked in, turning when the door closed behind him. "It seems we have little choice," he mumbled.

"What?" Ukon demanded, his eyes wide as he stared at the door.

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Sakon said, turning back to the room. As there was nowhere to remove his shoes, he left them on, walking over to a table in the center of the room. He picked up one of the pieces of paper on it, handing it over when Ukon demanded to see it.



State your full name.

Ukon bristled then smirked smugly, crossing his arms over his chest. "My name is Ukon. I am a masterpiece of children's puppetry born in the second year of the Meiji period. This is my partner, Sakon, who can't do anything without me."

"Ukon," Sakon said softly, his tone chiding. "I am Tachibana Sakon, puppeteer." It was why he had been summoned, after all.

1. What is your favorite cheese? Why is it your favorite?

"Sakura cheese!" Ukon declared. "It's local here in Hokkaido, so we're going to have some, right, Sakon?" he said, looking over his shoulder.

Sakon smiled. "We promised to bring some back for Kaoruko-neechan."

"That auntie," Ukon complained, crossing his arms over his chest again.

2. Who would you kill first, Barney or Carrottop?

Ukon shook the paper, obviously offended. "Hey, now get this right, Sakon doesn't kill anyone! But, if someone did kill them, he could tell you who did it!"

Sakon frowned at the question but didn't add anything to Ukon's answer. He glanced at the table and noticed a quill moving of its own accord, recording his conversation with Ukon and their answers to the questions. That was strange. He couldn't see anything connected to it and it was very thin for remote controlling.

3. What time is it where you are?

Ukon blinked. "Time? You want to know about time after a question like that!?" he fumed. His tirade was cut short as Sakon covered his mouth, leaving him mumbling and waving his hands.

"It was four thirty in the afternoon when we got off the train," he answered quietly before letting go of Ukon's mouth.

"Why did you do that, Sakon!?" Ukon demanded, turning a glare on Sakon.

"I think there's something we need to learn here," Sakon replied, his eyes moving around the room.

"I'm not sure what, but..."

Ukon looked around the room with new eyes. His eyes rested on the quill, watching it as he spoke. "I see what you mean," he said, turning to look at Sakon again. "But, why is that quill writing what we say and how is it doing it?"

"I don't know, Ukon. Let's finish this and see what we find out."

4. If you were Albus Dumbledore returned from the dead, which member of the Order of the Phoenix would you sexually harass? How would you harass them? If you are Albus Dumbledore, please answer as if you were Sirius Black.

Sakon blushed deeply, glancing away from the paper. Ukon, though, tilted his head looking at the names. "Are any of them cute girls? And, it wouldn't be 'harassment' if it was me," he said, obviously cocky about his own prowess. He smirked. "Heh, I am quite the charmer, after all."

Sakon was too embarrassed to chide the puppet. Instead, he moved onto the next question.

5. If you are pushing to be in:

A. Slytherin - please state the clever, witty name of the bar in which you bartend, in the dark.

"A bar?" Ukon hooted. "What kind of nonsense is this? It would be Ukon's Bar, of course! And I would be the main attraction!" He flung his arms wide, a flourish.

Sakon chuckled. "That's a good name, I think." As good as any he could think of.

B. Gryffindor – Debate whether Harry should ultimately end up married to Fred or George. Use examples from a variety of world mythologies to bolster your argument.

"Married?" Ukon sputtered, then laughed. "Shouldn't you ask Harry who he wants to marry? He's the one that has to live with whoever it is."

"It's better if they belong together," Sakon added. Though not a huge believer of fate, given his experices with it and the experiences of those he'd seen, he couldn't deny there was something that made two people just fit together, despite their history.

C. Ravenclaw – You guys are supposed to be smart. Explain why my desk is inundated with paperwork at all times, even though I’m constantly disposing of it.

"You're obviously doing it wrong," Ukon declared.

"Maybe you need an assistant?" Sakon suggested.

D. Hufflepuff – Prove you are not useless.

Ukon laughed. "I'm not useless. I am me, a great entertainer. Sakon's pretty good with figuring things out and he gets me around, so he's not useless."

Sakon looked at Ukon and chuckled slightly, not saying anything as he turned to last question.

6. Offer a bribe to the members of this community so that they will not squib you. Items used in bribery do not necessarily have to belong to the person offering the bribe. Do not threaten us rather than offering a bribe. A threat indicates you either don't really want to be here, or don't have enough sense to answer the question properly. The hat will automatically squib you, regardless of other votes, if you do.

"I don't know what this squib thing is, but we came here to perform and to learn. If performing isn't enough, then you're out of luck. This guy doesn't carry much more than the clothes on his back and a yukata to sleep in."

Sakon covered Ukon's mouth again. "We did come to perform. If that isn't enough, then we will depart."

Comments

[isnotabumblebee.livejournal.com]

"Sushis?" Shoggy 10 quivered excitedly, perking up several of its eyes. "I wants the fish!" "I wants the fish too!" piped Shoggy 3, after which the other two added their vocal desires for fish. "We can gets you the sushis fish!" Shoggy 4.6 told Ukon excitedly, seeming to have accepted him as 'real', despite being made out of wood. The other Shoggies likewise appeared to accept that Ukon was a wooden individual in his own right, not being exceptionally bright.

"You's performing real great already," Toki told Sakon. "But I'd likes to see a show! Maybe you can see one of our shows too, ifs we have one here. And if you needs a stereo, I can gets you one! I know this guy what teaches guns class, he's got some stereos and TVs and cameras stuffs in the class, too, not just guns. I can borrows them all whenevers I want." This wasn't entirely inaccurate, as the Baron was quite taken with Dethklok, or at least their lead guitarist- thus, he was likely to indulge Toki's requests, even if these were to run around the school with his guns. A stereo would be a minor request in comparison.

"I don't knows why you're here, Ukon. But I'm glad you ares, we don't gots enough puppets here. It's a magic school, so I guess thats you got broughts here with magic." Toki didn't have a better explanation, but still felt he should console the puppet. "But, it's a pretty fun place, even if it's not at alls metal. There's the guns class, and the drugs class, and the town what's got the magic candy shop, and we gots a dragon son too, and sometimes we get to pal around with him."

[ukon-sakon.livejournal.com]

"It's okay," Sakon said quickly to the offer for sushi. "We don't want to trouble you. Though, your kind offer is appreciated."

"Usually, we have to perform first," Ukon added, laughing as he put his hands behind his head. He looked over at Sakon. "This is nice, not having to work so hard for our supper."

"I should make you work," Sakon murmured softly, meant mostly for Ukon. "Blaming me for us arriving here."

Ukon's hands went to his sides and he leaned forward, suddenly more interested in Toki. "Guns? Drugs? Dragon? What do they teach here?" he asked.

[isnotabumblebee.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, the Shoggies had decided that they wanted fish whether or not Sakon desired any. Toki and Skwisgaar had taken the Shoggies to get wands from the box in the Ancient Runes classroom, as part of their attempts at 'good parenting'. Where exactly the Shoggies had been keeping this wands was a very questionable thing. They didn't carry them around visibly, but, managed to produce them at will, apparently from somewhere inside their amorphous bodies. The Shoggies did just this, and began waving the wands around in pseudopods, piping accio fish! Of course, they were in the castle, which did not bode exceptionally well for their fish summoning. Still, Shoggy 10 managed to summon a fish from somewhere, which came flying through the Sorting Room, possibly through a high window, and landed near the Shoggies rather messily. This failed to discourage them from attacking the fish hungrily, the entirety of which was gone in moments.

Toki seemed to have no idea that this sort of behavior from his 'children' might well be considered somewhat disturbing, and just kep smiling happily at the new arrivals. "Oh, yous get whatever yous want here, and don't even have to pays for it. But you got to make sure thats you don't drink the stuff what turns you into a lady." Toki was still convinced that his manager had attempted to turn him into a lady by means of potion, when he'd actually been given some veritaserum.

"Hogwarts is a school for magic, likes the Shoggies did." He grinned broadly at Ukon and indicated the Shoggies, who had fortunately stopped attempting to summon fish while indoors. "I haven't been to a magic class, they's not very metal since you gots to wave the dildos wands around. But they's got other subjects too, the drugs class is Potions, and the guns class is whats the wizards call Muggle Studies."

[ukon-sakon.livejournal.com]

Ukon recoiled, his hands coming up to protect himself from the flying fish. "Ugh!" he complained before covering his eyes. He peeked through his fingers at Toki. "Into a girl?" he asked. He turned to Sakon. "Don't turn into a girl. You'll be like that Shiho, I know it!"

Sakon blushed, though. He was still young, but old enough to have heard of 'dildos' before. "Ah, thank you for the explanation," he mumbled. He turned to Ukon. "I wouldn't try to take you apart like she did," he protested.

Ukon just crossed his arms over his chest and huffed.

[isnotabumblebee.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry abouts that, Shoggies try but don't gots great aim," Toki apologized to Ukon, seeming to find it perfectly appropriate to apologize to the puppet instead of his puppeteer. "I think if yous got turned intos a girl, you'd turns back," Toki told Sakon, adding by way of a somewhat misguided attempt to be reassuring, "We got turned into kids once, along withs our dragon son Smaug ands his boyfriend Elric, but we all turned back alright. Smaug's all grown up now, we's real proud of him. And Skwisgaar gots turned intos a mermaid-guy, but that's been fun." These incidents did have something in common, now that he thought about it. "I think it's at parties thats you might get turned into stuffs. And I don't know if puppets can get turned intos stuffs."

The subject of parties reminded him of a couple of things. "You shoulds come to the Hufflepuffs party, whenevers we gets around to havings it. Skwisgaar's the prefect, so's its going to be a real good party. Hufflepuff's the most metal house, and it's gots the food libraries I put in when I was the prefect. And since you's at the Sorting Room, I guess I gots to sort you. Do you know what house you wants? They's all dildos, except Hufflepuffs."

[ukon-sakon.livejournal.com]

"Um, I think we shall trust your judgment," Sakon said, though he sounded uncertain. The talk of dragons and their boyfriends and turning into kids and girls was starting to make his head swim.

"You want us to perform?" Ukon asked, turning to the next subject, one that seemed safer.

Vote: Hufflepuff

[isnotabumblebee.livejournal.com]

"Well, you's cool, so you cans be in Hufflepuffs, since it's the best one," Toki told Sakon- Sorting him into his own house was a mark of approval from Toki. "And yous can be in Hufflepuffs too, since you's the best puppets ever," Toki then told Ukon, feeling that they both deserved equal consideration as far as Sorting was concerned.

"I definitely wants yous to perform, whenever yous want to!" Toki was extremely enthusiastic about the idea of a 'real' performance from the pair, if this wasn't one. "And I's can help, ifs you need it. I still remembers my puppeteering lessons, and can gets my puppets if you wants." Toki didn't figure that such a masterful puppeteer would require puppeteering support, but it seemed like it might be fun if he did. "Or whatevers else you need. I's a big supporter of the puppets-show art."

Re: Vote: Hufflepuff

[ukon-sakon.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," Ukon said, puffing up, his hands behind his head. "We didn't bring many props or costumes, but performing for an appreciative audience is always good."

"We would like to see you perform, if it's possible," Sakon asked softly, bowing his thanks. "What type of puppetry do you do, if I may ask?"

Re: Vote: Hufflepuff

[isnotabumblebee.livejournal.com]

"That's okay, you can gets props and costumes if you needs them, you cans ask the house-elves for just abouts anythings and they's can get it. I bet lots of people woulds enjoy a show, I knows that I would, and the Shoggies woulds." The Shoggies confirmed Toki's assumption, agreeing that a "puppets-show woulds be sooo cool!"

"I mostly use the marionettes puppets, withs the strings, likes ons the cover of the Metallica albums (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Puppets) what made me wants to be a puppets-master," Toki replied to Sakon. "They's get tangleds up sometimes, buts they's still pretty cool. Buts I'm lots better at guitars, I'ms one of the fastest guitarists ins the world. Skwisgaar's the other one, he's the fastest one, plays the lead guitars. I plays the rhythm guitars. You shoulds come see Dethklok sometime whens we have a show."

Re: Vote: Hufflepuff

[ukon-sakon.livejournal.com]

"I have not seen marionettes," Sakon said softly.

"Puppets on string?" Ukon asked, eyes wide. "I want to see that! And, performing would be good for him. He's supposed to take over for his grandfather and he's still got a long way to go."

Re: Vote: Hufflepuff

[isnotabumblebee.livejournal.com]

"They's on strings, ands gots lots of joints, some's real fancy, but nots as fancy as Ukon." Toki's explanations of things weren't the greatest. He couldn't even properly name the strings on his guitars. It didn't mean that he didn't know how to use them, however, and likewise, Toki could puppet decently despite his shoddy explanations.

"You's definitely gots to meets some of my puppets, Ukon! I'll go home and gets them." As the Shoggies had managed to open up an interdimensional portal between Hogwarts and Mordhaus in the spatially-impossible room containing the Dethtub, Toki was actually at Hogwarts because he wanted to be there. "After you's Sorted, and finds a nice place, yous can lets me know and we cans all pal around and talks about the puppets-show." 'All' including Toki's puppets too, which the mun will have to invent as Toki didn't go into detail on the puppetry subject.

Re: Vote: Hufflepuff

[ukon-sakon.livejournal.com]

"I would like that," Ukon said. "I'd like to see how they move. I've only seen other bunraku puppets and hand puppets perform."

Sakon smiled. "That would be enjoyable," he said softly, bowing slightly.

Re: Vote: Hufflepuff

[isnotabumblebee.livejournal.com]

"You's let me know when yous are done with Sortings, you can sends me an owl when you wants to pal around." Toki grinned happily at both puppet and puppeteer. "So don't get eatens bys the dragons! I bet the Shoggies will likes a show too. It's been real good meeting yous both, but I bet you wants to get done withs the Sorting, it's real borings." Toki gathered up the Shoggies, and told them to tell Sakon and Ukon that it was nice to meet them. "It was nice to meets you!" piped all four Shoggies in unison, with Toki smiling on with parental pride. "Remembers, you sends the owl to Toki Wartooth in Hufflepuff!" he told Sakon before he and his 'children' turned to leave.

Re: Vote: Hufflepuff

[ukon-sakon.livejournal.com]

Ukon turned to Sakon, pointing at him. "You're not allowed to sleep on trains ever again."

Sakon just watched them leave, his expression thoughtful.