jigokulogs | ( open ) 003

Who ⬤ Hizen Tadahiro & you
What ⬤ Catchall for May & June
When ⬤ May
Where ⬤ See prompts
Content Warnings ⬤ N/A for now

SUBSTORY 1: MOON MEDICINE

(It was just mochi. How dangerous could mochi be? There's a reason why mochi is up high on Hizens' list of favorite foods and it's because mochi has never done him wrong.

… Yeah, this definitely isn't his brightest moment and in his defense, he never pretended to be particularly smart.

It's a warm, sunny spring day but Hizen is bundled up in his hoodie and a scarf. No matter what does, he can't fight off this chill and even being out in the sun isn't helping. Desperate, he tries to buy a hot drink from a vending machine if only so he can have something to warm his hands with and

it just takes his money without giving him anything. He tries one more time and gets the exact same result! He can be found sticking his arm up the slot, shaking the machine, or punching it. Sensitive to being watched, he turns his head to see you. Yes, you and snaps, teeth chattering,)

What?! (He's defensive,) Stop looking!

(And please don't perceive the fact that he's literally shaking while he yells at you.)

SUBSTORY 2: VEND ME A DREAM

(They had to retrieve a photograph of a certain host and then bring a hitobashira some takoyaki from a particular vendor that required waiting in an obscenely long line that never seemed to move. After getting the takoyaki, they had to go to a cafe and find a kitsune who was actually a very offended tanuki who asked them if they tried the vending machine alley on the other side of the city. When they get to the alley, they find a strange vending machine in the place that should have had the vending machine they were looking for. It looks like it's been replaced with one that just gives ominous mystery items instead.

His body is small and can only hold so much frustration before he explodes. He lets out a yell when he sees the vending machine,)

Aaaaaaaah! (He kicks at it which makes it beep and flicker,) Where the hell is it?!

(An entire floor full of vending machines and the right one isn't even here.

Maybe you were already with Hizen on his quest. Or maybe you were also led to the hall of vending machines. Or you just heard about this weird place and want to try your luck for unrelated reasons.)

SUBSTORY 4: HANIWHAT?

(He isn't the most sensitive person, even back home when he knows what to look out for. It's easy for most things to slip past him if he isn't paying attention, especially in Jigoku-cho where there are so many things happening, a strange occurrence here and there can be overlooked. But these dolls are strange. He isn't an expert on them but he recognizes them for what they are. They're old; far beyond in his time or knowledge. At first, he hadn't thought much of them but the more he noticed them, the more uncomfortable he became.

These things just feel bad to him. They make him uncomfortable and put him on edge and when he hears that the Enma are calling for them, he's relieved. Good riddance. He has no idea what they're up to but it isn't going to be his problem.

But everyone is so nosy. Everyone wants to push their luck and see what they are. They touch them, they move them around, they treat them roughly, and it just makes him feel anxious. When he sees you checking one out, he snaps,)

Oi. Leave it alone.

(He's clearly irritated,)

You're gonna get in trouble if you keep messing with it.

GENERAL: SHUTEN TERRITORY

(Hizen can be found checking out some of the weapons stores in Shuten territory. He isn't looking for a new weapon— he's perfectly content with his own sword, thank you very much. But when your true form is your sword, weapon maintenance is important. He's shopping for oil, cloth, and other things to take care of himself and he's also asking around to see if anyone can recommend a good smith but no one really wants to give out their source. Instead, they keep trying to sell him a new sword,)

I told ya already, I'm not interested.

(Yeah, but they really don't want to give out their suppliers. It's bad for business, you know?)

I don't give a shit about that. I'm just looking for a guy that can fix things.

(Well, if your sword is broken then might they recommend this one here? It's quite popular with the new recruits—)

I'm not broke!

(Kind of a weird thing to yell but yeah.)

OPEN TOP LEVELS

I'll be adding more top-levels and linking them here so they don't end up lost in the other comments,

⟡ Post-Intro Mingle: (It's raining, it's pouring)

WILDCARD

❀ If you have another idea for a prompt or would like to plot anything out, let me know
❀ Plotting comment here
❀ contact; eski | discord: eski#9874 | PM

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(He wishes they would shut up. They've gotten quite chatty as the rain persisted and now they just won't shut up. How annoying that they would pick back up when Matoba is around too, of all people. Matoba is observant. He's surely picking up on the things the spirits are saying.

He doesn't understand what Matoba is doing when he steps out, either. He hisses under his breath and rushes to his side, hand ready on his sword in case the spirit takes it as a challenge but--

What he doesn't expect is for Matoba to say what he does. The whispering stops and the green spirit freezes in place. Only its shimmering light moves and it's clear that the creature is assessing Matoba. It's clear that Matoba has said something. The right thing? Or the wrong thing?

When Matoba looks back at Hizen, he'll see that Hizen is also staring. His attention is completely captured by Matoba as he considers everything he just said. It's exactly what he's been told before. Exactly what he's had to tell himself during all of his training and all of his missions. All of these different philosophies and theories that they have to rationalize and understand to stay on the right path-- to make sure history stays on the right path. And before he can really think about it anymore...

The corrupted spirit in the air lets out a loud, twisted sound like something between a cry and a roar. Agony, rage, desperation, grief, pain, frustration, desire. It's hard to describe the exact feeling the sound gives and it seems to burn brighter before flying right at Matoba,

"So YOU would c̵̬͈͕̲̈́̑͒o̶̺̦̻͕̦̍̽́̍͝ṉ̵̆̇ͅdemn ȕ̴͇̼s ALL to liv̴̫͊̐̓͝e in mis̷̺̩͂͐er̴̹͊̋y̸̦̥̰̐͆̒?!")

Watch out--

(The spirit charges, the knife in its mouth shining bright in its light. Hizen jumps ahead and in one, swift move, draws his sword, raising it at eye level and pierces it straight through. The skeletal creature impales itself on his blade and it's green light bursts into shadow and light. Like ink, like smoke, like dust, it dissolves and scatters into the air with a final, sad sigh, "You would ç̴̨̛̪̣̟͝͠o̴̗͓̿nd̸̯͍̆͋em̴̮͐̎ͅn us̴̡̹̩̘̏̆̎͗ a̷̘͚͛͋͝ll.")

...

(Interestingly, the shadowy tear seems to have disappeared as well and Hizen sheathes his sword,)

... Let's go.

(He'd rather carry on than give Matoba a chance to immediately go into questions.)

[He is picking up what they are putting down. The fact of the matter is that he can separate the usefulness of that from what it means for what they are doing now: Allowing Hizen to be corrupted by them, or distracted from their current task, was unacceptable.]

[Although he does find the effect of his own words on those things very interesting...] Are you angry? [He taunts them in that silence, feeling Hizen's eyes on him, as they had been the last time they had spoken. Perhaps he didn't expect such words from an exorcist. But all of Matoba's experiences, all of his learning, has taught him this thing: there was no point in dwelling on that which could not be changed; on who you could not be.]

[Not that it seems it will really matter. The spirit seems to erupt with fury at his words; he reaches to draw an ofuda, but before he can strike, Hizen rushes past him to dispel the creature himself.]

[What a pitiful thing.]

Writhe in your misery, then. [He replies calmly to its dying gasp, and turns after a moment to follow after Hizen, feeling the stare of the eyes on him as he ensures the gaps remain tightly closed.]

[What interesting things these sword spirits had to say, though. At another time, at a moment where they could afford it- he would ask.]

.... With things like that out here, it'd be for the best to ensure the Arena is well-warded, don't you think?

(Maybe it's because of the eyes but he feels very seen. He hates this. How dare these phantoms appear now and start revealing things. He knows he's going to have to answer questions about this later and he curses the them for their trouble.

His mood is definitely going to take a turn for the worse which might not mean anything at all considering how foul tempered he usually is. But it's definitely a turn for the worse,)

Don't rub it in. (He snaps,) I'm already taking you there.

[Ah...... Matoba's mouth curls in a small smile, and for a moment it seems as if he might laugh. But- against all odds, and mercifully- he does as asked, and lets sleeping dogs lie.]

[That's fine. They will have plenty of time in the future to discuss the interesting things he has seen today.]

Very well. [He inclines his head.] Then, I will follow your lead.

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