OPEN ➸ September Catchall

[worldbent]

Who ⬤ Matoba Seiji and you
What ⬤ Substories, monthly eye curse, etc. Closed starters in the comments.
When ⬤ Throughout September
Where ⬤ More or less everywhere
Content Warnings ⬤ Will add if needed



A. SUBSTORY 3: DRIFTER GRIFTER - I want that Spiderman Wastelander!!

[What a classic wild goosechase, huh? When Matoba's connections had told him of a certain individual that had been spotted around the city with information on the Iron Bear, he had set to finding this mystery youkai. But every time he gets to a location where the man was said to be, he finds nothing but other angry individuals looking for the same man.]

[Surely he can't be only a mirage...]

[Perhaps the Wastelander got you to pay for a meal or a new pair of shoes, only to leave you down on your luck.] I see... Don't you think this will be a good lesson for you? [Matoba offers you a cheerful smile after hearing your tale.] Never give up your side of the bargain before you get your information.

Shall I assist you in finding him, then?


B. CURSED EYES - The Me in the Mirror Limit first 5 tag-ins, please!
[ooc; If you are tagging in to this prompt, PLEASE READ THIS INFO/PERMISSIONS POST FIRST, thanks! If your character has spiritual awareness, they can tell the spirit in this prompt feels Real Bad.]
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[It's another busy day in Sutoku's shopping districts, with their modern buildings and flashy neon signs. It was easy to feel as though this was a normal shopping district in any human city, with the sort of glamor present.]

[As you pass by the reflective windows of a shop, you might have to do a double-take once or twice when the reflection that stares back at you is missing its right eye. You must have been seeing things- when you look back again, it's normal.]

[Maybe it takes you a few times to notice that your "reflection" moves on from your shadow and along the glass on its own after a while; it seems to be looking for something. But when you stop and try to look at it, you'll instead be interrupted by a voice that approaches you from behind, suddenly too-close to your ear--]

Excuse me. Are you looking for something?


C. SNACK RUN - Even menacing Lieutenants need a day off

[Matoba had earned quite a reputation over his months in Jigoku-cho for being "always on the clock"- it was, perhaps, a part of why he had managed to climb the ranks of the Alliance so quickly. Always dressed for success in either a suit or his clan's traditional kimono, it was perhaps hard to relate more personally to a man who seemed to carry himself as so apart from others in both appearance and speech.]

[But once in a while, you can catch even Matoba Seiji on an off-day.]

[In an adidas hoodie and a casual pair of joggers, Matoba has perched himself on the railing of a walkway overlooking the river at one of the bridge crossings. The Hashihime Clan may have to put up with a Lieutenant's presence now, but she doesn't look much happier about the crumbs from the flaky pastry he's eating, or the flecks of rice from that onigiri, as they fall onto her bridge and waters.]

[Like this, Matoba-san almost just looks like what he is- a bored 22 year old.]

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[ooc; as always feel free to hit me up via my CR meme post, PM or kitsoru for plotting!]

Comments

[breweries]

Fufu. To be held by you during my most arduous of times -- it was truly an honor. I hope you'll continue to catch me in your arms the next time I fall.

[ gag, gag. how did matoba even agree to go to shylock for this specific task in the first place? only the two of them know, but shylock's amused either way. he'd thought the nonhuman-hating exorcist would rather eat glass than ride on a magical mounted object powered by a wizard's magic, but matoba's rather agreeable so long as there's something in it for him. such is the nature of cross-faction negotiations, as small as they seem. ]

In that case, feel free to hold on tight to the broomstick itself and make yourself comfortable. [ it may be a bit of a bumpy ride for first-timers, but shylock will do his best to make it easy for this big baby here. ] Whenever you're ready, I will be off.

[ then he kicks off the ground and up they go. up, up, slowly now, until they're at least ten stories high. from here, the ride towards the gates that lead outside the city should be slow and steady from here. ]

Now, back to the topic at hand -- does that mean you've ridden horseback before, Mr. Matoba? The image I have of you in my head greatly contradicts your chosen hobbies.

[ aren't u supposed to be some kinda shut-in... then again, the way he played volleyball during that summer proved that he lifts every now and then, doesn't he........ ]

[worldbent]

[Wow, a shut-in?? Now just how did Shylock get that impression... Must be Natori, that soft-bellied wimp.]

Are you sure you want to hope for that? Perhaps the next time you fall, it will be by my hand.

[It wouldn't be time spent with Matoba if it wasn't filled with teasing threats... Anyway, these arrows were not meant for Shylock this time, and he doesn't feel like dying in such a spectacularly stupid way as to kill his own pilot. The broom begins to lift upward and Matoba isn't sure what he expected, but it was like being rocked gently in a boat that was gaining speed by the moment.]

...I wonder if I should bother wondering about this image you have of me... [Matoba mutters, nearly under his breath, though with Shylock riding just inches in front of him it hardly mattered to lower his voice.] A few times. I suppose you've never heard of "yabusame"? It is an ancient tradition of ritualized mounted archery in my nation, [Matoba explains, positioning his bow in his left hand as he steadies his balance. Now that they were flying quite high, he had to concentrate on maintaining his seat, and he had to adjust for the counterbalance of the bow's size with his left arm outstretched beside them, the point nearly reaching past Shylock to the front tip of the broomstick.] In which you ride a long stretch and fire at three set targets from atop a horse. It is something between a contest of skill and a performance to appease the gods.

As a clan of archers, the Matoba have participated in such rituals for many generations.

[breweries]

I'd love to see you try, one day.

[ if shylock's lucky, matoba will just roll over and die in his old age by that time. it'd be sad, but them's the breaks when you're human -- even if said human has his own supernatural abilities.

and yes it's definitely natori, but matoba's usual look just evokes "gloomy shut-in", you know? very faust-like. the fact that they have similar temperaments and profession only drives it home. nevertheless he listens to matoba's spiel about archery which piqued shylock's interest from day one. he'll never forget how matoba showed off his prowess just to take him out for tea, all those months ago... ]

I imagine that knights at Central Kingdom are experts in archery on horseback, but they're less for appeasing guards and more of their usual combat training.

[ now that they're all but cruising in the skies, shylock whips out his pipe and takes a long, soothing drag. ]

Many generations, is it. [ hmm. ] I suppose you will be producing your heir and pass on the same traditions to them, when the time comes.

[worldbent]

[Matoba's mouth curls. He'd love to try, too. It wouldn't do to delay too long; after all, the chances that he even makes it to such an age were slim to none as it was.]

[His end would come not with the mercy of disease, but dragged to hell by one of the many grudges forged by his clan.]

Haha. The days of archery in combat have long passed my world, [He doesn't sound all that broken up about that,] Warfare now is done with large firearms and computers. Not that I know much about it personally.

....That's right. As is my duty as head of the clan. [Oh? Interesting for Shylock to take any interest in his future, or so Matoba thinks. He pauses in his surveying of the land below to dart his eye towards the back of the wizard's head.] Unlike, I suppose, you wizards? To be frank, I am not used to ayakashi who are capable of procreation, outside of beasts. Then again, now that you mention Central, that one was also born from humans.

Same as with all of you?

[breweries]

[ that comment about archery being gone in the modern world catches his interest. hizen had mentioned that months ago, when swords like him would have been melted into molten steel and refurbished as something else now that the age of war is over. it's almost unthinkable to ponder on, with how technological advancement is on the rise in the west -- one day their world will do away from primitive weapons and use wizard souls as batteries to power their weapons of mass destruction.

for now, he casts matoba a furtive smile. ]

Let's tackle this one by one. First, have I ever told you that I was once a member of the nobility, Mr. Matoba?

[worldbent]

[Matoba gives a soft snort.]

I don't believe you have, but it isn't so hard to believe.

[Testing his bowstring, Matoba begins to survey the land rushing beneath them as they approach the edges of the city. The buildings grew shorter, more sparse out here; it was becoming shanties and tents, the poorest of housing for the nigh-homeless who hadn't been actually exiled from the city. And then, the border that was the Sanzu river rushing beneath...]

That doesn't really answer my question, though. Human, or wizard nobility?

[breweries]

[ just going to steer them a bit closer; there's bound to be some unlucky schmucks who were enticed by the billion-yen bounty. nothing too difficult for matoba to strike down from above. ]

Human. I was the only wizard in our clan. You see, for every ten thousand humans, one will be born as a wizard. And it's starting to look like our number has been dwindling as of late.

[ the smoke coming from shylock's pipe is almost like an exhaust pipe as they sail through the skies, with shylock himself taking casual puffs from his pipe with a serene smile on his face. ]

In the beginning, I had merely watched over the Bennett clan. They had fallen from nobility to being lords after a series of power struggles and family infighting, and they had gone through numerous heads as a result. But even a long-standing clan is not impervious to time, and after eight hundred years, I was the only one left.

[ his smiling face takes on a more melancholy air as he takes another drag. what's with the exorcists asking him about family lately? how quaint. ]

[worldbent]

[They dot the Wasteland scrub like ants. Matoba knows for certain that no Sutoku members had dared try to brave the Wastelands yet ahead of the clan's organized efforts; he would presume, from Shylock's agreement, that the same went for the Tamamo. The Enma certainly wouldn't be just journeying out on foot. And the Shuten.... Well, he had reason to believe they wouldn't jump before the Alliance did.]

[Which meant anyone out here was fair game. He slides an arrow from his quiver and knocks it, focusing on the sight of a small caravan of apparent mercenaries.]

One in ten-thousand, hm? [Less than he expected, more than he'd certainly like. But it confirmed his thought from previous information. He compartmentalizes this for later; to stew on it, turn it over in his head, and consider the implications.]

[Shylock know a little bit about the Matoba clan and their... path, at least. Eight hundred years and then extinction...]

Scrapping for survival is an inherent trait of mortals. Exorcists are much the same, a bloody history of politicking and backstabbing. [He says it with a difficult to read tone. Shylock being in front was a small mercy.] ...But in the end, the powerful should rule.

Shylock-san, you did not take charge of your failing clan? Why?