avalononline | Video | UN: hijikata | Irregular Quest: Keep a Man out of the Sun for a Day

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Video | UN: hijikata | Irregular Quest: Keep a Man out of the Sun for a Day

[It's after dinnertime on another rainy evening when a new video pops up on AOL. Hijikata has never posted anything on the network before (beyond responses to other people), so he's not exactly a familiar face... but those who do know him may be surprised by the changes to his outfit and the large black wings on his back. He looks a lot more composed than usual and gives the camera a slow blink before starting to speak.]

My name is Arashi. I am the familiar of Hijikata-san, whose body I am inhabiting by means of familiar fusion to bring you this message. I am afraid that I find myself in need of some assistance.

[He seems to be in a hotel room, and attentive listeners may be able to catch the occasional high-pitched little noise in the background, as if there were guinea pigs or other small pets running around. Arashi keeps a straight face.]

It has come to my attention that Hijikata-san has been struggling to reverse the impact of the wishes that were made about two months ago. I cannot maintain the familiar fusion state for very long, so I seek the support of anyone willing and able to keep him away from the sunlight for a day.

[What the reclusive crow tengu isn't telling the viewers: due to the heavy rains he decided to check on his bond partner, only to find his hotel room full of mayonnaise mascots. When the flooding began Hijikata had fetched them in a panic from the smallholding farm the owners of which had been letting him keep them in an enclosure, and their presence immediately made it clear to Arashi that he never fixed his messed-up magic. Hijikata had just finished preparing a familiar fusion essence in his room for later use in an emergency, and ultimately it was used much sooner as a result of the ensuing fight.]

Please come to Room 306 at the main inn if you are interested. I cannot offer gold, but I am able to train users of wind magic and help awaken it for novice users of elemental magic, or otherwise I can offer some rare items.

Just as a warning, there are some... creatures here.

[The mayonnaise mascots are harmless, but kind of creepy looking in his opinion. They are unnatural, wholly unnatural. The sooner they disappear the better.]

(OOC: This is open for anyone, no dibs (after all we've got time loops happening around here!). Villains and pranksters are also welcome (after all Arashi is such an absent familiar that he wouldn't be able to tell who Hijikata's friends are, or if he has any at all). If you'd like to plot anything specific out I have my CR meme post here!)

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[Why yes, Zel would love to go over his amazing plan that he came up with in about ten minutes and was like "eh good enough" about.]

Plan A is to attempt talking him into cooperating. If that doesn't work, plan B is to use the rope to keep him in that chair. If he decides to argue after that, I'm going to tape his mouth shut. Just in case the curtains aren't enough to completely keep the sun out, I'm going to nail the blanket from the bed to the wall. Failing all of that, the whisky is plan C. He can't put up a fight if he's blackout drunk. Or I could just knock him out by bashing the bottle over his head, I'm not picky.

The sandwiches are for lunch.

[that's the important part.]

[Arashi nods along, apparently seeing no problem with any of this... thought he does have a suggestion to make.]

I would advise you to tie Hijikata-san up in advance to starting your negotiations. He is quite strong and may well overpower you otherwise.

[He may be staging an intervention on his bond partner, but at least he firmly believes in his sheer manpower!]

[As much as Zelgadis want's to insist that he can totally take Hijikata in a punch fight, buuut since he's been nerfed and only has the strength of a normal human, and he isn't exactly a body builder, he's less willing to take that chance.]

That might not be a bad idea. Have a seat, I guess, let's get this over with.

[Arashi complies without protest, sitting down in an armchair (or else on the desk chair, if Zelgadis directs him there). They'll get his wings out of the way somehow, and he does whatever Zelgadis asks of him to make this work. Once they're done he gives the ropes some experimental tugs, but they're holding tight.]

Are there any further precautions you would like to take? Or can I dissolve the familiar fusion?

[Think carefully, Zelgadis! Or don't. After all there's always the tape if Hijikata won't stop ranting and raving.]

[He hadn't tied the ropes tight enough to be overly uncomfortable, but he's glad to see that his knots are indeed holding. He takes a step back to look over his work, nodding in approval. Good knots, Zel, it's totally not weird that you're so good at tying them.]

Hmm... maybe I should have asked if he needed to go to the bathroom first.

...It's probably fine. I'll take it from here, go ahead and drop the fusion.

As the one currently in control of this body let me assure you, he does not need to go.

[With these meaningful last words as a fusion Arashi closes his eyes. There's a lot of sudden mystery fog of unclear origin that briefly obscures his form, and once it dissolves there are two figures in front of Zelgadis: Hijikata, tied up as it were, and a tall crow person next to him, each in his own distinctive outfit and with all limbs properly allocated.]

Well, then. I shall--

[Hijikata chimes in... if one can call it that.]

Zelgadis, grab him!!! That bastard non-con fused with me!! I'll pluck him like a chicken and put him on a roast!

[He's struggling hard, but the ropes are holding tight. Arashi just slightly widens his eyes in reaction.]

Hijikata-san, this is an intervention.

Intervention my ass!! Where's my sword?!

[SSSSSSORRY HIJIKATA, Zel's on the bird's side. Even if roasted giant bird does sound pretty good right now. He stands over Hijikata and crosses his arms, completely unmoved by his antics because he's one of those brooding characters.]

What's this I'm hearing about you refusing to stay out of the sun? And what are these creepy little... things?

[He nods in the general direction of some of those.. mayo. creatures?]

I'll tell you once I'm done with him!! And Mayorin isn't creepy!

[He keeps struggling against the ropes, so Arashi sighs and plucks a feather from his wing, then offers it to Zelgadis.]

I feel that Hijikata-san will not be able to calm down as long as I remain here. Should you need my support, burn this feather, and I will return. Otherwise I will leave it to you. Again, you have my most sincere gratitude.

[Hijikata kind of yells and bitches in the background, but Arashi's voice is firm and clear and manages to cut through his tantrum, all the more because he moves away from him towards the door while speaking. If Zelgadis has no further queries or requests he'll see himself out and leave him with the raging cop. It's sleepover time!]

[Zelgadis takes that feather and nods in understanding. Hopefully he's totally got this and won't have to set any feather's on fire, but we'll see. Once Arashi leaves, he turns his attention back to Hijikata, taking a seat and settling in for a long day.]

Okay, he's gone. Now will you tell me why you're sabotaging yourself by refusing to stay out of the sun?

I'm not sabotaging myself!! The powers I got back then are better than the ones I got from this land! Those are shitty!! I've been seeing ghosts everywhere lately, I never asked for that!

[To be fair, some patient people introduced him to the concept of seeing ghosts as fellow souls rather than just creepy ghouls, but as of yet Hijikata is still far from feeling happy about his new magic.]

...Hold on. That's a type of magic? That's... kind of a relief, actually.

[Kind of a weird thing to be relived by?? Maybe?? It's Zelgadis, don't think too hard about it.]

So, by the sounds of it, you and I seem to have been granted the same sort of magic.

[Misery loves company, so it's always better to not be the only one who sees dead people!]

You also got death magic? Sucks, doesn't it?

[This is a good opportunity for him to figure out just how badly his own magic got screwed up, though.]

Can you understand what they say? The ghosts, I mean?

Perhaps once I've learned how to better use it, it won't be so bad...

[He's actually not so sure about that? Does he even want to learn how to use it better? What a fucking creepy magic, holy shit.

Ahem, anyway.]

No, I have difficulty understanding them. Then again, I also don't tend to stick around long enough to listen.

[IT'S GHOSTS, OKAY. THEY ARE SCARY.]

Yeah, me neither. And even if we get used to it, it'll definitely still be just as bad. It's just creepy!

[Okay, maybe he should actually try to internalise what the quick adapters to death magic told him rather than just reinforce both Zelgadis' and his own prejudices against ghosts, but it feels so good to find someone who'll just bitch and moan about it with him!! Meanwhile a bunch of mayonnaise mascots walks up to the two of them and start tugging on hijikata's trouser legs and reaching for his hands while making squeaky little noises. Alas, he can't pick them up right now.]

It's okay, Mayorin. I'll be free soon. Zelgadis was just roped into this by the bird jerk who possessed me.

[...sorry, no, the Mayorin things are definitely just as creepy to Zelgadis as the ghosts are. He'll just aaaah. keep that to himself, though.]

Now, let's not be hasty. There has to be some reason we've been given this sort of magic. Aside from just speaking to the dead, maybe there's something else we can do with it?

Like what? Necromancy? I'm pretty sure we'd go to hell for that.

[He has no idea what the Avalonian afterlife is like, but Japanese hell is no joke!]

Maybe there's some info online? Can you check? In the worst case we may have to go back to the archivist in the Forest of the Fisherking to do some research.

Necromancy, hm. I've never risen the dead before...

[He sounds way too interested in this. The idea of going to hell doesn't seem to concern him, like at all. BUT, he'll put that aside in favor of pulling out his phone and. Kind of staring at it like he has no idea what to do with it now that he's holding it. Because he doesn't.]

I... know "online" has something to do with these. You mean the network? I kind of know how to use that.

[well, all he knows how to do is chat with people.]

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Video | UN: hijikata | Irregular Quest: Keep a Man out of the Sun for a Day

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