video un: konpeito_oni with un: fireprince

[konpeito_aji]

Make sure you get my good side!

[Oda Nobunaga is being filmed by someone else, and as he quickly makes apparent: hunting in the forest.]

Okay! This is Oda Nobunaga, Demon King of the Sixth Heaven. [He'll get tired of that mouthful... eventually.] Hijikata-sama is busy doing super important police work so I got Zuko to provide backup so I can show you proper sumo techniques on a bear fir! Those are trees in the shape of bears. Don't worry, if I get eaten, and can't cut my way free, Zuko will set it on fire, and then we'll show you how to make sure it doesn't spread to the forest!

First you need to lure it! [He has a fish for the bait.] In my time, we would give offerings and sacrifices, but since I want to wrestle one, not appease it--

[He doesn't get to finish the sentence before he gets sideswiped by an irritated bear fir. It was not lured by the fish. It was flushed out by Nobunaga's oni, but who's counting?]

[Nobunaga crashes into a tree, gets the wind knocked out of him... but he's grinning ear to ear.]

[And tackles the bear, trying to wrestle, or ride it, or... who the fuck knows?]

[It's a bit insane. But eventually he winds up inside it and cuts himself free...]

[And looks sorely disappointed.]

Ah... that's it? I didn't get to show anything off... Okay! Let's do the fire anyway! Zuko set me on fire!

[This can only end well.]

[On cue, a small puff of flame appears from the cameraman's unseen hands. The flames are weak. After another, only slightly bigger puff, a grumble can be heard, before one more unsteady, unimpressive lick of flames appears from thin air, followed by a hoarse:]

What the fuck?!

[Muttered under the firebender's breath. Finally, fourth must be the charm... and a gust of fire shoots forth, striking Nobunaga straight-on. Thank goodness the daimyo has healing magic because, uh, Zuko is clearly not fully in control of this fire he's magicking up. And he's very embarrassed to be short on juice on a live public feed. This whole thing isn't going exactly to plan, is it?]

[The grown warlord then holds up a finger, as his cuirass (at least it's not his Japanese armor? Is that better or worse?) smolders and gets hotter!] This technique isn't taught in my time, but you should all know it!

Stop! Drop! And roll!

[And he demonstrates.]

[The bear fir in the meanwhile has recollected, REFORMED itself... and just decides an idiot on fire is not worth trying to eat again. Good thinking. Off it goes!]

[No idiots were maimed in the making of this video. Don't play with fire. Or bear trees.]

Comments

[beautyrest]

I look forward to it, Zuko. I'm sure it will sound lovely. And I can't wait to meet all your friends, whenever that may be.

[rediscovering]

I, uh— I'm sure they'd like to meet you, too.

[ And by that he means... he's flailing. ]

Maybe not, uh, all at once... I have a lot of different kinds of friends.

[ The first time admitting he's popular and has a lot of friends! ]

[beautyrest]

Well, besides our own picnic, I certainly don't see why we couldn't have another so I could meet them. [She likes picnics, don't judge.]

[rediscovering]

R-Right... About that, um— [ Oh, he’s hitching. ] ...when should we do that?

[beautyrest]

The weather is still rather inclement. Perhaps in a few more weeks when we can be assured it will be sunny?

[rediscovering]

Sure, whenever, just— let me know, I guess... You have my username now...

[ Hikaru is relieved of his duties as wingman! ]

[beautyrest]

I do, so, is there a particular reason prince is in the title?

[rediscovering]

No.

[ Whoops, that came out more quickly and sharply than he wanted. He softens himself slightly. ]

...No, there's not. It's just a dumb username.

1/2

[beautyrest]

2/2

[beautyrest]

Alright.

[rediscovering]

...Alright. Til then, Aurora.

[ He's not sure why, but he gets the impression she saw through that and just said "alright," and it makes him nervous, but he's relieved for her feigning ignorance, if it's the case, and the sigh he breathes is subtle but needed. He doesn't advertise the fact that he's a prince. He doesn't want Aurora in particular to think differently of him for being royalty. He really should just change the username, oy... But now everyone knows him by this. He's doomed to dweebiness. ]

[beautyrest]

[To some degree, she has seen through it, not so much that he is a prince, but clearly that something else is afoot. Still, she does not pry. 1. Because they are in public for all to see. 2. They are simply not close enough that she feels it right to do so. And 3. It is his right to have his thoughts and privacy to himself.]

Until we speak again, Zuko. Have a wonderful day.

[rediscovering]

[ Something about being told to have a wonderful day, after setting Nobunaga aflame publicly... strikes his funny bone. She earns a soft, cockeyed smile from him at the remark. ]

You, too.