expiationnet | video; un: ashiya-dono

Entry tags:

video; un: ashiya-dono

-ing piece of... Ah! Does this work? Helloooo? Gods, I’m going to feel like such an idiot if this doesn’t-

[The video shakes and turns several times around before it finally settles. Apparently the owner put it somewhere and is inspecting it now like one would a mirror, all angry frowns, tousled purple hair and challenging red eyes that match well with the ornate red and black kariginu that the teen(?) is wearing. And is that a paw-print on his cheek? His voice is surprisingly deep though, and comes as a belligerent growl.]

Alright. This.

[He holds up a very elegant & smug looking fox by its scruff, looking disgusted.]

This poor excuse of a pest has been having a field day eating my food, stealing and burying my clothes, tracking ink over my notices and otherwise being a nuisance. So if this is anyone’s pet, I want compensation.

If it isn’t... I’m looking for a talented fur monger or tanner to turn this into an outfit for next winter. Money won’t be an issue.

[He lowers his captive.]

Second, what’s the best way of getting from place to place here? That stupid grilled chicken Suzaku dares ignore my calls, so I need to invest in a ride that’s both reliable and worthy of an imperial court noble.

Are those Choo-Bootys really better than horse- OW! You-!!

[Rule 1 when handling wild animals: don’t take your attention off of said wild animal.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Seimei...? Isn't there a person in this city with that name? He's only spoken to him once before, but he was helpful. Scott's mostly just thankful for his assistance with Dara's organs.]

Yeah, no one's challenging him because I think you're the only one that cares. [What's this guy's beef with him anyway?? Oh well.]

Never considered the idea that the fox just wanted to mess with you? Without any direct orders? Because it's having fun.

Yeah, sure. It's totally normal that the same wild animal keeps breaking into your place and messing up your stuff for fun, even after you moved and nearly hit it with a curse several times for its efforts.

[Douman rolls his eyes, trying not to let it show how much having his competence questioned irks him. He hadn't used his powers at full force against the fox so far, since they were still in an inhabited area, but he had used fire and lightning-aligned spells - elements that most animals would naturally balk at and seek to avoid. This fox hadn't. (Which is also why he had to move lodging rooms, since parts of the furniture got hit instead of that fox.)]

And don't get me started on Seimei. Do you really think I'm the only enemy he's made at court? His willy-nilly attitude and daydreams of people living together with ayakashi have caused a lot of trouble and tragedies.

...What's up with your eyes, anyway?

Hey man, wild animals are weird around here.

[Scott has zero idea what ayakashi are and honestly, he doesn't care enough to really ask. This is just that rivalry or beef between two guys that he barely knows and so not really his problem. They can continue to duke it out as long as the city doesn't explode or whatever.

Besides...]

What? Never seen sunglasses before? [...Granted, dude's right about something being weird with his eyes, Scott just never got someone asking him this bluntly before. Geez, maybe this is why that fox messes with his stuff.]

[His eyes narrow even tighter, but he says nothing - albeit in a way that's very outspoken in itself.

Fortunately for them both Scott's question distracts Douman from any further rolling in his own resentments. He has been doing that much too much for quite a while already, so it's probably good for his health, too.]

Sun... glasses?

[Glass didn't really hit Japan until 600 years after Douman was alive, sorry Scott.]

[Oh shit, is he talking to someone from the stone age?? Usually, it's Scott that's behind the times. It's nice when someone else is even older than him! This revelation puts Scott in a slightly better mood, the teen smiling slightly at the video feed.

Even if Douman looks as grumpy as ever.]

They're pretty common where I'm from. [He can make up some stupid bullshit story, but eh. Not to mention that his sunglasses are actually unique and he can just go with that.] Protects people's eyes from the sun, sometimes just used as a fashion accessory. Mine are a little more special though.

[It's okay talking about his powers, right? Yeah. Not like he's really hiding that part of him. He hasn't for a while now.]

['Grumpy' is Douman's default look even when he sleeps, which probably says a lot about the people he's grown up and lived with. Useless adults and later wanna-be's all around... !

He gets another suspicious look as Douman tries to put what Scott just told him into perspective while also trying to decide if he is being laughed at on the side.]

How? Do they help you to aim?

[It's for the eyes and for protection, so it being some warrior's tool would make sense. Maybe they have something to them that makes it easier to focus his sight?]

[So much suspicion... it's okay, Scott knows he's talking to a walking fossil. Probably a good thing he didn't try to bullshit him at all, because it'll probably make all the stuff he's about to say even harder to believe. Then again, this guy deals with... foxes and spirits apparently?? So, he's probably used to magic and weird things.

Nonetheless, he taps the side of his frames.]

Nah man, they keep my powers in check. If I didn't have my sunglasses, I'd be blowing up everything around me.

You'd be- Is it a curse?

[If it were, it'd be a pretty nasty one. You'd need a powerful grudge to wish to make somebody destroy everything he looks at. That's the kind of stuff you'd usually only find in troublesomely dangerous beasts.]

No, I'm what's known as a mutant.

[It's pretty easy to admit that to others. Guess it's always been easy, he just put pressure on himself in the very beginning. Everyone's been chill with him so far and Scott doesn't think it'll change. Just ignore the Sentinels at the Tower and everything--]

So, basically born with powers. [He could talk about the X-Gene and DNA and crap, but he's pretty sure that Mr. Stone Age here wouldn't get it. Gotta keep it simple!!]

Mutant? An aberrant?

[Poor Scott can probably see the question marks circling Douman's head as he tries to figure out what "being a mutant" means.]

If you were born with powers that means that you are either gifted or an accursed halfblood. [where the curse might be pretty literal in this case] Does your family have anything to do with any temples?

[Aberrant?? Wow.]

Yeah, I'm gifted. [Because he's not going to call himself an 'accursed halfblood.' What the hell is this guy's problem anyway? This is probably the first sort of real negative reaction he's gotten about his status and Scott finds himself frowning in an almost defensive manner. Just... don't get mad, Summers.]

No, not at all. Some people are just born as mutants and some aren't. It has nothing to do with temples.

[Huh. So no shrine relations equalling some sort of relations to a well-meaning but clueless-till-stupid god giving their blessings without wasting a thought for how that might affect those given them. It convinces him more that those most be some sort of latent curse.]

I see. Then it might really be that your bloodline's just cursed. It's a sad fact that some spirits are both compatible enough with humans to sire offspring and don't know how to keep it in their pants.

You're lucky that your eyes haven't gotten you exorcised yet. Most halflings don't survive infancy.

[Things tend to turn nasty fast the moment the cat's out of the bag and the first undeniable signs of otherness are showing. Usually it ends with either the unfortunate kid exiled or dead, or a whole slew of deaths in the local community. That's how it goes, be it with humans or animals.]

[dude.]

I'm not cursed. Mutants aren't cursed. [Funny how over a year ago, he did feel feel cursed. He said as much to Professor Xavier. His view's changed-- he's grown since then and Scott's (mostly) accepted his powers now. Enough to get annoyed by this.] Best that you get that straight right now.

And good luck to anything that tries to 'exorcise' my eyes.

[Oh. That's oddly defensive compared to how people usually react when Douman detects a curse on them. Sure, some try to deny it at first if it'd mean having to confess to their own wrongdoings in the process, but taking it personal ....?]

...You call never being able to meet your lover's eyes not cursed?

If it's really as bad as you say, then you're constantly one tripping or waking up in the middle of the night and dazedly forgetting that sun-somethings of yours away from harming others. You not meaning to isn't going to mean jackshit if the damage's already done.

[There's no excuse for being a walking public hazard, man.]

[Character development is not lashing out right now when he would have months ago. He's fully aware the limits that his powers have placed on him, from seeing everything in red constantly, not being able to meet Kotone's gaze with his own... the danger of hurting others as he mentioned. Yeah, those are thoughts he's had before-- many times, honestly.

They will never disappear, not until he can control his powers. Which will most likely be never.

Scott can't stop the way his jaw clenches though, but he doesn't start yelling. That's never worked out for him in the past. Getting angry and expressing it outward to others has blown up in his face and he doesn't want that anymore.]

I'm well-aware of all that. [His voice is a little tense.] But I'm not going to seclude myself from everyone.

Did I say you should?

[Good. Accepting that one does have a problem is already an important step in the right direction. Although this guy is really being an idiot about it.]

What you need is somebody to look at your curse and either break, seal or weaken it to the point where it's no longer a danger to yourself and others. Whatever works to make this a life worth living for you, rather than a game of 'when will it happen again?'

Can the thing on your face do that?

[Dara's sealed his powers before and it lasted a day or so. It was nice having that break, to do something like that for a special occasion, but in the end, he doesn't want that to be permanent. Isn't that sort of rejecting who he is??]

As I've said before, it's not a curse. It's part of who I am. My friends have already accepted it too.

[...] My glasses prevent my powers from shooting out and if they do fall off, I can just close my eyes. Don't worry, I'm pretty good at that.

[Douman would assert that he is way more powerful than this "Dara" could ever be if he knew (whether he knows her or not doesn't matter), but it's apparent that Scott has already made up his mind.]

You could say the same for being born with only one arm or leg, but fine, be that way. It's your choice. Just don't come crying if something inevitably goes wrong at some point in the future.

[He is not Seimei. He will not help others if his meddling isn't wanted. Douman has to look out for himself first and foremost, because nobody else will.]

So, do you know who could have sent that fox or somebody who can tan it for me? It has nice fur, but it's love for my pants is decidedly going too far.

[He almost wants to interject that he doesn't have a handicap, but fine. Whatever. They're both done with that part of the conversation.]

No, not really. Guess you'll just have to talk to someone else.

[Honestly though, Scott wouldn't have helped him even if he did know. He's feeling petty enough right now to be that way.]

Then I shall excuse myself to do just that.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

video; un: ashiya-dono

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject