filthhub | (no subject)

(no subject)

He'd wandered, for how long nor how far he did not know. Far from the green fields of Britain, from the snows of the Netherlands. Past the mountains, across deserts, the shadow wandered, aimless. He did his best, of course, to avoid meeting anyone. While it might have been safer to travel in a more... permissible shape, the glamour would only work to a certain point.

Heaven only knew when a child might spot him and give it all away.

Onwards, across rivers and lakes, through forests, and then deeper into those yet still, eating whatever slow, simple beast he happened to run into. There'd be more than a few farms near the area that would be missing pets and livestock, no doubt, and more than a few frantic stories of a hulking, shadowy beast with glowing red eyes making off with squealing pigs and bleating goats.

Upwards now though, as if heedless of the mountain in his way. It was only when the scent of humans reached his nose that he finally faltered again, pausing just short of the line of trees that opened to... what looked to be some sort of temple.

Ah... no, he wasn't interested in running into any holy men, he'd dealt with that before. Hunger though, as ever, chewed at his innards, and he stalked just behind the treeline, hoping to spot something edible to steal.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And out came a holy man indeed, a long and elegant pipe held in one hand, smoke tendrils curling up and away from it into the sky. He paused on the low porch that surrounded the main building, leaning for a few moments on the railing and squinting -- always squinting! -- up at the sky.

"...Ahhh, it's a lovely day, isn't it?"

There was no one else in earshot.

... Who is he talking to? ... Not Elias, that's for sure. Not even looking at him, totally not Elias.

He's very hard to spot, of this he's very, very sure, also the human is clearly squinting. Probably has bad eyes. Definitely talking to himself, he'd seen humans do that before.

... No this didn't stop Elias from freezing in place where he was in the trees and shrubs, watching and listening from his hiding spot.

"A crisp, blue sky... mah-aah, the birds would be singing if they weren't so alarmed."

And Koumyou takes a deep drag off his pipe, blowing a few smoke rings on the exhale.

"Are you going to come out, or shall I come looking?"

oh no

he did see him.

At least, he's fairly certain he did and that's not just an idle threat being made into the void because who does that? The bushes rustle, the beast within the forest drawing back a hair.

"... I prefer it here.

... Don't come down."

"Oh-ho, so you're not a bear, then."

Can't see shit, homey. You just got played.

Oh goddamnit. There's an offended snort, the glimmer of bone momentarily visible through the trees.

"That's not funny."

"It's a little funny, surely," Koumyou took another drag from his pipe, and blew smoke up into the sky.

"Kinzan Temple is far too remote for most visitors," he added, turning his pipe over and giving it a tap against the railing so that the hot ash inside sprinkled the ground in front of the porch. "If you were going to go to all the effort of coming up here, why hide?"

"It isn't." Don't you make fun of him, he's a very serious fairy.

"I was wandering." Honest enough an answer, really there was nothing else to call it. "The mountain was in my way."

Hence, he climbed it, like any stubborn beast might have.

"It was, was it? How rude of it," Koumyou didn't even try to hide his amusement, there. Not even a little bit. That laugh of his was easy and light.

After giving the pipe another firm tap against the rail, Koumyou tucked it up one of his long, flowing sleeves, and then... walked along the porch, toward the nearest few steps down.

Oh boy.

"I didn't think mountains could be rude." Look at you, Elias, totally missing the joke.

What he didn't miss though, was the human getting up, and... walking towards the stairs of the porch. Oh.

No, no don't-

"Do not come down." Firmly reiterated, the beast backing up further into the woods as he quickly tried to think of a shape to take. The last thing he needed was some human screaming in panic and calling down a temple full of monks on him.

It definitely cinched that this stranger hadn't meant to visit the temple, if he didn't know Koumyou's rank. No one but the Gods could give him orders, and even they had never actually tried.

"Oh, hush," Koumyou had no trouble chiding this unseen stranger, however gently. And he didn't stop, of course, sandals scuffing onto the worn cobblestones after the final step down.

No he will not hush.

"Do not get closer." Okay alright he found a shape okay here it goes oh my god.

The shadows condense and coalesce, streaming in thick ribbons towards and around the creature in the forest. He really only hopes he can finish the transformation before the human gets over here oh gosh oh no.

Keep telling him what to do Elias it's worked wonders so far.

Across the cobblestones and into the edge of the forest Koumyou went, just as cheerful as ever about it.

Why are you like this

Koumyou would only see it for a half a second. The flash of bone, the bristle of coarse fur and feathery quills, teeth and horns and claws.

All gone in the blink of an eye, shrinking and brightening until at last, he'd be looking directly at...

Himself.

White haired and red eyed, dressed in black robes and a very nice tie, definitely with a far more awkward and uncomfortable look on his face than the man himself would ever sport.

"Why did you not listen to me?"

"--Ohhhh," Koumyou clapped his hands together, delighted, and bounced forward like a little kid to circle his weird doppleganger, braid swinging merilly behind him. "What an amazing trick!"

... Oh no, he hadn't counted on this reaction. He's made a grave error. The fairy pulled back, obviously confused, trying to keep the distance between the two of them.

"Please stop."

...And so Koumyou bounced faster. "Hold still, hold still!"

NO STOP PLEASE. He's backed into a tree now, rearing his head back to stare the human down, apparently not too aware that not having a scary wolf skull for a face renders this particular action null and void in the intimidation department.

"Please stop."

"Mah-aah, what a scary look on that face!"

No, it really was. Didn't bother Koumyou any, of course, although he did finally slide to a halt a few armslengths away, sandals churning up dead leaves and twigs.

Was it scary? ... Good, he hoped it was. Still, as the human paused, he slowly lowered his head, the expression of concern almost quickly, as if by sheer instinct, flattening.

Lively to emotionless in a second.

"Why did you not listen to me? I asked politely." Which, as far as he knew, was the rules. Why are you breaking rules, Koumyou?

"You did!" Koumyou agreed, holding up a finger, "but you also took my face!"

And before that, well. What kind of Sanzo would he be if he didn't actually check out a potential threat lurking in the shadows? Not that he'd ever let on that he'd been being dutiful, of course.

"And it is a very good face, but I'm afraid you can't keep it."

There's a huff, confusion and irritation managing to crack the expressionless fairy's face yet again.

"I didn't take it, I copied it. You still have your face." Okay... yes, he took that too literally.

But words matter to fairies, and he didn't take faces!

"I will not show you my face."

"But it's not yours to copy!"

Look he's secretly trying to help you out here buddy you can't just doppelganger the fucking buddhist pope, okay.

Although...

"Although..."

Oh boy. This was going to be good.

"...How good are you at reciting mantras?"

Edited 2019-06-21 05:35 (UTC)

oh yeah watch him he just did he'll doppelganger every pope in the land, jerk.

He opened his mouth to argue, and... then... shut it again, looking baffled.

"... I do not know any..."

"Perfect!"

And Koumyou lunged forward way too fast and grabbed his doppleganger's arm, proceeding to drag him back toward the temple.

Oh excellent.

"Just make stuff up, that's all I do half the time."

oh no oH NO OH NO STOP WAIT

Why was the human so strong shit fuck no-

He dug his feet into the earth, snorting as the glamor threatened to dissipate.

"I don't want to!" WHAT IS HAPPENING.

"If you're going to copy my face, you can copy some work!" The priest's cheer hadn't flagged this whole time, and showed no sign of starting now. At the edge of the woods, Koumyou spotted a few bald-headed monks sweeping the low porch and gave the stranger a big shove out into the open, before ducking behind a tree himself.

"S-Sanzo-sama?" Monk one gaped at him and elbowed monk two.

"Sanzo-sama!"

THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT HE WANTED NO.

Too much attention, there is a whole bunch of humans here, and it looked like the odd, whited out appearance of the Sanzo wasn't enough to convince them something was up.

He said nothing, absolute terror on his face as the hamster struggled to get on the fucking wheel.

... And then, he'd vanish.

The shadows would simply swallow him, the fairy melting away into the approaching darkness and slithering off towards the woods as quick as could be, taking care to attempt to vindictively swat at the real Sanzo as he shot up into the branches of that tree.

FUCK YOU.

Cue so much screaming from the monks. Shock, fear, horror, and the paddling of sandals on the cobblestones as several of them came rushing over to the spot 'Sanzo' had melted away at. Still others hung back and prayed. Out loud. Something about someone called Buddha and someone else called Kanzeon Bosatsu and--

And Koumyou rested an arm against the tree and wheezed, laughing quietly but with so much force he could barely see straight.

...Naturally that drew attention into the woods and those brave enough to run up to the spot rounded the tree and found their priest just Dying, in a whole other way.

"Sanzo-sama!"

And in between wheezes, "A test!" wheeze, "It was a test! You all passed. Good job! Sake for all!"

"...S-Sanzo-sama, you know we aren't permitted to drink..."

"And neither are you..." That was a brave mutter from one of the other monks.

Koumyou slapped the tree, gasping for air, "Another test!"

"That definitely wasn't a test."

Everything he wanted to avoid is now happening, he hates the sound of screaming humans so much. Wrapped around the tree, hiding in the shadows of the boughs, he huddles there, staring downwards as the rest of them finally figure out where their leader went.

He's the fucking goblin cackling under this tree, please come get him.

He said not a word, made not a single move, not a sound, just staring down at the collection of monks gathered around the tree. At least he was sure that none could spot him now.

Yes, other than the rather tiny boy with the impossibly golden hair, in among the other monks and dressed the same as the rest of them in simple and unadorned robes.

Purple eyes that could perceive too much, even if he'd been older, had fixed upwards at the shadowy thing that Koumyou seemed to have no problem wheezing directly under.

He sees you.

What you gonna do now, spooky.

Even as the older monks all turned to disperse back to their duties at Koumyou's dismissive wave, Kouryuu stayed where he was and stared -- no, glared -- up at this unexpected presence.

.... Go away. The branches swayed as if stirred by a breeze only it was caught in, gentle but there. The shadowy face and ember eyes stared back, the expression only partially challenging.

... But mostly pleading.

Don't tell.

The boy blinked, and suddenly his expression wasn't so intense either, as if Elias had pleaded aloud.

He turned his attention to the older priest instead as the rest of the monks finally left earshot. "Are you okay, Master? Nothing is... bothering you?"

If that shadowy evil looking -- but not feeling -- thing was bothering Koumyou, Kouryuu would kick its ass!

"I'm fine, Kouryuu," Koumyou managed after catching his breath from all the wheezing. "Just having a chat with a new friend."

What's up Elias you been adopted already.

"...Are you sure?" With another glance up at the creature, but Kouryuu's brow was furrowed with uncertainty, not aggression now.

"I'm sure, I'm sure," Kouryuu literally waved him off. "Go back to your sweeping, Kouryuu..."

One last glance up, a little fierce again -- don't you dare do anything stupid you big shitty shadow -- and then the boy turned and headed back for the temple.

what huh. who's the friend. who's the friend.

.... Is he the friend? .... He didn't ask for this. But he still wasn't leaving, still treed after all. 'New friend' was better than 'cut down this tree and attack the shadow monster in it', so he'd accept that for the time being, the shadow creature's long tail wrapping tightly around the trunk as his claws sank into the wood.

The very fact that the child wasn't screaming though, nor even trying to get anyone to look at him, that was promising. He wouldn't relax until the monks began to head back, child included, and should Koumyou linger, there'd be words from up there.

"You're a terrible person." Look what you made him do!

Look, calling you his new friend is the best way to keep the kid from asking too many questions.

You're still not Koumyou's weirdest 'friend'. Who can possibly top Ukoku?

"Is that so? That's rather refreshing to hear."

Slowly, the beast slithered lower in the tree, either forgetting his promise to never show Koumyou his face, or perhaps, no longer caring. Bone skull and sharp teeth, four sets of horns and blood red eyes, a shaggy mane of black fur and feathers creating an impressive ruff around his neck.

If it was possible for an immobile bone face to look miserable and disapproving, this would be it.

"Why did you do that?"

"Why, to get out of work, of course!"

Yes, that was Koumyou's reaction.

"That's a terrible reason." He pulled himself just a little further from the tree, his body massive, and still partially in the branches.

Yes he is concerned that the man might pull something else, he's trying to be very cautious.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only