February Adventures

[mayoninofukucho]

WHO: Hijikata and... YOU?
WHAT: Running from Maribelle's vendetta, TDM prompts, knightly questing, moping around, and werewolf time... with a twist!
WHEN: Throughout the first half-ish of February
WHERE: Forest of the Fisherking, Lands of Rot (maybe), Camelot City, Ash Mountains
WARNINGS: Depressed drinking in Prompt 4 and a burned ghost in Prompt 5!

(NOTE: Anyone wanting to avenge Maribelle's honour is welcome to hijack any prompt in this post for that! Likewise anyone is welcome to hit him with any dark web quests in whichever prompt!)



1) Trust Falls

[This time Hijikata really fucked up. Sure, what happened between him and Maribelle last month was not ideal, and yes, he should have told her about his plan to infiltrate the night club while still in her body, but she would surely have forbidden him to go ahead with it, and catching that unscrupulous would-be murderer was too important!! Regardless, his impulsive reaction to her AOL post was a big mistake, because thereby he gave unmistakable confirmation to any watching dark web denizens that it was him, the man they already consider a nuisance in his function as Commander of the ghost patrol, who meddled in one of their plots yet again.

Knowing that he has both the criminals of Camelot and some well-meaning white knight types who didn't heed (or see) his explanation and are keen on following Maribelle's call for retribution on his case he pretty much can't eat or drink at any bars or restaurants anymore - too much of a risk of people slipping stuff into his food and beverages to make him compliant with any humiliating antics -, and during the daytime hours, when his spectral subordinates aren't there to watch out for any threats alongside him, he has to be on edge wherever he goes. This sucks!! He really should just stay in his remote little hut at the outskirts of the Forest of the Felled... and he does.

But then the dreams start, and after having them for two nights in a row a swift glance at AOL shows him that he's not the only one. He reads other people's thoughts on the poem's meaning, but in the end he can't tell which place seems more likely - the Forest of the Fisherking or the Lands of Rot. Given that he still has some Archivist's Totems (he made a bunch of different totems in autumn, just before the fateful equinox) he decides to head there first. If he finds any hints that rule out the Fisher King he can still move on to the nearby Lands of Rot!

When he arrives he's alone. It feels a little weird. He's not used to going on quests on his own anymore, is he? Knowing that he won't be allowed to smoke among the Archivist's old books and manuscripts he lights himself a cigarette and recites the dream poem to himself once more, hoping to suddenly glean some new insight.]

I beckon thee to wither's tree,
Where widows often cry,
A poisoned place of death's embrace
North selkie's weary eye.
You seek the prick whose corpse makes rot,
And rot begot those life forgot,
'Fore the questing beast slips by.

Hm... would they really call the guy a prick? In a poem? Also what's the questing beast?

[It's rainy outside the rusted old train wagon, so perhaps someone who came to investigate the Forest of the Fisherking may want to seek shelter... or someone might arrive next to the totem statue on the same way he came, perhaps to research the Lands of Rot before turning that way. Whatever the reason, he wouldn't mind some company.]


2) Not Locked In

[Like all other outworlders Hijikata had received a lock with a fitting key in the post before he embarked on the expedition. After returning home he inspects it more closely and reads the attached note once again: Slice your sobriquet upon this seal, / Secure our sprouting solidarity. / Shackle it at the stockade. / Sing sayonara to the key. He's... not doing that, whatever it exactly means. He already heard enough whispers of shady ongoings at Queen Elphame's ball last month, and while it seems like those who went to the party (and stayed there) were not hit with the werewolf curse he still doesn't want to get entangled in any deeper relations with her and her people. His duty lies with Camelot and King Arthur! So he simply puts the lock and key aside.

His plan to stay on the down-low is nevertheless thwarted by a call from one of his subordinates who possesses enough spirit magic to manipulate phones - they're missing comrades in action again. It seems like they disappeared from their patrol route without a trace. Hijikata sees no other option than come to the ghosts' rescue, so he heads to Camelot via totem without delay. He practiced the detection of death magic traces, so hopefully he can make some headway on his own, what with the approaching dawn forcing his subordinates to retreat to Loch Manor.

Once the day awakens and the streets fill with life he can be seen out and about in the lowertown with his long black coat's hood up, trying to find any hints of the missing ghosts' whereabouts as he "scans" the area for hidden ghost-safe jars. Damn it, why are these criminals so relentless?! (Because the Yuureisengumi is relentless too, he knows, he knows). He hopes that nobody who bears him ill will will take notice of him... ugh, it's so cold too; he'd love to go for a hot soup somewhere! But it's just too risky. He takes a brief break on a bench, drinking mayonnaise (yeah) from his bottomless mug and letting out a deep sigh.]

If only it were already spring at least..!

[It would be a shame if anyone affected by the lock task's side effects side-tracked him into helping them get access to whichever public buildings, but would it really? If nothing else it'd be an opportunity to warm himself up inside.]


3) Knight Quest (for groundzeroes)

[Of course Hijikata was going to carry out this month's knight quest, he has to earn his keep after all - but while he was still waffling over whom of his combatant friends or fellow knights he should reach out to (some of them seemed pretty sympathetic to Maribelle's complaints about him; whom can he even still trust not to try to humiliate him now?) he receives a message from none other than Rei, asking him if he'd be willing to take him along.

Well... why not? Hijikata does not trust Rei, not fully, but... somehow, at the core, he does, doesn't he? Ugh. He must, because he agrees, and at the appointed time the two of them are on their way towards the Ash Mountains. Hijikata brought his own horse Black Star, along with his shield and heavy knight's cloak. The weather is once again shitty - rainy and windy -, but he had some Dry Spells prepared to shield himself and Rei.]

So how much do you know about those I.C.E.s?


4) Frost Fairies and Ghosts (for sulit)

[A couple of days later Hijikata has a night off, so he does his shopping in Camelot during the daytime and totem-travels back home in the evening, entrusting the city to his subordinates. His death magic trace finding skill has improved at a staggering rate, if only due to his sheer determination to rescue any of his men and women as quickly as possible. They're all together again... for now.

He takes a tub of newly bought ice cream - caramel flavour -, opens it along with a kitchen window, and puts it on the windowsill. Will the frost fairies even come all the way out here? Probably not, but alas, he doesn't have a place to stay in Camelot anymore (the camp doesn't count, it has no windows!). With his subordinates all in the city he's the only person left here at the Yuureisengumi HQ... or is he?]


5) Valentine's Blues

[Hijikata stayed on guard. He really, really did. But when he visited Darin's forge for maintenance of his gear - on the 14th, as it just so happens - and found the place cold and empty he felt dread in his stomach, and one bounced text message later he knew. This is normal. It's just what happens. Still, he really wanted a drink at his favourite pub to drown out the feeling of yet another loss.

At the pub he overhears the bartender talking to another patron about how "that little bard's probably gone too", and that's another painful jab. Not Venti, right? They're not talking about Venti?! He eventually musters the nerve to ask, because nothing is worse than the uncertainty, and sure enough they are, having heard that he went missing. One more bounced text message, and Hijikata needs the drink all the more desperately... alas, the moment he took his eyes off it to speak with the others and use his phone was all the inconspicuous person who just slipped out of the pub needed to pour something into his mug from a small vial. Did anybody notice? They could warn him... or watch and see what happens. He raises his drink to whoever is next to him with the expression of someone who's been drenched in a cold downpour.]

This shitty weather would get anyone down, huh? At least we still have alcohol!


6) Amnesia Attack

[The night after Valentine's Day someone manages to hit Hijikata with a memory loss spell. She carefully stays hidden in the shadows, having no intention of pushing him into a bar fight as the dark web quest demands, all the more because there's none going on right now, despite it being late and the mood getting wilder in the pubs. Another reason she's refraining from even trying - and also the reason he's out and about in the streets so confidently - lies in the upright black wolf ears (dog ears, really... still nobody told him) on top of his head. She won't take the risk of being mauled!! Just getting this annoying-ass knight off track will already be a great service to her group. Now they'll be able to do their business without being interrupted!

Hijikata walks on, though his expression goes increasingly blank and confused. Where is he? What is he doing? The animalistic instincts brought out by the moon really don't help. He starts following any interesting scent in hopes of gleaning some information about his whereabouts, and for a while he simply wonders about practically everything he sees... until he notices something approaching him from the corner of his eyes.

A second later a scream of pure terror rings through the night. Whoever runs to investigate will find Hijikata shaking with fear in a corner, dog ears flat against his head and tail between his legs as he shields his face.]

GO AWAAAAAY!!! HELP!! THERE'S A HORRIBLE BURNED GHOST!!!

[His poor subordinate, visible only to other death mages (or anyone with a nifty device as some people seem to be manufacturing) as she hovers in the air in front of him, is very dismayed. She only wanted to make her report..! Sure, he sometimes still jumps at the sight of her - her spirit magic isn't advanced enough yet to change her appearance from what she looked like the moment she met her end in Celliwig -, but for him to react like this?!]


[OOC: If you'd like any additional prompts please feel free to hit me up on my plotting post! Also here are Hijikata's permissions.]

Comments

knight quest!

[groundzeroes]

About as much as you do, probably. Kingdom kept a tight lockdown on this one so the knights could handle it.

[That doesn't explain how Rei managed to hear about it... but that's probably not very surprising.]

If I had to guess... The creators of the robots probably fucked up their AI and it overrode any safety or control protocols. Programming is a lawless fucking wasteland here, I tell ya. [Rei sounds kind of bitter for a second, there?! But it passes quickly, replaced by his usual tone once more.] If you can rough 'em up enough to impair their processing power, I should be able to induce a shutdown.

[His grin might be hard to see in the rain and wind as they travel, but Hijikata can surely hear it in his voice.] Knightly types like you are good at that kinda thing, yeah?

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata hardly wonders about anything with Rei anymore. His ways of collecting information will make him an all the more valuable business partner going forward, given that he expects to find it increasingly more troublesome for himself to deep-dive into the murkiest nooks and crannies of the dark web.]

There's something new behind every goddamn corner on this island. I didn't even know that there's a pass through the mountains! I couldn't find much information on the Unnamed Marshes on short notice, but going by the name alone it's probably a shithole. Does that work for you?

[Well, no matter, after all the quest doesn't entail an exploration of the marshes.]

But yeah, I should manage fine. I ordered support for us, too - my familiar will be joining us at the foot of the mountains. I plan to go into familiar fusion with him, make some fire under those things' asses to melt their icicle projectiles, then fry them with electricity. After that you can have a go at them and, I don't know, take out their chips-for-brains or whatever.

[groundzeroes]

Oh, symbiosis! Haven't gotten to see that in person yet. [Interesting, how VERY interesting!!!!!!!] Is it true that'll knock you out for a full day? Seems like a hell of a vulnerable position to end up in when you've got a brigade of angry damsel-defenders after you...

[He laughs. Rei you're supposed to be convincing Hijikata that this is a good idea, you dolt!!!!!!!]

Well, I'll be in your hands. So long as you keep us both from getting shot.

[mayoninofukucho]

You'd best stay back during the first phase of the battle, unless you've got shields of some kind. I'll need mine for myself.

[He brought an oddly tall and slender mayonnaise-bottle-shaped magic-enforced iron shield.]

But yeah, we'll have to set up camp first of all - out of range of the things -, because you're going to have to lug me there if the battle takes over an hour. I'll try to make it quick and walk myself back, but I've got no experience with machine-slash-ice enemies.

[The fewest people do, probably...]

I'll be totally vulnerable and in your capable hands, you got that right. So don't fuck it up. I'll haunt you.

[Wow, isn't he extra pissy?! But given that Rei is already privvy to his ongoing drama in the background he apparently doesn't see a need to excuse or explain himself.]

[groundzeroes]

Ha ha! [At least Rei is the kind of person not to take pissiness too seriously.] Yes, Captain.

[Rei does have a shield strapped to his back but it's definitely a last resort, a simple wooden thing originally meant to block the sushi construct's decidedly organic attacks. Icicles.... well, he'll try to stay out of range first.

As they approach a reasonable camping area and dismount, Rei's familiar, Princess, emerges from under his cloak where she'd spent the ride. She looks supremely disgruntled: she's too big to have been totally covered, so the weather and wind has dirtied her golden feathers.

To Princess:] You're fine, sweetheart. [To Hijikata:] So what kinda familiar'd you end up with, anyway?

Valentine's Blues

[markedfordeath]

[She'd seen him go into the pub with what felt like a darkness swirling around him. Some part of her had thought about keeping her distance since their last run in together but then at the same time... some part of her didn't want that separation. Not now.

Stupid woman. Why did she always seem to do this to herself? Heh, it was no wonder she ended up in Sajah like the did.

Ignoring the knowledge she'd learned a few days prior, the gunner slipped into the pub much like a shadow as Hijikata made small talk with those around him. She'd noticed the man leaving as she entered, just as she noticed the other patrons, but at this point unaware of any significance of his departure.

Instead doubt shadowed the back of her mind to if she'd done the right thing by coming in here. Perhaps it was better if she simply slipped back out?

She supposed she was here now and would leave him to his conversation. Instead she walked up to the bar and took a spot a few people down from where Hijikata was conversing with the patron next to him.

When the bartender approached, she glanced at him with a smile.]

Ale.

[mayoninofukucho]

[When Hijikata saw Elza sit down at the bar his face lit ups just a little... but only briefly. Could he be sure she wasn't here to avenge Maribelle's honour? She'd do anything for a price, wouldn't she? Maribelle had put some nice rewards on offer! He decided to be careful and stayed put for the moment.

The conversation between him and the other patron quickly fizzled out as the latter was joined by a friend, so he decided to just focus on his drink. He took a few gulps... huh, didn't it taste a little different today? He took another sip to make sure, then sought the attention of the barkeeper.]

Martin, did you change the recipe?

Huh? Why'd we do that?

I don't know, isn't February the time for honeyed drinks? It's not that, though.

[Martin laughed.]

If we started putting honey in our beer we might as well open a milk bar!

[They were both amused, but it was probably just a matter of seconds until the realisation would sink in...]

[markedfordeath]

[Not long after she had ordered it the golden amber liquid was set in front of her. She didn't bring it to lips at first and instead nursed it while delving into her own thoughts. It hadn't taken long to realise that Nash had disappeared, that mercenary as well. Given how quiet things had been she could only assume that demonic rune swordsman had also disappeared. Yet... she was still here. She supposed that she'd arrived after them all so perhaps her time was counting down also?

When she'd first arrived she'd wanted nothing but to return. She needed to return for him. Yet the weeks went by and while there was still that strong urge to go back and save Clive... part of her felt a tiny spark to stay.

Raising her drink at that thought, she huffed softly into the liquid before taking a delicate sip to taste the flavour. Old habits were hard to ignore after all.

Hijikata's familiar voice pierced through her thoughts and pulled her back to the moment. Slowly slipping the mug back onto the counter, she glanced over as he lightly questioned the bartender.

A strange flavour in his drink?

Instincts were hard to ignore when it came to her own preservation... and normally she wouldn't care one way or another what happened to anyone else. However she had found some small portion of herself becoming somewhat fond of that condiment loving fool even if she'd never admit to it.

Pulling away from her spot, her drink was left behind as she made her way around the other patrons to where Hijikata was. Leaning in close, her chest pressed against the back of his arm and against his side as she reached out to pluck the mug from his possession.]

I think you've had more than enough, Handsome.

[Leaning in closer, it wasn't hard to give off an air of flirtation to hide her intent from others around her as her lips brushed against his ear with a whisper.]

Call it professional curtesy but there's usually one reason why your drink would taste different.

['Professional curtesy' even Elza got annoyed at herself for actually giving a damn about someone else. Still holding the drink out of harms way, she began to pull back.] Care to walk me home, boy?

[mayoninofukucho]

[He might well have ended up at least somewhat flustered from suddenly feeling her warm body against his and, moreso, her lips against his ear... if he hadn't just arrived at the same conclusion as her. He nodded and got up from his seat, mentally berating himself. Why was he so stupid?! He'd had one job!!]

Martin, I'll take the beer to go since the lady wants me to stop for tonight. I'll bring the glass back tomorrow.

[He grabbed two coasters and gave them to Elza so she could cover the top of both glasses - his eyes motioned for her to take her own drink along as well to more convincingly make it look like they were just leaving for a little private rendezvous outside, for those in the pub who hadn't been able to overhear but might be observing -, then put on his coat, waved goodbye at the bartender, and headed outside with her. As soon as the pub's door closed behind them he started doling out instructions as he took her drink from her - not his; that was the important one, and if he collapsed it'd spill.]

Sorry for the hassle, my bad. If it takes me out bring the beer to the police station for analysis, okay? Maybe they can at least narrow down which bastard it was and stop them from doing it again.

[He felt a little nauseous, but that might be just a result of knowing that he had ingested something bad - poison, a potion, whatever it was, he doubted that it was intended to do him any good.]

2

[peninhand]

[ Unfortunately, Monika was not affected by the lock task's side effects. No, she was simply on her way to pick up some baking material in her ongoing task to make the best chocolates ever for Valentine's Day. And she would have just passed by without saying a word, if not for a sudden doubt as she idly looked at the people around her— And most notably, the man sitting on a bench.

Sure, his face was obscured by the hood but she was very good at recognizing people. After the call to action, she had made sure to look throughout the post her friend had posted to know the face of the culprit. It was very fresh in her memory and if anything, the hood was an incriminating element. Of course that man would want to hide his face after that post.

She stopped in her track, eyebrows raising as she turned to the sitting man. ]

You... [She tilted her head to the side as she made sure she wasn't about to call out the wrong person.] You're Maribelle's pervert, aren't you?

[ She's straightforward at least. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[So one of those vultures found him!! He looks up-- oh, she looks quite young. Anyway!! He stands up to loom over her.]

"Maribelle's pervert"?! I'm Toshirou Hijikata of Camelot, knight in the service of King Arthur!

[She looks unsuspecting, but she could do god-knows-what - hex him, glamour him, blow some Bitten Dust on him, and whatever countermeasure he takes, it'll look really bad to be tackling a teenage girl in public! Why couldn't some hulking brute show up instead?! But you know what, maybe she'll actually listen to him.]

The rumours about me have been totally exaggerated!

[peninhand]

[ What a reaction! Yet again, that was to be expected when she'd called him a pervert... That wasn't exactly the most tactful approach. ]

Ah, I'm sorry...! [Was he trying to look threatening? Besides looming over her, that declaration of his rank and position within Camelot certainly made things look that way... Thankfully, she had a weapon of her own against potential abuses of authority!] My name is Monika. While I may not be a knight, I was recently ennobled by King Arthur for my services to Avalon and Camelot.

[ She looked up at him. ]

If you are worried regarding Maribelle's, um "hit" on you, please do not be. It's not my style and I don't believe in vengeance. [She smiled.] Though I can say with no small amount of certainty that she would be ecstatic if it were to happen.

[mayoninofukucho]

[He absolutely was trying to look threatening, but Monika's calm introduction cools him down - somewhat. He's still on guard. So she's a noble, huh... if nothing else that shows that she's been doing her part for the kingdom that has become everyone's temporary home.]

Yeah, no joke.

[He sighs, taking a moment to put a lid on his bottomless mug and stow it away in his bag.]

If you're not here to avenge her stupid honour, what do you need from me?

[Now he's already sounding more like a proper civil servant!]

6 *tags u twice in same post*

[silvergarden]

Sir Knight?

[Rinea's not supposed to be out this late by herself, but it's ""Valentine's,"" and with her two closest friends off on a date together Rinea had come into town to not be home alone. The scream that tears through the night on her walk home is startling but its timbre is also recognizable-- she of course ran to the source, heart in her throat, to find Hijikata.

Rinea kneels in front of him, face full of concern. Her familiar hangs back, stoic but alert.]

Gracious, you're trembling! [She can't see any ghosts, but what little she knows about Hijikata makes this whole thing very odd. Also, are those ears and tail new??] Are you hurt?

Bless you for that! ♡

[mayoninofukucho]

[He flat-out buries his face in her shoulder, gripping on to her with a faint whine. He's scared!! He doesn't know who this lady is, but if she'll protect him he'll be so thankful!]

The ghost..!! It looks so horrible! Make it go away!

[The poor ghost in question is already reluctantly floating away from him. He's acting so weird, did something happen to him?! This blue-haired woman clearly can't see her, and Hijikata only panicked harder when she attempted to speak to him, so she hesitantly turns around. She has to inform her comrades!]

Oh, it's leaving..! Thank you! Thank you!

[silvergarden]

[Rinea is VERY STARTLED to be grabbed, least of all by Hijikata, who from her experience was a fairly standoffish guy. Maybe the transformation also steals your braincells??? She's seen exactly one other person get werewolf'd, but only spoke to them after the effects of the moon had waned, so really she has no idea.

Still, far be it from her to deny someone asking for help.]

Dear me... [She casts her gaze blankly around them, but of course Rinea can't see anything. She can take a guess at what happened, though: whoever the ghost was, it probably belonged to that patrol of his. Uh oh. This is turning out to be more of an ordeal that she initially thought.

Well, first things first. She smiles reassuringly.]

Yes, all will be well. Do not worry. [Rinea gently extracts herself from his grip (she'll let him hold a hand, though) in order to look him over carefully for injuries... but he seems OK. (She stares at the ears for longer than strictly necessary. They're kind of cute.)] Can you stand, Sir Knight?

[mayoninofukucho]

[His head definitely feels very empty right now, but alas, his weredog condition is not to blame for that at least. His ears perk up from their flattened position once the ghost is out of sight, and he looks at her intently.]

I'm a knight? Is that why I've got this sword?

[He pats it at his hip.]

I'm sorry, I'm really out of the loop...

[His wandering gaze lands squarely on Adalhard.]

Is he a knight too?

[He looks scary as well, but if he's with this lady it's probably okay... if nothing else he smells of her, at least partly, that's reassuring!]

1 (lemme know if this works!)

[colchismagecraft]

Well, perhaps such a man deserves such a title. It's only fair, isn't it?

[Don't mind a voice from the shadows, where a certain evil witch had concealed herself. Someone was ready to get revenge, after all.

...The darkness was growing thicker, taking on twisted shapes, as she spread out her magic- and with the Nýchta potion she'd drunk, this didn't affect her sight in the slightest. And with Seeds of Binding set and ready nearby, she was confident that catching this pesky one wouldn't be too difficult.

But first, her job was to scare him half to death.]

It works perfectly! 🔥

[mayoninofukucho]

[That first part of her plan succeeds. Hijikata jumps, darting away from where he heard her voice, like a panicked prey animal (a comparison he'd loathe to hear). He pulls his sword and summons a crackling ball of electricity magic in his left hand, scanning the shadows for her. Okay, so maybe he's more skittish than usual, but can anyone blame him?]

Caster!! Cut out the crap! If you're here for the riddle let's work together!

[If not... well, the weapons he's brandishing speak for themselves. He steps back from the thick tendrils of pure darkness that extend towards him, baring his teeth in anger as he hears her laughter and not realising that she's carefully guiding him towards her trap. A moment later it activates - strong vines shoot up, wrapping around his limbs, neck and waist and securing him in place.]

Shit--!!

[He struggles, tries to slice and electrify the plant or monster or plant monster or whatever this is, but the vines quickly twine around his hands until they're covered like in mittens. It only makes him struggle harder, violently thrashing around like a fly in a spiderweb.]

You think this will stop me?!

[To be fair, it kind of... did. At least for the moment.]

[colchismagecraft]

Haha- like a skittish little rabbit, aren't you? Ah, and would you look at that, already caught in my trap.

[She moved skilfully through the shadows as she spoke- coming first from one side of where she'd bound him, then the other, throwing out her body's own shadow to move around hm as well. Caster wanted him to feel surrounded by her taunts and her laughter- to feel like the darkness of the forest itself was closing in on him as he struggled against the vines.

And then she's right in front of him, moving like a ghost.]

...'Think' I've stopped you? Haha- I'd say I've done more than that.

[mayoninofukucho]

[Oh, how her taunting pisses him off. He snarls as he keeps struggling... he'll definitely get free, and then it'll be this damn witch's turn to be scared!!]

Oh yeah?! Watch this!!

[He summons all his strength and burns straight through the vines around his left hand, having switched out his element, while swinging his right arm with full force to slice though those on that side. It works!! His body and legs may still be bound, but his arms are-- quickly ensnared anew, by an even larger number of vines than before, and twisted behind his back, palms pressed flat against his ribcage as if to tell him Try to burn your way out now. Shit!! Those around his neck tighten, too, making it harder to breathe, while yet another vine nonchalantly holds his own sword to his throat just above its wrapped brethren.]

...

[He hates this spell. He hates this witch. He hates this whole goddamn month!]

Frost Fairies and Ghosts

[sulit]

[What a shame that Hijikata won't be enjoying a quiet evening to himself. He could probably use it, considering the ire that Maribelle's post may have visited on him recently. Instead, there's about to be more...]

[After some careful investigation and a bit of snooping around, she manages to find where Hijikata is actually staying--a place out near the ruins of Celliwig, apparently. Weird; but not her problem. She knows how to make totems to get out there, so she doesn't even have to bother with getting transportation or leaving a paper trail. Which is certainly something to be concerned about when you're capturing ghosts from the Land of Rot and preparing to lob them into someone's house.]

[Thus, Klaudia finds herself crouched below the open window, her appearance cloaked with light magic to render her (mostly) invisible. In her hands, she clutches a jar wrapped with a piece of scrap cloth to ensure that the entity inside doesn't see her. It would be very unfortunate to have a ghost's ire come back at her instead of her intended target. Especially when she went through so much trouble to ensnare this banshee.]

[It actually takes her a few seconds to psyche herself up. Dealing with ghosts is one thing. People can be so much more unpredictable. But she has a very good and very justified reason for doing this (in her mind); so after a few deep breaths, she hoists the jar and chucks it directly through the window as hard as she can... and then ducks and covers her ears. As soon as it hits the floor, the jar shatters and the ghastly visage of a bereaved woman rises up from the broken pieces of glass and fabric, wailing in anguish.]

[mayoninofukucho]

[Okay, this definitely wasn't in Hijikata's plans for the night. The shattering of the glass immediately alerts him, and when he sees the spectre he blanches. What exactly happened?! Did the jar fall down from somewhere? Why in the world did the old man have a trapped ghost in in his house?! But then he realises that there's nowhere the jar could reasonably have fallen down from... which means that someone must have thrown it through the window.

To look out he'd have to walk through the ghostly woman, and he's not doing that. He's honestly really scared and struggling to keep it together... her wails are sending chills down his spine and giving him the most ominous feeling of dread. Still, he's a death mage! He has to keep it together! This spectre is visibly distressed, and while she may be dangerous he shouldn't immediately go all-out. Nevertheless he lights a cigarette to get an exorcism glyth ready (not realising that this is a banshee and those can't move on to the afterlife). His hands shake terribly, so he has to flick his fingers several time before managing to produce a small flame and light up.]

M-Madam? Can... can I help you?

[sulit]

[Aside from the initial wail, the spirit remains deathly quiet. She turns to face Hijikata, tears streaming forth from a face contorted in anguish. This is... not the Land of Rot. Did this man bring her here? She never saw her captor, even after spending days in that container. What reason would he have to bring a wretched creature like her into his abode? There is enough death hanging in this place, but none of it recent enough for her to care. A low anguished moan bubbles up from her throat, and she drifts towards him--or rather towards the door on the other side of him. What difference does it make? She has no place here, and she'll simply go through him if need be.]

[Klaudia, meanwhile, has gradually lifted her hands from her ears--and hearing no noise, she pulls herself up to the window to peek over the sill. There's maybe a faint distortion, hard to see in the darkness that surrounds the house, but nevertheless something amiss. Her invisibility spell is very good, but still not perfect.]

[And if not that, then it would be difficult to entirely miss the faint click of a picture being snapped. For posterity. She was hoping for something a little more dangerous; but if she gets a picture that's simply Hijikata being scared out of his wits, then that's fine too.]

[mayoninofukucho]

[He'll definitely look scared shitless in that snapshot! After haphazardly stumbling out of the banshee's path he was about to call out to her again - much as she scares him, she looks desolate, and as a civil servant he finds that hard to ignore despite the horrible foreboding feeling that's been sitting in the pit of his stomach ever since he heard her wailing - when he hears that distinctive click.]

--!!

[He swerves over to the open window and, not noticing the faint distortion of Klaudia's disguise in the night, shoves his head and upper body right out, intent on spotting whoever presumably just quickly ducked down after taking that photo. He may headbutt straight into her face with full force if she isn't very fast!]