isleofavalon | May Adventures

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gintama: toshirou hijikata

May Adventures

WHO: Hijikata and... YOU?
WHAT: TDM prompts (Dusklight Woods excursion, casino/auction venture, craft fair), a bit of questing, and a full moon night at the Red Springs!
WHEN: Throughout the first half of May
WHERE: Dusklight Woods, Camelot City, Red Springs
WARNINGS: Gambling in Prompt 2A!

1) Prep-Tar-Ations (Prompts A,B and/or C can roll into each other for a seamless excursion if desired!)

A ⦿ Get Lost

[Enter the Dusklight Woods and follow the eyes of the shadlins, they said... he's only walked a hundred steps into the forest before slowing down to a stop as the treetops and other foliage around him seem to turn a deeper and darker green the further he heads inside. It's eerily quiet, not a single songbird can be heard. This place is so creepy!! It's bright daytime beyond these verdant shadows, so he's wearing his sun protection gear complete with the helmet hiding his face - hopefully this way at least the shadlins won't see how nervous he is.]

...

[Looking back he can still see the edge of the woods. Perhaps it would be wiser to turn around. He doesn't need to co-spearhead every adventure, right? Besides there's the matter of getting back out... he brought an enchanted cloth with him, but who's to say that his familiar, once called upon, will really work as a partner in a pinch? It's then that he sees another person not too far away between the trees. He waves and calls out, hoping he'll be easy to spot in his black clothing.]

Hey! Over here! You shouldn't go alone!

[More importantly, he doesn't want to go alone!]

B ⦿ Fountain of Yewth

[Well, then. Following the unsettling glowing eyes in the thickets of the forest led Hijikata and his companion to... a tar pit. Sure, this is what they were told, but it still feels underwhelming to stand at the edge of the toxic, smelly black sludge.]

So this is it? Great. Well, let's get it over with.

[He sets down his backpack and rummages for the container he was given... did one of the trees at the forest's edge behind him just move positions? No, right?]

C ⦿ Unseen Path

[With the danger from the tree people overcome and the polled-laden tar obtained there's nothing standing in the way of Hijikata and his companion returning home... nothing except the forest. Well, they were instructed on what to do (or at least he was). He takes out the magical cloth, along with a blindfold, and lets out a sigh of aggravation.]

This better work! Figures that they had to make it awkward... do you want to walk in front, or should I?

2) Betting on the Future

A ⦿ Safe Bets

[Now that they've got the main ingredient for the strength potion they'll be able to move the humungous sleeping snake blocking the entrance to the Bermuda Station, but what to do about the unstable time freeze energy inside? This time Camelot's criminal underworld comes to the rescue, but of course the all-important artifacts to stabilise the locale come at a steep price.

Hijikata frowns upon gambling dens - they waste men's potential, not to mention their money -, but alas, there's no way around this. In an effort to disguise his identity he's in civilian clothes on the night of the auction, a plain black turtleneck outfit, and slicked his hair back (sadly it's already reforming into its stubborn V-shaped fringe). It's highly likely that someone among the organisers already recognised him as the pesky knight who's been meddling in dark web quests ever since his arrival, but if so they seem willing to turn a blind eye tonight. If he wants to bid a kidney on the hourglass coins, let him!

He isn't adept at gambling, but he's quick on the uptake, so after observing a few rounds of poker he wants to try his luck... unless he sees someone in trouble, be it at one of the gambling tables or with the bouncers. In that case he's going to put in a word for them. They need every person they can get into the auction hall, so he won't see anyone thrown out on his watch if he can help it!]

B ⦿ Bidding Wars

[Did he actually manage to pokerface his way through enough rounds of poker to get the privilege of an auction invitation, or (more likely) did he manage to convince someone to let him hitch a ride with them as their bodyguard, romantic partner or otherwise indispensable evening companion? Whichever it was, he's now observing the mingling crowd in the suit the organisers gently pressured him to change into. He glances at the offered drinks and murmurs to his companion - or else to whoever he sees reaching for a glass.]

We should stay sober for this.

C ⦿ Knot a Problem

[Hijikata slept for half the day after the long night at the auction, but he still shows up to Camelot's craft fair, now again in his protective gear. Honestly, his mind is entirely on the upcoming mission at the Bermuda Station, but given that preparations will still take a while he may as well try to distract himself a little! He observes the rope enchantments with interest - this could come in handy to incapacitate criminals -, but once he sees where it's going he quickly turns to the massage area instead.]

A massage would be nice right now...

[He just said that to himself, recalling last month's rude awakening at the Realm of Restoration and Relaxation with vexation, but if anyone were to offer one he wouldn't say no (and at least try to return the favour)!]

3) Quest - Scary Sea Shanties (for

mithrarin)

[Fishing boats not coming back from the sea is a problem, so Hijikata feels compelled to get to the bottom of the matter. He confidently marches up to the docks in his sun protection gear, but with the addition of inflatable armbands around his arms and a matching pool ring around his waist. He looks positively ridiculous; why is his posture so confident?! Also he has a massive ham slung on his shoulder like an oni's club. When he spots Dust he calls out to him, remembering well how he saved his ass after his unfortunate run-in with a fuath last year.]

Are you going out to investigate what happened to the fishers, too? I was thinking of taking a deinosuchus!

[So that's what the ham is for. Still, is that really a good idea?!]

4) Flower Moon

[By the time the middle of the month rolls around Hijikata, once again on his night patrol schedule, is sound asleep in his camp when his perimeter alarm goes off in the middle of the day. The booming, joyful sound of the Wellerman shanty wakes him up, and since he's used to sleeping lightly he loses no time dashing out of his tents in full gear, sword in hand. Despite running in the direction of the music as fast as he can he only just arrives in time to see three hooded figures scurry into the smoke generated by a totem, which burns out before he can pursue them to the other side.

The strangers left no evidence behind, but he strongly doubts that they had good intentions towards him, so he decides to finally take his affliction more seriously - it has been making his life a lot harder for 3 whole months already - and avail of the hot springs' increased healing properties during the next three nights. Conveniently this month he has no quest scheduled that would particularly require his weredog strength and invulnerability, so he can afford to take the time off.

That's how he ends up at the Red Springs Resort under the full moon in the evening, black dog ears and tail showing his werebeast affliction as he soaks in the water. He whines a little under his breath; it's too hot!! He doesn't normally overheat this quickly! He flattens his upper body against a rock to cool down a little... he'll still heal if only his bottom half is in the water, right?

As he rests and tries to relax he suddenly hears the fluttering of wings. He carefully lifts his head and sees that a small swarm of 10 medium-sized red birds has landed at the far side of the spring. How odd... surely they're not going to come in here? It's only now that he notices that there's someone else present besides. Maybe the other person is also in dire need of healing? If they're quiet perhaps the birds will stick around, but he doesn't really care. Suddenly he feels self-conscious for his state; what if he the newcomer feels grossed out at the prospect of him getting dog hair in the water? He quietly addresses them while pointing at his extra set of ears.]

Sorry about this, it's just... you know, it always happens at the same time, this and the spring being at its best.

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[While Hijikata has enchanted his own sword Muramasha with some death magic spells it never looks this flashy when he uses it on the undead! He'll have to ask to inspect Ahrah more closely once they're back on solid ground, because it seems like one hell of a blade, so jagged and forked - but now he needs to focus on the battle.

Having smooth water to advance through is a huge help! Despite having no means to communicate with the deinosuchus they seem to be in luck: it appears to view the hag as another tasty snack and steers directly towards her, maws open wide. She narrows her eyes, crouches in a swift movement and puts her palm on the temporarily soothed waves to send out a water-bound lightning attack of her own.]

Oh, shit--

[Earth magic would be the best counteraction on land, but here any summoned soil would surely sink immediately, so instead Hijikata acts on impulse and mirrors the fae's attack. The two magic bolts clash against each other, small branches splitting off and meeting at a rapid rate, until the surface of the water looks like there's a glowing spiderweb swimming in it.

Both adversaries hold the attack, with neither one managing to push the other back. At least the deinocuchus feels the electricity ahead and slows to a stop well in front of the crackling area, otherwise they'd have found themselves in serious trouble! The hag smirks as she sees the stalemate and raises her free arm to once more summon a lightning strike from the sky... this time right on top of them.]

No!!

[That wasn't a scared 'no', but a determined one. He didn't get a New Year's upgrade from the Mari Lwyd for nothing!! He likewise stretches his free hand up and redirects the lightning bolt. The hag, not having anticipated him being able to control elements he didn't summon himself, sees it coming too late, and she can only give a baffled stare as it hits her tiny island with a deafening impact sound.

Right afterwards the storm immediately calms down, and the lightning on her side in the water between them disappears, so Hijikata dismisses his as well. The deinosuchus slowly advances towards the rocks. Hijikata strains his neck (now the helmet is a bit of a hindrance again; it's hard to see through the wet face shield).]

Do you think there's even anything left of her?

[Fae can be surprisingly sturdy, so if she survived that he plans to threaten her into leaving the fishermen alone from here on out. But they might as well just find a heap of ash left over. (OOC: You choose; I'm good with anything, just didn't want to go the grim route by default!)]

I don't believe for a second it was that easy.

['Easy' is, of course, relative -- but by Dust's standards, an exchange of spells like that is a fraction of a good fight at best. Sure, Hijikata had caught her by surprise, but assuming that was it... no, he couldn't, not till he was certain.]

If we find nothing, then she got into the water and is moving around to attack again -- [And Dust wastes no more words, instead taking two steps to vault off the deinosuchus and into the air. Wind wraps around and catches him as he does, so that he easily crosses the fifteen feet or so to the island proper.]

--Nothing! Keep an eye out for her!

[Hijikata nods. While he's had some easy victories against other enemies (particularly those that were weak to his magic types) and feels that he did a good job at the counterattack - not that it was a particularly bragworthy stunt either - the fae of Avalon have decades, if not centuries, more practice and experience than any outworlder.]

Roger that!

[By now he's properly sitting on the dinosaur, though its back it too broad for him to wedge his legs into its sides for extra hold, so it's a little awkward. He's trying to hold on to its scaly skin as best as he can as he scans the lake's surface. It's suspiciously quiet...]

[A minute or so passes, then out of a blue a massive eruption of water shoots up under the deinosuchus, with enough pressure to lift even such a heavy body high into the air. Hijikata naturally flies off his mount with a startled shout. Unlike Dust he's not good enough with his wind magic to keep himself afloat, so he falls back down into the lake.

The storm hag, waiting under the surface, quickly grabs him to drag him into the depths, intending to deal with Dust afterwards. Sadly the deinosuchus has no loyalty to its riders, so it doesn't even consider helping him out as it reorients itself after its own splash back into the water. Hijikata struggles, but now the adversary is prepared for his lightning and absorbs it into an electricity bubble (how she's keeping it in shape so the lightning remains localised, who knows). Is Dust really going to have to save this samurai's ass from getting drowned by a lake fae again?! Are all their meetings going to go like this?]

[Considering how much weight Hijikata'd been pulling so far, he really doesn't have cause to feel that bad! Dust already feels like he's behind and racing to catch up, practically literally as he lunges into the water. ]

[That... probably isn't his smartest idea, but his momentum and his determination are enough to smash through enough of the distance between the island and the hag that he can just tag the edge of the bubble with Ahrah's very tip. That's enough for him to siphon off the magic in the electricity bubble and let Hijikat's free.]

[Please don't make him regret this.]

[The storm hag isn't pleased with that sudden intervention, and she sends more lightning towards Dust, but hopefully he can absorb that via Ahrah too rather than being hit! Hijikata is harder to drown than he usually would be, thanks to his helmet having retained a good amount of air and only very gradually filling up with water from the bottom, so he has enough oxygen in his lungs for a proper counterattack.

In the brief moment of the hag's attention being on Dust he draws one of his short swords - the long one would be too cumbersome - and slashes at her. Her eyes widen as streaks of dark blood from a gash in her side enter the water, and she tries to simply shove Hijikata far away with a water magic attack, but he has already grabbed her wrist with his free hand and pulls her along with him, then creates a counter-current to propel them back towards Dust and upwards.

Of course the hag counters his efforts again, so they more or less remain in place... and as she readies another lightning attack he turns his sword-hand's wrist to run her through. This probably isn't going to end in an arrest after all - unless Dust has an another intervention plan.]

[Honestly... Dust usually isn't the best person for nonlethal techniques himself. Sure, capturing would be great, but ending a threat to lives is always the first priority -- and this hag is more than willing to use her power for that purpose. Also, he's kind of underwater and kind of sinking thanks to the sodden weight of his clothes, so putting a stop to this fight before that natural timer expires (along with him) is all the more important.]

[Siphoning stops the lightning, and as Dust turns to make the momentum of his first slash carry into his second, he adds magic into the mix. A long spear of stone launches through the water at the hag -- slim, but blunt, because Dust's lack of precision means he can't really make a nice point on the thing.]

[Bad luck for the hag that she ran into two routined monster slayers who don't pull their punches! As she struggles under curses to try and get away from Hijikata, unable to electrocute him as her lightning gets siphoned away, the spear shoots towards her and hits her in the back, and a second later she goes slack - the impact slammed her right into the sword.

Hijikata stows her under his arm like luggage and swims up with strong movements - if Dust needs help he'll drag him along too, somehow. With the enemy out of commission they make it to the rock island's tiny shore before long. He dumps the hag on the ground and looks her over, then crouches aside and hides his head between his knees to briefly open the helmet's face shield and let the water run out without catching any direct sunlight.]

I'm not a doctor, but I think she's a goner... unless she heals up really well. You never know with these fae.

[He shuts the helmet again, then stands up and looks around.]

Where's the dinosaur? Don't tell me it took off!

[With no need to fight, Dust can put his strength and focus into swimming instead. He doesn't have a lot going for him on that score, though -- sodden fur, sodden clothing, and no meaningful amount of fat to provide buoyancy? He doesn't have too much hope of getting back to the surface.]

[Except for that whole elemental magic thing and all. Dust only needs a heartbeat to decide the deck's stacked against him, and send himself to the surface with a swift jet of water. From there all he has to do is drag himself onto the island.]

...I think the dinosaur's the smart one, of the four of us.

No joke.

[He huffs, searching the lake for the deinosuchus in all directions to no avail.]

I can't believe we're stranded here! Do we wait for the next quest group to show up? But then who knows when that'll be... I can try to attract the archaopteryx that's taken a liking to me, unless you've got a better idea. It usually hangs out where it can more or less keep an eye on me, so chances are it's somewhere on the White Cliffs right now.

We're not that far out. [Not by Dust's standards, anyway. He's used to roaming whole countries, though, so maybe his aren't the best.] We could swim back, use elemental magic, if we had to.

[True, it could be worse - if nothing else they can still clearly make out Avalon's shoreline from here. But the lake is full of creatures - territorial fuath, soul-eating merrows, and god-knows-what else -, so he doesn't want to take any chances, given that the swim, even propelled ahead by water magic, would likely take longer than on the fast deinosuchus' back.]

Let me give it a try! The last thing we need is for some other monster to challenge us on the way.

[He narrows his eyes at the White Cliffs behind the helmet, summons a large fireball and sends it straight up into the sky like a flare. Once it reaches a certain height he makes it combust into a large fiery flower. For several moments he keeps his eyes trained on the far shore, then he does a little fist pump.]

It's coming! It really was perched there! Sometimes it's not all bad to have it stalking me.

[Actually, Dust is pretty impressed by that abrupt flare of fire. His own magic tends towards brief and explosive, metaphorically or otherwise, but that's beyond him... and he's starting to feel like he really needs to train more. Only Hijikata's sudden exclamation knocks him out of his thoughts, as he turns to look for the creature himself.]

Just so long as it's not trying to eat you, that is a good deal.

Yeah, that hasn't been an issue. They like knights, for whatever reason, and so far it's been courteous enough to my friends and allies too. Although...

[He looks Dust up and down.]

It's really only a single-rider mount since I've got to flatten myself to its back, so are you okay with it carrying you in its claws?

[Sorry, Dust, but you're the shorter one!]

[Dust is silent for a moment, as he deeply and sincerely contemplates just at what moment this had become his life.]

Probably better than trying to run back, anyway.

[Hijikata gives Dust a grateful nod for agreeing to the less-than-dignified transport method. He'd have hated to leave him to run or swim! His eyes briefly wander over to the hag, who sure enough looks to be a goner... well, there won't be any space for her.]

We'll let the quest-givers know that the job is done first thing. I don't think they'll doubt a knight, but the proof's going to be in the pudding, anyway - when they next go back out by boat they'll see for themselves that there'll be no more songs or storms.

[It doesn't take long until the feathered dinosaur arrives on its large wings, and while it needs several attempts to land on the rocky outcropping it does manage. It eyes Dust, already used to having to carry an additional passenger from a previous quest in inaccessible terrain, and once its helmeted knight is settled on its back it takes off, grabs Dust in both claws (gently, to its credit), and soars back towards the land.

Quest goal accomplished (okay, technically they'd already done that, but once should never say it before having ensured a way back home)!]

[Or dying. It's okay to accept that you've completed your quest as you're dying.]

[Dust would know.]

How are you so good with lightning, anyway? [This is what Dust has taken away from the encounter -- that he still has way too much to learn with his magic, that he isn't as good enough as he should be. As he needs to be, if he's going to be any sort of helper to this world.]

[Fortunately, his voice carries amazingly well, never mind the wind of their flight or the occasional flap of wings.]

[Dying in action is okay, too, but definitely not Hijikata's favourite outcome.

He lowers his head over the archaeopteryx' neck to respond.]

I may not seem like the type, but meditation helped me get a better grasp on the elements I struggled with - recalling my memories of them and trying to summon them up based on the feel I get from that!

[He'd never have thought of trying that method himself - Lavellan, now long gone from Avalon, taught him that. Beforehand only fire came easily to him, really.]

[Oh.]

[That's -- that might be trouble. Thinking about lightning, and he's thinking about Fidget... and he's not sure what would come of that. He misses her very badly, still, though he manages to forget about that most of the time. Water is Lady Tethys, and memories not only of that battle, but the struggle that resulted, and the failure...]

That... might not be the best idea for me.

[Luckily Hijikata doesn't associate elements with people, otherwise he'd probably have struggled in a similar way. As it his he misinterprets Dust's reasoning.]

It's not easy for me either, just sitting and focusing... but it gets into your muscle memory - or magic memory, whatever - pretty quickly! By now I just want the element, and it comes to me as readily as my body does what I want it to.

That part I get. The more I use them, the easier they are... it's just getting them to come out in the first place. And since I'm mostly used to attacking...

[He's gotten better with wind, because he's also accustomed to travel across broken terrain and around dangerous enemies. Wind can help him move. But fire and earth tend to just blast and smash more than anything, whereas water is a struggle in general -- it's not much of an attacking element, after all.]

You've just got to learn how to use the other types offensively! Lightning is honestly one of the easiest types for that; I've never done anything with it that wasn't offensive. Same with fire. Water is great for sweeping enemies away, ideally down a ravine or into some spikes - and if all else fails you can just drown them with a bubble around their head! Wind works for those first use cases too, or else you can just raise them up and drop them to get crushed on impact. And soil is best used for sudden pits or landslides!

[He sure is talking about this like a fun hobby... meanwhile the archaeopteryx is approaching the beach, and since it can't land with Dust in its claws it's going to simply let got of him once it's low enough to almost touch the ground. Sorry once again, Dust!]

I guess... I've been trying to avoid exactly that. [Dust breathes a low sigh, wondering just how much to say.]

[But not saying things isn't getting him anywhere.] Before, in Falana, I spent my entire life fighting. There wasn't any time, like now, to slow down. To do things like we do in Avalon. So the more I think about things like fighting, the harder it is for me to adapt.

[After the archaeopteryx lands in the sand Hijikata simply jumps down and takes a moment to pet its head and neck as he addresses it.]

Sorry, I've got no treats on me! Thank you, though. You really helped up out!

[It lets out a screech that, with a lot of goodwill, can be interpreted as a happy sound, while Hijikata turns his attention back to Dust.]

I understand, to a point... I'm also a warrior back home. But then again I've still had time for some leisure and fun there. Sounds like you got no downtime whatsoever.

[He'd love to light himself a cigarette, but in the closed helmet he'd definitely poison himself, so he sighs as well. He'll have to wait until nightfall with that.]

So you don't really want to fight anymore? Is it that? You fought well enough just now out there.

[Dust drops the couple inches to the ground lightly when the beast releases him, lifting his free hand in a gesture of thanks.] Are you kidding? I love fighting! But there's not enough of it here. There's days of doing nothing, and I'm not good at those at all. But I'm trying to get better.

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