video @bodaiju

[gurge]

[ there's a monk. a buddhist monk, dressed nape to ankle in ceremonial robes, bare feet on hard tile floors. the penthouse behind him is classy and tasteful, but a jarring modern contrast to his clothing. it doesn't take much movement to realize his right sleeve, however, is completely empty. cheerful and chipper, he smiles and waves at the camera. ]

Hi hi~! Oh. I've been here since the first of us and not properly introduced myself on the network. My apologies, I'm a bit shy. [ yeah right. ] I'm Getou Suguru — [ the bow of his head is just deep enough to not be impolite. ] — a shaman from Japan. Back home, I specialized in hauntings and strange phenomena, as well as karmic work and even some chakra alignment. If you're suffering from strange aches and recurring nightmares, compulsive thoughts or stranger whispers, unprecedented cravings...

[ he's extremely animated through each of these symptoms even though he rattles them off like a medication commercial: acting out an ache in his nonexistent arm, a hand over his eyes for the nightmares, holding his head for thoughts and whispers, and... something a little more devious for cravings as he winks. ]

Please don't hesitate to visit.

[ a map link identifies his location. he's not very worried about stranger danger, is he? there's a long beat where he just smiles, and it seems like the feed might end, but then he acts on another thought that's been rolling around in that silly head of his: ]

Ah, and... Satoru.

[ to throw himself at the mercy of the public image is... a lot. he must know it, this man who values his pristine image. is it apology enough then, to make himself look like such a fool? he slides onto his knees mid-screen, clapping his hands together in prayer. are there tears? there might be tears. ]

Can't you please finally forgive meeeee?

[ what an embarrassing note to end on. ]



[ note: this character is a villain who hates humans so please check the journal for content warnings! i caught covid in the middle of sept so sorry for the abrupt hiatus; i'm working my way through backtags soon. no worries if anything's too old! cheers ]

Comments

audio; un: theredgaze

[immortalpoet]

[A hoarse groan of a voice:]

So you deal with ghosts? Haven't done much work so far, have you. It's like pest control not getting rid of the pests.

[Sorry, just wants to complain.]

[gurge]

Oh? I'm so sorry, did you submit payment that I missed in order to take care of your infestation? I apologize, I'll amend that right away~. What's your confirmation number?

[ well, he does have a habit of letting a joke go on for too long. ]

[immortalpoet]

Yeah, walk in the direction of the mall. Enter the darkness. Don't come back until you've taken care of it. Thanks.






[do it mister getou. payment what payment]

[gurge]

Mhm? And after I do, what do I get?

Face your fears, or pay my price. One or the other.

[ how you have a completely appropriate meme on hand immediately... ]

[immortalpoet]

[me the meme king on my meme throne of memes]

Oh, I'm not afraid. I just don't like people making big claims with no backup for it.

...Basically, putting your money where your mouth is.

1/2

[gurge]

And I don't like broke, useless people challenging my "big claims" without ponying up first.

Of course, clearing out the mall is not what I would suggest for you, that's far too expensive. You need work on your crown chakra! Normally I would only charge maybe a home cooked meal or a kitchen cleaning, buuuut...

[gurge]

I've decided I don't like you. Bathroom scrub and laundry it is.

[immortalpoet]

[A little aggrieved little sigh.]

You make yourself sound like some kind of live-in maid. [A beat.] Besides, I wasn't even that serious about the mall. I'm saying you need to show off what you have before claiming you can do stuff like that. People where I come from have died for less boasting.

1/2

[gurge]

[ a blink. wow, this guy's really fucking stupid, isn't he. ]

Requiring the services of one, rather. Maybe you should work on your throat chakra as well... [ after that particular disdainful mumble, however, something seems to catch his attention. a display? fair enough. ]

Where I come from also. Very well, the little bug wants a display?

cw monstery stuff

[gurge]

[ he steps closer to the feed, ensuring in the frame the bulk of his left arm is displayed: it lifts and from the air behind him, there's a rift. only blackness can be seen beyond, but a monster's claws grab the invisible seams and begin to rip them open — like stretching a wound wide enough for a worm to escape. ]

[ it's face is misshapen, rows and rows of hooking teeth and gnarled facial features. it's big, but it's one of his weaker curses. why waste the curse energy? ]

[ ...of course, only anyone with any spiritual awareness or paranormal ability will see anything at all. the camera's edge barely catches Getou's wide smile, fingers flexing as a beastly leg stomps down on the hard tile of his apartment. ]

But could the demanding little man even comprehend it?

1/2

[immortalpoet]

[There's a long silence. Perhaps the view of such a horrific thing has shocked him - perhaps he's trembling in his boots - perhaps he's finally been cowed.]

[Finally, the silence breaks, with a single sound.]

2/2

[immortalpoet]

[A little huff of a yawn.]

Ah, I see. There we go. [He doesn't sound impressed or anything, just very "business as usual".] So what, you're now pest control using pests for said control? I suppose that's a way to go about it, mm.

[gurge]

[ what unfettered stoicism. good for you, verg, you must clean out poker nights. still, there's something there that almost makes Getou hiccup with surprise, mouth pursing with a raised brow, puzzled. there's a certain "town fool's occasional wisdom" to it. he laughs, because the man's right, though not for the reasons he thinks. ]

A bit! Every great ability comes with a real bummer though, doesn't it~? In my case— [ he looks at the fully emerged beastie, which can only be seen up to about chest height in the frame; Getou gives its hulking forearm a sympathetic little pat. ]

I gotta eat 'em.

[ ...yeah. ]

[immortalpoet]

[..........]

[Well. Well,]

I'm assuming not the "fork and knife at a picnic table sort of eating", right.

[gurge]

Correct! I swallow them whole.

[ haha~ ]

[immortalpoet]

So you unhinge your jaw like a snake, or what? That's got to be brutal on the throat.

[getou...throat goat........]

[gurge]

Haha, that's a fun image. But no —

[ the monster disintegrates, black tendrils of energy spun together until there's a hand-sized coffee-colored sphere at the ends of his fingers. so yes, tru, king sloppy toppy over here. ]

Just this, and only once.

[ make no mistake, though, he's swallowed a good 5k+ in his life. ]

[immortalpoet]

[is this vore]

...That's useful. Doesn't give you a stomach upset?

[gurge]

[ it's definitely some kinda vore ]

I've been able to do it since I was a child so, no, not especially.

[ something about this suddenly seems to ring untrue to him, and you can see the gears turning as he grabs his chin in thought, looking up towards the ceiling as if the movie of his life were playing out and had answers. ]

Mmmm, althouuuughhh... I recall a time when it wasn't as easy to shut out and began to truly affect me. [ but the bubble bursts and he laughs, shrugging it off with his one shoulder. ] Eventually, the noise in our heads gets to us all, right?

[immortalpoet]

[...]

["The noise in our heads"?]

...What kind of noise are you talking about? These things still speak to you from your stomach, or what?

[gurge]

Hm? Ah, haha, no. Nothing like that. They cease to have individual personalities once subsumed by my will.

[ what a way to put it. ]

It's fine~. If you don't understand, you can't. Sometimes that's the path to Enlightenment.

[immortalpoet]

Enlightenment?

Enlightened in what way.

[gurge]

...

[ smiles! ]

Has anyone ever told you you have a tendency to focus on the wrong things?

[immortalpoet]

And what should I focus on? Your beasts having personalities? You should face off against a couple of Abnormalities. Their personalities would give you a run for your life.

[gurge]

[ tsk... always underestimated. well, that's fine. ]

And what, pray tell, is an Abnormality in this context?