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

[gurge]

Still blinded by your leash, then. A shame. Don't worry, it doesn't last forever.

Did you ever hide what you were back home?

[kampfgeist]

[ what an annoying question............ ]

hide? not exactly. i just didn't tell anyone
and nobody asked
i wasn't interested in people knowing

[gurge]

But other people are interested in knowing, are they not? How big was your city? What do you think would've happened if all of them knew what you are?

[ they're annoying because they're rhetorical, knife edges that lead to a single point: ]

You know how creative humans can be. There's no fear of death in you, but you're young; there are still yet worse hells for you to find.

[kampfgeist]

that's fine. i've survived every hell i've had to claw my way through so far

why should i care what anyone else is interested in

[gurge]

Because you should know how much blood you would bathe in to prevent your freedom from being stolen. It's a right of passage for the strong.

[ is Heine strong by his definition? well, no. but he's stronger than the masses, and that makes him worth protecting. ]

[kampfgeist]

[ now that makes heine laugh out loud, unpleasantly. ]

i've known that for years

[gurge]

Then start acting like it.

[ just that patient, endless smile, dark eyes sparked. it's a subtle difference, one known by those who are familiar with him or maybe animals like Heine, but it's one of the few feeds his full focus is rooted in, eyes rarely drifting away. ]

[ that's the problem with those charismatic types: once they have their sights on someone, they're bound to make them feel special — for better or worse. ]

[kampfgeist]

aha, i see...
that's the problem with people like you

[ he will not be elaborating on what exactly is the problem, but by now heine thinks he has the measure of getou and doesn't much care for what he sees. ]

keep your monsters and your hands to yourself and we'll get along just fine.