[Douman grimaces behind his mask. Not only did he not hit (strange, his aim is usually impeccable), but that also didn't sound good at all. Damn his luck!
He silently makes sure that his mask is sitting right and properly covering all of his face as he struts past Seimei to pick up his phone with the air of an indignant cat. The device seems mercifully unharmed except for some new scratches on its cover. A quick swipe reveals a new pop-up on his screen: a cartoony maneki-neko informing him that he just lost one of his three 'Protection from Damage' insurance passes that'd ward off unexpected & very sudden damages. Please extend them at Marushime-Neko N.Y.A.N.A.A. at a horrid subscription fee before the last one is used up, otherwise the magical protection of your device will vanish. Douman clicks the message away with a sigh and pockets the phone before he finally sets his attention back on Seimei.]
Looks like it's still fine, no thanks to you. You could have said something if you noticed me.
[Yep, he is Not Amused by this. Screw being theoretically in the wrong, he is 1) a youkai that's supposed to invade other's homes uninvited, and 2) something about this person is just rubbing him wrong! So no nice Principal for this one!]
[ He does not control your arms, sir, that was all you. ]
And who walked in through the front door. Of course I noticed you.
[ He actually sets his brush down now, turning in his seat to face the youkai like this is an actual conversation instead of a chat between two disgruntled roommates. ]
You also seemed as though you were here for a reason. I thought it would save us both time if you intended on doing me the courtesy of telling me why you're in my home once you found whatever it was you were searching for.
Yeah. You're just the one who made me throw it, which still makes you responsible.
[Don't try that logic with him, young man. He's had kids be more convincing with that than your smug face is.]
Would you have rather had me use the window?
[Douman makes to cross his arms in front of his chest, only to decide that that'd be too childish mid-motion, so he shifts to spread his hands in a minor shrug instead. See? He's not impressed. Seimei might have caught him, but he's not impressed at all.]
Since I didn't find what I was looking for [because he hadn't known what that'd be to begin with, he was just aimlessly snooping around for any possible hints about the nature of this strange place] I'll just take my leave, then.
[ That isn't how it works, but he can tell he's not going to get anywhere arguing this particular point, so. Leaving it where it is for now.
Arguing with any kind of spirit, malevolent or benign, is arguing with a brick wall. So hopefully the next point isn't going to become an argument at all, and he can peacefully figure out why a youkai decided his house was the right one to break into. ]
The polite thing to do now, sir, would be to tell me what it was you were looking for so I might help you find it.
[ Gesturing to, well, everything, ] You may have noticed this strange place's spiritual presence is lacking, so it isn't as though my schedule is full of other youkai to see to.
[The mature thing to do would be to admit that both are at least a bit at fault. Thank god neither of them is mature.]
..... [Douman lifts his head just enough that he can properly glare down at Seimei. Yeah. Like Hell is he just going to tell a suspicious Onmyoji what he's up to and trust that random stranger to help without having any ulterior motives.]
The truth, if you'd like. [It's EXACTLY because this place is so eerily devoid of spiritual energy that he doesn't trust the one inhabiting the only spot that has it one bit. That are a few happy little incidents coming together too many, good sir.] So you know that I'm an ayakashi.
[He won't confirm nor deny the youkai part. The less an Onmyoji knows about you, the better for the supernatural entity they're dealing with. It's hard to cast spells withouth knowing the identity of the one you're targeting.]
[ That's fine. Trust isn't earned in an instant, especially among their ilk. ]
I do. An especially powerful one as well, by the looks of you.
[ And yet he's talking to this especially powerful ayakashi like a stranger he just met at the bus stop. He's not impressed either, not afraid, but not making any overt posturing about it to bring the point home. It just. Is. ]
[Things just being is exactly how it's supposed like when dealing with a nurarihyon. Or the Nurarihyon, in this particular case. Douman has yet to meet another of his kind.]
Haha~
[His laughter is light. It sounds like the drawing of a blade.]
Some do call me that, yes.
[He is tempted to humblebrag about his repute as the youkai's 'supreme commander', but Douman is a little bit too old and experienced to fall into such an obvious trap of his own making.]
And who might you be? An Onmyoji, assuming the things here are yours.
[He doesn't mention the picture he's taken of the map. Most don't expect the supernatural to be versed in using modern technology, and if Seimei didn't hear the faint activation sound of his camera app... All the better for him.]
Correct. The only one here in Aldrip, as far as I'm aware.
[ Not counting the woman who used to be a shrine maiden well versed in some of the techniques, but, if these two haven't met yet he has no doubt they will in short order. Whatever's running this place instead of spirits does enjoy bringing people together like that.
He gives a curt nod, the closest thing his mysterious guest will be getting to a polite, welcoming bow for some time. ]
.....! [Abe no Seimei?! It's only thanks to centuries of being forced to learn self-control that Douman doesn't lose it and attacks the other straight across the table, consequences be damned. What does this obvious fraud think he is?!? Knows a couple of techniques, enough to call himself an Onmyoji, and goes right to decorating himself with the name and prestige of Douman's friendrival late enemy!? He'll show him for that!!]
Hooooo. Abe no Seimei, you say? Then I've invaded the house of quite the celebrity. My, I had no clue....
[Outwardly only his brief sharp intake and slow release of his breath betrayed his raging emotions. Douman makes sure to remain physically calm as he slowly comes closer and sits down across of the fake. He is a passionate gambler, he knows how to keep up a pokerface when the stakes are high. Douman just hopes that this shameless man won't try to peek through the holes of his mask because he's pretty damn sure that the shadows beneath it are out of control with his lust for murder at having to deal with such an affront.]
[ Another who knows his name? Someone else who bafflingly knows of him long after his supposed death, maybe? Not as dramatic a reaction as Dara's, or academically interested like William's, so it's difficult to pin down even if this man is obviously not from Heian-kyo judging from the way he's dressed. A little familiar, but...off.
He adjusts the papers and notebooks he'd been transfering on the table to make a little more room for the new guest. The cleaner project on larger paper is clearly a planisphere in the making, showing a sky Douman's never seen before if he decides to look closely enough. ]
I can't imagine you would. I'm hardly the only Onmyoji to exist, so there are plenty of other men whose home you could be invading.
[ A shrug. He's a big deal in his own time, he knows this, but at the end of the day he's still flesh and bone just like anyone else. ]
Now. You said you were searching for the truth. Of what, may I ask?
[The calm mask of the Principal shatters a little when Douman decides to put his elbows on the table and rest his chin on his folded hands in a way that fits his physical age much more than his actual one.]
Of this place. I know what they say, of course, but.... Seeing with your own eyes is always better than relying on secondhand information.
[He waves his hand idly at the last part, implying an 'oh, you know how it is' kind of sentiment. At the same time Douman's eyes scan over the work Seimei had been engrossed with. The planisphere is recognized but quickly dismissed - hasty, the voice of another Seimei drawls inside his thoughts only to be stomped out of existence quickly. The memory of that man is the least thing Douman needs on his mind right now, and it's another red mark in this imposter's book that he has muddled the waters enough to summon it.
No, let's focus back on the star map and why he doesn't need it. Point one, Douman hasn't had a need for the kind of magic that'd require knowing the stars and their positions in centuries. Point two, even if he did, he could easily make one himself that'd be a lot better and more accurate than this man ever could. So dismissing it is the right choice. He is not making a mistake and letting Seimei win. Those kind of games died centuries ago together with his rival.
The content of the notebooks and loose papers interest him more, but unless he finds a thief to hire to get them for him they'll remain out of his reach. For now. Moving on- ]
Let's call the reason for my visit a precaution. Since it's not the first time that somebody has tried to trap me.
[They are playing a dangerous game now. One wrong move, and Douman will lash out to smite the Onmyoji. But Seimei is also an unknown factor, so he doesn't trust anything the other says, does or presents himself as. Being careful with his words and creating a new distance while also sealing the cracks in his armor that might show anything too personal seems common sense.]
[ There's finally a flicker of something other than cool passivity--annoyance. Not at the guest and his table manners, but at the can of worms 'the truth of this place' is bound to open. He looks down as he speaks now, searching for a specific notebook. ]
Would that I could provide a more informed answer than any other "Chosen" you've likely run into. The council who run this city, and their singular enforcer, have kept even those who arrived here long before myself largely in the dark as to this place's true nature. They all parrot that our purpose here is for "rehabilitation", but I fail to see the logic in how what we've experienced thus far is meant to foster anything genuine.
[ --Ah, here's the one. A few page flips and he's got whatever specifics he was looking for. ]
Even more baffling, this all seems a recent phenomenon. The earliest account of Chosen activity in this city is only over a year ago, and yet the natives speak and act as if this is something that has been going on for...generations, perhaps.
Though I will admit that would only be the beginning of any and all oddities here.
[Douman's eyes glitter eagerly as he watches the Onmyoji show him under which proverbial cup the ball is hidden. Hadn't there been a story about him stealing Seimei's "book of wisdom" before? Maybe he should re-enact a little of that tale. That the other has finally shown emotions for the first time counts as another win inside his head. Douman likes to think that he isn't too outright malicious, but there is just something about getting oh-so-suave people to lose their showy 'cool' that brings him joy.
Dropping his juvenile act, he leans back and tilts his head to signal that he's listening.]
Tell me more. How did you find that information about the earliest recorded account if there seems to be some perception-warping fluences at work? And what about that singular enforcer?
There is a shared "network" available on these devices. [ Gesturing to the one in Nurarihyon's hand, as his own doesn't seem to be out. Boomer behavior. ] That was as far back in its logs as it would allow me to see, the contents of which suggested there were no previous Chosen to learn from.
[ The information isn't anything that the spirit couldn't gather on his own if he tried hard enough, so it isn't a huge deal to Seimei to be sharing it. That and a confused, frightened spirit could cause quite a bit of damage if left in such a state, so helping one out to know a little more about what's going on and perhaps adjust faster feels like a good investment. ]
I've not met the enforcer in person, but his name is Jerry. It seems he takes a small number of Chosen in to be judged for their crimes every few months, which results in being given a task to complete. What happens when the task is completed, or if it isn't, I don't yet know.
[ A shrug, ] Your concerns on our perception aren't unfounded, however. Just two months ago this city was only half its current size, with softer roads and thatched rooves as opposed to the stone and lights you see now. And directly before that change...everyone's mind was tampered with. Including my own.
Hm. [He doesn't point out that Seimei just confused his own, private mobile phone, with the communication device that this place provided. If this man is really a Onmyoji, then maybe he's also from a time when modern technology wasn't so ever-present. Anyway, time to put his phone away.] That's all very logical.
[He lets the unspoken 'but' hang in the air for a bit.]
You are assuming that the technology can't be tampered with just as easily as the rest, though. What happened before the city changed?
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expiationlogs2024-06-10 07:58 am
it's his fault for being a Seimei :<
He silently makes sure that his mask is sitting right and properly covering all of his face as he struts past Seimei to pick up his phone with the air of an indignant cat. The device seems mercifully unharmed except for some new scratches on its cover. A quick swipe reveals a new pop-up on his screen: a cartoony maneki-neko informing him that he just lost one of his three 'Protection from Damage' insurance passes that'd ward off unexpected & very sudden damages. Please extend them at Marushime-Neko N.Y.A.N.A.A. at a horrid subscription fee before the last one is used up, otherwise the magical protection of your device will vanish. Douman clicks the message away with a sigh and pockets the phone before he finally sets his attention back on Seimei.]
Looks like it's still fine, no thanks to you. You could have said something if you noticed me.
[Yep, he is Not Amused by this. Screw being theoretically in the wrong, he is 1) a youkai that's supposed to invade other's homes uninvited, and 2) something about this person is just rubbing him wrong! So no nice Principal for this one!]
just wait til he gets a cat toy
[ He does not control your arms, sir, that was all you. ]
And who walked in through the front door. Of course I noticed you.
[ He actually sets his brush down now, turning in his seat to face the youkai like this is an actual conversation instead of a chat between two disgruntled roommates. ]
You also seemed as though you were here for a reason. I thought it would save us both time if you intended on doing me the courtesy of telling me why you're in my home once you found whatever it was you were searching for.
/spraybottles
[Don't try that logic with him, young man. He's had kids be more convincing with that than your smug face is.]
Would you have rather had me use the window?
[Douman makes to cross his arms in front of his chest, only to decide that that'd be too childish mid-motion, so he shifts to spread his hands in a minor shrug instead. See? He's not impressed. Seimei might have caught him, but he's not impressed at all.]
Since I didn't find what I was looking for [because he hadn't known what that'd be to begin with, he was just aimlessly snooping around for any possible hints about the nature of this strange place] I'll just take my leave, then.
hissssss >8T
Arguing with any kind of spirit, malevolent or benign, is arguing with a brick wall. So hopefully the next point isn't going to become an argument at all, and he can peacefully figure out why a youkai decided his house was the right one to break into. ]
The polite thing to do now, sir, would be to tell me what it was you were looking for so I might help you find it.
[ Gesturing to, well, everything, ] You may have noticed this strange place's spiritual presence is lacking, so it isn't as though my schedule is full of other youkai to see to.
knifecat.img
..... [Douman lifts his head just enough that he can properly glare down at Seimei. Yeah. Like Hell is he just going to tell a suspicious Onmyoji what he's up to and trust that random stranger to help without having any ulterior motives.]
The truth, if you'd like. [It's EXACTLY because this place is so eerily devoid of spiritual energy that he doesn't trust the one inhabiting the only spot that has it one bit. That are a few happy little incidents coming together too many, good sir.] So you know that I'm an ayakashi.
[He won't confirm nor deny the youkai part. The less an Onmyoji knows about you, the better for the supernatural entity they're dealing with. It's hard to cast spells withouth knowing the identity of the one you're targeting.]
no subject
I do. An especially powerful one as well, by the looks of you.
[ And yet he's talking to this especially powerful ayakashi like a stranger he just met at the bus stop. He's not impressed either, not afraid, but not making any overt posturing about it to bring the point home. It just. Is. ]
no subject
Haha~
[His laughter is light. It sounds like the drawing of a blade.]
Some do call me that, yes.
[He is tempted to humblebrag about his repute as the youkai's 'supreme commander', but Douman is a little bit too old and experienced to fall into such an obvious trap of his own making.]
And who might you be? An Onmyoji, assuming the things here are yours.
[He doesn't mention the picture he's taken of the map. Most don't expect the supernatural to be versed in using modern technology, and if Seimei didn't hear the faint activation sound of his camera app... All the better for him.]
no subject
[ Not counting the woman who used to be a shrine maiden well versed in some of the techniques, but, if these two haven't met yet he has no doubt they will in short order. Whatever's running this place instead of spirits does enjoy bringing people together like that.
He gives a curt nod, the closest thing his mysterious guest will be getting to a polite, welcoming bow for some time. ]
My name is Abe no Seimei. Welcome to my home.
no subject
friendrivallate enemy!? He'll show him for that!!]Hooooo. Abe no Seimei, you say? Then I've invaded the house of quite the celebrity. My, I had no clue....
[Outwardly only his brief sharp intake and slow release of his breath betrayed his raging emotions. Douman makes sure to remain physically calm as he slowly comes closer and sits down across of the fake. He is a passionate gambler, he knows how to keep up a pokerface when the stakes are high. Douman just hopes that this shameless man won't try to peek through the holes of his mask because he's pretty damn sure that the shadows beneath it are out of control with his lust for murder at having to deal with such an affront.]
no subject
He adjusts the papers and notebooks he'd been transfering on the table to make a little more room for the new guest. The cleaner project on larger paper is clearly a planisphere in the making, showing a sky Douman's never seen before if he decides to look closely enough. ]
I can't imagine you would. I'm hardly the only Onmyoji to exist, so there are plenty of other men whose home you could be invading.
[ A shrug. He's a big deal in his own time, he knows this, but at the end of the day he's still flesh and bone just like anyone else. ]
Now. You said you were searching for the truth. Of what, may I ask?
no subject
Of this place. I know what they say, of course, but.... Seeing with your own eyes is always better than relying on secondhand information.
[He waves his hand idly at the last part, implying an 'oh, you know how it is' kind of sentiment. At the same time Douman's eyes scan over the work Seimei had been engrossed with. The planisphere is recognized but quickly dismissed - hasty, the voice of another Seimei drawls inside his thoughts only to be stomped out of existence quickly. The memory of that man is the least thing Douman needs on his mind right now, and it's another red mark in this imposter's book that he has muddled the waters enough to summon it.
No, let's focus back on the star map and why he doesn't need it. Point one, Douman hasn't had a need for the kind of magic that'd require knowing the stars and their positions in centuries. Point two, even if he did, he could easily make one himself that'd be a lot better and more accurate than this man ever could. So dismissing it is the right choice. He is not making a mistake and letting Seimei win. Those kind of games died centuries ago together with his rival.
The content of the notebooks and loose papers interest him more, but unless he finds a thief to hire to get them for him they'll remain out of his reach. For now. Moving on- ]
Let's call the reason for my visit a precaution. Since it's not the first time that somebody has tried to trap me.
[They are playing a dangerous game now. One wrong move, and Douman will lash out to smite the Onmyoji. But Seimei is also an unknown factor, so he doesn't trust anything the other says, does or presents himself as. Being careful with his words and creating a new distance while also sealing the cracks in his armor that might show anything too personal seems common sense.]
no subject
Would that I could provide a more informed answer than any other "Chosen" you've likely run into. The council who run this city, and their singular enforcer, have kept even those who arrived here long before myself largely in the dark as to this place's true nature. They all parrot that our purpose here is for "rehabilitation", but I fail to see the logic in how what we've experienced thus far is meant to foster anything genuine.
[ --Ah, here's the one. A few page flips and he's got whatever specifics he was looking for. ]
Even more baffling, this all seems a recent phenomenon. The earliest account of Chosen activity in this city is only over a year ago, and yet the natives speak and act as if this is something that has been going on for...generations, perhaps.
Though I will admit that would only be the beginning of any and all oddities here.
no subject
Dropping his juvenile act, he leans back and tilts his head to signal that he's listening.]
Tell me more. How did you find that information about the earliest recorded account if there seems to be some perception-warping fluences at work? And what about that singular enforcer?
no subject
[ The information isn't anything that the spirit couldn't gather on his own if he tried hard enough, so it isn't a huge deal to Seimei to be sharing it. That and a confused, frightened spirit could cause quite a bit of damage if left in such a state, so helping one out to know a little more about what's going on and perhaps adjust faster feels like a good investment. ]
I've not met the enforcer in person, but his name is Jerry. It seems he takes a small number of Chosen in to be judged for their crimes every few months, which results in being given a task to complete. What happens when the task is completed, or if it isn't, I don't yet know.
[ A shrug, ] Your concerns on our perception aren't unfounded, however. Just two months ago this city was only half its current size, with softer roads and thatched rooves as opposed to the stone and lights you see now. And directly before that change...everyone's mind was tampered with. Including my own.
no subject
[He lets the unspoken 'but' hang in the air for a bit.]
You are assuming that the technology can't be tampered with just as easily as the rest, though. What happened before the city changed?