expiationlogs | [ OPEN ] ON THAT DEMON TIME

Who: Hiei & Others
Where: Around Aldrip
What: General July Catch-All - Hiei open starters in the forest, the city’s roof tops, sword training, and glitch.
Warnings: None ATM! Will change if it happens!

✒ o1. NO ONE WANTS FLOWERS WHEN THEY’RE DEAD

No matter how many times Hiei’s tree naps have been interrupted, it doesn’t seem to stop him. In fact, among all of his attempts at fact gathering, even sticking to trees in the city center to snatch up bits of information here or there… silence calls every now and again. A break from the constant chatter of people that he can hear for literal miles to trade instead for nature or something like it. The closest he can get to some kind of peace and quiet while lacking the incredibly tall trees that he had grown so fond of in the demon world.

Hiei doesn’t take precautions to be particularly quiet or hidden, for the most part, deftly hopping from tree to tree with the kind of experienced and sure footing of someone who has done this for many years. Beyond that.. He has yet to run in to a being here that seemed much of a threat to him, and keeping his energy suppressed at this point is more a force of habit than an effort to hide himself. Long gone were the days of a young and potentially weaker fire demon who at least tried a little recon before taking on an opponent head on. Instead the black-clad demon drops down in to an occupied clearing in a flash, hands casually tucked in to his pockets as if this is the most normal encounter ever.

“Is there anything of note, out in the forest? Or is it all just people wandering?”

✒ o2. SOME KIND OF SYSTEM OVER RIDE

Hiei likes to be tall, one way or another.

Sometimes he can be spotted in the city center, standing casually atop a power pole, simply watching the foot traffic below before he disappears in a flash to the next one. Hopping roofs and trees is his best way to test the physical limits of his body, here, and assess what has or has not been lost. Thankfully most of his speed and agility have been maintained, though establishing that does more for Hiei’s urge to continue exploring the city via the rooftops than anything else.

Pushing through crowds, buskers, and the occasional rowdy group was not exactly Hiei’s favorite thing to navigate, despite being occasionally forced to do so in order to ‘blend in’ while accompanying his more human teammates back in their world. The fire demon is again criss-crossing the city via the rooftops in skillful little hops when he notices he’s no longer alone, cloak billowing slightly in the breeze.

“It’s peaceful up here, isn’t it?”

✒ o3. THOUGHT I’D SOLD MY SOUL BUT HE KEPT THE RECEIPT

Demons didn’t require much sleep. Hiei tended to be a special case, if only because he had taken on two energy sucking abilities in the Jagan and the Dragon. With the Dragon significantly weakened, so too have Hiei’s sleep patterns shrunken to match.

Which is to say it is insanely early in the morning when the little demon can be spotted in a clearing, sword drawn though he has no visible opponent. Hiei is no less focused, though, red eyes narrowed as he takes his forms, darting across the clearing with precision slices and dodges, at times appearing to the human eye for only a split second before he is gone again, already across the cleared space.

It doesn’t take him long to notice he has a spectator, but he makes a point to finish his current practice set before stopping, red eyes narrowed as he turns to his guest.

“If you are looking for lessons I don’t give them.”

✒ o4. GOING DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Glitches are quite.. Strange, actually. Hiei has seen a few, here or there, people behavng oddly or opposite to how he had witnessed them only days before. Of course, he doesn’t consider that it may as well happen to him, until it does.

An even smaller fire demon will meet those he crosses looking a bit.. Different than before. There is no wrap around his forehead, nor a third eye to speak of, and those former large, red eyes are now threatening pin-pricks. He carries a sword that is now quite literally bigger than him, and wears a tattered cape that is the same. It’s almost jokingly big for such a small demon, but it is hard to dress such a small figure correctly in the demon world.

A slow, constant waft of malevolent energy follows him, an open and viable threat to anyone that may cross his path and possibly dare to confront him in the wrong way. Hiei hasn’t appeared this wild eyed in quite some time, but his appearance hasn’t changed enough that he won’t be recognizeable.

…. Still probably approach with caution, yeah?

✒ o5. CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

Want to play something I didn’t list here, or we’ve talkd about somewhere else? Tag in and let’s go! I don’t mind tagging in either prose or brackets, feel free to respond how you’re most comfortable and I will follow suit.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[kakashi usually does his sword practice in the evenings, mornings being reserved for Dog Stuff; but today he woke up in a Mood and so is having a walk in the woods.

...by walk in the woods, he actually means a tree-hopping venture through the woods. he stops on a branch just at the edge of the clearing hiei is in, taking in the other's routine with an impressed eye. that movement speed...only the most elite of ninja could possibly match it.

still, he wasn't trying to hide himself, so he's not surprised when he gets called out. what an arrogant opener...then again, the guy clearly has some skill. therefore, kakashi merely scoffs lightly before answering.]

I don't need a teacher.

[the makeshift armor he wears and the sword strapped to his back might suggest he has a few skills of his own. maybe.]

[ Hiei finishes his last form before he turns to see who, exactly, he's addressing.

By now he's become a bit more used to these kinds of interactions. Of course not here, not just yet, but becoming second in command to a former king made it harder to avoid the occasional random conversation. Sometimes he really missed when he had just been a lone warrior in the demon woods and could spend many days without anything close to a social interaction.

It's easy enough to surmise, simply by his attire, that this one is a ninja or something like it. Touya's fashion sense seems to be acquired. ]

Mn. You have enough training of your own, I'm guessing? [ It would be interesting to know just how many people here are sword-trained, and how proficiently.

For research purposes. ]

That's right.

[kakashi hops to the ground, putting himself on the same level as hiei out of politeness. he's about as tall as hiei is...including the hair.]

Most people where I'm from can't move that fast, though.

[how nice, an almost-compliment.]

Humans have more limitations. [ Look, despite how many humans (and demons in human bodies) he knows, he will never turn down the opportunity to tout demon prowess. Even among his peers, Hiei is well-known to be among the fastest demons currently making a stir in the wilds, and he doesn't hesitate to show it. ]

I, thankfully, don't have that misfortune.

Humans, huh?

[he shifts, crossing his arms across his chest.]

What does that make you, then?

[he's met all kinds of weirdos since arriving here, so at this point he feels like nothing will surprise him.]

[ Hiei can't help but be reflexively amused as Kakashi crosses his arms over his chest, brows raising for a short moment as if asking about the sudden change in body language.

He guesses if he wants to pick a fight after this at least he's already got his sword in hand... ]

I am a demon.

[...okay, nothing could surprise him except that. he blinks, blatantly looking hiei up and down as though he expects to see something else.]

Seriously? Aren't demons supposed to be, you know, big?

[he gestures widely with his arms, like he's measuring up a fish or something. you know. big.]

[ That sets Hiei's brow twitching. Of course, he is somewhat used to being the butt of many, many short jokes at this point - but those were made by people he's fought beside many times, and finds it within himself to forgive.

Here... he wishes that it wouldn't cause him such grief from his counterparts if he attempted to torch him where he stands.

Now he speaks through gritted teeth instead. ]

In your world, maybe. In mine, they come in many forms.

[kakashi continues blithely, unaware or uncaring that he's being annoying.]

You could easily pass as a ninja where I'm from. Do you just...live among humans?

Not unless I am forced to. [ by a prison sentence or a bunch of complaints piling up from his human counterparts (and secret sister) about his absence from the human world. It hadn’t been all bad, really, other than being stuck with no way out for quite a long period of time.

Sleeping in trees wasn’t so bad when most people passing under him wouldn’t know he was there, much less be bothered to pick a fight about it.

Hiei was probably up on more gossip about the town than he really should be just by virtue of sensitive ears. ]

The human world is boring and I have business to keep up with in the demon world.

Wooow, a whole demon world. [he says, dry as the desert.] So you must be really bored here.

[...well, so is kakashi, honestly, so it's not like that has anything to do with being a demon.]

[ That earns Kakashi to hard, dry stare in return. A part of him once again pines for the days where he didn't have to fret about hearing endless shit for starting petty arguments from many different angles, and he pushes out the thought of being even more of a little shit than normal.

He isn't sure what the hell he means by the comment on demon world, and resolves to bite his tongue instead of asking. Who knows what the hell this particularly annoying human might have to say in return. ]

As bored as you if you keep standing here asking stupid questions.

[kakashi scoffs lightly, but doesn't bother refuting that claim. he was just making conversation, ok?? badly, but still.]

Good luck finding something interesting to do around here, I guess.

["i guess". look at him, turning into a little teenager. honestly, he should probably bail and leave this guy alone. but on the other hand, it's been so long since he was able to test his skills, and although this guy is undoubtedly a class above him in swordplay, maybe...]

Unless...you want to spar?

I can entertain myself well enough. [ There was also Yukina, Yusuke, and Kurama... but he's going to keep that little detail close to his chest for the moment. No need to advertise his connections at the moment, and not in the least to someone that he knew so little of.

He does, however, scoff out a laugh as he asks if he wants to spar. ]

I'm not in the mood to catch another charge.

[although he half expected hiei to refuse, his spine stiffens at the perceived insult. so rude!!]

I'm not some half-baked beginner. I've tested my skills in actual combat, that's more than most people around here can say.

[...he assumes, anyway. people tend to give him weird looks for wearing armor and a sword around, so he assumes they know nothing of war.]

And? [ Hiei gives a bored look at that retort. Of course, he knows many people who are battle-hardened and good with a sword and he would still only pick a few that he doesn't have to hold back on.

Not that he would kill them, of course, but that list of people has always remained very, very small. ]

I know two people here I can actually go to almost my full potential with. Wasting my time holding back isn't appealing, by comparison.

[ OPEN ] ON THAT DEMON TIME

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