[ Hiei's nose scrunches a little as Kurama gives him that indication to back off, but follows the silent instruction. In his human form, Kurama is always the one to initiate touch, and though the fire demon may be classic and complain about it nearly every single time, he's annoyed by his attempts at touch being more often than not rebuffed at the moment.
Later, when there is less to fuss about, he'll have to ask Kurama's forgiveness for this entire mess with the Jagan. He'd never had a chance to expressly ask his permission, after all.
Poor Scott with no knowledge of the Jagan asks what would seem obvious, and Hiei turns with a scowl. Perish the thought that he's never explained what he was doing or how the Jagan works, of course - ]
No. His mind is his own. The Jagan makes it easier for me to soothe him when this form takes over a bit too much and makes him restless, and we can communicate through it. [ Though, judging by the smoke around them, Hiei's going to make an educated guess. ]
Right now, he is trying to wind down this form and reel control back in.
The volatile moods come and go at random for the most part. I am assisting in keeping him calm because none of us will want to deal with all the guilty sighing after it's all said and done.
[Kurama typically doesn't mind contact, but in this context he's inclined to shake the reassurance off in the same way anyone would brush aside a helping hand they insist that they don't need. That initial frantic panic had subsided and while he's not exactly back to himself, he's at no risk of harming anyone. He's fine, really. At least, as far as he's concerned.
Scott lowers his hand and the fox sits cautiously, as if to indicate there is no real threat here and everything's safe. His eyes narrow at the suggestion that the Jagan is keeping him from attacking, as if Hiei could just opt to unleash him on someone as a weapon, but his focus switches to the demon immediately with his explanation in response.
In the meantime that smoke is expanding across the ground, inching out gradually to enclose them all within it. When he answers, it's in their minds rather than spoken aloud, the eyeroll practically felt with his words.]
Yes, my guilt is truly the biggest concern to have in all of this, isn't it, Hiei?
[Honestly, he's kind of impressed that Kurama has maintained this much sanity after being affected by the wish seeds. He's assuming that's what happening anyway; he wouldn't be a ghostly fox creature otherwise, right? And sure, Hiei just explained that his Jagan is helping to soothe Kurama to this mostly peaceful state, but he's willing to give the other demon some credit for all this.
And as uneasy as it may be, standing here with his hands by his sides, he knows it's probably the best course of action. The smoke from Kurama has expanded, that hasn't escaped his notice, but he's well-aware how badly things will turn if he does any sudden provoking movement.
Instead, he looks from Kurama to Hiei and back, nodding at them both. Well, that's one thing he can definitely agree on.]
Yeah, I think we would all prefer to help Kurama keep calm so that he doesn't hurt anyone. [...] Do you know what his wish was? These transformations stem from that. We can look into solving that so that he can return to normal.
[ Hiei is thankful that Scott happened on Kurama in a moment of clarity, honestly. He knows that the fox fighting him off is to keep him safe, in every case where he's been injured, but... he isn't exactly known to avoid the possibility of harm when he feels some form of honor bound to help. With Kurama there's two obvious reasons to assist - both for Kurama's welfare as well as their group's. Yukina's safety first and foremost of course.
Red eyes slide toward Kurama as he speaks in to the connection between their minds, narrowing slightly before he turns back to Scott. ]
It is the biggest concern I have, when it comes to you.
[ He knows you too well, Kurama. The fire demon pauses for a moment when Scott asks about his wish - something that the fire demon actually hadn't thought to ask. He'd been more focused on containment than anything else to think about the wish, or the information readily given by Fauna.
... A post which he'd taken the time to tell her how useless she was instead of taking notes, not knowing they'd end up where they are. ]
I do not... I was simply helping him here so there isn't any further damage.
[ So here he goes, turning to Kurama with a look that asks him to elaborate. ]
[Of course, Scott has no frame of reference for what Kurama looks like as a fox, that this wasn't his natural form but related to the wish seeds is probably a lot more obvious due to Hiei's behavior concerning keeping him isolated and calm, if nothing else. The mutant is right in that a great deal of effort from both of them has gone into this, it would not be nearly as successful with only one of them putting in the work - as evidenced by every time Hiei leaves him alone or sleeps for too long.
His own eyes narrow at Hiei with that response, seemingly gearing up to be offended when Scott speaks again. Kurama's head tilts as the mutant asks Hiei about his wish, noting he seemed to expect the fire apparition to answer for him. He'll just let that play out and see where it goes, rather than interrupt. Not that either of them are likely to be much help, with the distortion of reality aspect these transformations included. His main wish had always been protecting his mother, but that doesn't exactly apply here, does it?]
My focus was on helping others. Assisting at the clinic seemed to be the only way to be of any use before this happened. I had not put much thought into a wish before it occurred, but my powers have not been working correctly since the beast first appeared...
[As they talk they have become encased entirely in a dome of sorts, obscuring the fox's visibility as his fur blends with the color of his smokescreen, an illusion that would have concealed him entirely if not for the glowing red eyes.]
Edited (apparently the link source did not want to work) 2025-04-08 15:33 (UTC)
If Scott's at all startled by having Kurama continue to speak through their minds, he doesn't show it. Really, he's kind of used to it in a way, with there being two telepaths he knows at home and one here. And that's just counting mutants. Honestly, the most surprising thing to him is hearing just how clear and in control the fox demon currently is.
It's... just so different from some of the other transformations he's seen so far.
Kotone is a large example of that, but he shoves that memory to the back of his mind. That's not something he really plans on talking about, not if he can help it. It's not her fault. At least it's easier to shove all that hurt down when there's something that he actually needs to focus on, that being Kurama and Hiei.
"Your new powers and form are supposedly related to your wish..." He trails off a little, not quite tensing, but looking just a bit more alert when a strange fog begins to encapsulate them. Clearly the work of Kurama and he's not sure what he's trying to do now, but as before, he's not going to try and do something reckless like using his powers.
"Most of this is not new, for Kurama - The power or the form." At least not to his knowledge. Every now and then the fox does like to spring something new that hiei doesn't know of, after all, and it wouldn't be difficult, either. In the grand scheme of demons and partnerships, Kurama and Hiei have not known each other all that long.
For a moment, Hiei looks around in the gathering fog, Jagan beginning to glow as he expands his consciousness that little bit more, the creeping, malevolent spread of the Jagan making sure there isn't anything nefarious going on.
Hiei's seen this before, but - well. The fox's moods are not always the most predictable thing in the world lately, and it never hurts to be prepared. For a moment, he thinks to step forward so that he is not so obscured, but decides to stay close to Kurama for both their comfort's sake. Despite Kurama's previous annoyance, he will even reach out again to touch, hoping to be something of a physical reminder, if he can be.
"The fog is how he calms himself. Or tries to regain control. If it fails, then I use the Jagan." A pause, and Hiei continues, not meaning to sound tired, and yet it seeps into his annoyed tone anyway.
"This is how we've spent most of our time since Fauna had to go and make it worse."
Kurama has the benefit of being a demon and having experience on his side. This isn't the first time he's undergone transformation against his will or felt increasingly violent and belligerent urges that he's struggled to control. Back home he was able to regain his sense of self through discipline and willpower, here he has been spoiled enough by having Hiei's assistance. Scott is extremely lucky in that the fox is able to hold his own as much as he is right now. He was not immune to the outbursts that caused Kotone to attack - Hiei's gotten the brunt of those episodes when they do come - this just happens to be a moment of clarity, if he’s honest about it. Not that he'd provide that information, and not that he is fully himself even now. If he felt threatened in any way, by Scott or outside interference, things would change for everyone very rapidly.
Hiei responds and the fox waits, this time allowing the touch when the fire apparition rests a calming hand on him. That was fine, it would allow Hiei to keep track of him physically when he apparently disappears completely from view not long after. Kurama simply lies down, ensuring the contact is maintained despite the movement as the large fox settles in the grass beside him. This much, at least, is familiar.
“To answer your question, this-” From the mist, Kurama steps forward. Appearing perfectly human and seemingly not transformed at all, as he gestures to the smokescreen around them. “- is an illusion. I'm sorry, but I thought it might be easier on everyone this way. I'm afraid Hiei is right... sort of. My original form is a fox, but this is not how I was born. Abilities that I would normally have are twisted in a way, but they are not... new. I can still grow plants, just like always. They are simply coming out of my own flesh as well. It is not exactly a pleasant sight so I reverted to my fox form instead, only to find myself transforming again into what you see now.”
Or, what he saw before the smoke, at least. Kurama's change was not instantaneous, happening in a flash, but gradually developed over the weeks that followed and fought against every step of the way with everything the two have at their disposal.
“Likewise, a smokescreen is a simple enough trick with the right tools. Creating the one we are in at the moment was intentional. However, with this transformation - when it is not - I become the smoke. As it expands, my own physical body is replaced by the fog, intangible, as you saw happening before. That… I can not control, and it seems to happen most often when I am resisting the urge to lash out.”
Exactly as Hiei had suggested. If he's honest, it was embarrassing to be seen that way, not recognizing Scott and treating him like a threat in some animalistic panic. Frankly, he does not want to think about his initial reaction to the disturbance earlier. It's taking a great deal of effort to maintain this level of control, even now.
He gestures in the fire apparition's direction, green eyes never leaving the mutant as he speaks.
“Right now, Hiei has physical contact. As long as we're touching, he knows exactly where I am and whether or not I move. I could not attack without his awareness, and he'll most definitely stop me before I can do something to feel guilty about.” The airy quality of his tone with those last words speaks volumes for his opinion of the fire apparition's motivations and earlier comment, even if he doesn't say as much directly.
At the mention of Fauna, the redhead's illusion does glance back in Hiei's direction.
“Since that creature's arrival, my powers do not work as well outside of the city limits. All I had truly wanted of late was to get the farm's crops sustainable. I have stayed out here to avoid hurting anyone, it is not safe for me to go into the city, and yet that is the only place where my power seems to consistently work. I suppose if I had to guess, my motivation for a wish would be centered around that. However, I could not say for sure, as I did not make one consciously.”
Scott does his best to take everything in, listening to what both Hiei and Kurama are telling him about the fox demon's powers. It's a thorough explanation and honestly not one that the mutant fully understands, but he still appreciates how open the demons are about this, especially the latter. These are his powers that are being influenced after all. So his actual form is more of a fox than humanoid, and it's stuff that Scott would actually want to learn more about at a later time. Right now, it's probably not the best idea to ask him questions that aren't connected to the whole wish seed thing. So...
"So your wish is for the farm's crops to remain protected from everything? It's a start, even if you're not sure. Besides, it would be good for that to be protected when we might have a food shortage later." So, to Scott, it's a win-win situation overall, at least when it comes to protecting the crops.
Although...
"Okay, so I'm not really helping you or Hiei out by being here. Hiei can keep you calm, but he's being drained doing so. In other words, maybe I can help with making sure that nothing gets to them? Or if there's some other area around the forest that you care a lot about."
Hiei takes the opportunity to zone out a little, tuning in to Kurama's physical form more than paying attention to the conversation at hand. He doesn't need the explanation after all, and if there is some way he can assist in Kurama going back to some form of normal.. he's sure the fox would let him know. Hiei is a simple being, after all, and particularly now.
Most of what he wants is a nap, which has evaded him for much of their time spent here in the woods.
"I told you to go away." ... He could not let that one go, of course. Not when this entire encounter had started with him telling Scott to turn back around. Why do people never listen to him? Particularly when he's acting fishy as hell? Still, the idea of protecting the crops isn't all that bad, if a bit below what Kurama is fully capable of, but this is not his to comment on.
.. Other than when he inevitably questions Kurama about going in to town.
"Could you assist from here, Kurama? I'm thinking it's too far, but I don't want to assume too much."
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expiationlogs2025-03-11 10:18 am
no subject
[ Hiei's nose scrunches a little as Kurama gives him that indication to back off, but follows the silent instruction. In his human form, Kurama is always the one to initiate touch, and though the fire demon may be classic and complain about it nearly every single time, he's annoyed by his attempts at touch being more often than not rebuffed at the moment.
Later, when there is less to fuss about, he'll have to ask Kurama's forgiveness for this entire mess with the Jagan. He'd never had a chance to expressly ask his permission, after all.
Poor Scott with no knowledge of the Jagan asks what would seem obvious, and Hiei turns with a scowl. Perish the thought that he's never explained what he was doing or how the Jagan works, of course - ]
No. His mind is his own. The Jagan makes it easier for me to soothe him when this form takes over a bit too much and makes him restless, and we can communicate through it. [ Though, judging by the smoke around them, Hiei's going to make an educated guess. ]
Right now, he is trying to wind down this form and reel control back in.
The volatile moods come and go at random for the most part. I am assisting in keeping him calm because none of us will want to deal with all the guilty sighing after it's all said and done.
no subject
Scott lowers his hand and the fox sits cautiously, as if to indicate there is no real threat here and everything's safe. His eyes narrow at the suggestion that the Jagan is keeping him from attacking, as if Hiei could just opt to unleash him on someone as a weapon, but his focus switches to the demon immediately with his explanation in response.
In the meantime that smoke is expanding across the ground, inching out gradually to enclose them all within it. When he answers, it's in their minds rather than spoken aloud, the eyeroll practically felt with his words.]
Yes, my guilt is truly the biggest concern to have in all of this, isn't it, Hiei?
no subject
And as uneasy as it may be, standing here with his hands by his sides, he knows it's probably the best course of action. The smoke from Kurama has expanded, that hasn't escaped his notice, but he's well-aware how badly things will turn if he does any sudden provoking movement.
Instead, he looks from Kurama to Hiei and back, nodding at them both. Well, that's one thing he can definitely agree on.]
Yeah, I think we would all prefer to help Kurama keep calm so that he doesn't hurt anyone. [...] Do you know what his wish was? These transformations stem from that. We can look into solving that so that he can return to normal.
no subject
[ Hiei is thankful that Scott happened on Kurama in a moment of clarity, honestly. He knows that the fox fighting him off is to keep him safe, in every case where he's been injured, but... he isn't exactly known to avoid the possibility of harm when he feels some form of honor bound to help. With Kurama there's two obvious reasons to assist - both for Kurama's welfare as well as their group's. Yukina's safety first and foremost of course.
Red eyes slide toward Kurama as he speaks in to the connection between their minds, narrowing slightly before he turns back to Scott. ]
It is the biggest concern I have, when it comes to you.
[ He knows you too well, Kurama. The fire demon pauses for a moment when Scott asks about his wish - something that the fire demon actually hadn't thought to ask. He'd been more focused on containment than anything else to think about the wish, or the information readily given by Fauna.
... A post which he'd taken the time to tell her how useless she was instead of taking notes, not knowing they'd end up where they are. ]
I do not... I was simply helping him here so there isn't any further damage.
[ So here he goes, turning to Kurama with a look that asks him to elaborate. ]
no subject
His own eyes narrow at Hiei with that response, seemingly gearing up to be offended when Scott speaks again. Kurama's head tilts as the mutant asks Hiei about his wish, noting he seemed to expect the fire apparition to answer for him. He'll just let that play out and see where it goes, rather than interrupt. Not that either of them are likely to be much help, with the distortion of reality aspect these transformations included. His main wish had always been protecting his mother, but that doesn't exactly apply here, does it?]
My focus was on helping others. Assisting at the clinic seemed to be the only way to be of any use before this happened. I had not put much thought into a wish before it occurred, but my powers have not been working correctly since the beast first appeared...
[As they talk they have become encased entirely in a dome of sorts, obscuring the fox's visibility as his fur blends with the color of his smokescreen, an illusion that would have concealed him entirely if not for the glowing red eyes.]
no subject
It's... just so different from some of the other transformations he's seen so far.
Kotone is a large example of that, but he shoves that memory to the back of his mind. That's not something he really plans on talking about, not if he can help it. It's not her fault. At least it's easier to shove all that hurt down when there's something that he actually needs to focus on, that being Kurama and Hiei.
"Your new powers and form are supposedly related to your wish..." He trails off a little, not quite tensing, but looking just a bit more alert when a strange fog begins to encapsulate them. Clearly the work of Kurama and he's not sure what he's trying to do now, but as before, he's not going to try and do something reckless like using his powers.
"What's all this?"
no subject
"Most of this is not new, for Kurama - The power or the form." At least not to his knowledge. Every now and then the fox does like to spring something new that hiei doesn't know of, after all, and it wouldn't be difficult, either. In the grand scheme of demons and partnerships, Kurama and Hiei have not known each other all that long.
For a moment, Hiei looks around in the gathering fog, Jagan beginning to glow as he expands his consciousness that little bit more, the creeping, malevolent spread of the Jagan making sure there isn't anything nefarious going on.
Hiei's seen this before, but - well. The fox's moods are not always the most predictable thing in the world lately, and it never hurts to be prepared. For a moment, he thinks to step forward so that he is not so obscured, but decides to stay close to Kurama for both their comfort's sake. Despite Kurama's previous annoyance, he will even reach out again to touch, hoping to be something of a physical reminder, if he can be.
"The fog is how he calms himself. Or tries to regain control. If it fails, then I use the Jagan." A pause, and Hiei continues, not meaning to sound tired, and yet it seeps into his annoyed tone anyway.
"This is how we've spent most of our time since Fauna had to go and make it worse."
no subject
Hiei responds and the fox waits, this time allowing the touch when the fire apparition rests a calming hand on him. That was fine, it would allow Hiei to keep track of him physically when he apparently disappears completely from view not long after. Kurama simply lies down, ensuring the contact is maintained despite the movement as the large fox settles in the grass beside him. This much, at least, is familiar.
“To answer your question, this-” From the mist, Kurama steps forward. Appearing perfectly human and seemingly not transformed at all, as he gestures to the smokescreen around them. “- is an illusion. I'm sorry, but I thought it might be easier on everyone this way. I'm afraid Hiei is right... sort of. My original form is a fox, but this is not how I was born. Abilities that I would normally have are twisted in a way, but they are not... new. I can still grow plants, just like always. They are simply coming out of my own flesh as well. It is not exactly a pleasant sight so I reverted to my fox form instead, only to find myself transforming again into what you see now.”
Or, what he saw before the smoke, at least. Kurama's change was not instantaneous, happening in a flash, but gradually developed over the weeks that followed and fought against every step of the way with everything the two have at their disposal.
“Likewise, a smokescreen is a simple enough trick with the right tools. Creating the one we are in at the moment was intentional. However, with this transformation - when it is not - I become the smoke. As it expands, my own physical body is replaced by the fog, intangible, as you saw happening before. That… I can not control, and it seems to happen most often when I am resisting the urge to lash out.”
Exactly as Hiei had suggested. If he's honest, it was embarrassing to be seen that way, not recognizing Scott and treating him like a threat in some animalistic panic. Frankly, he does not want to think about his initial reaction to the disturbance earlier. It's taking a great deal of effort to maintain this level of control, even now.
He gestures in the fire apparition's direction, green eyes never leaving the mutant as he speaks.
“Right now, Hiei has physical contact. As long as we're touching, he knows exactly where I am and whether or not I move. I could not attack without his awareness, and he'll most definitely stop me before I can do something to feel guilty about.” The airy quality of his tone with those last words speaks volumes for his opinion of the fire apparition's motivations and earlier comment, even if he doesn't say as much directly.
At the mention of Fauna, the redhead's illusion does glance back in Hiei's direction.
“Since that creature's arrival, my powers do not work as well outside of the city limits. All I had truly wanted of late was to get the farm's crops sustainable. I have stayed out here to avoid hurting anyone, it is not safe for me to go into the city, and yet that is the only place where my power seems to consistently work. I suppose if I had to guess, my motivation for a wish would be centered around that. However, I could not say for sure, as I did not make one consciously.”
So, they're working on best guess here, really.
no subject
"So your wish is for the farm's crops to remain protected from everything? It's a start, even if you're not sure. Besides, it would be good for that to be protected when we might have a food shortage later." So, to Scott, it's a win-win situation overall, at least when it comes to protecting the crops.
Although...
"Okay, so I'm not really helping you or Hiei out by being here. Hiei can keep you calm, but he's being drained doing so. In other words, maybe I can help with making sure that nothing gets to them? Or if there's some other area around the forest that you care a lot about."
no subject
Hiei takes the opportunity to zone out a little, tuning in to Kurama's physical form more than paying attention to the conversation at hand. He doesn't need the explanation after all, and if there is some way he can assist in Kurama going back to some form of normal.. he's sure the fox would let him know. Hiei is a simple being, after all, and particularly now.
Most of what he wants is a nap, which has evaded him for much of their time spent here in the woods.
"I told you to go away." ... He could not let that one go, of course. Not when this entire encounter had started with him telling Scott to turn back around. Why do people never listen to him? Particularly when he's acting fishy as hell? Still, the idea of protecting the crops isn't all that bad, if a bit below what Kurama is fully capable of, but this is not his to comment on.
.. Other than when he inevitably questions Kurama about going in to town.
"Could you assist from here, Kurama? I'm thinking it's too far, but I don't want to assume too much."