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bakerstreet2024-06-25 05:31 pm
picturethat) wrote in bakerstreet2024-06-25 05:31 pm
Entry tags:
Darker angels
 These days, it seems like everything is going your way. Any promotions or prizes to be won, they're yours, no competition. Work of yours that previously went unnoticed or unrewarded is suddenly admired by everyone, as if they finally see your worth. Mysterious gifts appear on your doorstep. And bullies or enemies? A thing of the past! Anyone who would try to hurt you is backing off; dangerous situations you'd have to face before are working themselves out, too. It's like you have a guardian angel. ...actually, it's less than "like." You do have a guardian angel, and the reasons they've turned their attentions towards you are less than platonic duties. They've fallen for you - or become obsessed with you, depending on how things work with them. But the real problem is that they're no angel at all. Whether they're just a person with extremely un-heavenly morals or a creature who couldn't be further from an angel, they won't be getting a halo anytime soon. That doesn't stop their feelings for you, though. Of course, all of this opens up a string of questions. Have you two met, or did they fall from afar? Will your stomach turn when the truth is revealed? Can you two ever be together, or is their, erm, "affection" dangerous? What else will they do for you? ...and what about you? Are you so squeaky clean or normal yourself? HOW TO PLAY
ROLES
"GUARDED"
"ANGEL"
SITUATION
PLAN TO MEET?
RESPONSE
|
Claire Bennet ∞ Heroes ∞ OTA
T̶h̶e̶ K̶n̶i̶g̶h̶t The Lord of Shades • Hollow Knight • OTA
Severus Snape | HP
Bai Qian | Eternal Love
tezcatlipoca - fate/grand order
angelgod that will let you do what you want, okay. Even if it's, like, lots of crimes. Live your life, have fun. He's your partner in crime, but he'll make sure you don't get into too much trouble. Cosmically speaking, anyways.+ extra info here! Crosscanon always welcome. ]
no subject
I'm a little sick, but if you don't mind lags and slowness in general, we could thread. Post or pre LB7? Or an AU set in FSN timeline? ]
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but no lag and slowness is a-okay with me!! I'm down for post or pre-LB7 with a very slight preference for pre just because it's easier to think up what trouble they're getting into when we know the setting lmao. An easy one is Tezca joining Daybit for one of his expeditions, for example! ]
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I have two ideas before they get to an expedition: One is Daybit stumbling to see Tezca's training of Ocelomeh with firearms, and intervenes because his aim (let's be honest) sucks, and Daybit's a) American. b) probably watched lots of action movies as a kid, so he's gotta be the better teacher. He can take them with him to learn.
Other one is after Lb4. Tezca getting his tummy pain after they get back. They are far from the city, so they'll have to look for medicine in the wilderness.
What would be your preferred scenario? You can also lmk what you want. ]
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bullying tezca is daybit's part time job. let me know if this works
Right. Koyanskaya promised to bring the weapons earlier in the morning, and that woman is, if anything, a professional who keeps her word. He had let his Servant handle the transaction hassle while he took off to roam near the plains of the third layer, scanning the increased security from the interconnected roads.
...
Training the Ocelomeh is not his task, but maybe he should check this out. He couldn't miss the deadline for the ORT activation ritual due to insufficient harvested game and wait another year. The speed of their evolution is still impressive. Within the first month, they have mastered the new language their god taught them. Daybit may have no memories of the process, but he has compressed the summary of their progress in twenty precious seconds of his five daily allotted minutes of records.
He strides to pick up the fallen bullet before whirling around to follow the trajectory of that misfire. After a three-minute walk, he finds his Servant surrounded by a group of Ocelomeh frenzied in the excitement, gripping their newly bestowed weapons. Izcalli is not present by his side this time. ]
Testing the purchased goods, Tezcatlipoca?
[ He asks while he emerges from the sea of trees, tossing the stray bullet back at him with a silent "You nearly shot me" pointed look. His gaze drifts toward the deino-shaped cardboard targets installed- one lined up beside the other, leaving only a small gap for a misfire. It seems impossible, yet somehow Tezcatlipoca's awful aim defied any expectations.
But he doesn't care about that now. ]
Their prey will rarely stay still.
it's perfect!!
See, the thing about making a deal with Koyanskaya is that she overestimates herself. Like, to be fair, she's definitely going to outclass most options, so it's not like her point of view is totally unwarranted, but compared to him? No way. In fact, he's still a little surprised that he'd managed to get her to agree to a month-long "trial period". She really should have known better, but, hey. It absolutely works in his favor.
—Well, their favor, really. The guns were essentially a hobby for him, but for his Ocelomeh? This was a game changer. He could train them and show them all the soft little underbellies of the Deino, but when push came to shove, even a group of these little guys against a several ton beast with a nice, thick hide was a big ask. Guns are the great equalizer for this equation and will really get things rolling.
So, one by one, he's testing out the stock first. There's a great variety here, so he'll have to give his kudos the next time he sees her (and then promptly tries to kill her), so it's worth going over in painstaking detail. Each gun is shot a few times, disassembled, reassembled, then handed off to a waiting Ocelomeh for their own practice. In that sense, it's good that the misfire that had headed Daybit's way was a basic repeater instead of some of the semi-automatic/just-completely-automatic options.
By the time Daybit makes it to the very much haphazardly set up shooting range, Tezcatlipoca is working on disassembling that gun with a pleased grin. Smoke trails from the cigarette dangling between his lips, looking a little overdue for tapping off some ash. Still, his senses are sharp, so he glances up just before Daybit speaks, but his presence and the question just make the grin a little larger. ]
'Course. Gotta—
[ Oh, hello. His sentence cuts off as Daybit tosses the bullet his way, and he catches it with a sharp hand, but he laughs as soon as he realizes what it is. There's not even a hint of apology in his tone or expression. ]
What's that look for? I didn't shoot ya this time.
[ "This time" is doing so much heavy lifting... He scoffs playfully, but pockets the bullet so he can continue his work. As he taps off the ash, he simultaneously beckons for Daybit to come closer and join him on the log that he's designated as his bench for the time being. ]
Anyways, like I was sayin'. They'll move onto the real thing quick, don't worry. Tomorrow, probably, since they don't got the luxury of takin' it easy. These guys'll get some practice in, so they're gonna be the teachers, and I'll get to makin' plenty of these bad boys to go around.
no subject
Daybit breaks the eye-cigarette contact to glimpse at the unscathed deino-shaped cardboard with the NFF logo stamped around the bottom right corner. Koyanskaya did give a full service. Now, she only needs to ship his vehicle request. That would ease the second underworld pilgrimage. ]
I can see you didn't shoot any of the targets, either.
[ He remarks dryly, unbothered by nearly losing his nose a few minutes ago, and uses the momentum to highlight the god's poor aim. The only criticism that matters when he is about to mentor his followers.
Wordlessly, he takes up his invitation to approach his manufactured bench and stands in front of Tezcatlipoca. He isn't looking at him. His interest switches back to the yet unclaimed firearms and the Ocelomeh's poor weapon angling while they are holding theirs. He sighs, resigned that this is the best-case scenario. He has wanted to avoid it, but — ]
I'll do it. [ He abruptly volunteers. He wastes no time and elaborates on what he means. Turning to address his Servant with a stern expression, he points. ] We want them to land those shots without a big margin of error.
[ He shrugs, not needing to point out that the god is far from an accomplished marksman. But what if they start to mimic his habits? Clarifying they don't have to imitate him could drive them to confusion. ]
They believe I'm your priest, right? That works. You can pass it as my role to interpret your unknowable firearm hobbyist ways.
[ He outstretches a hand so the god can give him a weapon. Any would do. It's all the same as Daybit. Although he has owned a smaller caliber gun, he has never truly shot one. He'll improvise what to do from his knowledge of movies and his practice playing video games.
Maybe it'll work. Under normal circumstances, the success of his communication with any form of humanity is "zero." But the Oceloth are not yet counted as one until they drive the deino species to extinction. He can play-act this one time for the sake of his goal. This doesn't mean he is willing to go beyond this initiation. He's not going to officiate any temple ceremony covered in soot and wearing feathers. ]
no subject
[ He responds half-playfully to Daybit (correctly) pointing out that the targets are as of yet unscathed, but the dig definitely hits its mark. Honestly, his particularly bad luck had never bothered him all that much until he'd gotten into guns. Like, he figured it wouldn't apply there, because it's so minor. Relatively speaking, anyways.
He fusses with the gun in his hands for a moment more until Daybit makes his declaration. He looks up with a "huh?, but then the half-playfulness becomes a full, sour scowl at the (still correct) comment. It's definitely a sign of his unique interest in Daybit that it doesn't spark his temper. Most would probably call it fondness. ]
Look— I'm just warmin' up. This is a new cache of weapons, gotta figure 'em all out, yeah?
[ ...He will never improve, though. He knows this. Daybit knows this. He's still allowed to be annoyed and petulant about it.
Still. With a grumble, he looks through the pile that he's leaned up against the log. Some he's already picked through, others have yet to be inspected, but after consideration, he grabs a carbine by the barrel. He could start Daybit off with a pistol, sure, but that's too easy. He's striking a balance between higher caliber but not so high calibre that the recoil is going to hurt him. ]
I ain't passin' it all to you, priest or not. [ He makes that point as he hands it off ] I'm the one that's gonna be mass producing these bad boys, after all. Whichever ones pass inspection, anyways. Figure I can get a good lil' operation going for three or four types.
idk how to gun, had to look at tutorials sooob
(Nevermind, he is not pointing that out. His capricious Servant might just do it).
His brows raise simultaneously as the god's smile fades into a scowl. He knows he's gambling with his good mood, but that won't stop him. If the Ruler wants to shoot him, there is a high probability he'll finally hit the targets lined up behind Daybit. Or he'll unintentionally miss a limb and deliver a fatal shot. Either way, the Crypter thinks their shared goal will make him overlook that minor slight. He doesn't count on "fondness" or any illogical connection that defies his understanding. He might give him a skeptical look if he finds out. ]
Yeah. The deinos' cutaneous osteodermic properties will make it hard for the low-caliber ones to penetrate their bodies.
[ There is a shift of topic not to dig into that open wound, but he doesn't relent after volunteering. His hand remains outstretched, waiting until he grabs the offered carbine by its stock. So this is another trial, he thinks as he starts to feel the weapon he grips, piecing together what he knows about them. Unlike most people, Daybit can use his brain efficiently, and using his knowledge of firearms is like an input of a highly accurate search engine that immediately gets all results in an orderly fashion. ]
I don't expect you to. [ He nods, not looking to overstep into Tezcatlipoca's turf more than he has dipped with this task. He whirls around, his head turned to look the god in the eye (or the orange shades that cover them) to request before he marches closer to the range. ] Can you tell them to gather behind me? I'll demonstrate this once. They are all yours after that.
[ Daybit will wait until the noisy, frenzied crowd has their undivided attention on him, checking if the rifle is unloaded. He feels pressured to make haste to go back to his lone roaming. He is as good at handling social cues as his Servant is at accurately hitting his targets, but he will try. Stiffily, he begins. ]
Always follow the B.R.A.S.S. five fundamentals. Breathe, relax, aim, squeeze the trigger, and follow through. [ A pause, hiding any discomfort from the spotlight he gets underneath his stone-like features. ] Your prey won't die with a single shot. They are enormous creatures with a lot of vitality. With the tightening security, you'll encounter these types more regularly. [ His head tips toward the t-rex shaped deino. ] The warrior caste. Strong, fast, good sense of smell, hard to ambush. But you have an advantage now.
[ He drops to one knee, resting his hand there as support as he positions the carbine with his dominant hand on the handgrip, pulling its butt on the pocket of his shoulder to steady it with his muscle and keeping the muzzle depressed below eyesight to create the cheek weld. The action is instantaneous. Remove the safety, load, aim, and squeeze the trigger after exhaling a deep breath.
The angling, the distance, the wind, and the controlled movements of his body. He has calculated it all. This is different from the light gun shooters from the video games the boy played over a decade ago, but at the same time, there are a lot of similitudes. He fires twice at the deino's belly, and with the same prodigious speed, twice more at the target's throat. They are too sturdy around the head and their hearts, so those points are better for them to bleed out.
That'll do. Tezcatlipoca can take it from here.
He re-safeties the carbine and stands, seemingly unbothered by any recoil or the gunfire noise. They aren't that concerned about safety measures. ]
Your god will give you the means to attack them from a safe distance. [ When he turns around, his gaze falls on his Servant, without looking at any of the members of his masked crowd. He has nothing else to say; they'll hunt tomorrow with Tezcatlipoca. He will supply additional teachings. Unless requested, Daybit's presence isn't necessary at this point. He walks away from this excessive exposure toward the other man's side, wordlessly lifting his arm to return the loaned weapon. ]
sorry about the delay!!
—Right. That’s what I asked her for, but she gave us some lower caliber ones too. “For Chaldea~♥”’s what she said.
[ He absolutely mimics her tone and voice as he hands over the gun, but otherwise, he takes a step back to let Daybit take over. This is his curiosity too, though ironically, a much more benign version. It only takes a firm-voiced command for the Ocelomeh to immediately obey and move behind Daybit perfectly orderly. There’s still a thrum of excitement in the air from them, since they’re excited to learn about these god-given gifts, but it’s a contrast to the god himself.
He settles back on the log again and takes a long, satisfying drag from his cigarette. His posture and countenance looks relaxed and at ease, but as soon as Daybit starts to explain, his gaze gets much sharper. This isn’t new either. It’s a silent evaluation, and it’s the sharpness that suits the king of the jaguars, since there’s a certain pressure that makes it feel predatory—like he’s considering whether to viciously attack if the showing doesn’t please him. However, where Izcalli and Tlaloc had both shrunk under such intensity before, Daybit never had. Not even with a bullet in his gut.
But honestly? This time around, he’s impressed.
It’s probably his personal bias for guns at work, but his attention isn’t completely critical this time around. It’s one thing to simply gain knowledge of the world, as gods are wont to do, but it’s not all that different from simply reading it in a book. It’s part of why he’d been so keen to get the guns in the first place. A practical demonstration was something special. So, watching Daybit’s much more professional work is pretty special too. Maybe it’s not as professional as it could be, but even the almighty Tezcatlipoca doesn’t have the knowledge to notice that.
So, once Daybit turns back his way after the demonstration, it’s clear that he passed this test. His smile is warm and pleased, and he takes the gun back with one hand, then gives Daybit a congratulatory pat on the shoulder with the other. ]
Not bad at all. Skill with guns just an American thing?
[ Okay, he can’t help but tease him a little bit. But after a moment’s consideration, he tosses the carbine towards the nearest Ocelomeh. Time for them to play with it and see how they do, he figures. ]
Next time you go out explorin’, take one of the little ones with you. Wouldn’t hurt, yeah?
that is ok I was busy and recovering
It would be unlike Daybit to fear high stakes. And the result he sees is the trances of any irritation vanish immediately from Tezcatlipoca's face. He grabs the gun while one eyebrow cocks skeptically. Instead of pushing unnecessary goods, the woman should have brought the vehicle he had requested. ]
Chaldea survivors submerged in Void Space a month ago and haven't surfaced yet. [ Paper Moon is, according to Wodime, an untested Atlas loan. He is not the only one gambling if another party willingly sinks into infinite Numbers on their first trip. ] And, even if they ever return from there, we will be at the last stop.
[ The odds are not in their favor, but he has high expectations, as does Kirschtaria to witness the performance of the only other Master who could restore Humanity from the Incineration.
He doesn't think Koyanskaya is lying. That is one purpose for her generous bonus. But there might be another intention to supply them weapons better suited to kill primates than deinos. ]
In our last meeting, Kadoc complained that Koyanskaya is escalating the conflict among his Lostbelt's locals.
[ He doesn't think Tezcatlipoca would care if the Ocelomeh started a factional clash. No, that may be amusing to a god that thrives of conflict. Daybit himself wouldn't mind, but they need all the manpower focused on the deinos hunt to pull off their plan. So he'll leave this warning to the god if he wants to stop the fox's future meddling before he marches to the range.
Daybit's movements are relaxed even if his face looks perpetually rigid like a stone. His discharges are clean and quick, ignoring the intensity of Tezcatipoca's gaze to judge if he passes another test. In all, he finds the Ocelomeh's attention harder to handle than the god's scrutiny. They have a different set of expectations and a hope to socialize that his Servant doesn't. Or at least Daybit hopes he doesn't. That is something he cannot give. When they watch him and he stares back, he feels like he is observing from 14 billion light years away from this site.
Once he returns the loaned carbine, he is out of the spotlight, he feels all the pressure disappear. Casually rolling his shoulders while he answers. He wasn't fast enough to evade the patting hand, so now he's trying to remove it with a shrug. ]
Marksmanship isn't officially part of the United States' education curriculum, you know. [ Dryly, as if he takes his remark seriously (he doesn't). ] This is the result of hours of mastering all levels of Call of Duty [ The original. The sequels came after that "incident" took place. ] and Counter-Strike when I was younger.
[ He holds his gaze unflinchingly as he seriously admits his skill comes from first-person shooter video games that boy once played. It's not as if he has something to hide.
He should have left on cue, now he is asking to perform babysitting duties on his jaguar warriors. ]
Tezcatlipoca— [ He starts with a tired voice and frown. Is this a social anxiety trial he has cooked for Daybit? ] I am planning to travel to Ilhuicatl tomorrow. Do you think Camazotz will let any of them live?
[ The old bat promised to ignore Daybit, but he has never given any other guarantees to anyone who travels with him. He scratches his head, trying to find a reason for this incomprehensible request. ]
Why do you are you asking that, anyway?
no subject
Koyanskaya’s desires aren’t surprising. Hell, he essentially knew it, even if it only amounted to intuition. Her desires and his were somewhat aligned, though the rationales that motivated them couldn’t be more different. It gets guns in hand, though, and that’s what matters to him. The Ocelomeh were doomed, no matter how you cut it. There’s no future where they’re anything other than piles of bodies. But that doesn’t mean that he’d want them to simply passively accept that future. The fight may be pointless, but it’s the fight itself that matters above all else.
They fire, and while most of the bullets miss because of the surprise of the recoil, it’s better than before. Tezcatlipoca nods, satisfied, and he laughs at Daybit’s dry rebuttal. ]
Coulda fooled me. But from what I know of games? Yeah, makes sense. ‘Course you’d be a crack shot with those.
[ It’s one of those things that he can’t fully explain why he thinks that, it’s truly just “yeah, that makes sense” and nothing else. He idly wonders if his own skill would be any better virtually, but it’s a thought that passes quickly. Not exactly much in the way of chances to indulge in that nowadays. ]
Meant more that you should take one of these— [ He pauses as he grabs one of the pistols and wags it playfully, but his smile becomes a toothy little grin. ] But y’know? Not a bad idea to take some of them with you either. No way Camazotz will let ‘em pass, for sure, but could be valuable. That guy ain’t exactly all there, so seein’ how he “handles” them would be, well, handy. I can’t totally predict what he’ll do, so if he ends up decidin’ that we’re a pain in his ass, good to be prepared.
[ It’d be needed. Camazotz is actually a formidable foe, even for him. Keeping him out of their hair is the better strategy, but if push came to shove, it’d be a shame if things didn’t work out because of a rogue element rather than the expected ones of Chaldea’s efforts. He turns the gun so that he’s offering the grip to Daybit by holding it by the barrel. ]
Besides. That’s a good fight for them. They don’t have any hope of beating him, but if they can give him a scratch? That’s worthy of praise, at least in my book. More exciting than just mowin’ down some Deino.
no subject
He glances away briefly, to study the range proceedings in silence. He hoped so, at least, that would be the last of their conversation before the gunshots started, and the sulfurous and metallic notes of gunpowder polluted the pure air breathed in the rain forest.
He shouldn't harbor any expectations of cutting off his Servant when he's in a chatty mood. His gaze meets his again, unnervingly staring with his mouth twitching downwards. Daybit's not unemotional if one looks closely and searches in the microexpressions even he can't erase from his standard pokerface. He relents to confirm Tezcatilpoca's remark rather than discuss the Ocelomeh's reactions to the recoil. He's sure the god will correct them very soon without his input. ]
Yeah, I was good in all sorts of games.
[ He says succinctly, shrugging as that isn't a big feat for a ten-year-old boy. He doesn't elaborate because it's unnecessary. Daybit's messages can be long or short, but they will always convey essential information. The type he wants to store in his limited record, discarding everything else. Unfortunately, nobody else shares this level of efficiency.
He's stopped playing after the accident. It's only natural he's decided to pick up his skills from his childhood playground moments. He's keeping those old memories unscathed. Meanwhile, all other forms of training would be inefficient if he'll only remember five minutes from them at most.
.......................
His eyebrows lift as Tezcatlipoca's clarifies he's called "little ones" to his guns instead of his jaguar warriors. He removes one hand from his pocket but he does not move to grab the wagged pistol. He's just said low-caliber weapons are useless against a deino's hard skin. His odds are better with the raw strength of his fists than that. He can't even inquire what is he using that weapon for when the worst-case scenario happens. He opened his mouth and now his Servant found that idea amusing.
He'll probably claim it'll be for a trial, but Daybit thinks he's mostly bored and desperate for any thrill. ]
What for? I'm going to forget the details.
[ A dry reminder while he reaches out to grudgingly grab the pistol's grip. He only ensures the safety is on before it disappears into the hidden pockets of his long coat. ]
You are going to depend on nonexistent survivors if you want to hear the full tale.
[ Returning from a journey to Ilhuicatl takes more than twenty-four hours. He's reserving that period for the information he's looking for in the first place. Even so—
He sighs inwardly. It's not a bad proposal. They need to journey with Izcalli in a few months if they keep up with their hunt game schedule. Daybit's still has reservations about Tezcatlipoca's plan to use that boy's heart. He's not as confident as his Servant that he hates Proper Human History as he claims. But there is a lack of alternatives available; without substitutes, he's their only viable choice.
He must be spared by Camazotz. ]
Why don't you do it?
[ Without him, he means. ]
no subject
Think of it as a token of my favor, if you prefer that. Gods give out that kinda thing, right?
[ His tone is joking, but he really would be pleased if Daybit ended up using it. For how Tezcatlipoca wanted to style himself as a more modern god, a gun was a perfect symbol to replace his obsidian knives. So, he nods as Daybit actually takes it. All that intense attention stays on him too, partially because Daybit is just more interesting than the Ocelomeh, and partially because he’ll at least give them a chance to figure out the new toy he’s given them before offering his critiques. ]
But, what, that wouldn’t be worth keepin’?
[ It’s a genuine question, at least. He knows Daybit is out searching in those jungles, but considering his impression of how efficient Daybit is with retaining information, he’d figured there would be “room”, essentially. He makes a light noise, since actually, he has to assume not if Daybit is pointing it out, but that makes his question in turn easier. ]
—Guess I might have to, if that’s the case. Hm. Would be more interesting if you did it, but I guess you got a point.
[ He taps the ash off his cigarette, and when an ember sticks on the ground, he digs his heel into it to make sure it’s out. ]
What about a tag-team? I go and babysit the Ocelomeh while they get their experience in, and you can do your thing. So long as I don’t participate directly, Camazotz should be fine with that. And if not, eh, I’ll just come back to this layer. [ And anticipating that Daybit will question why he wants to come at all, he adds: ] Can’t exactly justify goin’ with ya just because. Too much shit to do, since the timeline’s already tight. But can you blame me for wantin’ to see what kinda trials you’re just undertaking on your own? Makes it harder to give ya something good!
[ …Which isn’t completely the case, admittedly. It’s just curiosity, and maybe some fascination since Daybit is just an incredibly unique and strange person. But that’s not something that Tezcatlipoca would admit. That teeters too close to showing special favor, which he’s not supposed to do. Joke’s on him, of course. ]
no subject
[ Daybit says, not annoyed, but close enough with the corners of his mouth dropping into a frown. His Servant clarified, and now the words 'his favor' linger as information he should permanently record. It's a heavy implication, even if it's a casual whimsical gesture. He needs to remember so he won't discard the pistol when it serves no pragmatic use. He mustn't forget who gave it to him and its meaning. Tezcatlipoca probably wants Daybit to shoot someone with it, or so he can guess. Maybe not consciously, but that is how he's appeased. That's how his religion celebrated life at times, through impermanence and violence.
That's not a problem, although Daybit wants to keep his contract strictly a professional partnership. Yet, in the last weeks, something has come up that gives it another spin, and it's getting out of hand. It began with being regarded as his priest when he has never behaved deferentially near him. It would raise confusion about his presence, so he passively accepted that title (or rather didn't protest against it), thinking that the god already knows he's not. But after he catches him staring at him again instead of evaluating the aspiring hunters, maybe he needs to revise his previous assessment. He doesn't understand what is crossing his mind at all. Is he expecting him to kickstart another grand rite? ]
Sure, but I would only keep the results and any specific data that concerns Camazotz's performance.
[ He gives him a geniune answer in return. He'll be as he thinks he is: efficient. There won't be descriptions of how bravely his warriors fought or if they begged for their lives and tried to run. All those details would be condemned to the regular oblivion Daybit has struggled with since he was ten. Isn't that what he truly wants to know? He doesn't ask him, but his brows furrow quizzically with that unsaid inquiry.
....................
The other problem with his presence is that he would probably help them if they were in trouble. Daybit may be trying to unleash a planet-eating alien spider, but his creed is still to do good; letting the Ocelomeh die under his nose when he could avoid it would contradict his grand order.
His gaze flits to follow the falling embers, lingering only long enough to corroborate his Servant isn't starting any fires, and then he glances up at him again. Tezcatlipoca's not going to relent. He does want Daybit involved in this latest whim. He doesn't answer immediately, running variables to readjust his timetable and then— ]
How many are we taking with us? [ He sighs the question into existence. He has packed his items, but they are only enough for one person, and now he's taking a group. The god counts when he's inhabiting a human's body. ] We're going to need more provisions.
[ More bat repellent, for example. As soon he brings it up, Daybit's on the move. Tezcatlipoca can choose between shouting his reply or following the younger man who looks in a rush, itching to leave the range to do his late grocery shopping. ]
no subject
[ Of course it isn’t, since clearly, Tezcatlipoca is in a good mood. He could be vicious and frighteningly dangerous, but once he’d made his decision to side with Daybit, that never seems to be directed his way. It could be because Daybit is better equipped than anyone to actually counter the wily god, but since the tenor always seemed to be playful, it surely couldn’t be that.
It’s the very thing that Daybit is concerned about, naturally. Even Tezcatlipoca would be reluctant to admit it because of the strict rules that governed him, but it’s not exactly subtle. He’s fond of Daybit, in his way. It’s just, you know. “His way” could just as much involve violence and threats. It obscures that less-than-subtle impression enough to make it questionable, at least…
He does wait patiently as Daybit calculates the proposal, and then grins slightly when it’s acceptance. Technically, there’s no refusing Tezcatlipoca, since he’d just insist more firmly, but he’d rather not do that. As his casual appearance makes clear, he doesn’t actually like throwing around the weight of his divine status unless he has to. ]
Atta boy.
[ He gives Daybit a pat on the shoulder for that, but otherwise frees him from further physical gestures, largely because Daybit leaves… He laughs out a note at just how bold Daybit is, and yet, he follows along. The Ocelomeh can play here on their own, and he can check on them later. ]
Not many. Would want it to be a lean crew anyways, since I’m not sendin’ them into the shit for the fun of it. Just make some good practice, get some stories and experience to bring back myself, if nothin’ else. Hm… Three at minimum, so let’s just say that. That doable?
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The weak kick won't make him tumble, but there is a slight wince when he answers, keeping the agitation squirming from his connection from lashing out at the toothy god. ]
I know. Stop that, anyway.
[ They don't. It's tiresome to restrain violent responses. Very odd, they aren't normally so hostile. Maybe Tezcatlipoca's warm greeting when he summoned him just got him on their bad side. Daybit mentally shrugs, there is nothing he can do about it apart from withholding any disembowelment attempts. His partner's frustratingly impulsive, but he needs him. He is sure he's only in this because of the thrill once ORT is released. He suspects nothing of his singular fondness.
Daybit's reasonably good at reading other people's intentions and feelings, confusing as humans can be. But he's got a blindspot when he's involved in the equation. He can't imagine why anyone would like to spend time with him unless they want or need something in return. In this case, Tezcatlipoca desires to witness and take part in the final requiem of this planet. That suits him. If he has a clear idea of his expectations, he's easier to predict. But that's a year from completion, and the thrillseeker god requires other stimuli until the preparations are complete.
Daybit sends him the flattest look when he claims he's not doing this for fun. Sure, he believes him. It's his nature as a god of confict to put those guys through the grinder, but he's now involving him for kicks. He's decided to humor him this once because it'll be more draining to refuse him.
He nods to the question. That sounds fine. ]
Four with you.
[ Succinctly put while he walks back into the jungle paths. He feels a little peeved. Maybe it's the unnecessary physical gestures. Or perhaps it's the excessive words. He only requested a number, not an explanation. His steps slow down after the range sounds grow faint. But they don't falter. Daybit's like that, he is someone who likes to be in motion, racing against time. ]
Are you sure you want to come to Chichén Itzá?
[ He's checking, sparing a glance in his direction. Tezcatlipoca can turn back and go 'home.' Mexico City is almost complete, but the vendors don't have the wanted items or have them of a poorer quality. The only other place to purchase is in the enemy's territory, and the god's not exactly a welcome guest. Is he planning to stroll without camouflage and hope the deinos will mistake him for a stray? He wonders if this would be his first true shopping experience. NFF Services don't count, those are deliveries. ]
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[ He repeats it like he’s only just remembered, since, yeah, kind of. He’s the one that had chosen to do it this way, so it’s not like he can complain, but it’s still easy for him to forget the limitations that his human body subjects him to. Including himself in calculations for provisions is rather novel, since in any other circumstance, it’s not like he’d need them.
It gets him to make a thoughtful noise, since he wonders if that means it would be better to do two, but… No, he still thinks three is about what he’s looking for at minimum. His idea is about tossing different strengths (and weaknesses) at Camaztoz to see more of his deal, and two just wouldn’t get a good amount of diversity. Well. It’ll encourage him to pick up some slack and take it more seriously, at least. ]
I’ll do the work for keepin’ them happy. Fair’s fair for the trouble.
[ He says, and yet, it’s quick to be followed with more trouble… Daybit’s hopes for a Berserker were completely fair, but unfortunately Tezcatlipoca was too wily even for that. His unique status might be useful, but with a personality like this, was it worth it… ]
I wanna see what it’s like up there since Blue’s been in charge. We have two different philosophies about civilization, y’know? Curious how his is goin’. I’m the god of magecraft, so I can make myself a disguise. So long as I keep my head down, they won’t know I stopped by. Promise.
[ More whims, and all the stranger, considering Tezcatlipoca likely doesn’t need to see it to understand it. He is “Blue”, after all, even if it’s another aspect. Though it’s not really his counterpart’s work that he’s curious about. It’s more the Deino themselves. The way they’ve been developing since this world had started to be influenced and changed… He’s intrigued by that.
…Plus. At this point, he’s just calling the day a wash for getting back to work in his city. He’ll call this market research for sprucing things up. Tlaloc will be happy for that, he figures. ]
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Smoking's bad for your health, you know. [ He points tonelessly but doesn't sound like he's mocking him. It's the echo of a past scene— Of a boy who has just read up on the negative effects of tobacco and tried to get his father out of the habit. Of course, they won't live long enough for cancer or nastier side effects. So— ] Rots your teeth.
[ He taps a side of his mouth and nods once more for emphasis. Maybe appealing to his vanity will make him more self-aware. If it doesn't work, at least he tried.
His gaze sharpens when Tezcatlipoca tries to explain himself. He keeps doing that when he hasn't demanded to know any of his reasons. He hasn't attempted to get to know him at all. It's good enough to work separately toward a common goal. Daybit sighs a barely audible "all right," scratching the back of his head while he marches between the trees. ]
You talk a lot.
[ Not a criticism (maybe), just a statement. He really does. At least as much as Peperoncino when he sought him out. Probably less than Wodime when he was in a mood to ramble about mythology. But he didn't mind them. He wanted to record as much as he could with each member of Team A. He shakes his head as he refocuses. ]
The Malla would have influenced them more than the Blue Tezcatlipoca.
[ And Daybit himself. He hunts them down now, but it was his arrival that brought language, concepts, and their rituals. He even replaced all those traditional bloodier ball games with "xoqqer." ]
"goddess of stars" ( 'reika hoshimiya' ) / original character
she would be considered the 'angel' in this scenario. additional information here; feel free to ask if you have any questions. )
Jonathan Harker || Dracula AU || OTA
Ganymede | mythology | OTA
Stolas | Helluva Boss
Jack Townsend | Tales from the Gas Station
obscure canon tl;dr: he's a slightly supernatural clerk at a gas station that sits on top of a trans-dimensional void rift and he's comically unfazed by the creepypasta eldritch horrors that come through it. ota! )