MISSION 1

[adsum]

Participants: Hanako, Amami, Clamor, Lucifer, Meng Yao, Shinobu, Gundham
Location: Courtyard
Date: 08/07

(ooc notes: I will state any possible content warnings in the subject line of the mod response when it comes up. If anything makes you uncomfortable, please tell me so I can back off and refocus the thread.

There will be no tag order, and a mod response will come after at least 6 player responses OR the next day, whichever is earlier. Please note this means that if you're absent for a day or more, the thread will move on, but I will pace things so that people aren't missing large plot beats.

For this mission, characters will icly split into two groups, and there may be an opportunity to remix groups later in the mission.)

Comments

[sunstead]

[its fine, sometimes u just need a funky rock to see spirits... not everyone can be gifted with elf/demon/ghost??? blood]

You may call me "Canopus", if that's alright with you.

[carpevinum]

Hêlêl.

[He fluffs his feathers rather proudly. Why is he the way that he is?]

It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

[adsum]

[ The gardener nods his agreement, repeating the two names. He needn't ask for Amami's, having already been told Amami's real name, so there's a moment of silence that follows.

... ]

...Now that we've met, I will be going back to my work.

[sisters]

( ah, right. not much of a conversationalist, this one. that's fine — they can work with it. )

Sorry, but can you bear with us a while longer? ( scratching at the side of his neck, amami looks half-apologetic with the smile he offers. )

Actually, I wanted to apologize about last time. I figure I probably came off pretty rude — maybe we can try again with getting to know each other.

( and, you know, setting aside the backup plan that's in place, he does mean it. now that he's not, like, alarmed and caught off-guard in the middle of the night, anyway. )

[sunstead]

[Clamor just smiles, unbothered by the gardener's dismissive reply. His work must be important to him—they can multitask, surely. Or maybe he could use some help? But that sort of offer can wait until it's necessary, since it could be taken as an insult...]

I hope this isn't a bad time, but I'd love to hear more about you and your work here if you have the time for it. I'm a spirit mage, you see, so I've worked alongside many different spirits before in the realm of Elrios. If we could reach a mutual understanding, perhaps we could be of aid to each other?

Besides, it looks like we'll be sharing more of the same spaces from now on. I believe it's best that we communicate any boundaries or rules beforehand so there aren't any misunderstandings. Does that sound fair to you, sir spirit?

[carpevinum]

[Lucifer's wings give a little shift as he nods, some sort of friendly bird language that says he acknowledges the Gardener's statement. He tends to be a little pushy when dismissed, but he's behaving, if only because it'll fuck everything up otherwise; the only thing worse than being dismissed as Pride Himself is to let that pride come between him and victory.]

It's rare, where I come from, that I see spirits, so you'll have to forgive my curiosity. I wish to know more about you as well.

[Also to kick his ass. What who said that—]

[adsum]

[ The gardener patiently waits it out until they're finished speaking, turning his head at each in turn as they say their piece.

First, to Amami: ] I took no offense. You act as you are.

[ a rude young man

Anyways, he then turns to face both Clamor and Lucifer. ]

My work is tending to the garden. Watering, weeding, and the like. If you wish to help me, my work will be done sooner, and I would have more time to talk. You may do as you wish; I have no rules to impose upon you.

[sunstead]

[This guy sure is agreeable... it's hard to imagine they came here for a fight at all, really.

Helping him would make it easier to talk—and maybe they could learn a few things from his routine, even if he doesn't. Clamor looks to his two companions first, though, since it'd be kind of rude to just volunteer their help without asking.]

It doesn't hurt to get down in the dirt every now and then! I wouldn't mind.

1/

[hanaban]

[ Hanako in the background furiously miming acts of extreme violence. What are you doing agreeing to garden!! They're not here to garden!!!! ]

2/2

[adsum]

[ ... ]

I thank you for your assistance, Canopus. Tending to the garden also involves...

[ He turns to face Hanako. ]

Eradicating evil spirits. Can I leave this one to you?

[sisters]

( hanako stop that, apparently it's bad for the plants!! amami looks like he's going through some second-hand embarrassment here when he interrupts. )

Actually, that's a classmate of mine — Seven.

( which is what you get called when you pick a codename that's too long. )

I've never dealt with spirits before, so I'm not too sure what that would entail, but we could ask him to leave?

( he'd be eradicated... from the premises? go hang out with team two, hanako, they're trying to make friends here. )

[hanaban]

[ Amamiiiiiiiiiiii you can't kick him out of his own team!!

This is where he'd be shouting his complains, never one to shut up normally, but all he does is make a huge X with his arms and shake his head. ]

[carpevinum]

[THE GARDENER CAN SEE YOU PHANTOMIMING YOU TWIT.]

[hanaban]

[ SHUT UP IT'S DARK OUT OKAY ]

[adsum]

Do what you must to be rid of him.

[ Time out, exorcism, doesn't matter. But rather than something to be dealt with immediately, the gardener seems to regard Hanako as nothing more than a nuisance, like a fly buzzing around the kitchen.

He returns to the hose to fill up a watering can. ]

Regardless, be careful around that one.

[sunstead]

A-ahaha... just a simple misunderstanding! He's no more harmful than anyone else here, I assure you. [which is only like... mostly a lie...... it's fine, maybe he meant to the plants huh]

Do you deal with evil spirits often? I haven't seen much of anything here as far as spirit activity goes, so that's a bit surprising.

[sisters]

I think he means well — but that's a good question.

( amami offers a smile, because even if both of clamor's excuses sound like straight up lies to him, it's still a good reference. also, this is a guy who can see spirits and all that without having to look through a rock; maybe his worth has more weight than amami, for whom this alone is more spirit activity than he's ever encountered... literally anywhere else, ever. )

[adsum]

I know how dangerous you all are. Even the ones who never mean to.

[ "He's no more harmful than anyone else here" please Clamor you're all murderers, gardener-san takes care of a soul tree, he knows ]

Most spirits never come to be. There must be strong ties to the place, for them to cling so.

[sunstead]

But you do still encounter them? [like... they haven't seen any evil spirits yet, and his only example so far has been Hanako, so. that is a little sus, he has to admit. but maybe they haven't seen any because Kazuki is really good at his job...?] Hmm... spirits can end up tied to a place for a lot of reasons. It doesn't always mean they're malicious or evil.

What about you, sir spirit? Is there a reason why you remain here, tending to the gardens?

[adsum]

[ ? a silly question ]

It is because I am the gardener.

[ Whether it's out of a sense of duty or because—- ]

[hanaban]

-—the only malicious spirit here is you!

[ Hanako's blade catches the moonlight in a flash of red: in an instant, he stands behind Amami, knife slicing through the side of his arm deep enough to tear fabric and draw blood, a thin spray splattering onto the grass like dew.

Evil would be him, who makes the world go dark. ]