[open]

[churchbelle]

Who: Hazel and u
What: small priest is heckled by trees and literature
When: May 21~23 or so, flexible
Where: Far Shore places
Warnings: hazel and jae-ha have an active sex life
Summary: heckle

I. spooky trees
[It is what it sounds like: somewhere on the Far Shore, anywhere on the Far Shore, where Hazel is and where you, the witness, also happen to be, Hazel is making his way downtown around minding his own business like a man being followed. Or: he keeps looking over his shoulder, or stopping abruptly to look suddenly off to one side, or do all manner of things that look very much like he's trying to catch someone sneaking up on him.

But there isn't anyone there, because of course there isn't. Eventually, exasperated, he just comes to a natural stop and announces to the air:] Even the dang trees're nosy.

[have you ever been stalked by a spooky forest]


II. what kind of dewey decimal is this
[There's a library and new gods are being invited to come. That's enough for Hazel to finally nose around in there, after staying very much away from anything involving being within spitting distance of the old gods before now. He's a sight to behold when any individual old god passes by and expects a greeting, all manners and flattery and unpleasant looks the moment their backs are turned. He'd give them a rude gesture for the road, but that's far too improper for him.

But when he's not making childish faces at other gods' backs, he's trying to find... anything at all worthwhile in this place. There's nothing in order. It's a wreck. He can't find a single thing, and for all his practicing there are still plenty of kanji he's never seen before, so the older books in particular are brutal...

He pauses, picks a book up off a shelf, and frowns at it.] I can't even remember lookin' for this, it was so long ago.

[He has been here for Hours.]


III. wildcard
[hello what would you like to do? please ask and I can deliver]

Comments

[ittenbari]

I just thought I was kinda lost! I didn't realize there was a magic forest involved!!

[He's not particular even sure what you're supposed to do about that sort of thing. You can't really fight trees and that's about the only solution he can come up with for a problem like this. The next impulse would be to call Nagisa, but he's pretty sure that's not going to do him a whole lot of good, either.]

No wonder you were scared!

[churchbelle]

[Forest fire, no—]

Alright, give me a lil credit, I'm not runnin' for the hills. I'm rightfully concerned, not scared.

[This is apparently a point of contention enough to distract from how they are definitely being stalked by trees at the moment.]

[ittenbari]

Okay, so what're us "concerned" [Air quotes!] guys supposed to do about this?

[Sakon decides now is probably a good time to close the distance a little and stand next to Hazel. Because, you know, strength in numbers at all. He's not going to deny that he's a bit "concerned," too, but he figures actually having a course of action might actually do something about that. Hopefully. Maybe.]

I mean, I've got my swords, but I'm a shinki. I haven't, uh...

[He mimes drawing a line.]

Learned shinki stuff, though.

[churchbelle]

[Hazel looks at him, like, really? Really though?]

You're kiddin'. Just— [he gestures.] Think about walls and do your best, I reckon.

[He's helping!!]

[ittenbari]

Well, if it's that easy, I'm sure I'll figure it out!

[No you won't, Sakon.]


I'm sure I would have gotten it by now, but my god's not really the fighting type, you know? Which is I guess why he has me because someone's gotta keep him safe, you know?

[churchbelle]

Sure, sure, but not without the boundary spell. Try it now, I mean it—no harm, no foul if ya screw it up.

[Which, well. He could be assuming.]

[ittenbari]

Right here? Now?

[Sakon jerks back a little, eyes wide.]

Don't you think that will make the trees angry? If, um, trees can get angry?

[If they have to fight the trees to get out, it might be a little necessary, but...um...actually he isn't sure how that would work, either.]

[churchbelle]

[...what.]

I reckon it'll be better for ya to know how to do it before somethin' comes after your skin. Maybe I'm bein' old-fashioned, but the sensitive feelings of whatever's liable to get angry and attack ain't my concern.

[ittenbari]

It's creepy! Trees that can move on their own are creepy! What if they're haunted?!

[Sakon, you are more or less literally a ghost.]

[churchbelle]

I'd say it's pretty much guaranteed that they're haunted, since they're movin'.

[Like... it makes sense.]

[ittenbari]

What?! Are you serious?!

[This is terrible.

He waves his arm frantically. You just think of a line right? Make a wall to keep the ghost trees at a bay, right?

It...doesn't happen right away. Or even after a few tries.]

GAH! Come on!

[churchbelle]

Mercy, son, take a breath first. Try doin' it without all the panic.

[Calm down....]

[ittenbari]

I don't like ghosts, okay?!

[He doesn't mind admitting it, either. Ghosts are scary. It's a fact.

He takes a few deep breaths, though, and tries to calm himself down.]

Okay, focus...focus...don't think about ghost trees...crap, now I said it, so I'm thinking about it...

[Why does it have to work that way?]

Do you think the trees are haunted or do you think the trees themselves are ghosts? Can trees be ghosts? Do they get angry when you cut them down?

[Humanity is screwed.]

[churchbelle]

[This is the longest barrier lesson in the history of barrier lessons. Hazel is at a loss. What does he do except watch and witness?]

I reckon it could just be a trick of the light. Trees don't have souls, after all.

[ittenbari]

Then what made all the creepy noises?

[Not the light, obviously.]

That's what I need the barrier for, probably, that --

[There's a long, anguished groan from somewhere deep within the tree and Sakon practically jumps onto Hazel's back at the sound of it.]

THAT! THAT RIGHT THERE!