seasonsrpg | February-March catch all

[After fighting and sealing a whole-ass goddamn demon, Hijikata and Shang Qinghua finally got to take on the main quest they came out here for: Hunting for snow sharks!! However, it seems off to a slow start. Despite having walked the relatively safe rocky "shore" along the "sea" of deep snow for over an hour now, they haven't seen so much as the tip of a backfin.]

Do you think the demon battle scared them off..? But we're far enough away from the station now.

[He stops to let his eyes wander over the white expanse.]

Or do we need to throw out some bait for them?

You could try walking out there to lure them out.

[Is he joking? He's mostly joking. Maybe. Because the only other option he can think of is himself.]

Hm... don't suppose you know if these things jump very high, do you?

Me? If I'm not mistaken, I'm the shark slayer here. Or are you going to seal it, too?

[Keeping the demon in the required radius was already harder than any video game, like hell is he going to try that dance with a big-ass shark! Besides, he's very confident that his fire magic will make shorter work of it than the sealing would.]

Anyway, according to the guy who saw one first, they do jump, but hell if I know how high. Why?

[Why does he feel like Shang Qinghua is cooking up a game plan?]

Ha. You don't seal beasts unless they turn into demons. Those are firmly in regular ol' killing territory.

[Stabbing, slicing, burning, all the good methods.

He eyeballs the snow field, trying not to psych himself out of the idea.]

Well, you saw I'm a fast flyer...

[Does he want to be bait? No. Does he want the payout? Yes.]

Now that's a good idea! If it sees you gliding around, it's almost guaranteed to try and get you, and I'll be ready to take it down.

[Apparently, the plan is a done deal to him, because he immediately summons a fire bazooka. It may seem beyond redundant, given that he could just throw a fireball, but since elemental weapons come with the relevant properties, this will launch the missile with much greater speed and power!]

You'd better be a good shot. Remember, not fireproof.

[Might just also be eyeballing that bazooka a little jealously because it looks hella awesome.]

Here I go then. Be ready!

[And he stepped up onto his sword and set out, using the sheath to draw a line in the snow to get their attention as he flew.

It didn't take long for a fin to pop up following him.]

[If Shang Qinghua wants to, he can probably learn to make a water bazooka! Granted, it'd probably help if he got a feel for a real bazooka beforehand, and Hijikata will be able to help with that. For now, though, they're fighting snow with fire!]

Pull up!!

[Whether the cultivator has nerves of steel and makes it a gradual ascent or prefers to get out of the shark's range fast, it sure enough does jump for him! Its maws are wide open and definitely large enough to bite him in half, but hopefully he's fast enough to avoid that... and even if he wouldn't be, Hijikata's fire rocket impacts in its hind end and explodes right on time, ripping a decently sized hole into the creature's side between its tail- and back fin. It falls back down into the snow, where it trashes around.]

Can you finish it off and take a photo?

[Priorities! It's unclear to him if the shark is already in its death throes, or if this type is more resilient than its ocean-dwelling relatives.]

If not, come pick me up!

[Maybe he should've flown with him right away, but in fairness, it was a lot easier to get a steady aim on solid ground. With the shark incapacitated, he's confident that he'll manage from the flying sword!]

[Nerves of steel? What nerves of steel? His are made of aluminum foil! Which is why he shoots up as close to vertically as he can at the warning, letting out a loud yelp when those jaws snapped right behind his sword, almost taking out the tassel.

And Hijikata wanted him to finish it? Ha!]

Coming!

[He swooped low, grabbing the other man to pull him up onto the sword. So maybe Shang Qinghua was a little stronger than he looked. And he kept a hand gripped in his friend's clothes to balance him.]

[He makes a startled little sounds as he'll pulled up (with strength that is indeed unexpected), but after a brief moment of clinging he finds his balance (see, it is paying off that they tried this before!). In the meantime, the injured shark has been getting away! It's moving under the snow, albeit more laboriously than before, with its back fin just barely bobbing above the surface.]

Damn, it's tenacious!

[Thinking better of summoning an unwieldy fire bazooka on such a tightly packed ride, and realising that simple fireballs wouldn't have much impact through the layer of snow, he surrounds the shark with a generously measured ring of fire, turning up the heat to melt the thick blanket of snow. The fin stops, then turns, but there's unpleasant heat in all directions around it!

Hijikata keeps it up until there's a broad ring of snow-free rock around the shark, then dismisses the flames. With the heat dissipating, it finally swims onwards... only to plop out of the snow, land on the naked stone ground and, flopping and struggling, fall apart into pieces.]

...

Huh.

[Out comes his phone to take photos for the guild! (Yes, he'll use them as proof for Shang Qinghua too.)]

[Who'd have thought. Growing up being a human pack mule had some benefit after all. An Ding may look like a bunch of delivery runners and paper pushers on the surface, but they do learn how to use qi to enhance their strength.]

Hey, least it's not throwing fireballs?

[He tipped his head as he looked down at the thing.]

Damn that's weird. Kinda reminds me of Tianlang-Jun...

What, you know someone who fell apart?

[At this point, very little would actually surprise him about Shang Qinghua's life anymore.]

Anyway, looks like our job here is--

[Another back fin cruises through the snow not too far ahead of them.]

Never mind.

Er, well, kind of? On both parts. Former demon emperor, spent a good twenty-odd years sealed under a mountain. And I do mean under, not just in a cave. Was a bit of a mess when he got freed. Plant bodies aren't so good at handling demon energy, turns out.

[And really, really didn't stick around to get to know his son's other dad, because he scares the shit out of him.

As for the shark fin, sighs and raises higher.]

We'd better get paid per.

[Hijikata gives him a really long glance that looks like he wants to say something, but in the end he just shakes his head and focuses on the situation at hand, crouching down on the flying sword to summon his fire bazooka again without it being (probably literally) in Shang Qinghua's hair. This time, he solidifies both the weapon and its elemental ammunition into lava, hoping to accomplish a harder and heavier hit that way.]

Slow down a little... yeah, stay like this. Oh, it's coming!

[This time, it works out better than before. The shark lunges at them at a perfect angle, and the lava rocket flies straight into its open mouth, exploding inside and killing it instantly.]

Hah!! What do you say to that?!

[Isn't he easy to make monster-slaying money with?]

[Shang Qinghua rolled his eyes at that look. Yeah, he gets it. Things got kinda weird in the world he'd created, but it made for a great story! (Not that he'd written Tianlang-Jun's escape from the mountain, but details.)

Of course, when the fire bazooka came out again, he was suddenly glad that he hadn't followed the genre standard of letting his hair flow all over the place. No human torch hair for him thanks! He followed his friend's speed instructions, keeping a good hold on him.]

Holy shit! I wish I'd filmed that!

[Clearly, they made a great shark hunting team! Shang Qinghua took his turn to take a picture of the remains, flying around it for the best angle.]

I wonder if more of them will show up if we keep hanging around. Do you think they'll be attracted by the dead ones?

[Then again, there isn't exactly blood in the water, given the lack of both... they certainly would have time to cruise for more sharks while they're already out here, but on the other hand, it's doubtful that the guilds will really pay them 900 Moon Coins per shark!]

Hm, probably better not find out. If they swarm, I don't want to be anywhere close by with that jumping ability.

[He's seen weirder! But yeah, doubts that the bounty is an unlimited times thing. The guilds would run out of money real fast if it was. And/or you'd get people breeding the sharks. It's happened before!]

I vote we find someplace to get warm drinks if that's it then.

Yeah, about that...

[He dismisses his bazooka and makes a sweeping gesture at the vast, snowy landscape.]

The only place around, for drinks or otherwise, is the old lady's.

[There's no civilisation whatsoever out here. Granted, there are the Cherry Blossom Parks (which is really just wild forests) in the neighbouring Spring Segment, the pink expanse of the treetops visible in the distance, but is it worth flying a few hours to warm up there before heading back and taking the next airship home?]

Oookay, well we're not doing that. Back to the port then?

[Yeah, not risking the old lady summoning another demon on their asses, no thanks. Pulls out his phone for the map, turning his sword around for the right direction.]

I'm gonna have to source some better gear before next time. Sew some anti-fire spells into them too.

[He nods - back to the port it is! He can summon some floating flames there to keep them warm until the next airship arrives. They can sit and eat some provisions, too.]

That's a good idea. In hindsight, fire immunity would've been a good thing to get imbued into your tattoo.

[Alas, hindsight is 50/50! Luckily, there are alternatives.]

Didn't think about it. Which I should have because I've used fire talismans before in a fight.

[Going to stitch them into all of Mobei's robes too, just in case he needs to replicate that hat trick he pulled defending him before. Unlikely, but that doesn't mean impossible!]

Maybe next time there's the opportunity. Especially if I can talk Mobei-Jun into it too.

That's your roommate, right?

[Shang Qinghua told him about his king, his sect junior, and a couple more people, but Hijikata lost track of what his housing situation is! He casually wraps his arms around him again as they set course back to the airship station... come to think, why didn't they fly out here to begin with instead of walking? Oh well, he supposes they got a work-out in that way (because the demon battle wasn't enough, clearly).]

My king, but also yes.

[He was absolutely playing house with demonic royalty. And it was so far so good.

Shang Qinghua didn't mind the casual hold, considering that Hijikata couldn't use qi to stick himself to the sword. And yeah, flying both ways probably would have been smart. But eh, like they'd just said, hindsight.]

We grabbed up a place in Frostreign. He's autumn, but out there is probably the closest they've got to the Northern Desert here.

Is it common for cultivators to live on mountains? The other one I know moved to Coldreach with his friends.

[It's baffling! Even if they're used to the cold climate, who wouldn't grasp the opportunity to move into a warmer district? Then again, he's hardly one to talk, having moved to Sunwaning with his mentee since it reminded them of home...]

Did you guys move into a normal house, or..?

[How modest is Shang Qinghua's king? Is Frostreign sporting a new palace on its highest peak?]

I mean, my sect is on a mountain back home. But not all of them are.

[Oh, he'd love to, but then he'd have to deal with one cranky royal demanding he bring him cold water baths. It's happened before!]

Or a big ice castle? Na, just a house. We keep it kinda chilly because my king likes the cold, but I've got a mountain of blankets so it works out.

[Oh, don't suggest that to Mobei. Not sure if he could handle it if his king went full Elsa on him.]

[Hijikata isn't sure if he should feel bad for Shang Qinghua. On the one hand, he seems content enough to live with his king, but on the other hand, how much of a choice did he really have? Oh well, at least Nightwake City has amenities.]

I guess you've adapted already, but if all else fails, Frostreign's got the sauna spa.

[You win some, you lose some!]

February-March catch all

Winter Jaws

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