"IF THOU SHALT NOT LET ME GO, THEN I SHALL USE OTHER WAYS TO FREE MYSELF OF THIS PRISON. I REFUSE TO STAND BACK AND WATCH AS THIS FOUL CREATURE RUNS AMOK AND—
SNAP! Well. Mission accomplished?? Somehow the jiangshi cuts the rope and the net loosens and falls. Down Koro goes, and lands right on top of the teary eyed cultivator. The jiangshi is free from his control, and in a fit of rage, jumps at the two with the intent to slaughter.
Immediately Koro does his best to curl over and around the man, utilizing his tail and wings to make sure he is covered as much as possible.
He can only groan in pain as the jiangshi claws at his back.
While Koro carries on his explanation, Sizhui gives one last valiant pull on his arm in an attempt to free himself and— the rope breaks.
His gaze lifts, just long enough to watch Koro fall, then he slams his eyes shut, preparing for the worst, especially after the demon falls right on top of him. He curls into himself, readying, hoping it will be a swift, painless kill . . . and yet nothing happens. Tentatively, he cracks an eye open, glancing around, the other opening too once it dawns on him: Koro's protecting him from the jiangshi that's leaped down to attack.
He stares long and hard, trying to figure out why he's done this, but the longer he gawks, the more he realizes he doesn't understand and he probably shouldn't question it. Instead, he draws upon his qi to call his sword, hoping the weapon swooping across the jiangshi's back will be enough to stop the creature from attacking.
The creature, attacked by the sword, falls off Koro and flails. But it's only temporary, and it stands back up.
Finally. An opening. Koro jumps off the robed man and runs on all fours towards the jiangshi, going bipedal only when he grabs the monster and carries him further away from the human. Once he feels far enough they the human is safe, he holds the jiangshi up with ease, finally getting a good look at him.
And that's when it hits him. A heavy, intense feeling of sadness and dread. This monster....used to be human. Humans and demons are two very different things. That is what Koro only knew his whole life. Humans can become monsters in a metaphorical sense, but not like this. This is wrong. On so many levels. He can still feel that little bit of life in this creature. He is in pain, in agony. Inside that desire to kill and eat, is the desire to live. To survive, but it's overpowered by so much dark energy taking control of its body. Why would any kind of God allow this tortured abomination to exist? What kind of world was this?
"WHAT IN THE WORLD COULDST THOU HAVE DONE...TO DESERVE THIS FATE WORSE THAN DEATH...?" Koro's dejected words are followed by a woeful roar, dripping with an ancient melancholy.
"QUOD EX TENEBRIS, IN TENEBRIS"
Koro murmurs in an old language as the jiangshi starts to flail even more. Black smoke comes out of his mouth and soon from his entire body, and appears to drift towards the demon, absorbing into his skin. The jiangshi flails, his frantic movements slowing and slowing until...he becomes limp. Koro falls to his knees and embraces the body in his emaciated arms. He roars once more, this time quiet and brief, and almost sounds like a weep.
It's something, at least, and as Sizhui's preparing for another attack, Koro beats him to the punch.
He turns, rolls himself over onto his stomach to see better, his eyes wide with shock at the demon taking the jiangshi into his arms then fleeing. After pushing up onto his elbows, he slowly but surely draws himself further upright, covered in sweat, tears, blood and dirt, looking a little worse for wear, but otherwise mostly unharmed. (‘Mostly’ being the keyword here since his knees are scraped and he's quite shaken up.)
Whatever it is Koro's doing to the other creature, it seems undoubtedly painful, it's almost enough to make Sizhui want to look away, but he can't bring himself to do so. Rather than that, he watches, gawking the whole time, astonishment coming across his face as thick, dark smoke rises from the jiangshi and disappears into the demon, immediately raising questions that he'd like to ask, except his mouth couldn't work even if he wanted it to. The smoke clears, the jiangshi–no, the man–struggles a moment or two more then goes still, drawing a soft, surprised gasp from Sizhui that he instantly covers with both of his hands, like the noise might break the strange scene.
Though he's unsure why, more tears begin streaming down his cheeks at Koro's forlorn cry, prompting him to bury his face into his hands, desperately striving to keep his own sadness contained at such a sight.
Why does it hurt so much? He's never felt this way before during any other night-hunts, so what makes this moment different? Sizhui has no idea, and while he doesn't try fighting it, he does keep himself covered as he's wracked with sobs, waylaid by turbulent guilt.
A wave of relief washes over him when he feels barely a bit of life within the passed out man. This was it. His will to survive. Even now it still lingers in him.
Fuck. Humans are incredible.
Koro lets out a deep groan, likely a demonic sigh, and gently puts him down on the ground. Now to deal with the whimpering little pup over on the other side of the clearing and tell him the good news. Hoo boy. Koro walks at first, then he crawls on all fours, slowly, inch by inch, as if trying to approach a nervous cat.
Sizhui cries and cries, so overcome that it's difficult for him to even stay standing, yet he manages. He wipes his face with his sleeves, but no matter how much he tries, more tears replace what he clears away, which only furthers his confusion in the long run. Still, he doesn't stop, nor does he let himself get distracted, not until he hears that noise.
Finally, he yanks his head up, breathing heavy and watery, his eyes wide as he watches Koro crawl toward him, his heartbeat thrumming faster than a hummingbird's wings, the butterflies in his stomach fluttering so much, it's maddening.
For what it's worth, Sizhui's standing in place rather than turning to flee, even if he's also trembling the whole time Koro's bridging the distance between them. The exhale he lets out shakes too, conveying his raw emotion, both the apprehensiveness and his grief-stricken state.
He wants to tell him to stop, to stay away, except his voice won't work and, try as he might to ignore it, the fact still stands: Koro had protected him. It's the least he can do to see what it is he plans on doing next.
The fear in the man's eyes, the tears he bares, it all hurts Koro. He's seen this too many times heard it too many times. It hurts.
It hurts.
But Koro powers through the pain. He's dealt with so much worse from fearful humans. All kinds of unspeakable torture that could rival the tortured he's performed in hell himself.
Once he's close, he stops, looking the man right in the eyes. And then...he lies down on his stomach and places his chin to the ground.
Is it working...? Uncertain, Koro then rolls onto his back, his hands and legs sticking up like paws, and he looks up at the man with his upside down face.
While his tail wags.
Edited (adding some details) 2024-01-29 07:52 (UTC)
At first, he isn't quite sure how to respond, watching intently as Koro continues coming closer, closer, to the point they're only a few feet from each other when the demon suddenly stops and lies on his belly. His eyebrows lift in half-interest, half-bafflement, clearly conveying something that's no longer sadness or anxiety.
He faintly tilts his head, contemplating, wondering exactly what it is Koro's planning with this show of submissiveness.
Sizhui blinks once, twice, straightens again then lets out a soft laugh at the tail-wagging, a sleeve-covered hand moving to rest in front of his face, to partially muffle the noise and hide the small smile that quirks his mouth at the edges.
Although he doesn't understand what's happening, it does sort of put him at ease after everything that's happened. So much so, he even dares to crouch, knees against his chest, his hands resting atop them while he otherwise silently appreciates Koro's body language.
Finally. A smile. Yes, Koro noticed that. He lets out a demonic groan that is likely a sigh of relief, and turns back onto his stomach, then gets onto his knees.
Finally, the darkness that he had absorbed from the jiangshi pulses through his body, replenishing his power that he had lost in the net. The human must unfortunately bear witness to one more scene of horror, as Koro's body slowly shifts, the bones of crackling bones filling the silence. He shrinks, and his skin smooths and lightens, his body becoming full and growing muscle. The scraggly hairs on his head grow, and soon his bald head grows soft, shirt black locks. The ridges on his back flatten into his skin, his spine straightens, and his wings and tail shrink into his body, his horns into his head. Eyes grow from the empty sockets in his head, lips grow on his shrinking and shortening grin, and his ears shrink and become rounder.
Cloth somehow forms out of thin air, growing from Koro's skin and forming clothes on his body.
The entire transformation looks excruciating, and yet Koro doesn't seem bothered one bit. Soon before the human kneels a tall, built man in farmer's clothing, far easier on the eyes than his previous form.
It's completely fine that it's noticeable, he doesn't mind, but it's a habit to keep such expression under wraps whenever he's taught to not act or smile foolishly. This, however, isn't such a moment, he thinks.
After Koro is slightly more upright, Sizhui tips sideways, gaze unwavering, his throat still working with some effort from the overwhelming emotions he'd been experiencing only a few minutes ago. What comes next is, well, more than a little surprising; it's a transformation, something like he's never seen before, and it's both remarkable and somewhat terrifying at the same time. Mostly the sounds, given the noises are a bit sickening and painful-sounding, but Koro doesn't seem fazed at all. (Probably because he's used to it, Sizhui imagines.)
The cultivator stays put, nonetheless, staring in a mixture of engrossment and aversion. He dislikes the noise, is even tempted to cover his ears, except it's over almost as quickly as it'd happened and there sits a human-looking man before him.
Another blink, then he scooches closer, his mouth popping open in a soft ah as he reaches out toward the demon(?) He rests his hands on Koro's face, looking stunned at his new shape, the short hair, the broadness of him, his height. Even like this, he's large, but he's far less intimidating in a human shape, his voice oddly calming in comparison.
Koro expected warmth when he anticipates the hands to reach his face, but they feel cold. Perhaps it's because of the cool air and day becoming night, or perhaps from the fear that the human felt...however that works. Human are odd creatures.
Koro reaches up and grabs the human's wrists, finally, like he wanted to since he laid eyes on him. They felt just as tiny as he imagined. So slender and frail, they could easily snap if Koro were to squeeze them just a bit too hard. Of course Koro wouldn't do such a thing, on the contrary, choosing to be much more gentle.
Those hands slide down the human's arms. He could feel the tone of muscle in his otherwise slender arm, which explained the sword. A swordsman, is he? The tone and knots in his shoulder confirmed just as much. And with boths hands on the other's shoulders...
Koro pulls the young man into an embrace.
"Please. Don't look at me like that anymore. I'm so tired of being feared like this."
Living where he does, it's not unexpected for him to run a little cooler than other cultivators and it never occurred to him how he might feel to someone like Koro. Everyone else he knows is used to it but . . .
Sizhui's eyes widen again as Koro's hands take hold of his wrists, which makes him think he should withdraw, except another part of him says otherwise. He stays like he is, watching, following Koro's hands when they start moving up his arms, a motion that has goosebumps rising along his skin, and that in turn has him feeling relieved that he's covered in layers. Being seen, as it were, would truly be mortifying after everything that's happened.
Though it's strange to simply sit and let himself be felt up, he holds steady anyway, eventually allowing his hands to drift down to rest on Koro's chest, his attention still held by the man.
This, of course, means that when Koro pulls him into an embrace, his arms are trapped between them, firmly holding him in place. Initially, Sizhui's unsure how to respond, his heartrate kicking up again, something wild and untamed. For a long moment, he stays that way, his eyes finally flicking away, then he submits, relaxing in Koro's arms and leaning until he can rest his forehead against his shoulder.
Oh-so-softly, he responds, “I'm sorry,” and breathes a sigh, unable to keep the light amusement out of his voice when he continues, “but you surely didn't think people wouldn't be afraid of you like... that, did you?”
So small. So thin. Koro felt like if he hugged him any tighter he could snap him in half. He holds him for just a moment longer, before pulling back to look into his eyes.
"Well I could have changed into a less terrifying form sooner if I wasn't caught in someone's net." Koro looks serious, and yet there's a playful tone in his voice.
It's highly likely that Koro could snap him in half. Sizhui's small, lean and lithe-muscled, able to handle himself in many situations, but if this were to suddenly go sideways? There's no chance he could get away fast enough. Thankfully, Koro seems like he doesn't want to harm him, and when he withdraws, Sizhui does the same, wide eyes blinking up at him.
Then he laughs, an actual, wholehearted sound and he shakes his head. “I suppose that is my fault, yes.” He pulls away further, enough so he can bow his head. “Forgive me, ah... I don't think you said your name?”
Sizhui eases upright too, still smiling, perhaps even a bit wider than he'd been before. This way, he can sort of properly bow, with his head lowered further and his arms circled in front of himself.
“You needn't apologize. It's nice to meet you, Koro.” He lets his hand be taken, glancing down at the difference between it and Koro's, especially with it being clasped between both of his. He really is quite a large man, isn't he?
“My name is Lan Sizhui, but you may call me ‘Sizhui.’”
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houseofsushi2020-05-22 10:34 pm
no subject
SNAP! Well. Mission accomplished?? Somehow the jiangshi cuts the rope and the net loosens and falls. Down Koro goes, and lands right on top of the teary eyed cultivator. The jiangshi is free from his control, and in a fit of rage, jumps at the two with the intent to slaughter.
Immediately Koro does his best to curl over and around the man, utilizing his tail and wings to make sure he is covered as much as possible.
He can only groan in pain as the jiangshi claws at his back.
no subject
His gaze lifts, just long enough to watch Koro fall, then he slams his eyes shut, preparing for the worst, especially after the demon falls right on top of him. He curls into himself, readying, hoping it will be a swift, painless kill . . . and yet nothing happens. Tentatively, he cracks an eye open, glancing around, the other opening too once it dawns on him: Koro's protecting him from the jiangshi that's leaped down to attack.
He stares long and hard, trying to figure out why he's done this, but the longer he gawks, the more he realizes he doesn't understand and he probably shouldn't question it. Instead, he draws upon his qi to call his sword, hoping the weapon swooping across the jiangshi's back will be enough to stop the creature from attacking.
no subject
Finally. An opening. Koro jumps off the robed man and runs on all fours towards the jiangshi, going bipedal only when he grabs the monster and carries him further away from the human. Once he feels far enough they the human is safe, he holds the jiangshi up with ease, finally getting a good look at him.
And that's when it hits him. A heavy, intense feeling of sadness and dread. This monster....used to be human. Humans and demons are two very different things. That is what Koro only knew his whole life. Humans can become monsters in a metaphorical sense, but not like this. This is wrong. On so many levels. He can still feel that little bit of life in this creature. He is in pain, in agony. Inside that desire to kill and eat, is the desire to live. To survive, but it's overpowered by so much dark energy taking control of its body. Why would any kind of God allow this tortured abomination to exist? What kind of world was this?
"WHAT IN THE WORLD COULDST THOU HAVE DONE...TO DESERVE THIS FATE WORSE THAN DEATH...?" Koro's dejected words are followed by a woeful roar, dripping with an ancient melancholy.
"QUOD EX TENEBRIS, IN TENEBRIS"
Koro murmurs in an old language as the jiangshi starts to flail even more. Black smoke comes out of his mouth and soon from his entire body, and appears to drift towards the demon, absorbing into his skin. The jiangshi flails, his frantic movements slowing and slowing until...he becomes limp. Koro falls to his knees and embraces the body in his emaciated arms. He roars once more, this time quiet and brief, and almost sounds like a weep.
no subject
He turns, rolls himself over onto his stomach to see better, his eyes wide with shock at the demon taking the jiangshi into his arms then fleeing. After pushing up onto his elbows, he slowly but surely draws himself further upright, covered in sweat, tears, blood and dirt, looking a little worse for wear, but otherwise mostly unharmed. (‘Mostly’ being the keyword here since his knees are scraped and he's quite shaken up.)
Whatever it is Koro's doing to the other creature, it seems undoubtedly painful, it's almost enough to make Sizhui want to look away, but he can't bring himself to do so. Rather than that, he watches, gawking the whole time, astonishment coming across his face as thick, dark smoke rises from the jiangshi and disappears into the demon, immediately raising questions that he'd like to ask, except his mouth couldn't work even if he wanted it to. The smoke clears, the jiangshi–no, the man–struggles a moment or two more then goes still, drawing a soft, surprised gasp from Sizhui that he instantly covers with both of his hands, like the noise might break the strange scene.
Though he's unsure why, more tears begin streaming down his cheeks at Koro's forlorn cry, prompting him to bury his face into his hands, desperately striving to keep his own sadness contained at such a sight.
Why does it hurt so much? He's never felt this way before during any other night-hunts, so what makes this moment different? Sizhui has no idea, and while he doesn't try fighting it, he does keep himself covered as he's wracked with sobs, waylaid by turbulent guilt.
no subject
A wave of relief washes over him when he feels barely a bit of life within the passed out man. This was it. His will to survive. Even now it still lingers in him.
Fuck. Humans are incredible.
Koro lets out a deep groan, likely a demonic sigh, and gently puts him down on the ground. Now to deal with the whimpering little pup over on the other side of the clearing and tell him the good news. Hoo boy. Koro walks at first, then he crawls on all fours, slowly, inch by inch, as if trying to approach a nervous cat.
no subject
Finally, he yanks his head up, breathing heavy and watery, his eyes wide as he watches Koro crawl toward him, his heartbeat thrumming faster than a hummingbird's wings, the butterflies in his stomach fluttering so much, it's maddening.
For what it's worth, Sizhui's standing in place rather than turning to flee, even if he's also trembling the whole time Koro's bridging the distance between them. The exhale he lets out shakes too, conveying his raw emotion, both the apprehensiveness and his grief-stricken state.
He wants to tell him to stop, to stay away, except his voice won't work and, try as he might to ignore it, the fact still stands: Koro had protected him. It's the least he can do to see what it is he plans on doing next.
no subject
It hurts.
But Koro powers through the pain. He's dealt with so much worse from fearful humans. All kinds of unspeakable torture that could rival the tortured he's performed in hell himself.
Once he's close, he stops, looking the man right in the eyes. And then...he lies down on his stomach and places his chin to the ground.
Is it working...? Uncertain, Koro then rolls onto his back, his hands and legs sticking up like paws, and he looks up at the man with his upside down face.
While his tail wags.
no subject
He faintly tilts his head, contemplating, wondering exactly what it is Koro's planning with this show of submissiveness.
Sizhui blinks once, twice, straightens again then lets out a soft laugh at the tail-wagging, a sleeve-covered hand moving to rest in front of his face, to partially muffle the noise and hide the small smile that quirks his mouth at the edges.
Although he doesn't understand what's happening, it does sort of put him at ease after everything that's happened. So much so, he even dares to crouch, knees against his chest, his hands resting atop them while he otherwise silently appreciates Koro's body language.
no subject
Finally, the darkness that he had absorbed from the jiangshi pulses through his body, replenishing his power that he had lost in the net. The human must unfortunately bear witness to one more scene of horror, as Koro's body slowly shifts, the bones of crackling bones filling the silence. He shrinks, and his skin smooths and lightens, his body becoming full and growing muscle. The scraggly hairs on his head grow, and soon his bald head grows soft, shirt black locks. The ridges on his back flatten into his skin, his spine straightens, and his wings and tail shrink into his body, his horns into his head. Eyes grow from the empty sockets in his head, lips grow on his shrinking and shortening grin, and his ears shrink and become rounder.
Cloth somehow forms out of thin air, growing from Koro's skin and forming clothes on his body.
The entire transformation looks excruciating, and yet Koro doesn't seem bothered one bit. Soon before the human kneels a tall, built man in farmer's clothing, far easier on the eyes than his previous form.
"Better?"
no subject
After Koro is slightly more upright, Sizhui tips sideways, gaze unwavering, his throat still working with some effort from the overwhelming emotions he'd been experiencing only a few minutes ago. What comes next is, well, more than a little surprising; it's a transformation, something like he's never seen before, and it's both remarkable and somewhat terrifying at the same time. Mostly the sounds, given the noises are a bit sickening and painful-sounding, but Koro doesn't seem fazed at all. (Probably because he's used to it, Sizhui imagines.)
The cultivator stays put, nonetheless, staring in a mixture of engrossment and aversion. He dislikes the noise, is even tempted to cover his ears, except it's over almost as quickly as it'd happened and there sits a human-looking man before him.
Another blink, then he scooches closer, his mouth popping open in a soft ah as he reaches out toward the demon(?) He rests his hands on Koro's face, looking stunned at his new shape, the short hair, the broadness of him, his height. Even like this, he's large, but he's far less intimidating in a human shape, his voice oddly calming in comparison.
no subject
Koro expected warmth when he anticipates the hands to reach his face, but they feel cold. Perhaps it's because of the cool air and day becoming night, or perhaps from the fear that the human felt...however that works. Human are odd creatures.
Koro reaches up and grabs the human's wrists, finally, like he wanted to since he laid eyes on him. They felt just as tiny as he imagined. So slender and frail, they could easily snap if Koro were to squeeze them just a bit too hard. Of course Koro wouldn't do such a thing, on the contrary, choosing to be much more gentle.
Those hands slide down the human's arms. He could feel the tone of muscle in his otherwise slender arm, which explained the sword. A swordsman, is he? The tone and knots in his shoulder confirmed just as much. And with boths hands on the other's shoulders...
Koro pulls the young man into an embrace.
"Please. Don't look at me like that anymore. I'm so tired of being feared like this."
no subject
Sizhui's eyes widen again as Koro's hands take hold of his wrists, which makes him think he should withdraw, except another part of him says otherwise. He stays like he is, watching, following Koro's hands when they start moving up his arms, a motion that has goosebumps rising along his skin, and that in turn has him feeling relieved that he's covered in layers. Being seen, as it were, would truly be mortifying after everything that's happened.
Though it's strange to simply sit and let himself be felt up, he holds steady anyway, eventually allowing his hands to drift down to rest on Koro's chest, his attention still held by the man.
This, of course, means that when Koro pulls him into an embrace, his arms are trapped between them, firmly holding him in place. Initially, Sizhui's unsure how to respond, his heartrate kicking up again, something wild and untamed. For a long moment, he stays that way, his eyes finally flicking away, then he submits, relaxing in Koro's arms and leaning until he can rest his forehead against his shoulder.
Oh-so-softly, he responds, “I'm sorry,” and breathes a sigh, unable to keep the light amusement out of his voice when he continues, “but you surely didn't think people wouldn't be afraid of you like... that, did you?”
no subject
"Well I could have changed into a less terrifying form sooner if I wasn't caught in someone's net." Koro looks serious, and yet there's a playful tone in his voice.
no subject
Then he laughs, an actual, wholehearted sound and he shakes his head. “I suppose that is my fault, yes.” He pulls away further, enough so he can bow his head. “Forgive me, ah... I don't think you said your name?”
no subject
"I'm sorry. It's Korollan. You can call me Koro." Koro takes the other's hand in both of his, giving it a calming squeeze.
"I don't think you said yours."
no subject
“You needn't apologize. It's nice to meet you, Koro.” He lets his hand be taken, glancing down at the difference between it and Koro's, especially with it being clasped between both of his. He really is quite a large man, isn't he?
“My name is Lan Sizhui, but you may call me ‘Sizhui.’”