* fishbone.

Trigger Warnings: Murder/death and general triggers often associated with fantasy cults. Theme: Through the Looking-Mirror, and What Mary Found There by t=Node (Mary the Magician Arrange) tl;dr: They had to leave, since their hunter was roaming close. They had to keep themselves alive, keep their faith alive, and keep their legacy alive. It was really ironic, considering how the ones that ended up killing his parents was Fan himself, muttering the mantras in a wild attempt at keeping himself steady. No one questioned him when he showed up at the next town alone.

Brown hair. A traditional smoking pipe. Fiery feathers. A mild smile. Their enemy. “Understood, mother, father.” He understood, alright. His parents were getting more and more obsessed with this murderer every single day, spending hours praying in the altar room, breathing more incense than air. He admittedly couldn’t truthfully say that he cared much, for this rogue Food Soul and his parents both. Ever since his laoshi had left, he steadily started feeling more and more detached. It was... easier, for him. He was thinking, naturally, and if his parents could see his thoughts they’d be horrified at the saturation of his mind, at the sacrilegious questions that never seemed to stop spinning around even as he smiled mildly and prayed blindingly.

Anyway. His parents. Obsessed, they were. To the point where they followed every little snippet of information that they could gather to report back to God about. Not like God of all beings would need to be told things like that, but their rationality was clearly not strong enough to consider that. Eventually, it ended up being the start of a big change for Fan.

nuh — ! he skitters back just enough to stay close but keep watch on the other from BEHIND; walking side by side with a fallen could only give him CHILLS, and a slight distance meant that his glare could hold on the back of this guy — the idea that he was watching was more important than anything right now.  

‘ …we ain’t the ONLY ones. ‘  he wants to cross his arms and huff at the suggestion: it’s not like he was alone! nobody else was just as DEDICATED to the forest as him. the attitude’s cut quick the moment the other continues on, though - and so is the air between them by the unhappy flail of his machete and his own high, disgusted WHINE.  ‘ eew- i thought you were gonna COMPLIMENT me! ‘  then again, this was a fallen. why’d he ever think that?  ‘ you tricked me! i thought you were gonna call me COOL, not ask if i ever ate anything with — ‘ his mouth closes and his nose curls, he’s loathe to say it — ‘ …meat. iunno what kinda meat you’re thinkin’ of, but it’s probably gross…! and WRONG! ‘  the frown facing the other is nearly comical, the spirit’s thoroughly displeased - ‘ here! i’ve just been tossing the pieces that won’t go away around here. AND STOP SMILING LIKE THAT! ‘

“But delicious friend, you said you disliked my honest compliments! If you wanted some nice comments, just say so! I do not mind indulging you~...” He laughed loudly at the poor Food Soul’s vocal and visual display of disgust, another burst of chuckles following when Zebul sees the other’s face scrunch up. “Honey, no need to yell! I am right here.” The last few chuckles were let loose before he shrugged. “I do not know what you mean. This is how I always smile. Can I help how my face looks? That is a rather selfish request of you, isn’t it?” Still, he at least decreased the level of mocking conspiracy in his smile, focus stolen as they had arrived at their destination.

      How committed this stranger was! Embracing the fruits of someone else’s labor to his being, Spam politely kept in her silence, keeping her bags clutched by her own person. For all the exuberant body language the man displayed, she couldn’t help but consider how perplexing he was in comparison to the other Master Attendants she had in her life. Their body language was oft frigid and controlled, either with enthusiasm on creating a placid persona. Or, they were disconnected on the vitalness of the language of physicality! 

     “I learned it from a doctor,” replied the Food Soul simply, alluding to a life that wasn’t ever to return to her. “She was always perceptive on diets and substitutes humans would need in dire times.” 

   “ ‘Fellow thinker?’ ” Spam cocked her head. Alas, her curiosity fell upon silent lips as her eyes widened at the proposal of aid from the stranger. “How charming of you, noble too!” However, the immortal slowly adjusted the bags hanging from her arms. “I wouldn’t want to be too much trouble. However, if it wouldn’t trouble you, I’d enjoy a conversation partner as well. What other comparisons are you wanting to make? I’d love to hear what we greatly differ in! You’ll be able to meet my dear Master Attendant too. They’ll love to meet you.  

“Ah, a medical practitioner! I see!! That makes a lot of sense! Certainly someone in such a position would put nutrition as a heavier category of consideration than the typical layperson.” Making understanding noises, Fan blinked and froze at being called noble and charming of all things. “Charming? Noble??” Sparkling a little and grinning from the praise, he adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. “Thank you kindly for the compliments!! I am absolutely flattered!! Must I say, you conduct yourself with open-mindedness and grace! A certain je ne sais quoi!” He held out a hand to the other with a flourish. “I will not insist if it makes you uncomfortable!! But it is not any trouble for me! And of course, I am always very grateful for a conversation partner, and meeting a fellow Attendant as well!! Shall we?” 

       a soul? was he a SOUL? ‘ yeah, i’m a food soul! ‘  wow, usually, it was HIM getting super touchy, but fan was doing everything for him! all he had to do was smile and try ( — and of course, inevitably fail ) to keep up.  ‘ it’s nice to meet you too… i don’t think i’ve ever heard a human SING before…! what’s it sound like? hehe, the birds sing PLENTY about me already, believe me! it’s not lonely at all! ‘

       besides, like he’d already said — he wasn’t even human! that didn’t make him a part of mankind, probably.  ’ somebody’s gotta watch the bamboo, so i do it! big ah and little ah always keep me company too, ‘  a hand briefly waves to introduce them, ‘ and if i get SUPER lonely or bored, i can head over to the pawn shop to talk to the spirits in there. there’s plum juice, peking duck, a smaller spirit named hawthorne ball… ‘  his fingers count off each member, his mind JOGGING to make sure he had all of them.  ‘ uh, a few others too. pancake and beggar’s chicken like to pass through here all the time! they help me when they can, and together we keep all the bad humans out of the forest! when somebody doesn’t listen, we KILL ‘em! ‘  the arm bearing his machete proudly FLEXES, and though he’s smiling at the other, his expression suddenly turns grave.

       ‘ …so don’t try anything funny, okay? i trust you, but i’m serious! no touching the bamboo! it belongs to the forest, and the forest ONLY! ‘

“Sole”, not “Soul”... Well... Fan was going to take that as his own fault! He was just a wordy kind of person, and clearly the other just didn’t understand half of his speeches, despite talking at a slower pace than usual. It didn’t really matter-- this Food Soul was quite kind and a friendly individual despite his size and his inability to comprehend Fan’s dialogue! Yes, a very swell kind man! “I would demonstrate, but like I said, I am rather horrible at it! Some humans sound better than others after all! Training and natural vocal quality you see.” 

Kneeling in front of the plump rats, he nodded seriously and saluted. “Hello, Protectors Big Ah and Little Ah! It is an honor to meet you as well!” Fan smiled sweetly at the other as he described his acquaintances within the forest, nodding along appropriately as he spoke. What a... a swell...

Koicha felt her chest puff up at her customer’s high (if dramatic) praise and call for another pot. “It is a family recipe, and a foreign one at that, good sir. It’s novelty and decadence is its strongest appeal.”

The Emerald Garden’s signature thick matcha was its pride and joy–the most expensive item on their menu, and by far the most known. As a menu item, acquiring the best quality matcha powder to Koicha’s satisfaction was still a trial that her cooks and crew struggled with. Even now, the mistress of the tea house always prepares the thick matcha herself. If you wanted something done right, you do it yourself, after all!

“Paying the bill will be enough, sir,” she smiled, returning the tea cup and pot to their tray herself. “I’m surprised you enjoy it so much for a first-time patron…it’s a very strong and decadent drink, but an acquired taste to many.”

@cxrtilage

“A family recipe... I see....! Generations upon generations of toil and innovation! That explains it all!! Astounding, truly! I have been captured!! ...I shall return in due time.” Of course, his pride as a chef stung at the loss (not really) but what could he say?! Well. Anyway, it wasn’t like he was planning to open a tea house, so this “competition” was kind of irrelevant. At the other’s remark his head shot back up, hand lifting to adjust his glasses and cause the light to reflect off them for a moment. “Aha!! But for you see, I am hardly a neophyte to the skill of tea drinking! Though admittedly I have most experience of Light Kingdom tea blends, I do prefer stronger and bitter flavors when it comes to my drinks, so it is a beverage which caters quite nicely to my tastes!” 

Little…..guardians? Oh. The food souls. Not stalking? Well if he saw her here and there wasn’t that sort of kind of like stalking? Selena watched as he circled her and turned her body to face the same direction as him. Having seen the different Fallen, it was the first time she actually saw this kind. Although scary she did find him more handsome……no no. Um. Appealing…..better looking then the others. But if anything did happen, none of her food souls were around to aid her.

“W…w….w…what!? No I have not tasted myself nor would I want to. And…” Selena didn’t get to finish what she was going to say, feeling her nose lightly tapped by the Fallen Angel. He was so close, too close that she couldn’t control the fast beating of her heart in her chest. “I….I suppose you can come along. It’s nice, yes. Now would you kindly step back from me?”

“I’m just saying, darling. You can’t possibly know how you taste if you haven’t at least given yourself a little chomp, now can you? Though I suppose you can infer that from other people, but I’m guessing you don’t ask around about how humans taste, judging from your... reaction.” Laughing a little, he smirked. “Just to let you know, humans taste astoundingly like pork, but smells like burnt bacon and spoiled onions when cooked.” Of course, he only ate things after they already rotted and spoiled, but there was no need for him to tell her that. “Oh! As a chef, do you think you’d be able to make a good recipe out of that ingredient?”

‘ i’m telling you to MOVE - ! ‘  boston doesn’t have the patience to match the other’s length of speech OR to withstand the eccentric audacity; before the other’s even finished, a pair of pincers have already made their motions to pick up and toss the other cleanly aside, OUT of their wielder’s way. huffs add in their exhaust to the steam building up around him, ‘ i’m impressed by how much you can say in a single breath, but i HATE unnecessary noises…! if you know your place already, then ACT like it, you creep! ‘  dumplings, dumbass, boston’s met PLENTY of humans, but none so as inexplicably irritating as this one. a hand raises and his pinky curls as if taking up the other in idea, claw snapping at the motion, ‘ you really know how to piss me off…! ‘  best to do something about it.

    “Yes, sir?” Lugging around groceries for her Master Attendant, she wasn’t opposed to the conditions of aiding others – it was practically imperative for her role as a Food Soul. A clueless yet intrigued gaze greeted the human who rushed towards her. Her brows rose as desperation hung from his face, his eyes trained on her as if she would be the savior of the world!

    “…..Fruit?” 

    Spam had remained quiet over the man’s soliloquy over fruits – now that she thought about it, she never met a fruit Food Soul. At least, she couldn’t recall any. As one hand held the apple high with esteem, her eyes followed. And, when the equally poignant orange was raised high, her eyes as well followed. 

     “Neither fruit is superior since they give different benefits, good human. The apple has more fiber, the orange can provide vitamin C. It all depends on the situation. However, there are superior options to both like mangoes and grapefruits.” 

curiosity or conscience? there’s a part of him that wants to see this supposed clean up-buffet; if a fallen ate a fallen, that might have made it a friend, and the spirit always DID despise whatever leftovers always littered the grounds of his forest. pieces always joined themselves into the detritus and left. a bad atmosphere behind - but this was a FALLEN they were talking about, and if anything the atmosphere’s still the same. there was no way any of these guys could be good, and it’s a thought bamboo keeps in mind as his stance eases, the grip on his machete and the hard furrow his brow still remaining constant. there was no way big and little ah wouldn’t think he was CRAZY by the end of this, but… ‘ — fine. i’ll show you, so follow me. ‘  he has to play this SMART, smart as he could; figure out how the other WORKED, and then come up with a plan to properly DEFEAT IT. until then, ‘ don’t even try to eat the great me from behind, ‘cause big ah and little ah are the forest’s best protectors, too! ‘

“If you’re so worried, let us walk side by side, hm?” Sauntering beside the other, he laughed a little, waving his hand dismissively and causing the gold bangles on his wrist to clink together. “Best protectors? Is it not because you three are the forest’s only ‘protectors’?” He could take mere rats any day, even if they were familiars to a strong Food Spirit. 

Trigger Warnings: Subtle abuse, and general triggers often associated with fantasy cults. Theme: 魔女達のジグ by Floating Cloud (Oriental Dark Flight & Doll Judgement arrange) tl;dr: Fan meets a strange Fallen Angel for the first time, becomes entranced, and develops an unlikely but deep student-mentor relationship with him. His thoughts and beliefs are overturned, to the conclusion that despite having a clearer understanding of the truth, he must lie to himself so that he can live.

The market was abuzz with rumors of ghosts lately. Apparently a couple of people have been seeing flashes of a black being deep in the surrounding woods, gliding silently as if the forest floor wasn’t littered with crunchy leaves and sticks. Long hair flowing like water, the glinting of gold and pale bones reflecting the sunlight... couldn’t help but stir up curiosity in Fan’s mind. So in the dead of the night, after his parents feasted and fell into sleep, he slipped out of his bed and quietly went looking for the apparition, armed only with his kitchen knife.