taiyou-torikomu:
CROSSOVER PROMPT EXCERPT:
Nᴏᴛ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ Gᴇᴛᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ Gᴏᴊᴏ's ᴄᴀᴍᴘᴀɪɢɴ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ Tʜɪʀᴛᴇᴇɴᴛʜ Rᴇғʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴀᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ᴛᴏ ɪɴᴠᴇsᴛɪɢᴀᴛᴇ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇʀɴɪɴɢ Vᴏɪᴅsᴇɴᴛ …ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴘᴏᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴀʟ ʙʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ Vᴏɪᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ Sᴏᴜʀᴄᴇ. Oʙsᴇʀᴠᴇᴅ ғɪʀsᴛ ʙʏ Cᴀɪᴛ Sɪᴛʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴘᴛʟʏ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ Cᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ Rᴇᴅʙɪʟʟ Sᴋʏ Pɪʀᴀᴛᴇs, Lᴇᴏғᴀʀᴅ Mʏsᴛᴇ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ғᴀɪɴᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴘᴇʀᴄᴇᴘᴛɪʙʟᴇ ғʟᴜᴄᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀᴡɪsᴇ ɪɴᴇʀᴛ ᴇɴᴇʀɢɪᴇs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ Vᴏɪᴅ Aʀᴋ, ᴀᴄᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴɪᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴀ sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ sᴏᴜɴᴅ…
"A ᴛᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢ sᴏᴜɴᴅ," Lᴇᴏғᴀʀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇᴅ, "ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴛʜʀᴏᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴄᴋ ᴏʀ sᴜᴍᴍᴀᴛ."
"…ᴏʀ ᴀ ɢᴜᴇsᴛ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴏʀ," sᴜᴘᴘʟɪᴇᴅ Cᴀɪᴛ Sɪᴛʜ, ɪɴsᴘɪʀɪɴɢ ᴀ ʙɪᴛ ᴏғ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴅ.
Wɪᴛʜ ʀᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ ɪɴ ʜᴀɴᴅ, Gᴇᴛᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ Gᴏᴊᴏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴀᴄᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ Aʏᴍᴇʀɪᴄ ᴅᴇ Bᴏʀᴇʟ ʜɪᴍsᴇʟғ, ᴡʜᴏ ᴘᴜᴛ ғᴏʀᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏғғɪᴄɪᴀʟ ɪɴᴠᴇsᴛɪɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. Wʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴅɪsᴄᴏᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ sɪʟᴇɴᴛ, ғʟᴏᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏᴍʙ ᴏғ Mʜᴀᴄʜ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ғɪssᴜʀᴇ ᴏғ ᴇɴᴇʀɢʏ - ᴏʀ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴀ sᴍᴀʟʟ ʙɪᴛ ᴏғ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴄʟᴀᴡᴇᴅ, ᴏʀ ᴇᴀᴛᴇɴ ᴀᴡᴀʏ. Wʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ Vᴏɪᴅ Aʀᴋ ᴡᴀs ʟᴏsᴛ, sᴏᴍᴇ ғɪғᴛᴇᴇɴ ʜᴜɴᴅʀᴇᴅ ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴀɢᴏ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ Vᴏɪᴅsᴇɴᴛ ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴇsᴄᴀᴘᴇ ᴛʜᴇ Aʀᴋ ʙᴜᴛ ɪʟʟ-ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ Vᴏɪᴅ.
Tʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴅ sᴏᴜɢʜᴛ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ʙʏ ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴍᴇᴀɴs ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴘᴏssᴇssᴇᴅ, ᴘʀɪᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴇɪʟ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛɪᴇs, ᴛᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴀ sᴍᴀʟʟ ᴏᴘᴇɴɪɴɢ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ Aʀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ sᴇᴘᴀʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴅɪᴍᴇɴsɪᴏɴ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ Mᴀᴋᴀɪ - ᴛʜᴇ Dᴇᴍᴏɴ Rᴇᴀʟᴍ, ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏʀɪᴀᴅ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ʏᴏᴋᴀɪ ʀᴀᴄᴇ ʀᴇsɪᴅᴇᴅ.
A ғᴇᴡ ʟᴏᴡ-ʟᴇᴠᴇʟ ʏᴏᴋᴀɪ ᴅᴇɴɪᴢᴇɴs ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴘʀʏɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴀʀ, ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴄᴜʀɪᴏsɪᴛʏ. Tʜᴇ ᴠᴜʟɴᴇʀᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴘᴀᴛɪᴀʟ ʙᴏᴜɴᴅᴀʀɪᴇs ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ Aʀᴋ. Tʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴇᴀsɪʟʏ ᴅɪssᴜᴀᴅᴇᴅ ʙʏ Gᴇᴛᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ Gᴏᴊᴏ's ᴀʀʀɪᴠᴀʟ. (Tʜᴇʏ ʀᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇʟʟ ᴀᴡᴀʏ.)
Jᴀɢᴀɴsʜɪ Hɪᴇɪ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇʀ Gᴇᴛᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ Gᴏᴊᴏ ᴀɴᴅ sᴛᴀʏ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀʟᴋ, ᴀs ʜᴇ ʟɪɴɢᴇʀᴇᴅ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏғᴛᴇɴ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ Mᴀᴋᴀɪ, ᴛʀᴀɪɴɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ Dᴇᴍᴏɴ Wᴏʀʟᴅ Tᴏᴜʀɴᴀᴍᴇɴᴛ. Hᴇ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴀ ᴠɪɢɪʟ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ʟᴏsᴛ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴs ᴡʜᴏ ᴍɪsᴛᴀᴋᴇɴʟʏ ᴡᴀɴᴅᴇʀᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟᴍ, ᴀɴᴅ sᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʜᴏᴍᴇ; ᴛʏᴘɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɴᴏ ʀᴇᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs sᴀᴠᴀɢᴇ, ғᴏʀᴇɪɢɴ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ. Eᴠᴇɴ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ʜᴇ'ᴅ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɪʀ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴀʏ, ʜᴇ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇɴ'ᴛ sᴏᴍᴇ sɪᴍᴘʟᴇ ᴛᴏᴜʀɪsᴛs: ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇᴅʟʏ ᴏʙɴᴏxɪᴏᴜs ᴛᴏᴜʀɪsᴛs.
𑁍—Nothing was ever static in the Demon Realm. Aberrant storms borne of the clashes of vitriolic energies crackled overhead. The restless denizens of Makai were ever-clamorous: gnashing, expanding, conquering. There was no penitent veneer of civility to be found in the Demon Realm. And that was why he preferred it. Most of the time.
It was a poor choice if one sought rest - there were better realms to court for that.
But he wasn't looking to idle. There was power he needed to cultivate, and strength he needed to carve into his body, and there was no experience quite like training in Makai.
While there were waves of chaos characteristic to the plane, and nearly predictable in their wake, Hiei was still attentive to the emergence of energies that did not fit into the volatile tapestry behind him. Typically, those mild-mannered disturbances belonged to misplaced humans who encountered the absence of a barrier between the Human and Demon Realms - a fairly recent development - and mistakenly wandered into the wrong place at the wrong time, in the wrong life. His task therein was forthright: he would intercept them, scrub their mind's eye clear of the memories of Makai, and send them packing back to their own more hospitable realm.
Fortunately, such irritating interruptions were sparse, or else he'd come to feel far less chivalrous about the return label on those lost humans.
That new protocol notwithstanding, it wasn't exactly the manner of intrusion that his augmented perception trained in on.
A crowd of lowly yokai were fleeing from within a thick swatch of a dark forest called The Sinking Shroud. Not altogether a strange occurrence - instances of the weak as they fled from danger could be witnessed a thousand or more times a day. That forest held formidable threats, after all. But then the threats fled, too, and Hiei's curiosity was thus piqued. Ancient yokai of fair power still rushed to the outer edges of the wood - yokai who had claimed that territory for centuries, ceded their hunting grounds within moments. Hiei's speed wove through their numbers, and found that at the distant side of the forest, the great haunted oak that had granted the woods its name had burst open, like a gaping wound. It was a massive tree, hundreds of feet tall and several score in width. It had a nasty habit of grabbing passerby with its lithe, serpentine branches and pulling them down into the soil to nourish its roots; hence, the forest's Sinking appellation.
Whether it was a plant or a beast, none could aptly say - but at the moment, it was far more wounded than Hiei had ever seen, in spite of generations of yokai hacking and slashing at it, whether out of revenge or just some honest, healthy fear.
The wind rattled resentfully through its branches, and as Hiei neared the site, he could see that something had ...pried it open. He moved a little closer, and caught view of two unfamiliar entities who were also surveying the site. Beyond the tree's grievous injury, the space behind them looked... different. A distortion of some kind - or a portal. Hiei bristled.
It was too soon to deal with portals and barriers again, damn it.
The smell of human just didn't waft from them like it ought to have. Small wonder, as he examined them: the dark-haired traveler sported a pair of ears that he was accustomed to sighting on Yoko Kurama. A kitsune yokai? From some other, similar realm? A cursory glance at the ash-haired man didn't offer as much in the way of an explanation of his nature, but his presence carried a burdensome weight and an endlessness at once. Hiei's jaw was tense; their strength was writ in plain sight, he didn't even need to invoke the Jagan.
His instincts bid him to drive an attack, but instead he wrenched his jaw loose enough to speak,
"If you're here for the Tournament, you're either too late or too early.
Go home. Try again in two and a half years or so."
Were they the ones who had split open the Sinking Tree?
Where did they come from, what was that disturbance about? And why had they come?
He wasn't the Spirit Detective - who by all rights, was the one who was supposed to be pursuing the answers to questions like that.
Maybe they'd pick a fight; that he preferred to deal with.
