video: un: pillar of the heavens

[inkfire]

[ open scene: a quiet night, the sun long since set, the night air finally cool, and mo ran alone in his tent. ah, blissful peace, some modicum of comfort after a long day trekking the dunes, and mo ran— rash and foolhardy, makes use of a special treasure he discovered. (or perhaps it is something the sand provided to him, laughing at the misfortune sure to come.)

all is quiet, except for a moan, hastily broken off, and then: the sounds of a swarm. a legion of small, fluttering locusts, their wings buzzing. they come from nowhere, from the sand itself, and disturb nothing in camp, except for one specific tent: mo ran.

the swarm descends and the peace around his tent is shattered as he yelps and curses the heavens. scrambling can be heard in the tent, as though a fierce fight is underway, and a minute later, a new video appears on the network.

normally cheerful, with a smile bright enough to charm any young maiden, dimples to please the aunties, and bright eyes, he looks different that night, his eyes a little darker, annoyance lingering at the corners and in the twist of his lips. around him swarm the locusts, and any attempt at batting them away s futile. more simply appear. ]

How the fu— how do I get rid of locusts? Never had to deal with something like this before.

[ a brief scramble and then he darts out of his tent, the camera shaking some. he's half dressed, hair down, and barefoot as he makes his way out. for a moment, he looks relieved, brightening up, the locusts have forsaken him, he can beg another tent possibly. but alas, that is not the case: within moments, the locusts are back, swarming around him. ]

Fucking hell, [ he mutters, and tries to brush away the locusts again, running a little further away from his tent in hopes of dislodging them. ] Can I set these stupid things on fire?

[ they're in his hair, and— what's that, are those locusts trying to get into his pants?— so maybe fire isn't the best option. ]

Comments

1/???

[reparo]

[reparo]

[the desert is quiet at night]

[reparo]

[ usually ]

[reparo]

[ WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT BRUNO THE MOAN ]

video;

[reparo]

Do not set them on fire while they are stuck in your hair.

video; more helpfully

[reparo]

They're just bugs, calm down.

video; finished

[reparo]

[ and even more helpfully ]

Try wind.

video

[inkfire]

You try being swarmed by every damn locust in the vicinity and tell me they're just bugs. [ they are just bugs, and he's not actually squeamish about them, but they were an unpleasant surprise to a relaxing evening.

it's rough, being interrupted.

he swats a few more away ] Wind?

video

[reparo]

[ With some scepticism: ] I would rather not try, thanks.

[ And then nods, because her genius is unparalleled, really. ]

Yes, a strong gust of wing to blow them off you.

[ You need to get blown, Mo Ran? ]

un: absterge

[downswing]

You had purposed them for...?




( EVERYONE HEARD THAT MOAN. )

[inkfire]

I didn't purpose them for anything. They just appeared.

[downswing]

Innocently.

[inkfire]

Yes! I was minding my own business.

video

[wooden_one]

[He heard that moan but assumed Mo Ran was injured. Though why that would lead to locusts of all things to swarm him, Chu Wanning cannot begin to guess.]

Do not set them on fire!

[The words are sharp--worried, really but Chu Wanning was all angles and edges, not soft enough (not brave enough) to show such an emotion blatantly.]

video

[inkfire]

[ The video leaves him torn: it's Shizun, with good advice, who Mo Ran wants to see all the time, but he doesn't want Chu Wanning to see him like this. He should have considered that before running out of the tent.

He nods, swallowing, opens his mouth to respond, and a locust flies close enough to his face that Mo Ran snaps his mouth shut, and glares at the insect, swatting it away; luckily, it seems to follow his hand. ]

I won't. Do you know what might get rid of them? I don't even know where they came from!

[wooden_one]

Wait there for me.

[Because he's coming over. This was just to make sure you don't set yourself on fire along with the insects!

But there's also the question of what to do about the insects...]

Don't do anything foolish.

[And thankfully, it doesn't take him long to find Mo Ran. Why wouldn't he keep tabs on where his disciple was as the shizun? The insects were also a dead give away.

But...well. When he sees Mo Ran's state of undress he wonders if this was so fortunate after all. He does his best to keep his eyes on Mo Ran's face and not......anything else. Definitely not that muscular chest. Why did Mo Ran get so...muscly!? Shameless!!

He flicked his wrist and set up a barrier. It doesn't help with the insects already near Mo Ran but it should stop anymore from getting near.]

See if you can send them flying with some qi.

[If Mo Ran can do that, and can send them beyond the barrier that allows things to exit but not enter maybe they can keep them away for the moment.]

un: yiling laozu

[weifinder]

You were, you know, broadcasting before they showed up.

( are you into that, he wonders, does he need to Handle That Somehow, he's mildly amused, mildly what... is... this? )

Fire's not a good plan, if they don't die immediately they'll spread it as they go.

[inkfire]

[ oh shit, was he? his eyes go wide, some of the annoyance bleeding out in the face of that revelation. he's shameless but he's really not here to put on a show. ]

Complete accident. Didn't even realize it was on until I picked it up. [ and ugh ] I guess we shouldn't burn down all of the tents.

[weifinder]

No, burning down tents means unhappy everyone and loss of supplies, you'd be thrown to the not-quite dogs stalking after us at night, ah?

( but he lets the accident lay as it will, so to speak, and laughs a touch—almost awkward, but also amused. )

What, er. Can you bear with the bugs long enough to... bathe. Yourself.

audio | un: mansbane

[bravelyrunsaway]

( when he's responding, he's outright laughing. there is nothing subtle about his laughter: it goes on, at length, with such genuine amusement it's almost amusing in and of itself. )

Oh, love, love, tell me you didn't. You did, didn't you? What did you use that they're going after you like that?

audio; un: pillar of the heavens

[inkfire]

[ okay, that much laughter would annoy him, but it is amusing, he knows, and the laughter isn't mocking or cruel, simply entertained. ]

Did what? I didn't use anything! [ except— ]

I was massaging the unguent I found into my muscles. That is what it's for, right?

[bravelyrunsaway]

No, no, love, no one makes that sound for sore muscles. I know, I've worked plenty well enough on many a person's aching everything. Including the aches that lead to those noises.

( he still sounds amused, but the laughter at least isn't ruling everything. for the moment, it's tapered off to just a few wheezing sounds. )

You think anything you find here is like that? That you find? Better borrow someone else's mouth or hands than find something here and rubbing it in, magic scorches everything it touches. You're singing a love song to the insects now, aren't you, because you rubbed in some unguent you found.

( there truly is no judging, just the increased sound of his amusement with his emphasis. this whole thing is hilarious. )

un : deft hand of little deaths (voice)

[scrapgege]

... That's a new one, even for me.

[And he has had a lot of misfortune in life.]

There might be something that smells on you that they're attracted to.

voice

[inkfire]

[ It's new for him, and awful. ]

I did use some new unguent. Maybe that.

voice

[scrapgege]

Unguent, huh.

[Everyone heard that, Mo Ran, but sure, plausible deniability, Xie Lian isn't in the business of more than gently ribbing people.]

Can you wash it off? It might help.