deercountry | [Open] Long and Weary

Entry tags:

[Open] Long and Weary

Who: D, his Left Hand, and anyone
What: D arrives and wanders around and behaves strangely.
When: Early May
Where: Various places.

Content Warnings:: None in the prompts, will be added to subject lines as needed

Just after arriving in town for the first time

Outwardly, D was perfectly calm and collected despite having just washed up on a beach as a squid. He was dressed in his familiar hat and heavily patched great coat, his sword on his back and his blue pendant around his neck.

There was no sign that this was anything other than an ordinary day for him, except perhaps the fact that he was carrying a saddle and attached saddlebag over his left shoulder. That, and every now and then the fingers of his left hand would twitch.

While looking for somewhere suitable to store the saddle for which he had no use and to claim as a place to stay, a strange noise came from the vicinity of his hand and the saddle slipped from his grasp. Rather than immediately pick up the saddle, D flexed the ungloved fingers of his left hand and squeezed his hand into a tight fist a few times.

Watching the rain around town, a couple days after arriving

D had been around the city, but mostly kept out of plain view, visible often only as a dark figure blending in with the shadow of whatever was near. He wore his normal dark clothing, but now the robe he'd been given when he arrived was worn outside the heavy coat, and still wearing a glove only on his right hand.

Reassured of his self control, D ventured into areas with more people. He found unobtrusive places around more populated areas of the city to stand and observe, seemingly paying attention only to the rain. None of myriad of insects present throughout the city would come within a few feet of him. When they drew too close, they would suddenly decide to fly very quickly away from him.

When the rain was finished, D would move on to find another location to observe, but his steps caused not even a slight ripple when he stepped on a puddle.

Practice makes perfect, in a deserted, previously quiet alleyway

Even the slight changes in this existence were enough to have D test out his abilities and test the thousands of years he'd honed his skill and precision. D was still cautious and alert; he wasn't going to practice while anyone was watching. His senses were acute enough to catch the faint sounds of footsteps, or breathing, or even a heartbeat approaching over the soft sound of fracturing stone that echoed through the evening air.

D wasn't going to let people stop, but he also wasn't going to flee, either. Anyone who followed the sound of stone breaking, sharp but not too loud, would find D still in the location he'd chosen for his practice. He was calm and unmoving, his attention on a large block of quarried stone which had once likely been part of a larger structure.

The surface of the stone was no longer even, rough-hewn wooden needles protruding at various lengths and with cracks radiating out. They formed a grid pattern so unnervingly precise from center to center of each needle that they could have been used for measurement.

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Sharon has always been more curious than wise. When she hears the sharp sound of cracking stone, she listens from a distance for a long moment, straining her ears to better hear it over the sounds of life in Trench. There were a thousand and one different things it could be, from monsters to people, but Sharon tires quickly of trying to guess and, instead, starts to follow the sound.

When it stops as she gets closer, a part of her almost writes it off but her curiosity gets the better of her.

She rounds a corner quickly and then comes to a sudden halt when her blue eyes land on D. Her gaze is stuck on him for a breath. She's never seen a man like him before; she'd almost say he was hauntingly beautiful. She rips her eyes away, a flush upon her pale cheeks, and turns her attention to the stone and the needles that pierce it.

"Holy shit," She moves closer to get a better look, almost impressed, "Was that you that I heard? Did you do this?"

D remained still as the young woman caught sight of him, and said nothing as she moved over to the chunk of stone D was using as target practice.

"Yes." There were always those whose curiosity or confidence overrode caution, and led them to explore the unknown. "People keep talking about how dangerous life is here."

D seemed neither pleased nor displeased with his efforts, or how impressive Sharon found them.

"Did the noise bother you?" D asked, voice still without any emotion and as if his only concern about what he was doing was whether or not he was bothering anyone. Despite his frequent lack of manners and continual disregard of social niceties and customs, he did know how to be polite.

"Then this was practice, huh?" A rhetorical observation. The dangers of Trench should never be underestimated and Sharon seemed to understand now what he must have been doing. Given all the damage done to the stone and the precision involved, she doubted he needed to practice much. Better safe than sorry, though.

At the question, she gave a brief shake of her head, finally tearing her gaze from the punctured stone, "What? No, not really. I was just.... you know, curious." She laughed, more at herself than the question. "I really should know better, though."

"Between the beasts and the insanity every month brings, it really is dangerous around here. Not that you don't eventually get used to it." She crossed her arms and shrugged, tone conversational. "It's in everyone's best interest to not get too curious about weird shit, especially if you're not one of the Hunters."

"Though, I've got a feeling you might be able to handle yourself."

Explaining that he was refamiliarizing himself with his slightly now unfamiliar body was more than D cared to do, so he didn't bother to correct her assumption.

"People can get used to almost anything after long enough," D observed. Those who survived would get used to it at lease.

"I've also heard there are dangers that can only be overcome by blood enhanced weapons, and mine isn't." If D had any concerns about the lack, they weren't apparent on his face or in his even tone of voice.

"Is this place very different from the one you're from?" He was still trying to piece together the puzzle that was this reality. Extradimensional creatures weren't unknown in his own reality, but anything of this scope was unheard of.

Then again, there were many who underestimated the depths of terror his own world held. Perhaps this was something that had once been known and faded into myth. So much information was lost first in the fall of the humanity's rule and then when the Nobility were overthrown.

Reaper was slowly venturing out from under the care of Darth Maul into the city, though the insects were something. He was back to his own observation from the shadows, and the rain meant that he had to actually put effort into remaining obscure rather than relying on any of his powers. He thankfully was back into his normal garb of thick trench coat and armour with skull mask adorned to cover his features.

It wasn't odd to find other beings lurking in the shadows, given how many that Trench actually had. However, most beings were there for nefarious purposes or illegal trade, not usually general recon of the population. So him finding another being just watching piqued his interest. That hat didn't hurt either.

"What are you doing in my prime real estate?" His voice was a growl thanks to scarring, but he eased out of a shadow as the newcomer arrived in a new spot.

"If you're a Coldblood or Vileblood, you could enhance your weapon yourself. It just takes a little to be smeared on it." There weren't any rituals involved or prayers to be said, just a knife and a little blood.

The moment he asked his question, Sharon appeared to close up a little. It stung to think of home and it felt impossible to put into words just how different the two worlds were. Silent Hill had similarities to Trench, if just in its existence of monsters and the way the town felt trapped, but that's where the similarities ended. "My world and this one, they're like night and day. Most people don't have magic, there aren't Beasts or magical bloodtypes. It'd be easier to talk about what was the same than what was different."

And she didn't want to talk about what was the same.

In an attempt to redirect the conversation, she rounded back to his statement on blood enhancements. "If you want, I could enhance your weapon for you?"

Normally, she'd never make such an offer. She's only worked with her blood a handful of times, mostly to test how her blood power manifests itself, but she's been feeling more confident as of late. And if what she can do can help, then why shouldn't she offer? "I'm a Coldblood and my power is fire-based. My blood would make your weapon burn anything you attacked."

She knew some Coldbloods that could electrify and others that could freeze and there were many days she wished she was one of those. Fire, though, was a part of her and had been since the burning. She would never be able to get away from it. One day, she'll get to the point where she might be able to embrace it.

D was untouched by the insects as he arrived. In fact, none of them would come within three feet of him, leaving D unbothered by the ever-present pests. He turned his head slowly towards the growling voice, and gave no sign if he was surprised to find this shadow occupied or not.

His eyes lingered on the mask, the stylistic skull design was longer than but very similar to the small decoration adorning the cross piece of D's sword.

"It looked like a good place to wait out the rain. Was I mistaken?" D's voice was smooth and calm, lacking in any emotion. He didn't reach for the slightly curving longsword on his back or any other weaponry.

Reaper still wasn't in much condition to be picking active fights thus far, since it would force him to rely on his powers and that... could be problematic. So he would keep things casual, use intimidation if necessary, but mostly he was curious of this odd pale male with the big hat and sword.

"Inside would be a better place to wait out rain," he pointed out dryly. "Are you allergic to small confined spaces with limited escape routes?" Maybe this guy needed to be invited inside or something. An amusing thought on his part.

"Or perhaps you like the wide open spaces nearby to pull a sword?"

D noticed the young woman's discomfort in his choice of topic, but chose not to comment on it or otherwise react. If the question had been worth something to him, he would have pursued it despite her distress, but it simply wasn't important.

He accepted her topic change back to weaponry easily enough, and walked towards her as he spoke so he could pull some of the wooden needles out of the stone.

"If I change my mind about it, could it be removed easily?"

A small, hoarse voice sounded from D's left hand where it rested by his side. "Come on, why would you pass up an easy source of fire!"

The stranger's remarks were a little on point at least in so far as D was particular about keeping his sword hand free, if not necessarily avoiding small spaces.

"Watching the rain from inside is less pleasant. You seem like you might be suffering from an allergy or two of your own?" There was just a faint hint of humor in D's words. He'd certainly faced his fair share of men who thought to wear skulls, and had been far more committed to the entire skeleton aesthetic.

Would the sun bother this man as it would a Dhampir? Or was the head to toe covering due to some other preference. It wasn't something he ever saw without a reason, and rarely was it a simple matter of intimidation or anonymity.

"Hardly. I was just recently inside, but I needed some fresh air and found a giant hat in one of my favourite lurking spots," he said airily, waving a clawed hand in the air to dismiss the claim he had any allergy. He had noted the spurs as well, but there didn't seem to be a mount to go with it so far. That wasn't unusual in Trench.

"Are you recently tossed from the sea? I believe I would recall such a dramatic looking outfit if it's been around," he said. And he would. Dramatic outfits were something he had to assess as good, bad, or modify.

D remained unbothered about the comment concerning his hat. The wide brim was purely a practical measure in his mind, and black just made it easier for him when he needed to blend into the shadows either literally or figuratively.

"I am. I don't believe I've heard anyone admit to having favorite lurking spots before. Should I be concerned for anyone who meets you in a dark deserted alley?"

Whatever this man was, D could hear a slow heartbeat in his chest, which meant that he wasn't D's problem. That could change, as he would likely need some other job aside from 'Vampire Hunter' but at the moment D wasn't inclined to take on any extra conflict.

Sharon stepped to the side so as to not be in his way but remained close, watching curiously. Since her arrival, she had seen a large variety of weapons within Trench but nothing quite as unique as wooden needles; she'd never have thought they could hold up against stone. She had been ready to respond when the second voice caught her off-guard. Her brows furrowed slightly beneath her messy bangs, her expression turning quizzical.

"Um..." It sounded as if it came from his hand but that couldn't possibly be right. Then again, it was Trench. She shook her head. "I don't know, actually. I'm sure someone around here might have the knowledge necessary to."

"Your friend...?" It's not quite a question but it came out like one. "They sound interested in it, though."

D gave no indication he'd even heard the small voice until Sharon addressed what it said.

"He's not the one swinging the sword; he doesn't get a say in it." D said as he examined the points of some of the wooden needles. Most had held up suitably well for him, but a few would need to be whittled down to a fine point again. "Would your blood work on these as well, or is fire incompatible with wood?"

He'd gone through a lot of trouble to get this sword, and wasn't prepared to make such a change in its utility unless necessary. Some of his more subtle skills with the sword might well become impossible with such an enhancement.

"Hey, young lady. Show me some fire, I want to see how it tastes." The voice said again from his left hand. Much as D's thirst for blood had increased, the parasite had more of an appetite as well. And less restraint when it came to asking to be fed.

"Most people should be concerned about me no matter where they meet me," he said simply because it was true. He was dangerous when he wanted to be, but he so no point in rocking the boat and waving around his shotguns unless it was strategically advantageous for him to do so or someone he met in said dark deserted alley annoyed him.

"I have several favourite lurking spots, but you'll discover them on your own, I imagine. Those of us that keep to the shadows discover the best areas for observation and remaining hidden." This one didn't seem particularly willing to say or do something stupid, and he was fine with that. He was still shaking off corruption, and he wasn't inclined to go looking for a fight.

So he'd just be his normal Reaper self. "You have a name?"

"I don't usually get this much company in dark, quiet corners." For all that humanity had overthrown vampire rule, night time did not belong to them just yet.

Many people were quick to make themselves seem more or less dangerous than they were, but D found the stranger's words sounded simply honest. D understood, as he was never any less dangerous himself regardless of where he was, and there was no point in hiding that fact.

"Yes. I'm D." It was the answer he always gave, and there was no reason to stop here just because his reputation was unknown.

Todoroki finds himself leaving an abandoned residence when he spots a stranger walking by with a saddle hefted over his shoulder. An odd sight, but he's seen odder. Closing the gate to the dilapidated place, he heads down the same street on his way to his next stop when he notices the man drop the saddle a bit ahead. When he doesn't immediately reach for it, Todoroki takes the opportunity to reach for the saddle and offer it back to him, oblivious of any strange happenstance.

"This is yours."

Bisected down the center, he makes an odd sight with his matched eyes (grey and teal) and bicolored hair (white and red).

"Perhaps where you come from, but here there are plenty of things that lurk in the darkness and shadows," he remarked. That was just going with the gothic theme of this place, and plenty of sleepers knew their way around the shadows. Reaper simply liked to claim that he was the best at it so far.

He was extremely dangerous when he wanted to be, and the fact that they hadn't pulled weapons on each other spoke of how much they didn't need them to be certain and intimidating at the same time. What a curious Sleeper this one was. Emotionally stunted or something else?

"D as in the letter or D-E-E," he asked. There was a dick joke coming, but he had to be certain it was smartly placed.

Perhaps there would be work for D to do here after all, if there were so many creatures of the night lurking around.

The question about his name went unacknowledged at first, D turning his head to look out at the light rain rather than answer. "Are you worried you'll forget if you don't write it down? Just D is fine." D's question was delivered with his usual even tone, giving no hint as to if he meant it as a joke or a genuine question.

D spent a just a moment looking at the visually unusual young man in front of him. He relaxed his left hand and, apparently assured that it was going to behave, took back the saddle held out for him.

"Thank you."

Stopping to help a stranger was an uncommon enough action that D felt it was worth showing at least some sign he understood basic manners and courtesy.

No audible response only a short nod to acknowledge the courtesy.

"You should be careful around this area. The Hunters reported a possible corruption case here two days ago."

Hence why he came out of the abandoned home just now. He was going through every abandoned residence to make sure there was no one inside who needed help before their corruption levels got worse and they needed a full cleansing.

D was always careful, it was part of the reason he was carrying his saddle in his left hand despite the problems he was having with that hand. It left his right free to draw his sword at any moment.

"I just came from the sea, so I don't know much about that yet." He'd gotten the basic explanations, but D had been more interested in retreating to a safe location to hide and reacquaint himself with this form than standing around and asking questions. Which was why he started walking again. Walking and talking was preferable to just standing out in the open.

Blood corruption in this place meant that there was always plenty of beasts that needed to be put down. They could be dangerous. So could Sleepers experiencing advanced stages of corruption. For any kind of hunter or mercenary, it was a good trade to get into.

"I am an old man, so the memory is the first thing to go," he remarked, though he definitely wouldn't be admitting how old. "But good to meet you, Big D," he added as he crossed his arms over his chest and observed the goings on beyond the shadows he resided in with the new stranger.

The joke went ignored by D, but there was a quiet snort of amusement that came from near D's left hip, where his ungloved left hand rested by his side. D's only reaction to that sound was to lightly curl his hand into a loose fist.

"As I said, just D is fine."

Which brought more snickering from the same location at his left hip, quickly muffled and cut off when D curled his left hand into a fist.

Ah. That's why he doesn't recognize him. He knows most Sleepers after being here for so long. He can often pinpoint the new arrivals. He does stand out a bit. He's reminded of a Pro-Hero. Maybe that's why he finds his presence so unobtrusive.

"It takes some time to settle in." He knows from experience. It took him a full month to even start asking for more detailed explanations about Trench. "If you have any questions, I can try to answer them."

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[Open] Long and Weary

practice makes perfect

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Watching Around Town

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Arriving

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