#IC. ♞ ━━ « ruthlessness is necessary »

[warriorslantern]

"....."

[warriorslantern]

"I guess you could say that it feels like it earned it." He didn't exactly go down easy.

The range of emotions that passed over his expression was something for sure. Bafflement was a common one. Before he had been debating if it would be a good thing to tell the other the vibes he gave off made him want to bite him. But he found himself snorting in a strange mixture of confusion and amusement.

"Heavens above," he wheezed.

"How could you be 'pretty bad' with chopstick etiquette? It's like second nature to me."

"You're just that cozy for it, huh?" He asked, arms folded. "Weird thing to gloat about."

But, he'd be damned if it wasn't reassuring a little amusing, what he was interpreting as assurance - or, rather, if it wasn't, it was at least enough to lower his guard--

Until that.

"Ooh, they sound like bad vibes, too. Okay, I'll admit, I'm pretty bad with my chopstick etiquette, and I tend to leave hair in the drain, but I didn't think it was that obvious by looking."

[warriorslantern]

@fangsintheinterweb : { x }

The disguised simian simply chuckled, tilting his head as he inspected the spider before him. It wasn't often he went down into the sewers, but hunting grounds had to be expanded.

He didn't often eat spider yaoguai, but he supposed anything was better than nothing. But that all depended on if he really wanted to eat this one.

"Forgive me, I was just exploring," he hummed softly.

[warriorslantern]

@marshalforgotten replied: Alkebu-lan has some suspicions.

He winks, arms crossed over his chest. There's no shame from him, how could there be?

[warriorslantern]

"Damn, who would send that to someone? That's a sick bastard."

[warriorslantern]

"Heh, sounds more like a folly of yours."

The shadow moves a little closer, circling like a predator looking for an opening. For a moment, he seems to pause, there's something in the air that he can taste. Pomegranates. It brings an old memory to the front, of his claws brushing through soft fur and a soft voice that laughs at something one of the other members of the troop says.

A slow hiss of hair escapes through his teeth, and his nails prick the skin of his palms as they close into tight fists. He slips halfway out of the shadows, eyes a glimmering purple from his magic.

"So, the little mouse comes into my dojo just to see me? What a foolish way to throw your life away."

There's a way he inspects this intruder, as if looking for something. It settles on the mask, and his tail twitches. Despite the hunger gnawing at him, his curiosity wins out. For now.

"War knocks those instincts out of you, from my experience."

She has half a mind to reveal herself now, she didn't want to take him too off guard either. If she did it too fast he may believe it's not real, or may lash out anyway.

"I just wanted to know if you're still around. I'd heard talk. The Six Eared Macaque, right?"

Her impatience would probably not do her any favors.

[warriorslantern]

He's cleaning something from his teeth, tail flicking. "Hm...too scrawny, can't have that one."

[warriorslantern]

❛ see? i’m not just a pretty face. ❜ — Tigress to Macaque, trying her best to be playful and bc duh we need more

"Indeed you're not."

Lowering his spiked cudgel, the shadow eyed her with a contemplative look. It doesn't last long, and he dismissed his weapon with a flick of his fingers. The throbbing in his side told him he'd get a bruise there later. Well, that's what he gets for trying to get one over on this one.

Too bad for the lack of a meal, but at least she seemed good company. Lugu wouldn't turn that down, even with his little pest. Not that he needed to have someone to talk to. He was just fine by himself, it was simply that he didn't mind it.

"Tell me, what's a tiger doing around these parts?"

[warriorslantern]

The king threw his head back, swallowing down the wine. The flavor of peaches burst across his tongue, making a soft sigh slip from his lips as he swallowed. A fine batch and almost perfect. Almost.

He lowered the cup beside him, eying the barrel not far from where he was sitting. An offering wasn't exactly common nowadays, but still some mortals would come to his temple and leave something. Normally he wouldn't take food or drink, but he couldn't help himself to the batch of wine once he smelled it. Besides, it wasn't like anything could truly hurt him.

Other events were a...fluke.

He huffed, turning his head from the barrel and taking another sip of the wine.

[warriorslantern]

"???"

Wow, he hadn't expected that. But hey, who was he to turn down an ego boost? The warmth in his chest was inconsequential. His lips curved upwards, a real smile as he gently squeezed the kid's shoulder.

"That's true, I am the best." The warrior moved back tucking his hands into his pockets with a low hum. His glamoured ears twitched once, and his head turned. He could feel a prick in his core, and he wanted to sigh. Still, the smile remained on his face.

"Well, guess that's my cue. See you around, MK."

“Well! I know I don’t have to worry about that! Because you’re the Macaque! And you’re the strongest shadow monkey I know of!”

A pause… wait can there be more. “Uh… do I include your shadow guys? They also technically count as shadow monkeys but they’re still… you. Ah! Forget it! The point is… go get ‘em, tiger!”

[warriorslantern]

@inmiasma || from { x }

"It's true, look at you."

The shadow waved a claw at the celestial, gesturing at all of him. Still, he kept some distance from Nezha. It was not out of niceness. Nor a respect for personal space. Not the other's anyway. It was so his own, the nasty little thing inside his chest did not like the god.

This was something he would have to look into later.

Lugu could feel it tightening around his core as if trying to remain as small as possible. It had never done this before. Still, while he was here—

"Can't you assign this to another? At least some of it? It doesn't make sense to keep the load purely on yourself." He hummed, leaning against the wall while keeping an ear out. "Well, I suppose that's your choice though."

"...."

"I have a request for you. There's some knowledge I am trying to acquire, and I need to check Heaven's library for it."

"Name your price, and I'll consider it."

[warriorslantern]

@6em4k || from { x }

The warrior's silhouette spreads over one of the nearby walls, a purr rising from his throat as he spoke. "Yes, indeed. It might be different in your world."

"But in mine, demons do not exactly have hearts. Their energy, their life magic, is settled in their chest." The shadow shifts to another wall, tapping a claw to his chin. "It forms the very same shape of the magic we took from the kid. You can do many things with it."

"Suck it dry with a seal, grind it to power for 'medicine', or a faster option..." He emerges from the wall, fangs bared in a grin.

"Eating it."

[warriorslantern]

"Heh," the sound was soft as the simian inspected the old returning monkeys. How...simple. Such an unremarkable display and yet the eyes that come to them is certain. How interesting they must be. Or perhaps others were more easily entertained by...

Plain things.

[warriorslantern]

"How lovely, thank you for that."

Perhaps he will visit later. This had been a rather...interesting experience. He leaned forward a little, tempted to show even a glimmer of his true self. Scaring mortals was so fun.

But perhaps not, he may want to actually visit later.

He could do it then.

"Hmm...yes, I suppose it is." He pushed from the counter, moving to the door. "I like you, I might come by another time." The words were a purr, the demon disguised in man's flesh walked from the store. Finally giving up on his hunt for now.

"Right." Byron said, in a tone saturated with misgivings. He crossed his arms, to give them something to do. There it was, all he needed to know. His nose twitched in a pinch. "I'll be sure t'let him know."

His brows found their ways to near covering his eyes, just seeing that fucking smile again. A shudder stayed seized in his vertebrae from the way his limbs stayed locked. "Anything else, 'r'sthat all you needed?"

[warriorslantern]

Aegerus feels his ears twitch, lifting his head to simply hum. It's been awhile since he's been back on the scene. But he supposed that it was alright for now. Just....for now.

[warriorslantern]

@townofcadence || from { x }

"Aw, what's with the face?" the ebony simian hummed, slipping from the shadows.

"Just wanted to say hello to my second favorite person, and you treat me like a bad omen!" A smirk pulled at his lips as he stepped a little closer. "I'm so hurt, bud."

Stopping for a moment, he tilts to the side a little as if remembering something. "Oh, I saw a shopkeeper or something of the like when I was looking for lil you." Behind him, his long tail flicked back and forth. He should have bothered the fella sooner but he'd been busy for a bit. But hey! He found his latest toy easily enough.

Easy was, in fact, not the correct statement.

"He seemed fun."