Welcome to the Jungle [Open]

[thetaintedsorrow]

Who: Chuuya (thetaintedsorrow) & you!
What: May catch-all! Featuring adventures in Khalo village and Flona Cove.
When: May!
Where: Various!
Warning(s): Possible NSFW, but it’ll be marked.



I. Chuuya in Wonderland

[After hearing the news that Khalo Village had opened up to visitors for the first time in centuries, Chuuya had decided that it was something he definitely needed to see. Who knows if he’ll ever get another opportunity to explore the place? Visiting new places and experiencing the culture there is always fun, so he might as well go while he can!

Of course that means he’ll have to smoke fyrra, the weed that allows those who aren’t full-blood Khali to enter the village without falling into a deep slumber. It’s pretty much just fancy weed, and Chuuya feels slightly more relaxed after smoking it, but it’s definitely not as good as booze. It does, however, allow him to enter the area around the village, and so he does, not expecting anything to go awry.

So of course he ends up stepping on a large purple mushroom and shrinking down to the size of a thimble. Shit.

Luckily he’s still able to use his gravity manipulating ability, and he’ll climb up the nearest tall tree while waving his arms and shouting in a tiny voice to the first passer-by he sees.]

Oi! Over here! Hey!

II. Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi? [Probably NSFW, Closed to CR]

[Once Chuuya actually reaches the village and obtains the antidote to return him to his normal size he’ll need a break to relax, and what better way to do so than to visit one of the many smoking lounges? According to the locals, regular fyrra is available here, as well a strain that causes “an even higher elevated mood, as well as increased sexual desire and heightened sensation.”

Sounds fun, right? Chuuya already has a head start, lounging on a rather plush looking couch in a black silk robe that resembles a kimono. He seems to be in a good mood.

Care to join him?]

III. Flying High

[Temporary flight potions are readily available in Khalo Village, and Chuuya will excitedly encourage anyone who comes along to drink one so that he can have a flying buddy at long last! Will you take him up on that offer?

Oops, he’s already tugging on your arm!]

C’mon! It’ll be a blast!

IV. Tame the Beast

[The Taming Fields are an area near the village where beasts that the Khali have tamed roam free. Chuuya can’t help but wander over to one of them, a rhinoceros-like creature covered in moss with flowers on its horns (called a Mossley by the Khali), and try his hand at petting it. The creature seems docile and friendly, and it leans into his touch.

According to the locals, Mossleys are drawn to two people with positive emotional bonds, and enjoy laying between them. Will you be one of those people? Or does Chuuya grate on your nerves?

Grinning, he waves over the nearest person to share in the experience.]

Ever seen anything like it?

V. Beach Episode

[When he returns from his excursion to Khalo Village Chuuya will be itching for a trip to the beach, and you can find him on the shore soaking up some sun, in the water swimming around, or enjoying a cocktail in the shade.

However, said cocktail isn’t your run of the mill booze; it’ll turn him into an exact copy of whoever approaches him! How bizarre!

Will you hang out with him on the beach or engage in some silly clone shenanigans?]

Wildcard!

[Have something you wanna plot with me? I’m over at arcanestardust! Don’t be shy!]

Comments

RIP Chuuya

[thetaintedsorrow]

Oi!!!

[Chuuya knows damn well that Mephisto can hear him, and he grumbles as he tries jumping off the tree and onto Mephisto himself. Surely the demon can help him somehow!

If Mephisto doesn’t catch him he’ll fall, but his ability will cushion the impact. Curse this stupid forest!!]

I dunno why you’re here, but now you can help me.

[meinwaifu]

[He'll catch him! He's not that mean... sorta. Since he catches him quite literally, grabbing him out of the air and cupping him in both hands.]

My, what interesting wildlife this place has! If I didn't know any better, I'd say this little bug looks rather like Chuuya!

[And he opens his hands, grinning down at the palmtop-Chuuya on his hand.]

...fufu, you're even just as puny as he is!

[thetaintedsorrow]

[UGGGGHHHH. Of course the first person to come along would be the one to rub this in his face the most. Chuuya clenches his fists as he glares up at Mephisto, looking not at all intimidating.]

Ha ha, very funny. You’re a fucking riot.

[He’ll just stamp his foot like a toddler to try and make Mephisto listen to him.]

Take me to the village. They’ll know what to do.

[Maybe.]

[meinwaifu]

Hmm, I suppose I should do that, and I am going in the same direction...

[He sounds like he's actually thinking about it, as though it were some terribly difficult decision.]

But what's in it for me? Demons aren't known for their charity work, you know. And honestly-- [He uses his own powers to float Chuuya up, just enough so he can balance him on the tip of his finger instead.] This looks rather fun! Does the world look different from that new vantage point of yours?

[thetaintedsorrow]

[As much as Chuuya hates being even tinier than usual, it is kind of neat...

But no, he does not want to stay like this any longer than he has to. He kicks and squirms as he’s floated up to stand on Mephisto’s finger, cursing all the while.]

Of course it does!! Everything is fucking huge!

[He’s careful not to tumble off the edge of Mephisto’s finger, his own powers anchoring him there.]

What do you want in exchange?

[meinwaifu]

Oh, I think it's less a matter of what I want, and more in what you can offer me.

[Even if he tumbled off, Mephisto wouldn't let him fall... nor escape, probably, if he had decided to try his luck elsewhere by jumping away.]

[Also it's a good thing he's wearing that face mask, because the grin that reaches up to his eyes right now would probably be a rather intimidating sight with Chuuya shrunk like this.]

Why don't we make things simple? I help you now, and sometime in the future, you will help me with something -- a favor for a favor. How does that sound?

[thetaintedsorrow]

[He’ll make do with this, because who better to help him than a demon with useful powers?]

A favor, huh?

[He can only imagine what kind of thing Mephisto might need his help with in the future, considering what happened in that alleyway, but it’s not like Chuuya is in any position to refuse.

He huffs, putting his hands on his hips.]

Fine. You got yourself a deal.

[Deals with the devil...]

What’s with the mask?

[meinwaifu]

Fufu, I'm glad to hear it! Well then, let us be off!

[And the march through the forest continues! Though Chuuya might notice it's a rather smooth ride -- Mephisto isn't taking any chances on accidentally stepping on the same mushroom, and is actually floating a few inches above the ground as he "walks". The overgrowth around them is thick enough that it's hard to tell otherwise.]

Hmm? Ah, this? It's necessary when traversing through a forest such as this... I have quite terrible allergies to things that rot, you see. And while the fungi here aren't as abundant as they are in Murkwell Hallow, I'd still much rather not spend the next few hours sneezing if I can avoid it.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Right.

[Chuuya should probably just sit back for the ride, but he can’t see much from this vantage point, and he decides to walk up Mephisto’s arm to his shoulder before trying to climb all the way up to his hat.]

Allergies? Figured you’d have some magic remedy for that.

[He’s just going to climb right on up onto the brim of Mephisto’s hat unless he’s stopped.]

I sure hope they aren’t gonna charge an arm and a leg to fix this.

[meinwaifu]

[He's definitely not stopping him, because it's hilarious tbh. Like a little bug scurrying around looking for a place to rest... and maybe some part of him can't help but find it a fitting change, for a human. But he knows better than to say as much.]

To put it more accurately, it's a less an "allergy" and more of an intolerance to a particular element. All demons align themselves with some element or concept -- and mine just so happens to stand at odds with those who represent rot.

Rot is life flourishing in the presence of death, after all.

[--casually implies his element is death, nbd. But he did say he's been known as an Angel of Death in the past, so it shouldn't come as too much of a shock, he thinks.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Chuuya finally settles on the brim of Mephisto’s hat, legs dangling off the edge as he takes a seat. He has a much better view from up here, though there’s nothing but trees as far as the eye can see.]

So you really are some kind of angel of death, huh?

[Chuuya isn’t sure he completely understands all of what Mephisto is saying, but he picks up that much.]

What, so it’s like a earth, wind, fire, and water type thing?

[And life and death, obviously.]

I’d be fire.

[meinwaifu]

I've been called as much in the past.

[The temptation to shake or bow his head is intense right now, watching those tiny legs dangling in front of him. But look, he can play nice!!]

But that's right, yes! There are 8 demon alignments in all -- those you mentioned, as well as light, rot, spirit and time. Ah, and insects are often given their own alignment, given how many lesser demons take such a form.

[Definitely not your typical circle of elements. Even of the ones Chuuya mentioned, Wind is more often associated with Spirits than as its own element.]

[Chuuya's assertion has him grinning again.]

Oh? You think yourself a fire demon? I can't say I've ever seen you spit flames before.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Insects? Why insects?

[Dogs are much cuter! But it’s not like Chuuya can claim to understand just what drives demons to do what they do. Hell, he hadn’t even known they’d existed until a few months ago.

He huffs, crossing his arms.]

No, but if you had to pick an element for me, wouldn’t that be the first one that came to mind?

[He’s setting himself up to be the butt of a joke here, but oh well.]

[meinwaifu]

Insects are among the most abundant creatures on earth. Their minds are simple, allowing even the weakest of demons to possess them. And for all those fragility, when allowed to swarm, even something as weak as a chuchi -- a type of blood-sucking moth demon -- can be a hassle for even a skilled exorcist.

[That's right, blood-sucking demon moths.]

[Aren't u glad Mephisto is in a human body instead??]

Hmm, but it would be rather fitting, I suppose. Fire demons are well known for their haughty and fiery personalities -- and are known to be fiercely loyal to those who respect their traditions and honor their contracts, even centuries after the original contractor has passed on.

But of course, demons aren't categorized by their personality. If anything... I'd say you'd be one of mine.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Blood-sucking demon moths,..

[Yeah, he’s pretty damn glad that Mephisto isn’t an insect. Chuuya isn’t afraid of them per se, but he’s not exactly fond of them either. Demon insects just sound ten times worse.

Chuuya is about to say that it sounds like fire demons fit him perfectly, but then Mephisto adds that last little tidbit, and Chuuya is left blushing and huffing like the tsundere he is. The word mine shouldn’t get him as flustered as it does, and yet.]

And why’s that?

[meinwaifu]

[It's such a shame he can't see him -- but he can hear that huffing and see the way he shuffles a bit in his seat, embarrassed. Heh.]

As the King of Time, all demons who possess abilities related to the manipulation of time and space fall under my domain -- much like that gravity ability of yours. Of course, the more powerful the demon king standing behind their respective alignment, the fewer demons exist who can harness such power. And those who identify as kin of Time are rather rare.

[He knows he never quite went into this much detail when he revealed his true name to Chuuya -- nor did he imply he truly was a demon of such high standing and power, even if his general demeanor tends to imply it.]

[Of course, whether it's a sign of trust or simply Mephisto showing off by trying to pretend to be humble about it all is probably hard to say.]

[He lets of a short, somewhat exaggerated sigh--]

Really, it's almost a shame you're human... you'd make a rather fine familiar otherwise.

That icon tho, MMMMMBOI

[thetaintedsorrow]

King of Time, huh? Guess that means you have some kind of power over it.

[Damn, Chuuya might be a force to be reckoned with himself, but from what he’s seen, and from what Mephisto is telling him now, he’s real fucking glad that the guy is on his side. Not that he’s going to let on that he feels that way, but still. Better not to be on the receiving end of Mephisto’s wrath.]

Familiar? Like a cat or a bat or something?

[Witches have those, Chuuya remembers, so he supposes demons would too.]

...why are you sharing all this with me?

[Chuuya isn’t accustomed to people revealing so much about themselves in one conversation, but it’s actually incredibly intriguing, so he’s not complaining in the slightest.]

...it’s only fair if I tell you more about my own ability, I guess. If you wanna hear it.

B)

[meinwaifu]

...something like that.

[There's a very brief sense of something almost like melancholy in his words -- but he covers it up quickly enough. That'll be a topic for another day, perhaps.]

And any demon who makes a contract in exchange for lending their power can be considered a sort of familiar. Even humans who possess the ability to summon demons can possess familiars -- but that, too, is quite rare. I have a number of them myself.

But if you're curious as to why I'm telling you all this-- the answer is rather simple! I just thought it would be more interesting if you knew. I revealed my true name to you for a similar reason.

[It's not a lie. But not the full truth, either. Ever since Mephisto saw that power of Chuuya in action, he's been curious about it. But it wouldn't be the same to just ask about it himself -- there's no guarantee he'd get an honest answer that way.]

[But to give the impression that he was opening his heart to Chuuya like this -- surely, Chuuya would offer an explanation on his own eventually. Humans were predictable like that, after all. It's what made them so charming, really -- how easy it was to earn their trust and affection with just a few shows of kindness.]

[Not that there isn't at least some sincerity underneath it all. But at the end of the day, he is a demon.]

We demons are pleasure seekers, after all. Very rarely do we do something unless it's something we want. And to that end-- I'm certainly not going to stop you if you wish to tell me about your ability. Honestly, I've been rather curious about it myself.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[If Mephisto was even more powerful where he came from, then Chuuya wouldn’t blame him for being melancholy. Now though he doesn’t pick up on that, too focused on thinking of a way to accurately explain his own ability. Usually saying “I have gravity powers” will suffice, but not this time.]

More interesting...right.

[Chuuya doesn’t buy it, but he doesn’t press, either. He’ll never guess what makes Mephisto tick, or why he does what he does. Demons are mysterious like that.

Chuuya takes a deep breath and pulls his legs up to his chest.]

There’s a “true form” to my ability. One that I only activate when shit is really fucking bad. Imagine my gravity powers amplified hundreds of times, and add the ability to toss black holes and graviton bombs around. It’s pretty fucking badass.

[And here comes the not so badass part. Chuuya’s voice takes on a serious, almost sad tone as he speaks.]

But there’s a price for me using it. I was an experiment, a fusion of a human with a powerful ability, and I can barely contain it’s true form. When I activate Corruption I nearly lose my mind, and I’ll keep destroying shit until I die from the strain on my body, or until someone nullifies my ability.

[meinwaifu]

[Even without seeing Chuuya's expression, it's easy to imagine how he must look after he pulls his legs up from Mephisto's view atop the rim of his hat. But maybe it's for the best, really. Surely if Chuuya could see the look on Mephisto's face right now, he'd probably get pissed off. Not that what he says is much better--]

A power unsuitable for the vessel it inhabits... my, are you sure you aren't a demon? That's rather similar to the existence we live, after all.

[Sorry, was he expecting sympathy? Mephisto isn't very good at that. At least it's not exactly an insult to be compared to a demon coming from Mephisto, considering how highly he thought of his own kind. But despite keeping his tone light and careless as always, he's taking this very seriously. And with more pieces of the puzzle that make up Chuuya coming together, it only makes him that much more curious what the full picture will be.]

But tell me-- what if I told you there might just be a way of learning to control that power on your own. Would you be interested?

Surely someone like yourself must find it frustrating to incapable of harnessing your own power without someone there to act as your brakes.

[--because of course he wouldn't know about this power of his unless he's used it before. And seeing as he's still alive, that means he clearly knows or once knew someone with a nullification power. Even without saying as much, it's easy to read between the lines.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

Pretty damn sure I can’t do all the magic tricks you like to pull.

[Not sympathy, no, but someone who understands just what Chuuya means when he says he can’t contain his own ability. Surely a demon can grasp that kind of double-edged sword situation, and see why Chuuya is reluctant to share this information with just anyone. It has, and always will be, a weakness as much as a strength. There are very few instances where he’d actually consider himself outmatched enough to use it, but that doesn’t mean it could never happen here on Nysa.

He’s drawn out of his thoughts when Mephisto makes that proposal, and he actually crawls over to the edge of Mephisto’s hat to peer down at him.]

Are you fucking with me? Or do you really know of a way to do that?

[Surely that’s impossible...

Right?]

[meinwaifu]

[Honestly, Mephisto could get used to having a tiny Chuuya riding on his hat like this. He snickers when he pokes his head down, fighting the urge to just snatch him up and poke at him.]

I'm afraid I don't know enough about your ability to say one way or the other. But there are certainly methods for forcing control over an otherwise unmanageable power -- even those of immense and unimaginable strength. It all depends on the nature of the power itself.

For example -- sealing your power into a separate object or entity, allowing you to draw it out gradually rather than force your body to handle the strain of it all at once. Or using a different sort of device or spell to weaken your powers overall -- making it easier for you to maintain control, until you can strengthen your body to better handle the strain. Or even simply a device designed to snap you back to your senses before your body gives out.

Hmm, or I suppose there's also the possibility of developing a new power of your own to allow you or others to nullify your abilities directly, using a trigger phrase... or even simply asking the Natha whether something can be done. Honestly, the possibilities are endless!

[He grins, pointing up at Chuuya.]

Have you simply never considered it? That something in this world might have a solution to your problem?

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Please pick him up and poke him, Meph. He’ll hate love it.

Chuuya rests his chin on his hands, mulling over the various options presented to him. Honestly, sealing his power into an object could be useful, unless it fell into the wrong hands. New powers to help control or nullify Corruption though? Now those would be useful.]

I dunno if any of that is really possible, even with how powerful the Natha are. Besides, I haven’t done much to earn their favor yet. Who knows if they’d even listen to me.

[But it’s a nice thought, to never have to worry about accidentally hurting someone with his ability again. Just imagine how powerful Chuuya could be if he could use Corruption at will without any risk involved. He could rival Mephisto himself in power (or so he thinks, but he has no idea what the guy is truly capable of), and that in itself would make him incredibly formidable.]

Maybe I’ll ask and the Natha and see what they say, but I gotta admit, there’s something else I’ve been dying to get back first, and I think it might just be possible, from everything I’ve heard.

[Are you ready for this serious conversation to turn ridiculous?]

...I want my motorcycle back.

[meinwaifu]

[Mephisto would be more than happy to point out that he knows at least some of those are possible, since they're things he's done himself in the past to contain powerful demons. Chuuya may not be a demon, but if it's at all possible to isolate his powers, then any of the previously mentioned methods would be possible.]

[But before he does--] Your motorcycle?

Goodness-- do they make those in your size? Though I suppose an RC car would be just as suitable for your now, hm?

[thetaintedsorrow]

You’re just full of comedic gold, aren’t you??

[God fucking damn it, if he weren’t tiny he might just try throwing a kick Mephisto’s way for that one. Not that he could land a hit on the guy, but still.]

Anyway, where did you get all those ideas from? Shit you’ve seen work in the past?