— survival can be summed up in three words

[arrancar]

WHO: grimmjow, vincent valentine & others
WHERE: around stygia and the shadowlands
WHEN: month of october
WHAT: catchall for event / other prompts
WARNINGS: language, violence etc.

( ooc | planned logs for both grimm and vv only. plotting comment here. feel free to hit me up if you're interested in doing something with one of the boys. if we've already discussed a log beforehand, feel free to drop it below or i'll get a starter tossed up. )

Comments

joonghyuk — oakwoods

[arrancar]

( he didn't venture into oakwoods because of the distress call over the netherwork. it may have prompted his travel to serene, but helping any of the locals here is far from his own vested interest in the place. instead, grimmjow has only entered the forest to see what fun things he'll find.

as much as he enjoys how homey the shadowlands feel, he can only stay there for so long before he starts to grow bored and restless.

to his absolute delight, he ran into a group of prey just waiting to be feasted on. they made an adequate snack for him. unlike lower level hollows back home, grimmjow doesn't necessarily need to eat, but with the lack of reishi in the atmosphere, a little external nourishment couldn't hurt in the long run.

wiping a bit of leftover blood from the corner of his mouth, he picks up on the sound of voices in the distance — one more melodic than the other. pushing past a low hanging branch, two boys come into view, the smaller of the pair holding what looks to be a lantern.

isn't that what's making everyone kick up a fuss around here? hands tucked into his pockets, he steps out from the shadows, unabashed in the way he grins at them. )

What's going on? ( he directs it at the taller one. ) Can't even snatch a lantern from a boy?

[regression]

[ Joonghyuk is here... Fetching lantern shards to build up rapport, to guise "good behavior" so he can meet the Hierarchy and violently question them, more specifically Amun. Puck continues to play his tune with a curled smile and lantern in hand, brightening when Grimmjow appears only to grey when he descries traces of blood. The air... Is nervous. The guy had thought Joonghyuk could be reasoned with so far despite his domineering demeanor, but now he internally frets over TWO of them.

This is fine.

Arms crossed, he barely pays Grimmjow mind. At most, his gaze flickers to the other man once and takes quick note on his body language and aura. Without a change in his expression or posture, his hackles rise underneath his disinterested and apathetic front. ]

He's trying to negotiate.

[ Effectively, he ignores the taunt. ]

[arrancar]

( he continues to ignore the smaller one, disinterested in how fidgety he has grown; instead, he keeps his focus on the other one — the calmer one. )

Negotiate? ( he scoffs. ) Why are you botherin' with a negotiation when you can just take it? That lantern doesn't even belong to him.

[regression]

[ Hm. ]

The lantern would be useless if it were to shatter.

[ But his shadow does echo why is he negotiating? Grimmmjow is right—that lantern doesn't belong to Puck, therefore he has every right to demand and take it. Why hesitate? Why practice his humanity? It may not get him anywhere in the Netherworld.

Teeth grit behind his thin line of a smile, annoyed that this stranger stirred his Shadow into being so annoying and loud. ]

Who are you?

[arrancar]

( should consider listening to the shadow. it seems to know what it's talking about, joonghyuk. )

If that's what's holdin' you back, then you must not be very capable. ( he doesn't actually care if the lantern breaks. not his business. he dismisses him with a wave. ) Do it your way then. I'm just passing by.

( most humans never fail to disappointment. )

Another wimp.

[regression]

[ No. He is the alpha between himself and his shadow. His shadow isn't allowed to boss him around. ]

If you're looking for a fight, then don't dance around it.

[ Because why else would he be so aggravating and obnoxious? If someone's here to instigate, he'd rather attack them than Puck. However, Puck raises his eyebrows and tries to position himself as the center of attention.

Joonghyuk ignores him, now that this new actor earned his ire. ]

[arrancar]

( he seems to physically perk up at his words, a spark of interest reflected behind his eyes. a delightful grin spreads across his face as he chuckles low. )

I wasn't lookin' for one, but if you're offering, I have no reason to decline. ( fuck puck. he just found something far more entertaining than provoking a human to kill in his stead. ) Show me your moves, boy. If you're weak, I promise I won't kill you.

[regression]

[ Well, he can't walk away from someone calling him a wimp, especially with heightened aggression in the air by the moons' effect. That kind of look is familiar—he has seen enough people with the same drive, granted rooted from different motives and desires. He reminds himself here that not everyone is looking to survive. Some want to bite just to bite.

His shadow asks him if he thinks he's so different. Lightning starts dancing around his person, snapping and crackling in anticipation. ]

The one who will join the rest of the corpses will be you.

[ In a flash, a knife is extracted from his side pocket and inserts fight in here. Puck, every time, tries to get in the way... Thirsting for attention. ]

[arrancar]

( what bravado! but it looks like the boy isn't all talk.

he made a deal with ichigo that there will be no deaths wrought by his hands, but it doesn't mean that he can't spill a little blood. what fun would it be without a few injuries incurred? of course what he couldn't have predicted was puck's ego.

instead of running away from the dangers of two restless engaged in combat, he becomes indignant and attempts to disrupt them at every opportunity, until he finally loses his cool and begins to tell a story. wait, what? even grimmjow can't help but momentarily get distracted by the wild change in tune. )

What's wrong with him? ( this is not the time to be telling stories of some woman named mary??? )

[regression]

[ Joonghyuk can ignore Puck for the most part until the needy man starts his story, busting in between them with his arms out wide and lantern still in hand. Let him have the spotlight...! He took this lantern for reasons!

His teeth grind while his glare blazes, annoyance transcending. ]

He wants attention. Ignore him.

[ But can they ignore them when suddenly the trees manifest mirrors? A ghastly chant starts... ]

[arrancar]

( no. no, tragically they can't.

annoyance soon morphs into confusion as the mirrors begin to spring up all around them. then the flickering image of a woman in a bloodstained wedding dress suddenly appears from within the glass, holding what looks to be a very sharp knife. )

What about her? ( grimmjow jerks his thumb towards who he suspects to be mary. ) Do we ignore her too?

[regression]

[ Joonghyuk frowns because what kind of b-rated movie is this? He has seen better, but before he can answer the woman in the mirror reaches out nearby and throws her knife full force. It cuts through the air, seeking flesh, and he barely dodges it.

This is cursed. ]

They're making it so we can't ignore them.

[ Puck bats his eyelashes as Mary shows up in a different mirror now, honing a new knife. ]

[arrancar]

Hahaha! I like her. ( look at her flinging her knives! ) She definitely isn't human.

( which means he's allowed to eat her. )

Kill the boy. I'll take care of Mary.

[regression]

[ Does Joonghyuk get to see Grimmjow eat Bloody Mary? Nice. He shoots a leer at Grimmjow, indignant and bristly. ]

Don't tell me what to do.

[ But he will go after Puck because he is the source of their problems. The knife comes singing and leaves an afterimage in its arc, snagging fabric with Puck laughing like a madman. Finally! Attention he deserves! ]

[arrancar]

Don't be so petulant, boy!

( maybe don't give him the chance to find out whether he can eat bloody mary, joonghyuk. it is a mystery that should never be solved.

not that grimmjow is having much luck trying to consume her. she doesn't leave the mirror for long and, even when he shatters one, she simply reemerges from another. it's like a very unfair game of whack-a-mole, except the one wielding a weapon is the mole.

guess he is only left with one option — it's time to shatter all the mirrors.

it's about to get very noisy. he hopes it annoys joonghyuk as much as puck's obnoxious cackling. )

[regression]

[ Grimmjow isn't his responsibility, so the guy can do whatever he wants as long as it doesn't involve him or his favorites. If that means watching him eat Bloody Mary, then sure. Leave him out of it.

The mirrors are making a racket, but he's skilled enough to stay focused. As Puck continues to teleport, Joonghyuk sends a surge of lightning that snaps some branches, maybe scorches some trees, burns some mirror frames. ]

Stop this.

[ Whether it's to Grimmjow and his NOISY PURSUIT or Puck whom he now has by the neck, who knows. Bloody Mary, however, continues her own game and reaches out to swipe with her long, nasty nails. ]