is it a toktik or is it a business ad? @chocobo

[mesospheric]

[ It begins with… a blink. Some guy with gravity-defying blond hair looks around, as if surveying the area for passer-by before he engages in what must surely be an embarrassing affair, like the filming of a TokTik. ]

This isn’t necessary, but—

Do you… need things done?

[ He sort of starts off strong before trailing off in classic Embarrassed Delinquent-esque reluctance. His eyes, locked ahead. His expression, stony. ]

For a fee, certain troublesome tasks can be done for you to satisfying completion. This includes but is not limited to: monster slaying, bodyguard duty, and… errands.

The fee will fluctuate depending on what a hassle I find it to be.

[ Another blink. Another look around. Something surely comes next, right? Damn. Is Cloud his own PR department? ]

… I look forward to working with you.

[ And just like that, the feed ends. ]

MERC WORK
contact Cloud Strife for more info

Comments

[shadowban]

your age isn't necessarily part of being a sugar baby. it helps though, but it gets more dangerous the younger you are or greater the age gap between you and your 'daddy'.

[ as for how he knows— ]

my sister and i lived in a bad neighborhood before [ oh wait, hmmmmm ] we were fostered.

and back home, we have curses. few people can see and exorcise them, and i'm one of them. curses are born from the misery, guilt, and fear of people; to understand how they're killed you have you learn how they're created.

a lot of red light areas have many curses, as you can imagine.

[photosympathies]

( Does Vash now have to be concerned for all sugar babies everywhere? )

Oh, that makes a lot of sense actually. I can only imagine how bad some places get. You hear a lot of stories the more you go around.

That sounds like a lot of pressure.

[shadowban]

it's not that bad. i'm good at exorcising curses.

[ too good, despite his best efforts, and that proved a problem for everyone in the end. if megumi never has to use his cursed energy for what the elders think is its purpose, then he'll be happy. ]

a lot of people want curses exorcised all the time, but there aren't enough exorcists to help them all.

well, there weren't. it's changed now. i could probably retire early.

[photosympathies]

There aren't any here, right? So you get a break now.

Well ... apart from the kaiju.

Is it similar fighting them?

[shadowban]

technically, i brought my own. the rabbits are an older form of curses. shikigami.

fighting is fighting, i think. but i guess they're not too different. if it can be killed in some way, then i can take them on.

is it the same for you, vash-san?

[photosympathies]

But they're so cute!!! How can they be from something bad?

And kind of. I'm mostly used to trying to de-escalate. Not a lot of things not people shaped in my world. But I know how to fight, so it's fine.

[shadowban]

they've transcended their cursed nature, i think. i don't entirely understand it either, but they're their own being now. if they chose to, i'm pretty sure they could stop listening to me even if i summon them.

if i had to say, they're closer to nature spirits than normal curses. most of the older and more powerful ones, at least.

does that mean you've mostly fought people-shaped enemies?

[ you've killed people? ]

[photosympathies]

Aw, but you're their dad! I bet they won't.

And mostly? Some people go wild for the body-mod. ( Or they're his brother. ) Some grand-worms too, but people for the most part.

[shadowban]

i'm their human companion. i do appreciate them, though. i'm always fond of them even when we're not fighting.

what's it like, fighting a grand-worm? is it as tall as a building? as long as a train?

wait, do you have those things where you're from?

[photosympathies]

We do! Sort of. You have to go to one of the bigger cities to see them. The worm that almost ate me and Wolfwood was almost the size of a sand steamer. Longer than one too.

And we didn't so much as fight it as Wolfwood lazered it open. The little ones tend to storm together.

[shadowban]

[ lasered it open — damnit that would be so cool to see. ]

is your friend here also? can he do that with one of the kaiju sometime? how powerful was the laser? was it a gun? a spirit bomb? or

oh, sorry

sorry, it's just really cool to hear about. lasers and giant worms. it's like straight out of a movie.

[photosympathies]

He was, but he's gone now. ( Tragic yaoi strikes again. ) It was kind of a gun? If a gun is a big metal 200 pound man sized crucifix? But it was cool. He kicked it and twirled it right around the entire worm circumference and I was stupidly impressed.

( Kind of hot too. )

[shadowban]

[ it sounds super cool indeed. megumi's a little sad he didn't get to see it. ]

sounds like a showoff, but also sounds like he deserves to. i wish i could've seen that. i can't do anything like that.

yuji could, though. or i bet he could.

[photosympathies]

If he ever comes back I'll introduce you. But if I do you have to show him a bunny. He won't have seen one before.

Yuji's pretty strong, right?

[shadowban]

one of the strongest, and kindest, and most compassionate. he's one of a kind, quite literally.

i'd do anything for him, even if he probably doesn't need me getting in his way.

[ can he invite you to join him in the itadori yuji fanclub? cool scars abound among the members. ]

[photosympathies]

( Maybe if Vash were anyone else he'd recognise that yearning but unfortunately he just thinks that's the way to talk about the homies. )

Oh no, I'll bet he's real happy for you to be around. We all need our friends! And you two sound close.

[shadowban]

[ a relief, because megumi himself is unaware of how he sounds to genre-aware people right now. ]

i'd like to think so. he's my best friend. one of my first friends, too. i'm really happy for him.