Why people don't like spirits

[shardofwinter]

The weather has been irritatingly unpredictable this year. Sunny one day, a blizzard the next. It's almost impossible to plan for. Today Reynard has made sure the Nexus is smothered in a thick blanket of snow, and it's nearly perfectly smooth. The Nexus might as well be a different landscape. It's hard to tell what a person is stepping on until they take the chance to wade in. Bins, boulders, benches, street curbs are all probably the most normal things a traveller might find themselves cracking shins and toes against.

At a very strategically chosen point however, some poor people find themselves in a bit of a bother. After getting this far all it takes is one step and they find themselves chest deep in the snow. Struggling will only testify to how packed tight the freezing blanket is. Digging themselves out might be possible, but slow.

It doesn't take long before a sing-song voice comes through the air.

"A house for a five headed creature,
A tool that carves rock and earth,
A measure against misadventure,
A gift often owned from birth."

Reynard walks on top of the snow with his usual confident stroll. He crouches in front of his unfortunate victim, tilts his head and asks, "What am I?"

Comments

[gorogorogoro_chan]

Majima starts blurting more stream of consciousness answers, pausing after each one to breathe into his hands and await the man's response. He's so fucking cold right now.

"... An addiction?"

"Quicksand?"

"Really tight pants?"

[shardofwinter]

Trying to guess correctly by giving many answers instead of thinking carefully for the right one is an honoured tradition in riddle games, so Reynard smiles while the man spouts his guesses.

The last one, however, catches him out. He barks and then howls with laughter. When he's quite done he waves a hand and shakes his head. "Alright, alright. I'll give it to you. Some of those are perfectly good answers. Still not the one I had in mind, but I'll give it to you nonetheless."

[gorogorogoro_chan]

Majima is bouncing on his feet, trying to keep his body moving against the creeping cold. "Oi, oi. I'm turnin' into a f-fuckin' p-popsicle over here! Now hurry up an' use whatever b-bullshit magic ya got an help me with that PINpoint."

[shardofwinter]

Reynard peers at him and tilts his head. "Help you? Why would I do that?"

[gorogorogoro_chan]

Majima crosses his arms, shoving his hands into his armpits. "Ya ain't got nothin' b-better to do now, right? I answered that g-goofy-ass riddle."

[shardofwinter]

"I don't have anything better to do," he agrees slowly. "But I don't have a good reason to help you, either."

[gorogorogoro_chan]

"Ya need a reason to help somebody?" he shoots back with a roll of his eye. "Is this some k-kinda grift, pal? Ya want money or somethin'? Or do ya get some weird j-jollies hearin' people answer riddles?"

[shardofwinter]

"Well apparently you need a reason to be polite, so I'd say we're both in good company," Reynard tells him cheerily. He glances down to the snow and meets his gaze again. "Either way I'm getting something. I'd rather something better than your toes, in all honesty, but I'm not picky."

[gorogorogoro_chan]

Majima huffs out a foggy breath. "Okay, hurry it up and n-name yer non-toe price, pal. I'm d-dyin' here."

[shardofwinter]

Reynard looks him up and down thoughtfully before gesturing to his own face. "What happened to your eye?"

[gorogorogoro_chan]

Majima looks startled by the question, then sighs sharply, pulling out his usual answer for strangers: "Lost it in an accident."

[shardofwinter]

He raises a single eyebrow and then waves a hand at him. "Go on..."

[gorogorogoro_chan]

Usually people are polite enough to drop the subject at this point. "Yanno how they always say 'd-don't run with scissors'? They ain't k-kiddin'."

[shardofwinter]

"Ah." He nods slowly and then gets to his feet. "If you're not going to be honest with me I might as well be on my way."

[gorogorogoro_chan]

"W-wait." Majima is starting to turn blue, and he regrets trying to be cute. He really does. "It was c-cut out. With a knife. After I p-pissed a guy off."

[shardofwinter]

Majima is left to endure Reynard's cool, apathetic stare for a minute. Then, suddenly, he breaks it, barking a laugh and offering a hand. Even through the gloves and leather, he's cold, but it's better than sitting in the snow for so long.

"And you survived!" Once Majima is out of the hole, Reynard looks him up and down. "You know, I had my eyes gouged out once. After experiencing that it's hard not to respect people who have survived the same."

[gorogorogoro_chan]

Freedom from the snow only provides small relief; it's still cold and the better part of Majima's tux is damp with melted snow. He takes a moment to knock away some ice still caked to his slacks.

"Now you're the one lyin'. Unless ya magicked yourself up some new peepers."

[shardofwinter]

"I made myself some." Reynard scoops up a bit of snow, shapes it into a ball and then holds it out to the man. For all intents and purposes it looks as if an eyeball is looking back at Majima… That is until Reynard squeezes his fingers and it explodes in a small puff of snow. The Winter spirit laughs and shakes his head.

"Ok. So maybe I didn't make them, exactly, but I was fixed up rather nicely."

[gorogorogoro_chan]

Reynard's little trick elicits a curl of his lip. That memory's still fresh.

"Who fixed you up?" Majima asks casually, as he turns to peer down the hole he emerged from for any sign of his PINpoint.

[shardofwinter]

The twitch of Majima's face is a small, easily overlooked motion, but Reynard spots it and that makes the conversation all the more enjoyable.

He could just come out with it, explain that Winter itself fixed his eyes so that he could continue to serve it… but where would be the fun in that? "My beloved. Devotion begets devotion. I dedicate all I do to her an she cares for me in turn."

[gorogorogoro_chan]

"Some fine lady ya got there. I'd prolly do the same if some gal came along and gave me a new eyeball," he says with a laugh, rubbing his arms to try to restore a little warmth.

"Oi, those fresh eyes of yers still good enough to help me spot that PINpoint?"

[shardofwinter]

Reynard's gaze slides to side-eye the other man. He can barely contain his grin. "What's in it for me?"

[gorogorogoro_chan]

Majima gives Reynard another appraising look, assessing what kind of danger he might be inviting. "Free drinks at my club. And company, if your missus ain't the jealous type."

[shardofwinter]

It's Reynard's turn to consider the man in front of him. He leans back and lets his eyes flick up and down, a smile still faintly on his lips. Here is a man who likes to use his good fortune to tip the scales in his favour, who so adores the material world. Reynard's smile settles into place.

"Your eyesight. I want your eyesight."

[gorogorogoro_chan]

Majima barks out a frosty laugh. "Ya want my other eye? No fuckin' deal. Freezin' to death would be better than livin' as a blind guy."

He wags a finger at Reynard. "Look, keep it to goods and services, buddy. No weird shit."