video; un: godking | July 30th afternoon

[pyramidsmash]

[The video starts in the middle of Solarpeak beach. There's a strange rocky pedestal with a strange looking statue on it. Did someone not meet the touch requirements...?

The stone statue is Hijikata. His face has been scribbled over with what appears to be a sharpie (mustache, beard, angry eyebrows and even meme angry veins #). There's also a sign hanging around his neck with the very same sharpie attached to it.]

This is Hijikata Toshirou. He did something extremely foolish and is petrified. Not because he lacks touch energy, but because of the Mystic Eyes of Petrification. A fitting punishment for a fool like him who would think to abuse Command Spells.

[Ozymandias may sound calm, but he's very angry - it shows in his expression.]

Until a cure is found, or brewed or something, I have made a "pet shaming" sign. Feel free to come around to write anything Hijikata has done so everyone can see. Maybe that would take him down a notch!

My Sphinx will be here to look after him and as a clear mark where he is - but should someone want to claim possession over this statue, feel free to tell it I gave permission. Tomorrow. Let him be like this until tomorrow. It's what he deserves.

[The Sphinx in question.]


[OOC: The Sphinx will stand guard over Hijikata statue until the next day! It is defeatable, of course, but it's player's request that Hijikata stand there for a full day for shame!

This is all related to this ongoing plot.]

Comments

Hijikata Statue

[mayoninofukucho]

[He's standing at the beach, as explained by Ozymandias. Feel free to add list items to the pet-shaming sign or decorate him further - he isn't conscious, so he won't know who visited him until he gets unpetrified (unless you leave a signature)!]

[kerontribution]

[Adds 'mean Master who makes their Servant unhappy >|'.]

[detectiveforhierophant]

[ Dojima did go out to check on him.

And... sure enough, that sure was a statue of the guy, with scribbles and everything.

Dojima would... sigh. Deeply. Reaching up to tap the guy's head with his knuckle. Not hard enough to hurt himself, because it wasn't worth doing that, and despite everything, he didn't want Hijikata to break. ]

...

[ It was completely immature to do this. Really, really beyond him as an adult... ]

...

[ Added to the sign: Is a Fucking Dumbass ]

[ ...And tied around his hand was a pack of cigarettes.

He had a feeling that whenever he woke up, Hijikata was gonna need them. ]

[mistsplitter]

[ Ayaka does not know Hijikata well enough, but. . . people want to shame him!! She wants to add something nice.

"He is brave! And I am sure he has other positive qualities that overshadow the other qualities he has."

(She probably is not helping, huh?) ]

[angerintomiracles]

[At some point Eva'll go check on the Hijikata statue. Seriously... how many times is this going to happen? She'll have to yell at him later for being an idiot and worrying her, but for now, after adding to Dojima's comment, she'll scribble her own down:

"Got himself killed/petrified/incapacitated on video. Twice. Aren't you supposed to be the adult here?"

...okay, fine, he did really get her out of a pinch not too long ago, she'll show him some mercy:

"But he has helped me out so he isn't all bad."]

[hometown]

[ Reiner adds the following: ]

Needs to get his authority kink under control.

(re)action; sometime after everyone else has left;

[wingbound]

[ Levi doesn't check the network that often, but by some miracle, he does see this. And it leaves him... at odds, somewhat, with what he's supposed to think of it. ]

[ He doesn't understand a bunch of the words used, whether in the announcement or some of the comments, so he can't be sure what happened here. The hell are "command spells", anyway? It does kind of sound like Hijikata went on yet another power trip, though, which honestly is both unsurprising and disappointing. ]

[ Some of the elaborations allude to forcing one's will -- how would that even work, more magical bullshit? -- and he tries to imagine that kind of a situation, what the hell would it feel like, to be unquestionably under control of someone, let alone someone who would disregard his wishes. ]

[ But he can't. ]

[ "Is that an order?" ]

[ "Does it have to come to that?.." ]

[ There has never been anyone who could make him do anything, and the people he chose to follow, he did so of his own decision. They never had any real power over him but his respect, and they extended it back to him. Even if Erwin or Hange had some kind of a magical influence on him, he just can't see either of them ever using it. They were too important to each other for something like that. ]

[ So if this hypothetical is true, well. It must feel like absolute shit. ]

[ Yet another abuse of power in a long line of cop bastardry. ]

[ It sounds like Hijikata does deserve this. ]

[ ... ]

[ And yet, what the hell is imprisoning someone who (he assumes) has lost the fight, childishly defacing their remains and boasting about it in public if not an abuse of power, too? ]

[ Not to mention when it's somebody calling themselves "God King" who does it? ]

[ No, the author of this message sounds like an absolute asshole and does not have any leg to stand on here, however valid some of his points may be. Just another human shitstain to match the one currently in statue form. ]

[ Levi doesn't respond. ]

[ None of this is his business, or his conflict to get into. ]

[ But sometime at night, or maybe in the wee hours of morning -- after the last shame-giver has departed, but before any of Hijikata's friends come by to fetch him -- Levi makes his way to the beach with a bucket, cleaning solution and some rags. ]

[ The sphinx does growl at him, but he points out that its owner had given people permission to handle it, and it seems to placate the creature enough that he's allowed to approach. ]

[ He leaves the actual sign be -- he doesn't like Hijikata, and it's a perfectly valid way for him to see everyone's messages when he wakes up -- but he's going to spend the next hour or two meticulously cleaning off the scribbles that had been left on the statue itself. Maybe he needs to tiptoe a little, maybe the permanent marker will require some of the more concentrated cleaning agent that he brought -- but eventually, the statue's face and the rest of it is once again clean, unblemished stone. ]

[ And then, Levi will simply gather his things and leave, content with nobody knowing about that small act of kindness he felt compelled to in this situation. ]

[ (Although he might also wait a little to make sure somebody actually comes to get the poor bastard...) ]

un: 🐉, video

[kerontribution]

Oryou can yell at him when he gets fixed.

[pyramidsmash]

He definitely deserves to be yelled at.

un: gaine, video

[sangreine]

[ Well... shit. ]

Is everyone else all right?

... What do you mean abuse Command Spells?

[ Saya has opinions about how masters should treat their servants after all. ]

[pyramidsmash]

His servant is currently missing. She transformed, petrified Hijikata and then left. I couldn't stay around as I had to protect my Master.

[Otherwise they might all be petrified right now.]

Each Master has three command spells that they can use to override a Servant's will. Hijikata wanted to "teach me a lesson" so he made her attack me, but she didn't want to do that.

video; un: Edelstein

[greedyvixen]

[ . . . sorry, is this a bad angle? Must be Rin's extremely bad tech skills. No, in fact, surprisingly it's not that this time.]

He abused his Command Spells?

[SURELY SHE HEARD THAT WRONG, RIGHT???]

[pyramidsmash]

Yes. Hijikata wanted to teach me a lesson, so he commanded her to "kick my ass". Something she didn't want to do. I could see her pained expression as we fought.

[There was no reason for him to teach a lesson anyway. Ozymandias wasn't doing anything wrong.]

video, un: white heron

[mistsplitter]

Oh dear... Something terrible happened to him again?

[ She's a lot more worried than she sounds, but. . . really. This is the second (?) time that Hijikata's been posted on the network with either dying or being petrified, which is. Also like dying? Sort of. Ayaka is no expert. ]

I hope he gets the help that he needs soon...

Though, I'm afraid I do not understand what "pet shaming" sign is for?

[pyramidsmash]

This was completely of his own doing, once again. I'm sure someone will feel pity for him enough to make a remedy.

[He doesn't have the heart, time or will to try and figure out a cure.]

It's a way to let everyone know what shameful things they have done. For a pet it would be like "I chewed on my owner's favorite shoes".

un:triomphe | Video | Private to Ozymandias

[triompheduhimbo]

[ This... was not what Napoleon expected to see nor wanted to see.

He knew Hijikata had issues with Ozymandias, knew Ozymandias's ego could be annoying, knew Medusa could have issues with standing up for herself, but--

To get to this point? He underestimated things. ]

[ Ozy would get a video call requested only a few minutes after the video went up, with Napoleon at his place-- His face an almost uncharacteristic seriousness. ]

She hasn't come back to the apartment. What happened? Did she just take off her blindfold, or--

perma private

[pyramidsmash]

She transformed into Gorgon. I did not see where she went, as I needed to get my own Master to safety to avoid being petrified.

[He left quite quickly after she started to change and only returned later once Hijikata was already set in stone.]

[foxtouched]

[ She'll have returned safely with him by then but she will come over to be by Ozymandias by the time he's done with the feed. ]

... will he be alright?

[pyramidsmash]

I'm sure someone will find a cure for petrification sooner or later.

[It's partially why he made the video, so someone would. Mostly it was to shame him.]

I will go out again, to look for Medusa.

un: dojima - Video

[detectiveforhierophant]

[ ...For the love of-- Hijikata, this was his day off. ]

There's several terms in what you just said that have completely gone over my head, but knowing this dumbass, he probably got lucky he didn't get his statue broken, huh?

The usual sacrifice method isn't going to work, either.

[ More statement than question. This guy...

Wasn't he the guy that Hijikata was always ranting about? ]

[pyramidsmash]

Trust me, I was tempted, but I held myself back from doing any harm on his statue, other than aesthetic ones.

[He's angry, but he's thinking about people who actually continue to care for him by not killing him. Embarrassing him? Eh, the people that like him are likely used to that.]

I'm sure there is a potion or other type of remedy that will work for this sort of petrification.

Video : Un; Caster (tw misandry)

[colchismagecraft]

So, he abused his Command Seals, did he?

[It surprised Medea that the situation was actually an unexpected one. Her and Hijikata had never really gotten along, and she knew about his sharp temper... but she didn't think he would abuse his Servant like that.

Then again, she remembered him bragging about his status as a Master when she first arrived in the world. Perhaps it wasn't too far-fetched. Besides, most men were much the same in the end, weren't they? And aside from her beloved Souichirou, most Masters were just like that.

...There was that incident back in Avalon with Maribelle as well.]

...Well, I suppose that is the way for most Masters, isn't it? They relentlessly exploit their Servants for their own gain. Hmph, and to think I assumed this man didn't have it in him.

[pyramidsmash]

This is the first time I've encountered a situation like this. I have memories of a Holy Grail War, but they're fuzzy at best... but I don't remember running into this type of a scenario.

[He sighs, quietly and softly.]

Nothing compared to the Master of Chaldea.

UN: ready_or_gormotti, Video

[healerscorned]

He did sparking what?! If Rider hadn't already kicked his arse I'd have half a mind to do it myself! Hell, I still do!

[pyramidsmash]

You may have to form a line for once he recovers.

For now I'm more concerned about finding Rider. Will you help, as someone who knows her?

voice; un: reiner

[hometown]

[ Well. This elicits some mixed feelings. Reiner takes the time to check other responses, learning what 'abusing Command Spells' means. Hijikata didn't strike Reiner as the type of person to take someone's will away from them. But then again, Hijikata insisted that Reiner use "Officer" when addressing him, apparently comfortable giving orders and wielding authority despite not knowing Reiner at all.

What a mess. ]

Is he aware of anything like that?

[pyramidsmash]

He's not. I reckon the state is similar to being in complete stasis for a moment or being comatose. The sign is meant for him to see once he recovers.

audio; un: hypnos

[verytired]

I don't understand a lot of that, but this is his own fault, right?

We don't really have a cure for petrification where I'm from. I mean, you're kind of done for if a gorgon gets you.

[pyramidsmash]

It really is.


Hm. In Chaldea we have remedies for it. Spells, if you will. Surely with this place's magical knowledge, something can be done.

Video; un: shoto

[itsmypower]

[It's hard to believe... It doesn't help how these are terms he's never heard of, but seeing it all is just about too much to take. This "fool" is still his dear sensei, and Shoto's quiet disbelieving hasn't flared or switched to anger yet. He adores his teacher an aching amount. Yes, he has a temper; yes, he's crass and doesn't think too much. But he's patient... and kind, and takes in lost, defeated boys who can barely lift their heads up.

It's Shoto's firsthand experience. His hero's human and reckless, and both are true no matter how it hurts.]

Why? [He has to ask.] Sensei's never misused a magic before.

[pyramidsmash]

He was under the impression I was looking down at his Servant and wanted to teach me a lesson. He told her to kick my ass, something she didn't want to do.

[But since this boy seems to care about him so much, he will add an observation:]

It could be this is a misunderstanding on his part, but it still doesn't excuse him for using the spells without thinking it through.

text; un: nleclair

[localdeliveryboy]

[ There are many, MANY, questions right now, but only one matters. ]

He's still alive in there right? What would happen if a cure isn't made?

[ It's a miracle that he managed to send these two messages at all given the handful of others runnign at a hundred miles an hour in his head. ]

[pyramidsmash]

He should be. I reckon he's in a stasis, or maybe something like comatose for now.

If no cure is found, the merciful thing is to break the statue and let him respawn from a flower, most likely.