The 77th Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor

idie RP blog for Hu Tao from Genshin Impact - Sideblog to PrinnysMuses

[spunkyspiritsoother]

idie RP blog for Hu Tao from Genshin Impact - Sideblog to PrinnysMuses

Home  |  About  |  Rules  |  Ask

[geofeast]

“I often go out on my own to investigate something of interest. In a place like Liyue, discoveries can be rather time-sensitive. I prefer being able to go out and deal with any monsters or Treasure Hoarders along the way, rather than waiting for an adventurer to be free to escort me.”

He folded his arms. “At any rate, my abilities are heavily defensive. It’s not as if I am taking our crowds of enemies.”

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"So you do field work too? That's good to know for the future." When other people said that it didn't mean much, but when Hu Tao said it, there was an ominous feeling in the air. "I guess when it comes to Geo, defense tends to be a common strength. Now depending on how many of those pillar things you can make, I think you could do some serious crowd control."

[geofeast]

“Not at all. We simply happen to be of similar mindset that being able to defend yourself, rather than relying on others, is an optimal way to live life.”

And he turned. “Please remember your time with me is limited, Director Hu. Three hours.”

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"You say that as if relying on others is such a terrible thing." She shook her head with a sigh. Spinning around to keep walking. Examining the area for another good location to put something. "There's nothing optimal about that. People aren't meant to live solely depending on themselves. That's why I bother people for help all the time."

[geofeast]

"Why would you assume I didn't?" Yes, he was answering the question with a question. He had no reason to give her a straight answer to any of this. "A friend of mine in Sumeru is a scribe by trade, yet put a sword in his hand and he can easily dismantle a Ruin machine."

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"I assume you didn't because that seems to be the sort of assumption you want people to have of you." He must have great footwork too the way he always danced around her observations. "So are you and this friend a part of some secret underground strong nerd gang? Trying hard to be both brains and brawn."

[geofeast]

Of course she enjoyed it. Oh well.

"Yes," he said. "Though I would prefer you not ask me to demonstrate." A wave of his hand, and the pillar crumbled back down into the earth.

"And I fail to understand what you think I 'have in me.' You have seen my Geo vision." The one that conveniently didn't light up when he used it.

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"Uh huh, right right." She had seen him use the power of Geo, but to say it was coming from the vision was another thing. Maybe others did not notice, but Hu Tao was very perceptive. "Well everyone's vision is different you know. Some can only do very basic elemental things. Why would I assume a consultant would need that much fire power?"

[geofeast]

"Yet it would be your fault if you tried to step on my shoulders and got dirt all over it." He's really just trolling. Probably.

There was plenty of room outside the town gate of Liyue Harbor, and once she'd picked a spot, he nodded.

"Alright. Brace yourself." With a hand held out, one of his Geo pillars formed under her, lifting her up to where she wanted to be. Was it honestly less effort to use his powers than to just reach up? Maybe.

[spunkyspiritsoother]

She had been staring at him expectantly, wondering what he was going to do from a distance. "Brace myself for wh-" Before she could even finish speaking, there was a small yelp as she went up into the air. Followed by an almost wicked laugh.

Lucky for her, she had pretty great reflexes and was able to steady herself again. "Well well well, I didn't know you had that in you." Hu Tao was able to easily reach any brand in the tree now and hopped down after. "Think if you did that fast enough you could launch someone in the air?"

[geofeast]

"No. Because then I would need to charge you to have my suit cleaned." Was he joking? Was he serious? Who knew.

"Simply direct me to the first spot you'd like to put those 'charms' and I'll show you." Not here in the town. There wasn't really room.

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"Not my fault you insist on wearing something so fancy all the time." It couldn't be that hard to keep clean since he always wore it. Unless he had multiple.

"Hmmm so mysterious. Fine, we can head towards the city entrance. There should be some good spots to place them. Get the customers from the moment they arrive."

[geofeast]

"...fine. But I won't be putting them up myself." Because if there was one thing he learned in his long life, it was pettiness. "I do have a way of getting you up to higher places so you can arrange them however you want."

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"You do?" She tilted her head, looking him over. "Gonna let me climb your shoulders?" It would certainly make her very tall if she did that.

[geofeast]

Why was he not surprised?

A sigh.

"Alright. You have two hours of my time. Anything beyond that and I will be going home."

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"If you make it three I'll treat you to dinner when we get back.~" Because travel time alone was going to take a large portion of that. The other villages were so far away. "I've got banners to put up higher and then these posters. Oh and on the path to the next village I was thinking of putting these little hanging charms in trees." She held one up. A cartoonish looking ghost holding a sign with the funeral parlor's address.

[geofeast]

"...you realize this isn't part of my job, yes?"

Honestly, she'd been bugging and badgering him so much more lately. It wasn't as if he had too much he needed to be doing, but he was basically retired. Shouldn't he have been able to relax?

"You could always set up a commission with the Adventurer's Guild. Their fees are quite lower than my consultant fees." As if he thought he'd actually be paid for this.

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"Yeah I think I may have burned a few bridges with the Adventurer's Guild right now." She shrugged. "I'm still trying to work out a deal with them, but they just won't budge. Now they think my commissions are some sort of scheme to put them in an early grave. How silly is that?"

"Plus you didn't say no aaaannndd you already work for me so I know you will get the job done."

[geofeast]

@spunkyspiritsoother

"...and just where are we going today, Director Hu?" Somehow, he's been dragged along on another walk through Liyue Harbor. Not that he wouldn't be walking the streets on his own if he hadn't been passing by the funeral parlor and been dragged into this.

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"Oh this and that. Important business matters." Although her definition of important could be called into question here. "First on the agenda though: I've found that there are places not currently being taken advantage of that we could be advertising our services. I think your great height is going to come in handy."

[geofeast]

And he knew perfectly well she was suspecting something of him. Though perhaps not nearly what the truth was. He wasn't sure a single person really suspected what the truth was.

"Perhaps I'm so strong because I've lived such a long, long time." His tone didn't change at all from usual, but it was mostly meant as a joke.

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"Years and years of tossing around rocks?" Considering he kept that odd Geo vision on him. "Suppose with enough time you can train more than just the brain, but also the muscle." She tilted her head, eyes squinting. "Sure couldn't tell just from looking at you though."

[geofeast]

"I'm not sure what you find so strange or unusual about me, at least compared to many of the things you can find here in Liyue." He has his arms folded again as he walks. "In a land of magic and mysticism, I'm simply a man who happens to know a lot about a lot of things."

[spunkyspiritsoother]

Hu Tao was confident she would figure it out eventually... or find a way to get the truth out of him. "Sure sure, if that's how you wanna be." She mimicked him, folding her own arms. "Just a normal average guy, who can take down huge monsters without breaking a sweat.

[geofeast]

"Well, I suppose if anyone would be able to tell how old someone is, it'd be someone who constantly deals with the dying and deceased." He'd not not denying it, but for now, he puts his polearm away and straightens out his clothes.

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"You could say I'm a bit of an expert yes." She snickered. "Perhaps it's just a fun family quirk, but I do always notice the strange and unusual things of this world. You are certainly one of them." Hu Tao still wasn't completely sure what he was yet, but she had some theories.

[geofeast]

"Not hiding. I usually have no reason or need to display that level of strength." A pause. "And of all the things you've asked me, how physically strong I am has not once come up. I suppose you likely assumed I really was old and frail."

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"Well, I just never considered it would be one of your skill sets." He was mostly a walking encyclopedia and history book combined. Not someone you expect to be a skilled fighter as well. "You do have an ancient aura about you though. Talk like a old person too." She teased.

[geofeast]

Zhongli sighed and shook his head. Of course she would pull this. Though it really was just a small group of small-fries. Even an inexperienced adventurer could take care of them.

He pulled his own polearm out, getting rid of them with just a few swings. When he turned to Hu Tao, however, his ears perked up.

A shield-arm Lawlachurl came charging through, and just before it reached Hu Tao, Zhongli turned again, grunting and swinging hard enough to snap the shield in two, then go straight through the monster. It disappeared black mist, and he dusted himself off.

"Satisfied?"

[spunkyspiritsoother]

She was shocked to wide eyed silence for a moment before clapping her hands. "Wow! Bravo! That far exceeded my expectations." There was grin on her face that practically spread ear to ear. "I didn't know you could swing with that sort of force. You've been hiding that all this time?"

[geofeast]

"Well, good to know you value my life more than my death."

He paused at that, before turning to look over his shoulder. "Hilichurls heading this way."

[spunkyspiritsoother]

"Heehee, I may be in the business of death, but I get paid by the living." A pause. "And you haven't set up your funeral arrangements with me yet~"

"Just a few little small fries. You got this right?" As the Hilichurls ran towards them, Hu Tao easily sprinted forward. Phasing away into a pale trail of light and right through to the otherside of group. Turning around to watch with a grin on her face, hand ready to pull out her spear if she really needed to.