APRIL 2022 EVENT

[jigokumods]

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1. HANAMI

The week of the Night Parade is marked by the traditional symbols of Spring in Japan. Somehow, several city blocks have been turned into cherry blossom groves as a show of goodwill by the Sutoku Alliance. These cherry trees don't feel normal. They are more like spectral manifestations. Rumor has it they grew so quickly because they're planted on top of a graveyard. That's just a rumor, though. Don't pay it any mind! Don't listen to any whispers you might hear if you walk through the rows of trees alone and certainly don't dig under them for proof of their provenance.

Accompanying the hanami are copious amounts of food and drink. Such as dango, specialized bento, sake, and festive drinks. They are all available to purchase from stalls near the spectral grove. The refreshments may have a little something special added to them:

• Ingredients that promote peace (calming any angry or upset feelings)
  
• Ingredients that promote romance (gives soft, warm feelings towards the first person you see).

These effects are mild and only last as long as you're in the boundary of the grove. Eat, drink, and be merry with your fellow lost souls.

2. KANAMARA MATSURI (NSFW IMAGERY)

In addition to the simple joys of flower viewing and the cherry blossoms blooming, new festivals pop everywhere. They are inspired by various regional festivals from all over Japan. Some of these are benign and feature your normal festival fair. Others are a little more unusual, such as the Kanamara matsuri-inspired treats. You can thank the Tamamo Clan for this. Don't mind the giant phallus being carried down the street or the wooden phalluses you can ride on or the interesting mascots walking down the sidewalk, or the suggestive vegetable carvings.

Surprisingly, none of these foods are spiked, at least not more than the experimental recipes had been during the parade preparations. The spirit of the thing is more just the amusement of genital-based foods rather than anything meant to entice a sexy sort of good time. That will come as the parade rounds out onto the bath district...

3. HADAKA MATSURI

cw: nonsexual nudity

If that cheeky festival isn't your kind of fun, maybe the hadaka matsuri is more your speed. The Department of the Enma are probably the most stressed out faction in the entire city, so the Enma has allowed them to put on a festival to blow off some steam! It's a bit different from the traditional celebration: it's not contained to just men and it's not contained to a shrine.

This event is a mobile mob of nearly naked people and youkai running after a cart with a masked person throwing out small sticks. They represent good luck for the people who manage to nab them. There are far fewer sticks than there are people present and everyone will do a lot to get one of the coveted prizes. Try not to get in their way!

Or you can get caught up in it all and try to snag one yourself to see what your fortune holds. (No, the Enma isn't participating. Too dirty, for his tastes.)

4. FESTIVE FUN

A. SUMO
Some other festivities you might come across are miniature sumo tournaments put on by the Shuten Clan. Raised dirt circles with chalk rings on the outer perimeter pop up seemingly everywhere. Two people are allowed in the ring at one time and there are strict rules to be followed. If you disobey the rules, you may find yourself suddenly ejected from the ring with magical or physical means, and at the mercy of a Shuten enforcer.

Play by the rules to beat your opponent and victors will find themselves rewarded with a strong bottle of booze. The winners of each bout are handed out a commendation by Toraguma himself, which comes in the form of a commemorative sake gourd. This is probably the kind of prize you'd expect from an Oni at a festival like this.


B. FOOD RUNNERS WANTED
If you're in the mood to pad your pockets, maybe you want to help the Tamamo Clan out by running food delivery. This opportunity is available to anyone regardless of affiliation. Runners will be fitted with a contraption to carry the food orders on their person and may proceed either on foot or on a small motorbike. Be careful and make sure not to drop anything! Any ruined or undelivered orders will come directly out of your pay.

It's harder than it looks not to drop the food with all the excitement going on and your delivery recipient may be similarly hard to locate.


C. HOT BATHS (NSFW + cw: optional aphro)
The Tamamo Clan has set up a sanctioned orgy in one of their larger brothels. Rooms are available for whatever your heart desires, including one with exposed windows if you like being watched or if you want to watch in kind. Baths and pools are available for all your indulgent fantasies. Everything you could need is at your disposal: toys, restraints, costumes, lubricants, condoms, aphrodisiacs in many forms. It's a proper bacchanal celebration!

All that matters is your consent and enthusiasm.

5. NIGHT PARADE

One of the primary highlights of the Night Parade are the fantastical floats depicting scenes of legendary events. Keen-eyed observers may note that the humans are portrayed as the bad guys in most of them. While a few of these are mounted on motorized vehicles, most of them are carried by people. That means you'll probably be called on to help carry one along the parade route. It's a fun job, if exhausting.

If you're not the type to wear yourself out carrying a float, ride on one instead! There's plenty of things to toss out into the crowd along the street; candies and trinkets. Dress up in a fitting costume and walk around the float. Have fun scaring bystanders or just have fun hamming it up and celebrate the peaceful night.

5. FIREWORKS

The parade's central stop is the festival square in the heart of the city, just under the shadow of the Kaigo no Bou Tower. There is a stage set up here where the four faction leaders and their personal entourages have assembled. All of them are giving pretty typical speeches. The Enma has declined to give one, having no patience for unnecessary oration. Tenkohime gives praise to the unifying factors of love in the city, while Toraguma rallies the crowd like a sports hero; encouraging them to get stronger and do better in the coming year.

The Daitengu is the last to speak and they also seem to have the largest entourage. The entourage is quite conspicuous: White Wolf Tengu, each standing well-taller than the Daitengu themselves. They are carrying massive broadswords strapped to their backs and hunting about the area for anything suspicious with keen eyes that seem to see right through the crowd and the heat of night.

The Daitengu's speech is also pretty typical, although much more humble than their fellows. Mostly, they just wants to hurry up and get to the fireworks. Just as they finish speaking, the sky lights up.
There are a few peaceful moments beneath this spectacle as the crowd enjoys the display of unity and phantasmal wonder that this unique and strange world has created.

But the explosions aren't just in the sky. One particularly loud boom seems to rattle the very earth beneath the crowd. That is the only warning anyone gets before...

6. A NIGHT PARADE TO REMEMBER

Every manhole cover on the street bursts open, injuring anyone that was standing nearby. Far worse is the deluge of steam that rushes out from the underground. Pillars of hot, blinding steam spill into the air, quickly filling the streets. The luminescence of the festival lamps and city lights are diffused and blurred into singular blobs of color, obscuring all vision and making it impossible to see what's going on. The panicked cries of the crowd also make it impossible to hear. Everything happens so suddenly, so violently, that ascertaining what's going on takes time.

Too much time.

In the chaos, gunshots are heard. They seem to come from several directions. Fighting is breaking out. It's difficult to tell from where and who is in the brawl. Previously unseen figures in full-body black coverings appear from nowhere, rushing the stage. They zoom past any Lost Souls nearby, ignoring their presence. They are focused on a singular goal. The barking of the White Wolf Tengu further indicates the goal of the attack.

Struggle in the steam, help others get to safety, get caught up in fighting the other factions, try to protect the Faction leaders, or try to keep up with the black-suited youkai rushing the stage; do as much as you can.

When the steam finally begins to clear, however, there will at least be one thing that is certain: the Daitengu has been killed.

Welcome to the April event!

• If you have any questions about event content, please ask them here!
• We also have OOC top levels for Shuten Sumo Results, Tamamo Partner Cards, and Hadaka Luck Draws!
• If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.

Comments

miyamoto musashi 🌸 tamamo

[ryototsukai]

[ i - Baby, I can't wait to know - hanami ]

[ There is nothing in spring quite so wonderful as flower viewing. And while the spectral cherry blossom trees had a subtle creepiness to them, it didn't ever seem to eclipse the beauty they displayed. They painted the whole area in such a serene, soft pink glow that she felt herself bathed in it, made warm by the scent on the air...

But Musashi wasn't fool enough to know the flowers were the main event, despite the namesake. Hanami wasn't about flowers. It was about food and booze. And she'd gotten herself plenty. It was all so cheap (and she intended to be earning later at the Tamamo section of the festival), that she allowed herself to really go all out. A nice big sake bottle and a plate full of dango, both of which were putting her in a, uh... amorous mood. ]

Come oooon, join me, won't you? This is the kind of thing best enjoyed with another person, right?

[ She pats the space next to her on the blanket she was laying on, giggling against her sake cup as she almost failed to take another sip, getting some of it rolling down her chin and into the open neckline of her kimono... ]

[ ii - i see ya baby, shakin' that ass - sumo ]

[ Some might question the wisdom of participating in an athletic competition while not entirely sober, but Musashi was feeling GOOD, and confident, and had already gotten herself into appropriate uniform and into the ring. Stopping her was probably something that should have been managed before she got this far... she definitely wasn't hearing anything about it now.

Musashi squat herself nice and low, hand splayed on the dirt floor in front of her and feet planted firm. She turned her gaze up with a sort of determined fire that spoke volumes either about how much she'd had to drink prior, or how assured she was that she could win this despite sumo NOT being her sport, at all. ]

You ready for this?

[ The oni ref was tacitly asking the same question, looking between her and her opponent. Were they really gonna do this? ]

[ iii - let's go crazy, let's get nuts - hadaka ]

[ Donning a fundoshi and sarashi wrap for her chest, Musashi is in the thick of it. The crowd of naked humanity almost looks like a mobile mosh pit as they chase the shrine, and Musashi is reaching hard for those luck sticks, though she hasn't caught any just yet. She seems to have remarkable endurance (despite a few visible marks where she got tossed around during the sumo matches), able to keep up a heavy pace despite the choking, sweaty heat the group was generating.

The whole point was to burn away their stress, right? To feel the euphoria of physical exhaustion? Also luck sticks, since she was still in debt and needed that cash ]

Come on, put your heart into it!

[ She shouts to the person next to her, never losing a step. ]

We're in this together, right!?

[ iv - tongue te tongue - bathhouse orgy NSFW smut option ]

[ Musashi's reality of being in debt hung over her head when she got to the bathhouses. Normally she'd be a lot more hesitant (on a surface level, anyways) about throwing herself into debauchery this pronounced, but Tenkohime had mentioned those bonuses for those that filled out their cards... and Musashi was not in a position where she had any desire to walk away from money on the table.

Truth be told, her face was going red just looking at all the "fun" going on. Sexy people doing sexy things, all together in one great big spot, reveling in the heat of the night to welcome the fertility of spring. It made her heart beat a little faster, her blood run a little hotter, just thinking about it. It was written on her face, how interested she was, even if she was trying to play it cool...

She was also just probably in need of a bath after how sweat she got doing sumo and naked endurance runs. She mustered up her courage, sucking in a breath and turned to whatever cute boy or gorgeous girl was next to her, also outside the bathhouse. ]

So... I've got this card to fill out...

[ v - please don't stop the music - assassination ]

[ It all happened so fast. The initial explosion nearly took Musashi off her feet, but the rush of steam was what really did a number on her and those around her, filling the streets with an intense, choking heat and the inability to see anything that was going on around them. She'd been close to Tenkohime's entourage as security detail, finally equipping her swords, and thus was a little better prepared for fighting breaking out than others had been, but she'd still never been in a situation like this. Not quite, anyways.

Fighting opponents in the dread black of night was well different than in the blistering haze of steam. She tried to listen for where the attackers were coming from, and could spy at least some movement, but she had no idea whose movement it was. ]

Get down!

[ But she heard it. The readying of a gun.

Swords drawn, one could feel the moment slow to a crawl as the first bursts of fire cleared the muffling of the chaos, cutting through the steam like bugs across a pond's surface. And in the same time, so came Musashi's swords.

One. Two. The impact of bullet against steel was deafening. The steam created an acoustic bubble, prevented the sound from diffusing properly, and Musashi felt herself rattle.

One. Two. Additional shots. And this time, she hadn't been ready.

Three. Musashi collapsed to the ground below, blood already pooling beneath. ]

R-run... get going... now!

[ Aftermath - Locked to Emily - Musashi's bad luck draw wasn't catastrophic, though... and there was indeed a "white angel" nearby.

Afterwards - After Emily has patched her, Musashi is set to rest among the other Tamamo injured. Considering everything that happened, she could be in much worse shape... ]

[ wildcard - we gonna groove tonight, share the spice of life ]

[ Got an idea not covered here? Hit me up! OOC plotting comment and outfit reference is here, feel free to comment there if you've got a wild idea, I'm down to clown! ]

ii

[heretic_blade]

[ Her opponent today is a familiar face wearing little more than just a fundoshi. It's fine, it's his choice. He squats down, one hand on the ground, and looks straight at her with a cocky grin. ]

I wouldn't be here if I weren't...An' don't think yer gonna win this one easy. Ain't gonna let someone who ain't even Shuten beat me.

[ryototsukai]

[ The closer to naked, the better, when it came to wrestling. It wasn't even a sexy thing, it was just a matter of practicality! ]

Unfortunately, you're gonna have to get used to the idea! Loser buys the winners drinks, agreed?

[ She returned that grin in just kind, finally settling both hands to the ground and waiting for Izo to do the same... ]

[heretic_blade]

[ Practicality is all that matters! ]

Yeah, jus' make sure ya got th' money for it.

[ He's got both hands on the ground now and a fierce determination in his eyes. Seems he's actually taking this seriously. ]

[ryototsukai]

[ She. Did not. All the more reason to push for the victory. At the ref's call, she charges forward with explosive force, aiming to catch Izou with an initial tackle that will take him right off his feet!

Though in all likelihood, it was going to be more like seeing two small cars crash into one another. ]

[heretic_blade]

[ The latter is the correct assumption. Izō digs his claws into the dirt to give him extra grip -- nothing in the rules about that! His next move is to grab Musashi's mawashi and try to toss her out of the ring. ]

[ryototsukai]

[ The grab was fair, and a sound plan. He definitely had the strength to get her off her feet, even with a lower center of gravity.

But she knew all that.

So her response is to bring her hand up for a hard, chopping slap right against his chest. ]

[heretic_blade]

[ It does get him to let go with an annoyed shout. He follows up with an open-handed shove to her chest. ]

[ryototsukai]

[ Musashi's chest jiggled like a 70's dinner party entree, mostly from the force of his shove, but her body didn't move much. She kept herself firmly placed, at least as much as she could, lowering even more into her squat to try and grab his arm, send his momentum elsewhere. ]

[heretic_blade]

[ Wow, her chest sure was distracting for a second. That's a problem because it allows her to redirect his momentum, but it isn't enough to get him out of the ring. Izō yells, pivots, and follows up with a flurry of open palm shoves. ]

aftermath.

[medicative]

[it's blood and pain that catch her eye, draw her in. her fine clothes are a ruin, but she has a paramedic's kit and the steady gaze of someone who knows what she's doing, who has a handle on this. and she approaches swiftly, alarm in her expression but not allowed to leak into her voice.]

Miss Musashi! Please, if you can hear me - focus on the sound of my voice for now!

[grazes, she can see as she's trying to get the woman up enough that she can take a full account of injuries. those will be easy to manage with the right dressings, but it's the shoulder wound that's the worst of it and needs to be dealt with. unless the bullet is right there, these are the worst conditions to operate in and she'd rather get her up and enough for the true medical station.]

[ryototsukai]

[ She felt like she'd taken worse hits than this. Had to have, even. Fighting the Seven Swordmasters was all about winding up such violent stakes. And yet... her whole body felt like it ached from those shots. She could barely feel her other arm, struggling to hold onto one of her blades. ]

I-I'm still here, but... you need to run... they could come back this way...

[ She didn't know if they would. She knew it probably sounded foolish for her to make a demand like that of a healer. And yet it was still all that was on her mind... she had to protect people, even with one good arm. ]

[medicative]

I've got protection, should they do so.

[Majima's been following her, making sure the area is clear. she trusts him to keep an eye out so she can focus on patients, and she keeps her voice controlled, soothing.]

There we go. Tell me if you start feeling tired, all right?

[it's the bullet that concerns her the most, and for the sake of keeping more blood in Musashi's body, she starts to work fast, with the sort of steady and quick focus that only comes from having done this a hundred times over. she'll take care of her, now.]

[ryototsukai]

Nnot... tired, just... It really hurts, yanno?

[ Her arm was trembling. She was trying so hard to keep her grip on the sword, but eventually, Emily could hear it clatter against the pavement, and Musashi start to slump. ]

You're... a lot nicer than Miss Nightingale...

[medicative]

[a part of her brain can't help but jump to hear that name, but instead of letting that slip into her voice, she seizes the opportunity. if she keeps Musashi talking, it keeps her focused on things that aren't the pain, and Emily can move to take out this bullet easier.]

Miss Nightingale? Who is she?

[holding her as steady as she can with one hand, she gets the forceps to extract the bullet from flesh, careful to make it a straight line.]

[ryototsukai]

An ally back home... [ Musashi winced. The conversation helped distract her from how much this was hurting... she'd love some sake right about then. ]

A nurse from England... apparently a hell raiser, too, given she was summoned as a Berserker...

[ Not at all like Emily, she thought. Nightinggale was gorgeous, but her bedside manner was pretty extreme. Emily seemed so much sweeter in comparison... Despite currently digging into her shoulder, a sensation she REALLY didn't like but had to ignore. ]

[medicative]

A berserker nurse? Goodness, those two sound like they conflict in duties.

[she's sure she's missing half of the context, but it gives something else for Musashi to think about. instead, she takes a breath, and uses the forceps to help the bullet out - it practically falls into her hand, meaning the woman only has to put up with some discomfort.

she's lucky - Emily's seen worse today, and if it hadn't been so clear, she'd have needed stitches. setting that aside, Emily can then work on the easier part, stemming the bloodflow and cleaning the area as she goes, keeping strong pressure to try and maintain a minimal loss.]

[ryototsukai]

You'd think, but it just meant she was dead set on assuring folks survived, against even logic or sanity...

[ So in that way, Musashi admired her, even if she also hoped she didn't wind up a frequent patient of hers if she ever wound back up at Chaldea. She let out a strong, whinced exhale when she felt the forceps and bullet finally leave her body. Raw pain was still there, but at least the "digging inside of her" part was over. ]

G-geeze... That didn't... take long... Lucky me, right?

cw: needles, stitches

[medicative]

Yes. You could have suffered much worse - as far as I can tell, you're in no danger of permanent injury to your arm. Only things that will heal, given enough time.

[with that out of the way, she can clean the wound once again, and inject some of the local anesthetic into Musashi's shoulder, to reduce the discomfort that will come next. when she starts on stitches, her work is steady, calm, despite the steam and the people belligerent too nearby. this has to be done. this will be done, so she can heal.]

V - Afterwards

[21towin]

...Ya were shot.

[He looked at her form for a moment before moving to take a spot next to her. His face was unreadable before he sighed and scratched the back of his head. Billy wanted to give her a smile, but found it a bit difficult to do at the moment.]

You'll be fine, sure don't feel good though, does it? You're still darn lucky that someone managed to patch ya up quick enough.

[ryototsukai]

You can thank a lovely songbird for me being here at all...

[ Musashi sighed, sort of just staring at her right hand, opening and closing it. Sensation hadn't fully returned just yet... but she could at least move all of her fingers without too much pain. But she was already told to not even try to hold a sword, or anything heavier than a feather, if she could avoid it. ]

[21towin]

Might have an idea o' who you're talkin' about. If it is, well- I doubt ya had to worry 'bout havin' the slug dug outta ya with just a knife and whiskey.

[The movement of her hand catches his attention, it could be worse. It could always be worse. He's seen worse, done worse, but it's the fact that its her that makes it more difficult to say. He reaches out to take her hand slowly, a few small trembles, difficult to contain, betrayed his upset emotions over seeing his friend hurting.]

I'd ask ya why you ran in like that. [But he already knows.] Still mighty foolish of ya....

[ryototsukai]

Better me than someone else... I'm strong enough to take something like this. Even one handed, I'm still me...

[ She knew how close she came to actually losing this arm. It was probably worse than that time she lost an eye, back in Shimosa. She had developed Niten Ryu as a means of fighting one handed, sure, but...

It was still not a reality she wanted to confront. Not anytime soon. ]

I'm gonna be okay... I trust Emily when she says that. Someone that dedicated to healing doesn't just give platitudes.

[21towin]

Better no one at all. But yeah, you're more than tough 'nough to handle somethin' like this.

[Of course, a person can both be tough but still hurt. He works on putting a smile on his lips for her at that. He was upset but, potentially not as upset as Musashi is at the moment.]

So it was the Angel in White, huh? Woman's got good hands, and head on her shoulders. 'Least, from the little bit I've seen of her. Yeah, you'll be fine alright.

[ryototsukai]

She's a real beauty, with the voice of a goddess. [ Musashi hummed, her smile brightening at least a little when talking about Emily. ]

I'm gonna have to find a way to pay her back for all this.