[ open ] all hands on deck

[kaientai]

Who ⬤ sakamoto ryouma (rider) + other sutoku alliance lost souls
What ⬤ post-event emergency meeting
When ⬤ several hours after the assassination
Where ⬤ konoha — vip area
Content Warnings ⬤ none right now but will update as needed!

[ once the dust (steam?) has settled, an sms goes out to fellow sutoku alliance contacts. some might recognise the username rider more than others and know the man it's attached to but in any case, everyone who shows up will know him soon enough anyway. ]

Hello!

There's a lot of confusion right now, but what's important is to stay calm and not do anything hasty. I'll be organising a meeting tonight at Konoha. Let's exchange what we know and discuss next steps. You're going to have to pay for your own refreshments though, sorry! Space is on me though! (*_ _)人

Don't be discouraged! We're only getting started. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

If you think there are any other Sutoku who haven't gotten this, pass the message along, ok?

— Rider

[ someone has to keep the spirit of the daitengu alive, okay?? the message also comes attached with a calendar invite. ]

---

[ later, anyone arriving for the meeting will be directed to the club's VIP area and encouraged to place food and drink orders as desired. this has definitely set ryouma back, but under the present circumstances, there's no better time than this to spare no expense, right? ]



☆ ooc; this is a mingle in addition to a general sort of information sharing prompt so feel free to throw your own top levels up and thread amongst yourselves! i give everyone free rein to threadjack as you see fit — just check with other individual players if you have any questions!
☆ i left the exact time of the meeting sort of open, but assume it's sometime within the next half-day or so after the assassination to account for people needing to finish up investigations, potentially heal up a little after fighting, time for him to book the club, etc. feel free to have characters wander in late too!
☆ i also provided the option for characters to phone in (since it was mentioned to me on the ooc post), so if they can't make it in person they can still be in the loop!
☆ any non-Sutoku tag-a-longs are assumed to be showing up late so as not to be sitting in on private discussions earlier in the night.

Comments

[kaientai]

[ ryouma is only too familiar with people who don't catch on to things like feelings, so if he knew he would sympathise. but since he doesn't, ryouma is just here to enjoy this pleasant, youthful energy where stuff doesn't feel sad or heavy right now. thank god for the youth? ]

I don't see why not. A lot of things are good cold! I saw a few places around that sell cold noodles too; I bet those'll be especially good when it starts feeling like summer, but you definitely can't go wrong finishing up with ice cream!

[ fast food is a wonderful invention, so live your bliss. he also has no idea how seasons operate in this place, but he assumes if they can make it feel like spring it won't be hard to make it feel festively summer-ish as well. ]

Sounds like you have a lot of interesting things to eat where you come from though, or at least chicken dishes. [ he might be a fan. ] You can order something if you're hungry, they just couldn't manage to have this whole thing catered on short notice.

[ that and he used up his savings just setting this up, but no one has to know that. he'll find out that someone else generously contributed later on, but for now he still assumes he's going to be scraping through the rest of the month. ]

[rainswords]

[ When it comes to fast food, honestly, most of it he would have to pass. Marinated in grease, it almost makes him queasy, so really while he may be familiar with that big golden finger-lickin' chicken, he's a mild child, at least according to a friend back in Liyue. The most he has delved into when it comes to quick and economic meals is baked goods. Even then...

The reality is, he isn't certain of the assessment made of partaking in those nuggets cold. Is he going to voice his negative opinion? No, let others have their fun. ]

Those noodles wouldn't be bad, and as you said, there really is no going wrong with ice cream. But ultimately, it is up to Chongyun what our final meal for the night will be. [ He even motions towards his friend with his hand. ]

As for the cuisine found in Liyue, those two dishes do not originate from our homeland, traditionally two major culinary arts are recognized. I can assure you that they don't all involve fowl, that is if you're looking for some variety.

[ He stops speaking then, looking about them. It's a detail he missed, something is suddenly dawning on him. ] It was very kind that we were allowed the use of his hall for a meeting...

[cutcloud]

[ Don't mind Chongyun, he's just going to stand here in deep thought about cold chicken nuggets versus cold noodles. Because, cold noodles? He loves those. Inazuman cuisine is his favorite—ingredients imported, of course. Cold noodles, cold fish, cold drinks... is there anything better? As renowned as Liyue is for cuisine, he really can't help being partial to other styles.

Chicken...noodle....chicken....noodle.... ]

Ah, yes. [ he nods, agreeing with his friend, ] It's a very nice space.

[ Xingqiu has a dawning, Chongyun does not. But it really is a nice space? And it doesn't seem like a big deal if there's no catering. ]

[kaientai]

Why not put the nuggets with the noodles and eat them together?

[ ryouma: willing to be a big advocate of "why not both?" in this situation. ]

Ah, well, it's easy to make people agreeable to things last minute if you're paying them. But it's for the good of everyone, so it was more than worth it.

[ he might be officially attached to the sutoku alliance, but in all things like this ryouma doesn't take sides when it comes to working for other people's happiness. ]

[cutcloud]

Why not—?

[ Cold chicken nuggets with cold noodles? The young exorcist's face twitches as he pictures that combination. Even though he loves cold noodles, he's not sure that they would be good in combination with cold greasy chicken nugs. Maybe even an unholy combination? ]

... because that sounds bad. [ hold on, before he insults Ryouma's taste some more, ] Wait, you didn't pay for all of this yourself, did you?

[ How will Ryouma afford his disgusting stirred cold nuggets and noodles now? ]

[rainswords]

[ Don't you even take that into consideration Chongyun, he will veto that idea, or leave you to face a future stomachache all on your own. That's why his attention has left Ryouma, as he waits to hear what Chongyun finally decides on.

Good. That's right. It's a terrible idea.

Of course, he wouldn't have gone about it that way and bluntly pointed it out to the older man. Actually, he wouldn't have said anything about poor taste at all. It seems Chongyun's honesty doesn't spare feelings. The good thing is that the conversation has been steered away from poor dietary choices. And it seems Chongyun caught on. ]

That's what I was wondering.

[kaientai]

I suppose I imagined the nuggets might be warmer than the noodles themselves, but you really like everything cold, don't you?

[ this is what he's gathered from the fact that they've been talking about cold food this long. ]

Only some of it! Not to worry! It's much better than everyone being much more disorganised because we didn't have this time to sit down together.

[ but this is typical ryouma downplaying things. he definitely had some help he's quite grateful for but paid for quite a bit out of pocket, too but has never been the type to go around looking to take credit for anything. ]

[cutcloud]

Maybe so ... but it still seems like a lot.

[ His clan has rented out restaurants before. Even if the food is "pay for your own", it sounds expensive to coordinate all this, and on short notice. Chongyun doesn't say anything, just glances at Xingqiu for a second before looking back at the older man. It isn't his business, not even his clan, so he won't say anything more about it. ]

Next time you can cater chicken nuggets, since you like them so much.

[ Except that. That's all he's going to say about it. ]

[rainswords]

[ So that's where that stench of debt was coming from!

It doesn't just sound expensive to Xingqiu, he is actually aware that quite a bit of money must have been exchanged to get a hold of this place. It was short of notice too, which must have added to the cost. Back in Liyue, he could have easily afforded something like this, a few times over and more. But even if he had access to his funds, there was a difference in currency.

Maybe if costs were divided. ]

Well, if you're already... are you planning to visit the casinos next?

[kaientai]

The casinos? Ahaha, that won't be necessary. I've been worse off than this! The Alliance keeps a roof over my head which is all I need.

[ other than his stipend from the alliance itself he's been picking up jobs here and there on top of the steady music job he's been doing on the side. it was a neat little nest egg which he's now exhausted all in one night. ]

Not that it's that bad anyway!

[rainswords]

[ Worse off — it's astounding that this guy can manage to sound almost proud that he had past debts. Was he ever able to recover? The Alliance may provide, but the help at most is minimal, at least that is how Xingqiu classifies it. A job or career is required to make the best of the situation.

Well, if things grow dire, if he must then he would give any aid he can as meager as it may be. ]

No. Maybe. I have never found myself in such a position.

[kaientai]

Oh? Well, it can always be helpful to see how the other side lives sometimes. Are you good with money then?

[ it's all a learning experience, even the hardships. and now if he has an opportunity to learn from other people who have useful experience, he might as well ask. ]

See, I'm used to wandering around and making my own way, but I eventually built a company. Don't you worry, I've learned a lot already from the best merchants in Nagasaki. I'm intending to build another company here too. Might as well, right?

[ he makes it sound so easy... ]

[rainswords]

[ Helpful? There is simply a lot more that can be done when well off, that's something that has not been lost on him but he understands that the words speak of experience. Of course, back in Liyue he would gladly trade wealth and position as long as he could continue to enjoy a moment of solitude. For just a little longer... ]

I am simply fortunate when it comes to the circumstances of my birth.

[ He listens on, a nod is offered. If there is experience, if there is knowledge, then there is no reason to back away from that endeavor. Besides, nothing ventured nothing gained. It would have been much the case for him had he not proceeded forward with his own publication. ]

Well, you must enter the tiger’s den to catch the cubs.