[open] shuten clan mingling

[no_kyouken]

Who ⬤ The Shuten Clan Lost Souls
What ⬤ Post-event drinking meeting
When ⬤ After some Kappa punching, I assume
Where ⬤ The White Koi, Shuten Clan bar
Content Warnings ⬤ Dranking, Shutens

un: majima Get yer asses up an' come to th'White Koi by 7. It's on Shuten turf, corner of Bunyudomachi. We're meetin'. [ The bar is almost exclusively Shuten members, most of them wearied with nightly patrols and clashes. There's plenty of muttering and chatter about the recent assassination, with the common complaint being 'fuck I have to get my funeral suit out of storage'. Majima points lost souls into a slightly more secluded room done up in the titular white koi pattern. ] Siddown, who's heard what. [ He is also weary and bruised from some fights, leaning back against the wall with a cigarette and a drink. ] 🐍 This is a mingle, sure they got together to talk info but they're Shutens so it's assumed they're going to get drunk, yell, and throw hands. 🐍 Lordy please do whatever you want, I'm not the cops. 🐍 OOC info collection 🐍 Toraguma's orders

Comments

Sha Gojyo | OTA

[pervy_kappa]

[Really, Gojyo had mainly shown up due to contractual obligation and the promise of free drinks. He probably would have avoided the situation if things were up to him.

He never was one to get himself willingly caught up in political bullshit. He had seen enough of these sorts of things go down that he understood how actively sticking your neck out for it was a one-way street to ending up either arrested, killed, or killing when you don't have to.

Besides, sometimes a guy gets a little tired of trying to save the world, you know?

And so he stuck to the back walls of the party, downing his third glass of beer with a hefty sigh as he watched everyone else go around gossiping.]

They're all issues with another clan. I know we're supposed to 'play nice with everyone during this. But is it any of our damn business?

[What a pain in the ass.]

We should leave it to the cops and the Sutoku, shouldn't we?

[sleepinglyra]

[Political bullshit was Sheliak's life and his eyes slightly narrowed at Gojyo's ridiculous suggestion.]

You are a fool if you believe this has nothing to do with our clan. Our leader was left unscathed. That alone will make us seem suspicious and wars has been started with less of an excuse.

[pervy_kappa]

And if any fingers are pointed we do what boss-man wants and otherwise stand our ground.

[He lifts his hand and waves off the notion callously.]

In my opinion us sticking our noses in other peoples business is a one-way ticket to unnecessarily compromising the entire clan when there's easy ways to avoid it.

[sleepinglyra]

[A small scoff slipped through Sheliak's calm mask]

So you suggest we just wait for the storm to pass? Trust everything to a broken clan and one that cares more about maintaining order than anything else? Provided that neither one of them is responsible for the attack.

[pervy_kappa]

Damn man can you shove that stick any further up your ass?

[Gojyos expression sinks as he watches Sheliak continue on with the patronizing. Placing his glass down with a weary sigh.]

Look. All we're supposed to be doing is patrolling the streets and keeping the peace with the civs. Anything beyond that would just be us causing a shit-ton of trouble not only for ourselves but for the people actually responsible for sorting this shit out.

We're supposed to be in an alliance with the other clans, as flimsy as it all feels. Doubting 'em and shoving ourselves into their work would only look suspicious as shit and cause more tension where it can be prevented.

Even a guy like me can figure that much out.

[sleepinglyra]

[Sheliak chose not to grace that insult with a reply. There were more important things to discuss. Fighting among themselves wouldn't help so he attempted to reign in his frustration, even if he was right.]

I'm well aware of how precarious the alliance of the clans is. The assassination was probably orchestrated to pit us against each other and restrict our movement. That is why we need to solve this carefully and quickly. The tension is only going to get worse the longer the problem persists and even if the other clans are innocent, that doesn't mean they won't try to take advantage of the situation.

It's too dangerous to remain idle.

[pervy_kappa]

And it's even more dangerous to go butting ourselves into other peoples affairs without their permission.

[Oh man, they were stuck in a circle weren't they?]

Listen. Take it into your own perspective. How would you feel if something happened to our boss and the next thing you know a bunch of Enma bastards came into our terf butting their noses into our private affairs?

Its no doubt that this may just be an attack on all of the clans. But even if that's the case our priority would then be on keeping a close eye on our own people over trying to figure out what's going on with someone else.

Buckling down and fortifying our defenses as it were.

[sleepinglyra]

[Indeed they were and it was getting them nowhere. Sheliak considered how to word things differently as he listened to Gojyo.]

I wouldn't want them anywhere near clan affairs.

[It would be too easy to try to spin the truth in a way that benefited them and he slowly relented. He wasn't ready to back down completely though. He had too much experience with secret plots to agree with doing nothing. The ones that played a passive game were always the first to lose and so he stubbornly added,]

That is why we need to use discretion, instead of doing nothing. The Alliance will be investigated enough just with the infighting and the Enma's order to round up the kappa. We don't have to risk looking into them. I suspect they are just a smokescreen anyway.

But there are still other mysteries that are not tied to one of the clans and therefore less risky to investigate, like the mystery bullets or other aspects of the assassination. The assassins are still out there, making them a real threat so looking into them more without pointing fingers is a valid approach for any clan to make.

[pervy_kappa]

Now that's more like it.

[All right, Gojyo can relent a little too. At least with the way Sheliak was wording things now it all sounded more reasonable.

He was still hesitant at the thought of digging themselves into a situation they could otherwise avoid. But at least Sheliak was able to acknowledge how it could mess with clan relations.]

It ain't like I don't understand the possibility of our own clan being targets to whoever the fuck started the attack. But I also feel if we do something stupid or overstep our bounds it will just inadvertently make us a target to everything going on. Would suck if digging into something like this just ends up compromising us instead.

Investigation ain't inherently wrong. But I think we should prioritize our defenses and the guard over our own territory first and foremost.

Hell, even with our investigations, instead of going around like a bunch of headless chickens, I don't know, shouldn't we just be setting off a few select people who we know would be good at it?

sorry I'm so late

[sleepinglyra]

[Finally Gojyo was starting to sound reasonable and Sheliak agreed with a small hum.]

Any investigation comes with risks. Even if we are careful, there is a chance our actions could be used against against us if our opponents play their cards right, but some risks can't be avoided. However you can mitigate that risk by sending people that are suited for investigation like you suggested,

[He was a bit surprised that Gojyo came up with that option on his own. Maybe he misjudged him, to some extent. He was still bullheaded and annoying but he could work with that.]

while also strengthening our defenses so we won't be caught off guard if something goes wrong.

[Gojyo's stubbornness would be useful for defense. No plan was flawless. What was important was how you adapted to the challenges that came your way.]

shhh it's all good I can backtag forever~

[pervy_kappa]

[Lack of formal education aside, Gojyo wasn't a complete idiot. And he had enough experience in working alongside organized groups and in messy and violent situations to know how not to get himself killed. Working for Shuten was like taking all the many side-hustles he had accumulated throughout his years and mashing them into one way-too-organized-for-his-liking profession.

He settled back in his seat as Sheliak began to settle with his idea of a middle ground. His body language relaxed as he smirked out.]

Now that's what I'm talking about.

It ain't all make or break, one way or the other, you know? Life's full of middle ground like that. But what matters most is that we don't make asses of ourselves during all of us.

[He picked up his glass, sipping at it before sighing out.]

I'm sure you've heard it around town. A lot of people seem to underestimate Shuten generally. There are lots of words going around that we're nothing more than a bunch of hard-headed and abrasive dumbasses.

[Not that he wasn't self-admittedly abrasive and blunt.]

[sleepinglyra]

[Satisfied with the middle ground they managed to agree on, Sheliak started to relax a little and a small smirk slipped past his defenses.]

I wonder where that impression comes from.

[He was well aware of Shuten's brutish reputation. It was a familiar headache that he had to deal with it every time someone found out a pretty face like him was in Shuten.]

[pervy_kappa]

Truthfully? It's a lot of forced bullshit based on stereotypes, in my opinion.

[He perked up with that. Absent-mindedly reached up to scratch at the back of his neck as he thought it over, the familiar touch of the scales gathered along random parts of his skin kicked him back to realization.]

Supposedly there's just this general misconception that oni and anyone associated with them are a bunch of hard-headed dumbasses. Doesn't it just piss you off? Make you want to show them up?

[no_kyouken]

[ It's not that Gojyo is wrong. ]

Shouldn't stick yer nose where ya ain't told to. Step in somethin' an' Toraguma ain't gonna back yer ass unless it benefits him.

[ But on that note, ]

But we're gonna end up involved. He wants us takin' th'underground for him, think everyone's just gonna sit back an' let him expand his territory no comment?

[pervy_kappa]

Exactly why we shouldn't be stirring up more trouble preemptively. We should keep to ourselves until the old man gives us word to get involved, I think.

[He drinks back what was left of his glass before sighing out. Slamming the pint down on the table before leaning back in his chair.]

Until then we should be focusing less on whatever the hell everyone else is doing and start fortifying ourselves. I don't doubt people will start looking for every available opportunity to find someone to blame. And us making our move is just going to build the tension.

I could give a rats ass about that tengo guy when we have our own asses to prioritize.

[no_kyouken]

He'll beat yer ass if ya make trouble for him, or worse.

[ Says the guy who lost a fucking eye not doing what his boss told him to do. So........... ]

Yer right, mostly anyways. Territories gonna be shiftin' an' yer also gonna get beat if we lose any of it, or if we end up losin' face.

[ The yakuza really mainly enforce themselves with punching. All roads lead to getting your ass beat. ]

But we wanna know what's goin' on so we ain't blind-sided by it. Stupid yakuza's dead yakuza.

[pervy_kappa]

[It still felt weird, hearing the term 'yakuza' like that. Not that he hadn't worked similar circles most of his life, but there was something romantic sounding with the affiliation.]

Oh no doubt about that. I'm just worried about how there's so damn many of us going around being as invasive as we are.
The more of us that are shoving ourselves where we don't belong the more likely we are to stir up unnecessary trouble.

And a nosey yakuza can end up just as dead as a stupid one, yeah?

[He threw his hands up over his head, resting back into his seat.]

Its like having a woman. Ya gotta find the sweet spot that works and tease along it without being too abrasive~

Build up to the opportunity before inserting yourself in. ♥

[no_kyouken]

[ He makes such a fucking face. Disgusting, man. ]

Sure, if ya say so.

[ He shakes his head wearily, exhaling smoke. ]

[pervy_kappa]

[♥ ♥ ♥]

Ahhh?
You saying I'm wrong?

[He is giving the sliest smirk right now.]

[no_kyouken]

Just wouldn't say it like that.

[ Majima and his feelings about women are complicated, for the most part he's actually too much of a sensitive simp to be that gross about it. At least there aren't any ladies around at the moment to hear it. ]

[pervy_kappa]

[Eh, to each their own.

Any woman who would be bothered by that type of conversation just wasn't Gojyo's type anyway.]

Eh? Why not?

Wait--

[Ah! Could it be?]

You aren't gay, are you?

I mean, it isn't my area of expertise, but the method works the same, yeah?

[no_kyouken]

[ He just stares wearily. ]

If ya say so.

[ Out here living his best bisexual trashfire life but it's not something he talks about in general, let alone now. ]

[pervy_kappa]

[Damn. What a dead response.

You okay, Majima?]

Uh... Huh...

[Like, he's actually a little concerned now.]

Do you... Need another drink or something?

[Perhaps 20? Being that emotionally pent up can't be good for one's health.]

[no_kyouken]

[ It's not good for his health, nor is the drinking or chain smoking. But he shrugs and pushes his glass over anyway, he's been drinking some low tier whiskey all night. ]

Knock yerself out.

[pervy_kappa]

[... All right, big guy. This night will be on him. He pulled out his wallet and called over to get some more whiskey. This time the good stuff. He was doing well enough in Jigoku-Cho that he could at least do this much for the guy.

It helped in a world like this that gambling was his specialty. It also helped that a luck-youkai possessed him.

It also probably helped that he was a pro at counting cards.

And so, as the bartender brought out the bottle, Gojyo poured some out for the both of them. Quietly sliding the glass back to Majima without much of his usual quips.]