jigokulogs | closed | call me snoopy 'cause i'm putting my nose where it don't belong

I'd like to take a look at the waterworks myself, so maybe if we decide to split up later we can head that way. I agree with heading down together and splitting up afterwards; that sounds like a good plan.

[ it's a plan, which is usually something ryouma never has, so it's something! for his part, he seems unbothered by where they are, more interested in seeing what he can see. incidentally, it's a sewer. doesn't mean it's not curious! ]

And I imagine the people who live here are at home here.

[ which is one reason he's opposed to the idea of outsiders coming in and just trying to claim the place for themselves, but that's why he's here. ideally, he'll be another step toward finding a way to help. but since they're walking along anyway... ]

I'm guessing we're all here for more or less the same reasons? In any case, if you're here because there's also an opportunity for a competitive advantage, it's not like there's anything wrong with that.

[the work of a cultivator is in haunted houses and graveyards, among rotting bodies and unquiet ghosts. for all his fastidiousness in his personal life, Lan Wangji seems unbothered by their dreary surroundings, very capable of compartmentalization in service of getting the job done.

he doesn't comment on his motivations for being here, but it hasn't escaped his notice that the Tamamo's presence could well give them exactly the competitive advantage that Ryouma is citing. he's decided to stay neutral on that particular issue, for now -- another faction gaining control over this territory is theoretically bad news for Sutoku, but he's not sure how he personally would prevent it. and at the moment, he's thinking of it more as a hunting ground.

the waterworks would have been his first choice to investigate, but he's very interested in those levels below, as well... one of the first things he asked for in the city was access to the Enma's records of what's down there. even if such things being buried in bureaucratic red tape is not unusual, the fact that his latest inquiries are still getting him nowhere makes him wonder.]

If moving separately, each group should warn others of interference. The Enma are likely still present.

[that conviction might explain his eagerness to be on the move. he's not necessarily going to stick to one area if he finds evidence that points him in a different direction, but he'll see how everyone separates themselves and do what's needed; he has no interest in messing up the activities of the group as a whole.]

[ Why is he suddenly Ritsu's cane?? Not that Chongyun complains about it at all; he wraps an arm around Ritsu's waist with a sigh, offering his support and guiding the other boy along while he looks at his phone instead of their surroundings. Surroundings that grow danker as they descend; the scent of water grows crisper in the air, as does some mustiness from the nature of it being beneath the earth. There's also some stink. Stink that will likely only get worse the deeper they get.

As Chongyun looks around in the growing dark, one of his earlier questions about the Underground is almost immediately answered: this .... this is where the poop goes. ]

I would just like some answers. The Underground has always been a point of interest, hasn't it? [ between the red tape, forbidden areas, and now the assassination... the chance to finally see it can't be missed. even if he is indeed regretful of the fact that it's where the poop goes. ] We can text each other of their guard-posts and patrols. [ after a slight moment of consideration, ] I personally would like to cover as much ground as possible.

[ He'll go anywhere. If he plans on seeing it all, it doesn't much matter where the first stop is.

He gives Ritsu a sidelong glance. ]

Am I going to be carrying you the whole time?

( What kind of question is that after he's gone and make sure Ritsu's so comfy against him? )

Mmmm-hmm, so let's pair up, Chokkun. ( ...He'd been thinking about what other factions might stand to gain from sneaking around here too, especially after the chitchat he's heard around the bar he works at with Emily as of late—but he hadn't thought either of the Tamamo who decided to come along would have any designs on it.

He still doesn't, but he'd be lying if he hadn't considered that they shouldn't split up by factions. ) Ah, and Sakamoto's right—the kappa like it down here 'cause it's dark and wet. I can do without the second, but I love how dark it is, too ♪

( vampire nature and all, )

But 'kay, so that's three for givin' the waterworks a good look-over and one "doesn't matter". ( And Ritsu... is more or less the same way. ) We can check over them while we're moving downwards, then.

( Ritsu's not just looking at maps, though. Tapping... slowly... Okay.

Ryouta, Chongyun, Shylock, and Lan Wangji all get an invite to undrgnd. It's now their private group chat, for communication purposes!! Satisfied, he flips back to the map pictures. )

...I think a way down's that way ( glancing up—left, maybe? ) so let's get there and get this search going.

So the kappa love the dark and damp, then...

[ the more shylock knows. he'd done his best to rescue a kappa back when enma was wrangling them up... maybe he should've hidden them in a wine cellar instead? ah well.

his phone is already out anyway, but he's surprised at this new "group chat" feature, which he will tinker around a bit once more as they turn a left corner and down a-- hm. a stairwell is visible from where they're at, but: ]

Shall we take the stairs? We might be easily spotted if we take the elevator when it stops at every other floor.

[ it's a hassle, but it's too much of a risk earlier on. ]

Ah... I'm going to have to get used to that.

[ he's not used to people knowing who he is yet. servant paranoia dies hard.

he's also keeping mental notes this time and that's more enma-related suspicion just volunteered. ~~please continue validating him.~~ ]

I didn't think it was always up for grabs until recently, but funny about the timing. So much for "order"; they might as well have said they're turning a blind eye to things around here. Worse comes to worst, act like we caught you Tamamos poking around where you don't belong. Bet they won't look twice~

[ hiding in plain sight is how he survived as long as he did. ]

Edited 2022-04-17 09:12 (UTC)

[Lan Wangji sticks with the group, heading for the stairs and keeping his eyes and ears on high alert -- if this were a D&D adventuring party, he'd be rolling a new perception check every few steps. something just feels off about the environment down here, with the oppressive air lying heavy over everything. this isn't an underground tomb, but it is the grave of the kappa who died down here so that whatever this plan was could

he'll pause for a moment at the bottom of the stairs to make sure he understands the new group chat function, and his eye does linger for a moment on Ritsu leaning on Chongyun. there's a feeling that wants to be nostalgia tugging at his throat as he watches the dark-haired youth draped against the painfully correct blue and white. he does not indulge it to let it develop further.

when the time comes for a turning, he'll be satisfied with however the others want to split up, he thinks. there are things to keep an eye on in all combinations of this group.]

[ Weak to dark-haired mischievous gremlins, Chongyun further resigns himself to his fate with a sigh and carries Ritsu after Lan Wangji and toward the left. If it’s going to be like this, he’d rather just give Ritsu a piggyback ride the whole way. It’d be easier. He could just be a koala navigator. ]

The stairs sound like a good idea. Better to attract less attention. I’d rather not get arrested, fake or otherwise.

[ You know, just in case they are caught and their acting skills aren’t up to snuff. He’s not in the mood to end up in real jail … though, belatedly, he realizes that might be the best route to finding the most evil spirits in the city. That’s been pending on his investigation list because of no good leads.

That’s an idea for another day.

Swapping groups every so often and covering more ground that way—seems like a good enough plan. Chongyun has no complaints about it, just nods to it, moving further into the darkness. If it’s between sun and shadow he’ll take shadow as well, the cold growing as they descend quite pleasant. These kappa have the right of it, aside from the whole poop business.

The lights are few and far between. He pauses at the end of another tunnel that has several branching pathways to glance at the others. ]

Then, should we split here?

( ...Well, he doesn't have to suffer the embarrassment of holding Ritsu for long--when the split pathways come up, he slouches off of him and stretches. He's not that tired, after all. It's night-time, and while he's getting used to daylight hours, he still likes keep late hours more.

And picking here to split off at? That's not a bad idea at all. )

Already throwing us under the bus, Mr. Rider? [ shylock lets out a chuckle. ] Let's hope it won't come to that. Playing pretend or not, I do wish to maintain camaraderie with the Sutoku so long as we're here.

[ he has a lot of sutoku cr okay, he likes y'all enough. in any case, he did say he needs to check out the actual sewers for himself, so off to the waterworks he goes. ]

[Lan Wangji personally won't be satisfied until he can see everything down here for himself, and his glance will follow Rider and Shylock before he moves to keep pace with Chongyun and Ritsu, at least for now. he wonders what each group will find, and whether they'll all keep sharing whatever is discovered.

encouragingly, based on the interactions so far, he has a fairly positive feeling about it. but there isn't enough information to say.]

Ah... only as an act, of course!

[ sometimes he has a suspicious face but he means well~ ]

I hope it won't come to anything like that either, but who knows? Especially the farther down we go...

[ he definitely wants to get a look at those offices at some point, but first the waterworks... ]

closed | call me snoopy 'cause i'm putting my nose where it don't belong

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