[open] april/may catchall

[playfoul]

Who ⬤ Yuri + you
What ⬤ Catchall for tdm prompts and substories
When ⬤ Late April / May
Where ⬤ Around Jigokucho
Content Warnings ⬤ N/A

Vend Me A Dream

[ It had seemed like an easy request until one ask led to another and in a ridiculous turn of events, Yuri finds himself at an arcade trying to fish out a specific toy from among a dozen in a crane machine. After several unsuccessful attempts and a growing urge to just pick the lock on the damn machine, he exchanges a look with his fetch quest partner, or perhaps a passerby. ]

This has gotta be rigged.

Haniwhat?

Creepy things, aren't they? I'll take it off your hands.

[ Anyone finding themselves burdened with haniwa might find Yuri extending them a hand and an offer to relieve them of the unwanted visitors. The reason he's been collecting haniwa becomes apparent later in the day, when the same figurines pop up on youkai eBay.

Despite the 'do not fuck with' energy the figurines give off, it seems a number of souls do, in fact, want to fuck around and find out. That Enma has been confiscating the haniwa only generated demand for the cursed things. So, Yuri figures, why not try to turn a profit? ]

It's Raining, It's Pouring

—I never said it was a scenic shortcut, only a dry one.

[ As the storm beats down over Jigokucho, Yuri is calmly lifting the nearby manhole cover and climbing into the dingy underground tunnel below. It's damper than it usually is with all the rainwater sloshing down the drains, and when he reaches the bottom of the rungs he has to maneuver deftly away from a patch of water overflowing onto the walkway. The tunnels are quiet, at least, the turf wars hopefully wrapped for the day.]

Daily Life

[ Throughout the month, Yuri will continue to spend time helping the Kappa tribe settle into their temporary shelter. He can be found chatting up Sutoku businesses to drum up support, and when he has a free evening, hitting up bars and schmoozing with locals. You might also run into him in bookstores, flipping through cooking recipes or studying Hell's most popular 12-step skincare routine in a beauty magazine. Or perhaps you'll spot him in one of the parks, getting schooled in a game of shogi by an elderly youkai. ]

( If you have other ideas, feel free to PM or hit me up on ahlyo! )

Comments

follow the rabbit | nehan

[playfoul]

[ Yuri had ignored the first rabbit he'd saw. And the second. It's only when the third rabbit hops on by that he begins to think their occurrence is unnatural. Chasing the creature takes him to a seedy alley with seedier deals going on. He's been to markets like these, of course. You never know if you'll find something useful... The youkai fix him with stares as he looks over the wares and asks for the price. ]

Yeah, that's... more than I have in my pockets.

[ The shopkeeper is unimpressed. Yuri's waved away with a look that obviously said, 'if you don't have money, then scram.' ]

[apathie]

That was the most stupid thing to say. [and it seems as if nehan is getting tired of being surrounded by idiots who speak or act first and think later.

even if he doesn't want to, this display of stupidity is right in his face, and he steps forward.]

Move along to another store. [and in a softer voice:] And learn to haggle and bargain.

[playfoul]

Nice to see you, too.

[ Yuri replies dryly, finding it ironic to be spoken to like he's never had to haggle for anything in his life. He's not all that intent on the purchase, and now that he's been spotted by someone who recognizes him, he's wary of being seen buying anything at all. Black market participation is a crime, and surely he'd never do anything untoward like that, ever. ]

Worried about me? Don't be. I've enough for you to come collect, that's all that matters.

[apathie]

I'm not here to collect. [nehan pauses to bare his fangs at the grumpy youkai vendor, before moving away from the stall.]

I'm here for myself, and apparently it's fortunate or fated that I am here, otherwise you would have gotten into even more trouble.

[playfoul]

An annoyed shopkeeper is hardly trouble.

[ He's dealt with a lot worse. Still, he's not opposed to having an intimidating youkai(?) buddy around to act as deterrent to anyone looking to prey on a human. ]

What are you here to shop for?

[apathie]

[unfortunately a nearby merchant hears the question, and starts to call the pair towards them-- to which nehan shoots the poor person a glare before turning back to the human, expression smoothing over to dull again.]

Not something I want to say around merchants around here, given I'm about to burn bridges just barking at them. [then he beckons with one hand.]

Come, let's just walk before they get more annoyed.

[playfoul]

You can try not snarling at them? Hounding the customer is their job, and what's a few dirty looks from a shopkeeper.

[ He's gotten them before, it kinda happens when you're poor. But Yuri begins to walk. ]

vend me a dream

[hellborne]

Rigged?

[ jack can't help but smile with just a little hint of amusement as they see this stranger so frustrated at the crane machine. they don't have much knowledge of these things, but it feels like a little bit of an exaggeration to think of them as rigged.

right?

jack approaches, arms crossed. ]

What are you even trying to do with this?

[playfoul]

You ever fetched something out of one of these? No matter how I position it, the claw fails to grab the toy.

[ The game looked deceptively simple that Yuri's starting to think it all part of its nefarious design. But perhaps there's something he's not seeing. There weren't claw machines back in Fodlan. He's sure if he dropped one into Garreg Mach, he'd make enough to eat everyday. What a wicked contraption. ]

[hellborne]

No...no, I have not.

[ what a strange machine. jack approaches it, looking through the glass with an increasingly curious expression. the mechanisms seem simple yet intricate...but they can't really understand it either. ]

Do you mind if I attempt at it?

[playfoul]

Go ahead, but you might find your pockets lighter with nothing to show for it. Don't say I didn't warn you.

[ He'll step back from the machine and let the stranger have a go. This time, simply watching to see if he can glean something. ]

[hellborne]

I would heed your warning, but unfortunately now I am quite curious to see myself.

[ will they end up getting their ass kicked by a machine? god, jack sure hopes that's not the case, but there's only one way to find out, unfortunately. surely, the sane thing to do is to leave the wretched thing behind, but there is a sizable part of him that's curious to see what would happen.

and so they takes some coins out to insert and bring the game back to a start. with their target in sight, they try to guide the crane closer to it... ]

Dang, this mechanism is a lot more finnicky than I first imagined. Eh...

[ okay. okay it's centered, right? now they just have to lower it and... ]

What do you mean, it didn't grab anything!? The crane was right above it!

[playfoul]

[ It's like throwing a loaded dice. Yuri's not surprised by the results of their attempt. He had been watching from the sidelines, studying the machine to see if there was some trick of the light...but no, nothing's off about the claw's position. ]

Either the machine's faulty, or it was designed this way. Make it look deceptively simple and people will keep throwing their money at it. Clever, really.

Haniwhat Ebay Crimes

[dehallow]

[ A day or two after Yuri has set up his little store, he will find a message in his inbox that is decidedly not a declaration of interest. ]

Dear proprietor of this unlawful storefront,

it has come to our attention that you are making unauthorized sales of goods that are under official confiscation order from the Department of the Enma. Therefore the Department has the right, including but not limited to, restrict, prevent or limit the use of cursed Haniwa figures in order to protect the public against spiritual unrest.

You are to close your store effective immediately and surrender all contraband to the Department posthaste.

If you fail to comply with the aforementioned demand within 5 business days, we will have no choice but to pursue all legal causes of action, including filing a lawsuit and confiscating the items by force.

Further inquiries about how to surrender the Haniwa are to be directed to me personally.

Sincerely,
Barok van Zieks
Attorney at Law
Department of the Enma, Justice Division

[playfoul]

[ There is no return message, but after a while, van Zieks will notice the account selling the haniwa has closed up shop and gone inactive. A new account pops up with suspicious timing the next day under a new seller and contact, though with a bit of scrutiny and squinting at the pictures, one can make out the same set of figurines being sold.

Yuri had read over the notice and come to the unfortunate realization that one, the authorities were onto his little scheme and two, attorneys are a real and troublesome profession. He does what any crook would do and flees the scene, thinking he's covered his tracks, but being new to the internet, he's unaware of how much information he's already handed to the site that can be requested by authorities... ]

[dehallow]

[ Given that van Zieks is himself from a pre-digital age, it takes a little longer than one might expect for him to find the second account. It takes considerably less time to verify that this must be the same individual. Comparing pictures has been a ridiculously large part of his professional career in the last year, he's got that down.

And from then on, it's just a matter of bureaucracy.

And then it's a matter of grabbing an oni coworker and showing up at Yuri's place of residence uninvited.

Your door-bell is ringing, sir. ]

[playfoul]

[ No more threatening notices arrive in his inbox, so for some time, Yuri thinks he's given the man the slip. What even is an attorney? Imagine his surprise to learn someone's whole job is to read the letter of the law and nitpick over violations. Surely no one could be that bored.

Anyhow, when he opens the door and sees the well-dressed man next to his menacing-looking companion, it raises some alarm in his head. This doesn't seem like a friendly call, and he cracks a thin smile. ]

Morning, gentlemen. What's this about?

[dehallow]

[ Well, that was at least an easy find. Half of van Zieks had worried the man wouldn't be at home to begin with. He has no smile to offer in return. ]

Yuri Leclerc, I presume? I have contacted you before. The name is Barok van Zieks.

[ He does not move to introduce his oni companion, who looks... mildly offended by that, actually. ]

You must know why I am here and the Department would appreciate your cooperation.

[playfoul]

[ Oh, shit. It really is the Department of Enma and the lawyer with a nobleman's name who sounds just as stuffy in person. And he thought he'd been careful after the warning letter. ]

...Have you? I'm not sure I follow. Does the Department want something?

[ He stalls as he looks from Barok van Zieks to his oni companion, feigning innocence. ]

haniwhat;

[littleshield]

[ Here he is, not exactly pleased to be hanging around one of those figurines when Yuri makes the comment that he does. ]

...You actually want these wretched things?

[playfoul]

Sure do.

[ Taking that to mean Felix doesn't want it, Yuri will step forward and bag the thing without further explanation. Quick as a thief. ]

[littleshield]

[ Well, Felix will not exactly oppose Yuri taking the thing from him, but... ]

You're not planning on dumping these things in front of people's doors or something, are you?

[playfoul]

Where'd you get such a wicked thought? Nah, I'm not planning to drop it on the doorstep of my enemies. I'm not the one embroiled in a turf war.

[ He's sidestepping the question. Don't worry about it, Felix. ]

How's that been going, by the way?

[littleshield]

It's been going well enough.

[ By which he means he doesn't quite care except whenever he gets in a fight and has to beat the shit out of some idiot who gets in his way.

Anyway, why shouldn't worry about it!! ]

So, what are you going to do with those things? Hand them over to that piece of work leader of yours?

[playfoul]

You ever get tired of fighting down there? Surely there's some of you ready to call truce and go home.

[ It's been a solid moon now and the Kappa's lives aren't getting any easier. Yuri's curious to gauge the sentiment. He's barely stepped underground these past weeks. Funny how he's become the surface dweller.

Felix won't relent, and knowing how stubborn he is makes Yuri sigh. ]

No, but I am collecting it for others.