[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

[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. ]

[apathie]

That's talking like youkai are humans. [and he injects enough disgust into that statement to sound like he's offended at being compared to humans. he does have to act like he cares about such things.] Some growling is necessary.

[especially when the youkai is the sort to respond to growling, like a number of people here.]

It's effective if you know who to do it to, and if you can pull it off properly. Except if you try it, we're more likely to laugh at you.

[playfoul]

[ Is that true. Is this some kind of pecking order thing.

In any case, the looks he receives walking with Nehan are different from the looks he got walking around alone. Not friendly by any means, but that's asking a lot in a place like this. ]

Yeah? What else should I know about you youkai?

[apathie]

That depends on the sort of youkai. [then he raises an eyebrow, and jerks his head towards the youkai around. not all of them have fluffy ears. some have horns, some have one eye, some have multiple eyes-- not all of them look like nehan.

in fact, nehan bets no one looks like him. he hasn't found anything in the archives that suit karm erune perfectly.]

And that means getting to know individual cultures.

[playfoul]

[ The youkai are certainly a diverse lot. Yuri has made an effort to keep tabs on which ones are harmless and which ones are dangerous to cross, and sometimes, there are no clear cut lines. He'll never get to know them all, but that's fine. The one he's most interested in knowing at the moment... ]

What about yourself?

[apathie]

You can choose to specialize in anything you want, but your strength in battle, your power, determines your place in the hierarchy, and how society treats you. My society, that is.

My culture.

[and he's not even lying. that's exactly how his clan worked, and nehan simply uses their beliefs and culture in order to craft a youkai identity from them.]

Of course, that's difficult to enforce when there's no one else like me around. [aside from six-- but the man is an idiot, nehan will not even allude to their relationship because it will just blow his cover.]

[playfoul]

You're fine with that way of life?

[ Be it Crests or strength, Yuri thinks society has a bad habit of placing value in the wrong things. It can't be an easy way to live, and life is harsh enough already without the pressures of a culture that prized strength above all. It sheds some light on the guarded way Nehan carries himself. ]

What happens to those who can't fight? Not everyone is suited to swing around a weapon.

[apathie]

If they cant find a way to survive, then they die. [he did not say fight in that line, and there's a good reason for that.] There are ways to survive and contribute without fighting, but if you cant give to the community, what's the point of you?

[his ears turn outward, listening to the people around, listening to make sure that no one is eavesdropping, or stalking them. as long as they mind their own business, nehan will have no problems with them.]

And in this place, I see nothing that contradicts how I've lived so far. Why, are you struggling with life here in Jigoku-cho?

[playfoul]

Just curious how your culture compares to mine.

[ It's similar in one sense. The weak always got the short end of the stick. He can't say he agrees with the philosophy, but he's not here to change anyone's mind. ]

On the contrary, Hell has been more pleasant than I expected.

[apathie]

Hell, compared to your culture? Or hell compared to him? Hmm.

[one ear flicks, and he thinks he spies a hint of white in the corner of his eye... but when he looks, there's nothing between the stalls. just trash from a littering youkai or two.]

No, rather-- what answers have you gotten?

[playfoul]

Compared to what Hell's said to be in my world. Burning in the eternal flames as punishment for your sins.

[ Instead, this Hell had good food, good drinks, and places to indulge all your worst vices. It's not a pleasant place, but not as unpleasant as it could be.

Yuri also turns his head when Nehan reacts to something, but sees nothing. ]

That's one difference I'm not complaining about.

[apathie]

[nehan has to snort.]

The living don't truly know what hell is, they simply tell tales to make their children behave. [only the dead do-- which they are.]

But this is the youkai's hell. Who knows about the ones that are majority human.

[playfoul]

Who knows.

[ He'll find out when he gets there. The stalls are thinning; they're coming to the end of the black market stretch now. ]

Well, it's been a fun little tour. Anything catch your eye?

[apathie]

I've forgotten what I was meant to buy. [a lie. he remembers what he was here for... but it's not something to buy. it's something he's been following around, but lost track of when he had to bail the human out.

careless, he should have stayed on the path and not gotten distracted.]

Nevermind, my memory will be jogged if I see it.

[playfoul]

[ Yuri raises an eyebrow. Well, if they've got no business left here ... ]

Then how about we clear out and have a meal? My treat, this time.

[ In other words, he'd like to settle his debt. ]

[apathie]

[nehan raises one eyebrow.]

Are you, or are you not struggling with money? Or perhaps you're just going to bring me to a small stall on the side of the street, like takoyaki or udon.

[playfoul]

I'm offended you think I'd skimp on you. I always pay my debts in full.

[ He just doesn't carry all his money with him anymore because, well, that didn't exactly end well last time. ]

I've enough on me to afford a decent meal. Are you coming?

good to wrap up soon maybe?

[apathie]

Very well. [one last sweep of the black market behind them, trying to catch a glimpse of the little white rabbits that caught his eye outside... before sighing. yes, this is a lost cause. he'll come back when he has more time.]

Am I allowed to choose the place? If so, I know a good place for meals, and cheap ones too.

[he tucks his coat around himself so it doesn't flutter as he takes big strides towards the exit-- rather, the entrance he used. he's certainly ready for a meal.]

Unless you're weak to spice.