jigokulogs | May 2022 IC Mingle

May 2022 IC Mingle

1. WELCOMING COMMITTEE

The influx of fresh Lost Souls means the factions need to have a little welcoming party for them. The leaders realize things have been chaotic in the city. So some recreational activities are in order. All Lost Souls will receive a message from their respective faction leaders with orders to go have some fun.

The Shuten Clan are given an advance on their first paycheck and told to go to the Celestial Phoenix Casino. A big sign on the half boarded up door proudly proclaims UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT. What happened to the old management? It doesn't matter and stop asking questions! The important part is that all games and machines are half-price and there are special prizes available in exchange for your chips and tokens. Games range from the traditional Western style (poker, roulette, slots) to Japanese favorites (cee-lo, koi koi, cho-han).

As for prizes, they have a selection of designer goods, including some particularly nice bracelets, necklaces, and watches!

The Tamamo Clan are given a considerable number of drink vouchers for Crimson Moon Karaoke, where they can sing their hearts out and while absolutely smashed. Private rooms are cheap to rent and they even offer a special discount for groups of two or more. The karaoke machines have any songs you could possibly want, which is a little suspicious, but don't question it! Just get drunk and have fun. By all means, extend your time as you wish and drink up to get in the proper mood. This is an important bonding opportunity.

Oh yeah, as an important note: the rooms are soundproof. You can get as loud as you like, be it with singing or... something else. Don’t do anything Tenko-hime wouldn’t do!

Members of The Sutoku Alliance are given tickets to Fiance of the Funeral Procession at the Pluto Theatre and Cafe. The tickets include free food at the cafe, including beer. Sure, the star may not be a Sutoku member but that doesn't matter too much: getting butts into seats at Sutoku-owned theaters is what’s important. The Daitengu rented the theater out for the day, so there is plenty of time to mill around both before and after the show.

Make a day, or night, of it!

A funeral-based romantic comedy melodrama as the viewing fare is probably a tasteless joke on the Daitengu's part. But hey, y'all aren't still mad that they crashed their own funeral and then took off laughing, right?

Right?

The Department of the Enma members are told that they're going to be doing a team-building exercise. What exactly does that mean? That's right, it's community cleanup time! You get to clean up cans and trash in the street! You get the honor of using a department-issued bike with an attached cart to wheel around the city and pick up trash! How exciting! Teamwork is encouraged, of course. Teams that collect enough garbage will get one (1) voucher for mini-golf.

Please be aware of the local homeless population as you work, they won’t be happy to see you. They normally collect the cans in the mornings as a meager source of income that you’ll be dipping into. They're probably just not happy with Enma officials in general though. Sorry!

2. IT'S RAINING, IT'S POURING...

By the time you're done with your faction-sponsored fun, the sky has decided to open up. Hope you brought your umbrella! The rain is bad enough that walking home might not be an option right now. So take refuge in one of the many nearby nightlife spots.

Not in your faction's home territory? Doesn't matter! Make some friends outside your group or maybe get into a fight and cause some trouble. There's always the third option of ignoring everyone and drinking yourself silly instead! The rain has to let up eventually… right?

Hopefully you aren't caught near one of the cursed Haniwa figures that have been popping up around town. Their aura really dampens the mood and may even start to cause some dramatic and frightening hallucinations if you and your rain-stranded friends stay near them for too long. But remember! Do not break the figurine. Just try to move it somewhere else? And hopefully not get drenched in the process.

Welcome to the IC mingle!

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's the rain that could get someone sick, Shoto!! Not only just spending time outside in the cold and dark like this! Izuku is concerned. But also he wants to check in on Shoto with all of this happening. Truth be told Izuku can kind of sense that there's something different about his friend.

He heads inside with a quick nod and once in he shakes out his green hair slightly of the rain droplets.]

I couldn't sleep, actually. With everything going on it's hard to close my eyes and not think about what's happened.

[He glances at Shoto and looks a little sheepish.]

What about you? Are you okay?

Edited 2022-05-11 20:26 (UTC)

[One day he'll learn that, but not today. Instead he's reminded instantly about just how much his friend cares about people around him. It's as heartening as it ever has been. The two of them haven't been in bright lights for Izuku to exactly be able to see the differences until that point, either. Height is nothing when someone is normally taller than you.

Trouble sleeping is normal and Shoto can relate. He wishes he couldn't so both of them could just have a restful night.]

I'm alright. Just wet and I can take care of at least that. I can safely dry your hair if you'd like.

[Anything else and he's not sure. He hasn't seen what's been done to his quirk and hasn't been in a place to try to construct it further than what he has been doing.]

Eh? Really? You can help dry my hair with your quirk?

[He blinks with so much curiosity but also please don't burn all his hair off. All of their quirks are muted right now and Izuku hasn't had the time to test all of his just yet so he's not really sure what to expect.

So he gives a tentative nod because he does trust Shoto. And he sort of wants to see this drying power? ... Is it going to be like a hairdryer? No, it's not like that...]

Why not?

[He does it for himself. It can't be too different. ...Hopefully. Not showing that on his features, Shoto reaches out after that nod. A moment or two and the hesitation after raising his hand to inch toward Izuku's hair stops him. It isn't the an apprehension or lack of confidence, it's the motions itself. But he had offered and he would have regardless. His fingers splay enough to have his thumb and pointer finger gently carding into the green locks of his friends hair with the obvious difference in their temperature. Each subsequent slide of his fingers back into Izuku's hair in different angles is always careful, reverent and make sure that the slide of his fingers or any graze of his nails against scalp is the barest touch. It makes it easier to separate the hair and which parts are wet and which parts aren't to heat up the air around his hand and warm it dry. Or at least drier as each pass of his fingers goes through, mindful of tangles of course.]

I've used this method on myself.

[He's trying to be reassuring.]

If it's too hot, I'll adjust but please let me know.

Eh?

[At first he's really expecting something like flames coming out of Shoto's hands! He's used to that sort of thing, not necessarily aimed at him, but it's Shoto's quirk. So imagine the look on Izuku's face when he feels fingers in his hair that are just... warm. Warm and comforting enough to slowly dry and ruffle at his wet green locks. It makes him blink at Shoto and once again he notices that there's just something slightly different about the boy than what he remembers. But the heated fingers in his hair kind of distract him.]

Todoroki-kun...?

[It feels nice? He can't help but squeeze his face and look like a puppy that's getting some much-needed care and attention.

What the hell... This feels so nice??]

Amazing...!

[Shoto Sugoi????]

[This time he's not throwing massive amounts of fire around. Normally the MO for a Todoroki encounter these days, but the heat is all he's offering at that moment. But no, true as it is, just keeping the temperature warm in the air around his hand which helps to dry off the water by evaporation. So... Kind of like a hair drier, yes.

His name being said pages him to look at his friend's face, 'hm?' ing until he hears the second part of it.]

Oh...

[Well, okay, he's sure it's amazing at least to Izuku.]

It's just... mm... They're called 'life hacks'? Just something to help the day pass easier in small tasks.

[It takes little longer and his fingers come back after pressing through locks to make sure they're not damp or dripping.]

Did I get it all? Can you feel anything?

Edited (We don't talk about me realizing hours later I hit the wrong icon.) 2022-05-13 13:33 (UTC)

[He might be just a little bit distracted when those questions get asked. A split second where Izuku's just sort of standing there like he's getting a star-class treatment. It's like a head massage but warmer and Izuku's hair is dry and fluffy once again. Truth be told he hasn't been the best at taking care of himself lately so to get a little treatment is- erm- well... Appreciated.]

Life hacks? I had no idea you could do something like this with your quirk...! I wonder what else you can do.

[Don't start theory crafting now, Izuku.]

I think you got it all, though. It's like I wasn't even in the rain?

[He reaches up to ruffle at his own green locks. Clean and dry! Amazing!]

[That's what friends are for, they're there to support each other even if it's just odd uses for their quirks. Especially since being outside could already land them a cold. Shoto wordlessly nods his head at the rhetorical question in reference to the word he used. Life hack. That's what he was told things that made it easy were, which had to be explained to him, too, but that's another time and place. Izuku is asking some of his own questions, or rather stating out loud and Shoto is too dumb to know not to respond.]

I can cook with it. I can make my own water for consumption in the cooking or my own if I wanted. Bruises or swelling I can manage with my ice side. I've found new ways of using my ice offensively, too. Quite a few things that are "life hacks".

[Name a time better to theory craft. Shoto seems relatively pleased that he's done something for Izuku that he's impressed by. Of all people, Izuku for that matter. Speaking of things to be done in similar, Shoto lifts both his hands to run both of them passed his own cheeks, into the dark space on either side of his face. The movement is to pass back into what is his hood and also his hair to let it fall back long behind him. There's a small bit of steam from his left side as he begins to start the process of drying himself off.]

Good. Depending on how long you've been outside, you'll have to be more careful. We can't be getting sick here, we're not even certain what kind of illnesses will be more fatal to us in comparison to them.

[Izuku nods along with each little explanation even if he wasn't really needing the detailed explanation. He's making mental notes anyway! What would it be like to sit next to Shoto during the hot days of summer? Would it be like sitting next to an air conditioning unit? These are the sorts of things that go through Izuku's head when he's memorizing notes about a quirk...]

Maybe next time I have a bruise I should come to you, Todo... roki... k-

[Wait a minute. Wait. Wait.]

... Kun?

[When Shoto's hood comes down Izuku sees this silky flash of long white and red strands of hair like strawberry and cream. Shoto's words sort of fall on suddenly deaf ears as Izuku stares at him with wide eyes.

Why does Shoto have long hair? Why does it look? So good?]

... Wh- What... Why is your hair so... like that? Todoroki-kun? Why is it so long?!

[EXPLAIN? He can't stop staring??? What the hell?]

[There's a lot of practical uses of his quirk and they could figure it out one day if Izuku is brave enough to sit next to Shoto during any season. Who knows? Maybe he runs hot? His name hasn't been elongated like that before, but he assumes maybe Midoriya is thinking of something to do with the bruising? Sometimes that happens to him, too, he gets absorbed in his thoughts.]

Yes. Please do. I'll help you with them.

[Free of the confines of his hoodie, and almost dry mainly on the left side, creeping into the right hand side, himself, Shoto tilts his head, looking over his shoulder as if his hair will answer for him.]

Because I didn't cut it.

[That's a pretty obvious answer.]

It's been two years since I've cut it.

[His crystal clear, mismatched eyes turn back on his friend with a small, but tired look on his face.]

You don't remember. That's alright.

Eh? Two years?

[That certainly snaps Izuku out of his starting stupor. He blinks and furrows his eyebrows.]

What do you mean, I don't remember you ever having hair that long.

[Which is a little alarming because how did Shoto's hair grow so long practically overnight? It looks amazing and Shoto looks even more typically "bishounen" (read: very pretty boy) and Izuku doesn't really know what to do with that either?]

[That look is one that Shoto is familiar with. He's been through it multiple times now where Bakugo is concerned and it's a little newer where Izuku is involved but... he's used to it.]

You wouldn't.

[Shoto's eyes look toward the employee of the shop, leading Izuku a little further so that they can at least look around. He's a bit hungry himself.]

This isn't the first place I've been taken to. This is the fourth time I've been moved through as many worlds.

[Izuku glances away and catches the look of the convenience store worker as well and follows Shoto to wander through the aisles. Honestly, he could use a snack as well. Do they have onigiri? Anything to make things feel a little normal right now.

He looks contemplative and still confused.]

Fourth time? Todoroki-kun, you're not making any sense. You're talking like there's some sort of repeat world-travelling happening to you.

[Please don't tell him the multiverse is real too?? ]

... If that's what's happened to us right now? Has that really happened to you?

[As long as Izuku doesn't mind the 'Oni' part of it being the brand name, they'll probably find it somewhere. Of course anyone with a rational mind would be confused.]

Yes.

[Lying isn't his MO, being confusing definitely but not lying. Shoto opens one of the cold doors with his right hand and pauses in the wake of the chill that hits him.]

I've been to four different places over the last two years.

[The drink he chooses is something random, he's not really even looking at what it is in that moment. Whatever it is duplicates by way of him taking another and offering it to Midoriya.]

[He has to look at that offered drink and just ... freeze up for a second? He looks at the drink and then back up at Shoto. This is Todoroki Shoto. One of his best friends. The one he goes to school with, went on projects and assignments with, internships with... Right? Even if he looks different. Two years different.

His hand reaches out to touch the drink, fingers brushing at Shoto's hand like he's just checking his real.]

It's hard to believe it.

[He mutters a little honestly. But he has to be open-minded about it since look at where they are right now. And Shoto wouldn't lie to him.]

Erm... [He takes the drink.] Could I... touch your hair?

[..........???]

I just- I want to make sure this is real!

[He's not being weird, promise!]

[With everything going on, Shoto would've wanted to make sure, too if he were in the opposite situation. The look on his friend's face said a lot but Shoto isn't in the business of not telling him the truth or not telling him what he's asking about. Offering that information may be a little different, but not where he's been actually addressed on it.

His eyes tick to Izuku's hand and he makes nothing of it otherwise. Another small nod is his response to the first part and the second is the tip of his head with a small, curious pinch of his eyebrows.]

Make sure my hair is real?

[Shoto's free hand plays with the ends of it as he looks down toward said ends.]

You can. I'm very real. I'm not made up... but I think if I was made up and part of your mind maybe your mind would make me say that, too. Or make you only think you're holding something I gave you. Or that your hair wasn't wet so, yes. Please do. I don't want you to think I'm not here.

[Because the last thing he actually wants to be is alone. Being alone is terrible and he'll take togetherness where he can get it.]

[Shoto please, he's already going through a lot of trial and error right now he doesn't also need Shoto's eccentric comments of being real or a figment of Izuku's imagination getting to him to make it even worse.]

No-? Wait, I know you're real...! I just- Want to know if you being two years older than me now is... Nevermind.

[He gulps and then reaches out to very carefully touch the free end of one of Shoto's long locks of hair. It's as silky as he'd expect. A little damp from the rain. But red and white strands just like he remembers seeing always. Yup, it's hair.]

You're really here too, Todoroki-kun... I don't know if I can fully understand this but as long as you're safe... I'm relieved.

Edited 2022-05-16 23:20 (UTC)

[It's honesty. Okay, it's eccentric at times. Alright, a lot of times. He's still at least being honest. But the curiosity gets the better of him even if letting Izuku touch his hair isn't as nerve wracking for him as it is for Izuku. Normally he would've asked but the reverence his hair is being touched with reminds him just how much his friend cares for everyone, well before he's proving the point verbally.]

We're safe for now.

[It's not cynicism or its ilk, it's experience.]

Whatever it is there's more than one of us here and that will increase the odds we figure out what's going on and how to get home.

[He's not sure how Shoto manages to do it. Just a simple couple of words said and Izuku feels that same little rush of relief to know that Shoto is right. Izuku has been so worried, so confused, about all of this and about his friends. This is a lot that is happening to them and Izuku has the world on his shoulders already so... He appreciates the breath of air.

He lets go of the hair and nods. Looking down at the drink in his hand.]

You're right, Todoroki-kun. I'm ... I'm not sure what's entirely different about you but I can tell. That you're still Todoroki-kun.

[And they're safe for now. They'll figure this out.]

[Someone has to take care of the person who takes care of all of them. It may as well be Shoto who can understand just as much the want to do exactly as Izuku does and yet has the mindset to know how to compartmentalize it. Everything seems like a priority to Izuku in Shoto's eyes and everyone. That can't be easy to maintain and sometimes someone just needs that little boost, isn't that right?

Reaching into his pocket, Shoto pulls his elastic out and puts his hair up into a little half ponytail, letting the loop of his hair slide into the hood he pulls up again.]

I am. I'm very happy you're here. I've missed you.

[He turns, then, taking the items he wants to buy toward the front, and a few snacks or so. They better at least buy something before they're thrown out on their asses, him especially.]

[Izuku, in turn, has been thinking a lot about that lately as well. How hard he pushed himself to make sure everyone was safe on his watch. That they would have nothing to regret, nothing to worry about. Izuku had to be strong enough to protect that. But with almost burning himself out and his classmates coming to save him and pull him out of that whirlwind of selfless sacrificing... He's trying to think twice.]

I've missed you too...!

[It almost feels weird to say that since in his timeline it's only been a little while. But he still feels the same sentiment. Shoto is one of his best friends.

He'll follow Shoto to buy their snacks and drinks. With one last glance at Shoto's hair.]

You know, Todoroki-kun... You almost look like you could be some sort of Edo-period samurai with hair that long.

[At least now all of them are older and wiser to know there's no such thing as a team of one. Not even someone like Shoto with years under his belt now and multiple worlds having taught him multiple things. Not everyone can be Bakugo and not even Bakugo can do everything on his own. Debated, but true. The admission brings his eyes to look right on to Izuku, both hues holding their place for a long moment. It's nice to hear this. It's nice to be wanted.

Once they complete their purchase, Shoto is left to contemplate his hair again, once more turning his head as if he can see it and then back to his friend.]

Do you think so? Maybe I'll take some lessons, I've been trying to learn some non-contemporary tactics

[He opens the door, and they can stand there or find somewhere more welcoming and warmer if Izuku knows one.]

A friend of mine taught me knife throwing, for instance.

[As they head back outside Izuku does glance up at the rainclouds. It's still pretty dreary and dark out here. They could go back towards the Sutoku Alliance apartments... But he doesn't want to get Shoto in trouble.]

If you did you would need to tie your hair up in a proper top knot.

[Izuku lets out a small laugh. He thinks it would just look like a loose mesy hair bun on Shoto or something.]

But... really? Someone taught you to do that? I kind of what to see it.

[It's a wonder he already hasn't gotten into shit, but they probably know that someone is wandering in their territory and Shoto couldn't give a damn. It's an alley and he's doing nothing but talking. If they can't even talk, he's going to raise hell-- wait. Hm. Lower hell? While he ponders that, he also considers Izuku's words.

With the little bag of things slid down to the crook of his elbow, Shoto brings both hands back into his hair. He's enjoying the sound of his friend's laughter while trying out what he's suggested just by his hands alone.]

Mhm. Someone I think you would've enjoyed. He stayed with-[Whom? No. Not yet.]-my room mate and I and before that lived with myself and a detective I had met. He was a very honest, caring person if nothing else.

[Letting his hair drop, Shoto addresses the shorter of the two.]

Did you want to see right now?

May 2022 IC Mingle

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lmao this BOY

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HERE Y'GO FRAND.

✨

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