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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[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?

[Izuku blinks. It's strange, it's like he's talking to one of his best friends but an entirely different person at the same time. He talks about a roommate and how he's learned to throw knives and how he lived with a detective...?]

Right now?! I mean... Okay.

[He is morbidly curious... Throwing knives is way too cool?? Shoto has always been incredibly cool in his opinion, but wow. This is ten times the cool.]

Todoroki-kun, if you don't mind me asking... When you have time I'd really like to hear more about your experiences before all of this too.

[It's odd to talk to Izuku, as well, seeing him so much younger than himself. But. It's still him and he will cling to every single thing he's done without him there, however also with him right there in another way. This is a person who inspires him to do his best in everything. It always comes back to this.

He nods his head, he can show him now even with the tax on his quirk. It will take him a little to make something as he gets used to how weakened in comparison it is, but he folds his right hand as if he's holding something and the night's air begins to billow the telltale signs around it.

His eyes turn to his hand and then back to Izuku at his question. Well. Not a question, but a statement in question.]

I can do that. I can't promise you that all the stories are uplifting.

[The small bit of ice he's made in his hand gets waved over by his warmer hand to temper any bits he can. Normally it's not so bad, but normally he can control his quirk. It will work for his purposes. He fishes the can out of his bag and hands it to Izuku.]

Can you set that somewhere you'd like for me to hit it. Close doesn't matter.

That's alright, I think I'd still like to hear about it. Missing out on a chunk of what's happened to you? It feels strange to me.

[Luckily it seems that the rain is starting to pitter away to a light sprinkle so they don't have to worry about their hair getting soaked again. Izuku nods and reaches out to take the bit of ice. He does note how there's just something different about how he makes it. All of their quirks are muted or not working as well as they used to and he's noticed it. But he's trying not to dwell too much on that at this very moment. He'll think about that later... Probably lose sleep over it.

He walks over to place it on the top of a wooden piece of fencing and then moves safely back to Shoto's side.]

Will that work?

When we're settled in, I'll set time aside.

[Shoto isn't so sure that Izuku is going to enjoy half the things he has to say, even things that aren't a little more tedious to go through. But when Izuku says it like that, it makes him wish he had his journal here to just lay it out for him and let him have it. The last thing he wants is to become a stranger in any way, even if it just seems 'strange' to Izuku.

With the ice in hand and can in place, Shoto nods his head.]

It's fine.

[A momentary check around to make sure no one is there in case they were to walk behind or in front of it accidentally. With a precision flick of his wrist, trailed by the follow through of his right arm, the sharp ice is thrown through the can with barely a leak. It's a little off center, but it's still through it.]

It took me a year to learn and I'm nowhere as good as my teacher, but I'm proud of my progress none the less.

[Luckily Izuku already has a small sense that everything that Shoto has told him so far isn't all of it and it can't all be good things. Just look at where they are right now- wrapped up in a weird Hell place that resembles Tokyo. There are bound to be some bad stories in there if multiverses are actually a thing... Izuku knows he should probably brace himself for that. Either way, he wants to know what's happened to his best friend...]

Ah?!

[The can clacks away and hits the ground and Izuku's eyes are wide with amazement.]

That's... That's incredible, Todoroki-kun?! If it took you a year just imagine how good you'll be at it with more time?!

[One thing he's quickly realizing though is that Shoto has gotten even cooler than he was before.]

[Izuku has always been a very cornerstone of Shoto making things the best he could for himself after reminding him just what he wanted. This is no different and Shoto steps forward to pull the ice knife out and crack it under his foot so no one else could stumble on it while he wasn't the owner of it. In the mean time he also put his finger on one of the holes and drinks from the other side, nodding his head after. A small patch of ice is left where his finger was so he doesn't have to keep holding it.]

Thank you. I wish I would've learned this a long time ago, but I had other disciplines to consider. I also wish that my teacher was here so you could see how good he was. He was only a few years older than us and could do that with multiple projectiles, multiple targets and never miss.

[But he is looking around, concerned a little in the very least.]

Where were you headed?

[Once again Izuku feels that little twinge of curiosity (and maybe ebbing away jealousy) that Shoto has learned so much in the time that he's been away. Izuku feels like he has some catching up to do in a way as well...]

I think I would have liked meeting him.

[He shakes his head free of thoughts.]

Ah! I was heading back to the apartments the Sutoku Alliance set up for us- for me... We should probably head back it's getting late.

[One day he's going to get all his answers and maybe none of those are ones he's going to enjoy. But for now at least he's impressed and that's something that Shoto can feel proud of himself for.

Even if Izuku is correct, Shoto is feeling a thousand times better and willing to agree and so he does with a nod of his head.]

Yes. Please text me when you get home so I know you got there safely.

[Because we all know this bitch will drop everything for an empty text with a GPS signal.

Either way, he holds out the bag with the goodies in it, he's got his drink after all.]

Everyone can take care of themselves, but it doesn't stop me from being concerned with all of you.

[He blinks but he does nod and only takes one goodie for himself. Shoto has always been a good friend. Protective and caring even if he was a little cold from the start. Now he's just Shoto, warm and a little empty headed with all the best intentions. Izuku is relieved to hear him and see him like this.]

I will, Todoroki-kun. I'm going to be trying my best not to give you and everyone else a reason to worry about me again.

[So he gives a small wave goodbye for now.]

Be careful on your way back and make sure you stay dry! I mean it about you catching a cold out here if you're not careful...!

Edited 2022-06-06 17:54 (UTC)

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May 2022 IC Mingle

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