[open] open 24 hours

[metafictions]

Who ⬤ Kamui and you
What ⬤ The extremely cursed 7/11 night shift
When ⬤ throughout May
Where ⬤ that one Sutoku/Shuten 7/11
Content Warnings ⬤ n/a for now, will update
Notes ⬤ please see Kamui's permissions to opt into having him sense your character's criminal power!

A. convenience store;

[It's 2 am, or thereabouts, and you are on a street where Shuten and Sutoku territory just barely overlap-- so it's a bit of a dodgier visit tonight. However you managed, you've finally bypassed the oni punks squatting outside the automatic doors and made your way into the waiting fluorescent arms of the 7/11, only to find...]

Welcome.

[this guy, dispassionately welcoming you to the store. Like, has he even blinked? It's like they've seated a cryptid behind the counter in a silly uniform. His lack of enthusiasm, his unbroken stare, and the strange presence his silver left eye seems to radiate all combined make this late night convenience store visit feel especially unnerving.

Sometimes, he pauses to stock the shelves, but it always sort of feels like he's watching you. Not that he's a rude cashier, or treating you like you're going to shoplift: he'll ring you up just fine. It's just his terrible vibes. Sorry.]

B. toilet dungeon;

[There's also a public restroom in this 7/11... if you can find it!]

Oh, welcome back. [says Kamui breezily, as his customer emerges from the 7/11 back door for the second-- or third?-- time.] Did you find the WC yet? I'm sorry for the inconvenience, it was cursed last week, so the hallway has gotten longer. You need to follow the directions exactly or you'll just be sent back here right away.

[In one long, breathless sentence, Kamui repeats the directions:]

Go through the door in the back, take a right, go through the fourth door, turn through the first hallway on the left, then keep going straight until you take a right at the intersection, go through the second door and you'll get to a staircase, so go all the way down and through the emergency exit on the right, take the stairs all the way up to the top, and you'll hit a T-shaped hallway, and you'll find the WC just past that.

[He blinks, head canting ever so slightly to the side.]

Please take your time.

C. hani-uhh???;

[There's a haniwa figure that has cropped up right next to the magazine aisle. Fortunately, this is one of Kamui's earlier shifts, so he's not the only employee around and won't be abandoning the register for this-- but they've still got to figure out what to do with this distinctly-cursed looking little guy before one of their oni regulars kicks it over, right?]

Erm...

[Except that, especially with his ability reactivated, it really, really feels like a bad idea to touch the clay figurine. And yet, he definitely can't just leave it there, can he?

Kamui's brows knit together with concern as he stands over it, armed with one of the tongs for hot food. He clicks them together, uncertain, before he crouches down to get a better look at it. He might be poking it with the tongs. Give it a few moments-- he's making up his mind.]

D. wildcard

[here for a vending machine substory task (or another substory)? just wanna generally harass your friendly neighborhood 7/11 cryptid? go wild my dude]

Comments

A

[holeful]

[Fukuda came to the 7-11 at this time of night just because he's used to going to the store late at night when people are less likely to ask questions about his face. That said, he absolutely got bullied by the punks out front before managing to get inside, and only escaped actual violence by being just so absolutely pathetic that he didn't seem worth it.

Kamui may get a different impression when Fukuda walks in though... but he's just going to quietly go about his business grabbing some snacks and such. While he may glance at Kamui, between both politeness and also a complete inability to diagnose someone else with weird vibes given his own, he doesn't offer much of a reaction if he does think Kamui is offputting. Rather, after a few minutes, he offers a slightly timid aside;]

Are those kids usually there out front? Or just at this time of night?

[metafictions]

[Kamui casts the vague figures of the young oni outside a weary glance. Sure enough, they're still making a loud commotion out there, menacing away some poor kappa who skitters off into the night.]

Sometimes, they're here during my day shifts too.

[As for the vibes.... well. With his abilities back, but still somewhat dampened, he's felt the criminal power emanating from those rowdy Shuten kids all night. With Fukuda and his small haul of snacks now at the register, though? He can sense that they're not the real source here.

Not that it's a problem. Can't judge a book by its cover, right?]

I'm Shuten as well, though. So it's not too difficult to ask them to leave if they're making too much trouble.

[holeful]

Ah, so they'll listen to you because you're in the same group? I suppose that's why you're the one running this store.

[He casts an almost wistful gaze out towards the commotion. Whether he's wishing he could have any sort of control over rowdy teens or wishes he WAS a rowdy teen is hard to say. One of his default emotional states is just General Yearning.]

It seems like people here are only really interested with their own group and not how it affects everyone else.

C (I’m gonna have that song stuck in my head for a week..)

[appleforyou]

You gonna take it or what~?

[Surprise! There’s a young girl clad in red standing behind Kamui, looming over his crouching form (well, as much as someone only 4’8” can loom, anyway) with a mildly amused expression. When did she get here?! Never mind that. She smiles pleasantly, rocking slightly on her heels.]

believe me it's stuck in mine too

[metafictions]

Frankly, I don't feel like I should.

[Odd. He glances over his shoulder at Bulleta, still looking rather conflicted. Usually only the youkai are this young: what's a little girl doing here-- and with that degree of criminal power to boot? It's even overpowering the odd energy that the haniwa is giving off. Both at the same time is fogging his senses up that he already feels a nasty headache on the rise.]

Don't you feel something off about them?

[appleforyou]

Oh, of course! From what I hear, they’re verrryy cursed, hehe. That’s why—!

[She produces a wicker basket from behind her back. Normally she’d store her weapons and things in here, but for now it was being used for less (immediately) sinister purposes.]

On behalf of the Department of the Enma, I’m here to relieve you of this statue~♪ [She pauses, glancing around.] …and any others around here.

A

[psionicmolotov]

[ If it wasn't for his second job, he wouldn't be in a position to even be here. But he needs to take a break from driving on a scooter all day and he's got some things he needs to pick up and this is the closest one, SO.

He gives the human with the silver eye a second glance just on the unusual eye colour as he walks in, but you know what, as long as nothing fucks with him he's not gonna bother. Not his problem!

...It is his problem when it feels like he's being watched, though. After a moment, on his way past to grab some detergent: ]

What is it.

[ He is an expert at picking up terrible vibes because he also produces them on purpose. ]

[metafictions]

[In Kamui's defense, he hadn't been staring. Really. He'd even looked away for a few minutes to give the man a few moments to browse: underneath the counter, he's texting a friend about the recurring haniwa-spawning-in-the-bathroom problem.

Unfortunately, Kimmuriel just so happens to turn towards him when he's just slipped his phone back into his pocket. Dutifully surveying the store also includes surveying its only customer, so his eyes... are already on Kimmuriel... when he glances over.]

Yes? [And then, as he straightens up:] Do you need help finding anything?

[Kamui does not break eye contact. You've got to look the customer in the face, right? It's been about a week, that feels correct.]

[psionicmolotov]

[ They are now locked in what probably looks like a tremendously awkward staring competition to any outside observers before Kimmuriel finally breaks it. ]

No. I require nothing.

I was wondering if you wished to say something of any interest to me, but evidently that is not the case.

[ Real charmer, this guy. He seems to decide that the conversation is now Over and has gone back to his shopping.

Speaking of that haniwa problem, though, Kimmuriel is definitely doing a very slow and cautious meandering path that clearly isn't efficient and also traces a distinct radius away from the door that leads to the long, winding path that maybe leads to a usable restroom. It has even worse vibes than the cashier does. ]

B

[heretic_blade]

[ Izō generally only comes into this convenience store when he's broke and hungry or drunk and hungry. Tonight is one of the latter times. At least he's not a belligerent drunk like he sometimes. ]

Huh? I think ya got me confused for someone else...

[ Because Izō does happen to look like a tengu from a quick glance, what with the wings and crow's feet he has.

But now that Kamui mentions it... ]

If it's that bad, why don't ya show me where it is? I ain't gonna remember all that.

[metafictions]

Ah. You're right: you're not the youkai who went in there earlier. Sorry about that.

[Which means the poor tengu who had actually drunkenly stumbled in there... is most likely still stuck in that hallway labyrinth.

That's. Bad, probably.

He frowns, then turns to the only coworker still here-- a nure onna with her sleek black hair tied back in a tight bun. She rolls her eyes, but slithers over to take Kamui's place behind the counter.]

Of course, I'll take you. I'm pretty sure I have that all memorized.

[Kamui walks out from behind the register, then holds the back door open for Izo; it leads to a dull and uniformly gray hallway.]

[heretic_blade]

[ He realizes this is Hell and all, but does it really have to extend to the bathrooms, too?? Whatever, so long as there aren't any akaname hiding living in there, he's fine.

Izō shrugs and steps past the door. ]

These bathrooms ain't gonna send me some place weird, right?

[ Because the last time he'd used a public bathroom, he'd sure gotten sent to a high school haunted by an aka manto. He does not want to repeat that experience. ]

c with a little b

[laughitoff]

[Wei Wuxian has technically been in this store for like two hours now, though he hasn't yet bought anything. he'd been in a hurry when he ducked into the 7-11, which is why he'd needed directions to the cursed restroom in the first place. he'd made it there fine, but something had gone wrong on the way back, and he'd wandered a long time before he found the right door in front of him again.

by 'something,' I mean he found a second haniwa in the maze, and he's carrying it back into the store now as Kamui pokes at the first one, ignoring the cursed aura of it between his two bare hands.]

Aah, I think this little one might be reacting badly with the remnants of your curse--oh. Hm. Oh dear.

[metafictions]

[Thank goodness he doesn't need to send another rescue party to the bathroom, but...]

Another?

[Kamui stands up, peering at the little figure in Wei Wuxian's hands with an expression that is only a little stern. These things are really beginning to become quite the nuisance.]

Was that the only one you found in there?

[He's entertaining the idea of a haniwa bin beside the trash, at this rate.]

[laughitoff]

Just the one! I hunted around a bit extra to be sure. Nothing says more can't show up at this rate, though; I've seen them popping up everywhere.

[he wiggles the haniwa back and forth between both hands, as though trying to make it dance. sure, it's cursed to hell and back, but he's seen a lot worse; by his standards, these things are pretty cute. too bad it doesn't make them any less dangerous.]

If there's just two, do you want me to dispose of them on my way back? It's so late I might as well stay up and about...

[he intends to take them home, not to Enma, but he still intends to dispose of them in his own way! so it's not, technically speaking, a lie.]

c

[horrifictie]

Pssst.

[ From just behind Kamui, holding up an open magazine over his face, is a large set man. His shirt is a button-up floral shirt, a deep blue decorated with white lilies in bloom. Khaki shorts and slip-on sneakers, his surprisingly lanky chicken legs are on full display in contrast to his bulky upper body. Only his face is a mystery, obscured by a magazine with the title "SPICY LIVING" with photos of food being cooked in a pan.

One thing is for sure: Kamui has never seen this man in his life. For sure. ]

Hey. Give that figure to me.

[metafictions]

[Yeah, definitely. Never in his life.

From his spot on the ground, Kamui cranes his neck back to cast his gaze all the way up those very familiar skinny legs. He stares, long-suffering, at SPICY LIVING magazine's glossy food photos for just a moment before he finally answers:]

Our manager isn't that stupid, Harry.

[He straightens up and casts Ha-- sorry, the large stranger a skeptical look before he turns it to the haniwa figure on the ground once more.]

What do you want it for?

[aceslow]

[ Usually, Kim and Kamui's shifts only overlap during busy periods, and even then, it's only for an hour or two. When he and Kamui had both showed up for a quiet night shift, it was immediately apparent to Kim that their employer had accidentally double-booked them, and it was even more apparent to him that the correct thing to do was to take the paycheck with company. He's not what he would call a particularly social person, but even Kim feels that a long, boring shift can pass more easily with company, and Kamui's company has always been pleasant enough.

Kamui had said something about needing to get new clothes and a new haircut, so Kim had rustled through the magazine stand until he came across an issue boasting the latest and greatest in men's fashion in humble Jigoku-cho. Kamui had just pointed out one men's cut that he was considering, and...

Well. It's really none of Kim's business. And far be it for him to tell Kamui what to do with his own fashion sense. But it's very, very obvious what he thinks of the matter by the extended pause, his slight grimace, and a hesitant: ] ...do you really think that's a good idea?

[metafictions]

[Tolerant as Kamui is of these dull and lengthy night shifts, he still more than welcomes another person's presence to break the drudgery. Particularly Kim. He's a self-effacing man, with a good sense for when to strike the conversation back up and when to sit in comfortable silence. Kamui tends to favor the latter too much-- maybe overestimating the comfort a little-- so it's a relief to have someone who knows what he's doing.

And somehow, tonight's conversation reaches hair. He hasn't gotten his hair cut yet, so his hair's starting to get more unwieldy than he'd like. The cut in question hacks off a great deal of length and almost all of the bangs. On a trendier guy with more of a care for styling it, it might look great, but on Kamui... it'll be a bowlcut. Straight up, it WILL become a bowlcut. But it looks manageable enough, so certainly there's no issue, right?

Wrong. Puzzled, he studies Kim's expression.]

Why not? I just need my bangs out of my eyes.

B-ish

[paperpusher]

[Natori doesn't need to use the restroom; he's here to restock on his ready-made foods and avoid having to learn how to cook. He's been waiting for his turn in line to chat with Kamui (as established, Natori's criminal power is Very Low, so he's hardly going to take up Kamui's time when there are customers who need to be served beforehand), but it's not like he can avoid overhearing. As he's stacking his onigiri and hot meals on the counter]

Hey, Kamui-san... Do you want me to try exorcising the hallway? It seems like it's giving you guys some trouble.

[Natori does not even blink at the concept of a cursed hallway. Sometimes hallways get cursed! Sometimes buildings are ayakashi. Literally none of this surprises him.]

[metafictions]

[If he had a nickel for every time he encountered a bathroom dungeon he'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but--]

Really? It'd be a big help if you could. I don't have enough time to man the counter and go in to rescue people my entire shift.

[By now, he's got the exact path memorized, more or less: like every other weird thing that's happened to him he is just... used to it now. It is a bit of a bother, though.]

If you can fix it, I'll cover a few of these. [Gesturing to the pile of hot meals he's currently ringing up. Neither Toraguma nor the 7/11 are exactly keeping him rolling here, but it's time out of Natori's day, and it should still get paid back.]

wildcard. - 7/11's haunted

[medicative]

[being sent on this apology tour for the Daitengu is frankly humiliating. she's been called names, she's had people demanding favors, she's had to keep a list of who needs what. but it's duty, and with how kind they were to her recently, meeting her and helping her with her magic, she knows it's to do with honor as well.

coming into the familiar store, she wonders when she'll be able to call it quits for the day, but stays steady. unlike when she's here getting coffee or food before a night shift at the club, today she's dressed more formally, and with the Sutoku pin on. coming up to the counter, thankfully there's no one else in at the moment.]

Good evening, Kamui. [she's tired, but she'll push on.] Does your manager happen to be in?

[metafictions]

[So the apology tour has made it here already, has it? Kamui welcomes her formally at first, but, realizing it’s Emily assigned to this stop, he quickly relaxes.]

You just missed him.

[A blessing— she doesn’t have to keep up the act— and a curse— she’ll have to come back instead of having him relay the apology, much as he’d be willing to accept it on their behalf. He’s already setting aside an empty cup of the size of coffee she gets sometimes.]

The tour has been challenging, I take it?

A

[killtime]

[ Andy doesn't belong in either Shuten or Sutoku territory, but somehow she ends up spending more time hereabouts than she probably should, being one of Enma's. But she's been coming to this 7-11 regularly to harass one Kim Kitsuragi, and nobody's tried to stop her yet. So there she is, the eternal insomniac, aimlessly wandering the streets until she finds trouble or trouble finds her. Most nights, it's reliably one or the other, and most nights, the outcome is the same — Andy with her knuckles bloodied, a couple bruises, maybe a split lip if she was really sloppy, and a couple unconscious bodies abandoned in an alleyway to be discovered by someone else in the morning. Maybe even her more responsible colleagues at the Department. Who knows. Not her problem.

What is her problem is that her nose is bleeding all over her shirt — that'll happen, when you get hit in the face — and from her routine with Kim, she knows there's a first aid kit behind the counter and a box of tissues she can commandeer. The little bell over the door dings as she pushes it open, looking like her usual hell, fully prepared to inconvenience Mr. Kitsuragi once again.

But it's not Kim at the cash register. It's...

She squints. ]

...Kamui. Right?

[metafictions]

[They'd only seen each other in the dim light of the sewers, so Kamui can't put a name to the face immediately. But, honestly? The blood helps. And with his powers returned now, Andy-- like nearly everyone else in this place-- seems to light up his sixth sense the moment she walks through the door. Both combined is an immediate reminder of their little fox hunting underground.

Not that he could ever forget a woman like that in the first place, mind you.]

Andy... [The store's empty tonight-- just a busted-up woman, a flickering fluorescent light above both their heads. Kamui surveys the whole of her injuries and sighs, reaching for that first aid kit she'd been expecting.] Ibuprofen's in that aisle if you need it, these are expired. [He gestures with a nod to a nearby row of shelves.]

I didn't see you at the welcome party for new Shuten members. [flipping the kit open he pulls out the alcohol and gauze and bandages.] Did you skip out?

[He usually dips early. He hardly expects to hear that she's not one of his own.]