( OPEN ) this is where it starts

[deathrespect]

Who ⬤ Samatoki Aohitsugi deathrespect & open
What ⬤ Substories & mingle prompts
When ⬤ 3.5 and on
Where ⬤ Shuten territory, Night Parade area; all over otherwise
Content Warnings ⬤ Drinking, aphros, missing persons trauma, violence and blood

NOTE: Samatoki is a CRAU from Slumscape and is housing his Oni, Genkei; more info can be found HERE, and his permissions are HERE.

i. ) • ARENA.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

( Nemu doesn't seem to be here, either, and that twists him right up.

Samatoki feels Genkei in the back of his mind; he's watching, the way he always does, feeling like a coiled spring. There's that, at least. The last thing he remembers from before is a full merging, confusion. The rain had stopped, but —

No use in dwelling, Samatoki. Genkei tells him. Get in there.

Samatoki hates feeling like he's obeying Genkei. It's more often than not simply an agreement, but trudging off towards the rest of the party and the fights still feels like he's trotting off to be a good boy.

He's found a drink, at least, keeping an eye on the fights towards the center. )

Fuck, what a match up. That kid's gonna get stomped.

( He'd bet on it, but he has more sense than to bet right now. Blood spills and he can smell it immediately, like incense to herald an offering.

The fighters in the center sure are good at putting on a show, even if the smaller of the oni is getting wrecked. Doesn't know when to quit, looks like. Someone near him, a little close; he regards them carefully. )

You a gambler or something?

ii. ) • RAISE SOME HELL.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

( He's had some drinks. Nothing Tamamo, but their spirits look pretty good compared to the Shuten fare, if he's being honest. Once he gets one of those in his hand, he finds he's liking it more than he thought he would.

So he sucks don one and then another, watching all the revelry around him carefully. Genkei's terribly quiet the more he drinks, which is ... odd, given how much he likes drinking.

He starts to feel a little fuzzy; dumb, eventually. Something's off here, but he doesn't mind it much. Maybe in the morning. He stumbles slightly, bodily into someone close. )

Ah — sorry, you okay?

( He sounds a bit too concerned. )

I didn't step on you, did I? This drink's ... stronger than I thought it'd be.

( But he's upright, still. No swaying or anything, not even slurring his speech. )

iii. ) • SWEET JACKET.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// closed to shuten comrades.

( Hungover; head pounding, mouth dry. Samatoki sucks down water this time, nudging gently the person beside him who's on the same job. The guy with the jacket ahead of them, peacocking a bit with that obnoxious jacket. )

Something's up with this.

iv. ) • NIGHT PARADE.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// closed to hizen.

( Samatoki and Hizen haven't said a word to one another, but they're working in tandem; the oni at the taiyaki stand seems to be content to let the two youngbloods do all the work.

Once they're all done helping with some signage, their payment is a few taiyaki. He burns his mouth on it, swearing: )

Fuck. Why do I always do that.

Comments

Sweet Jacket- and I am very sorry

[hadthenerve]

[Caramia isn't exactly thrilled with this job but 'stay in your room where it's safe' is sadly not a job the Shuten clan offers. He's been glancing around nervously the whole time, just expecting something horrible to jump out at them at any moment. And the guy they sent him with looks... not well. Possibly hung over? He freezes for just a second when he's suddenly spoken to.

Still, he agrees with the assessment. There's no way that gaudy jacket is being envied by anyone.]

Probably. But...

[He glances at the guy to make sure he's out of earshot.]

Why do you think he's being attacked?

help them both omg

[deathrespect]

( He shrugs. )

Youkai are weird. Some of 'em operate with ... interesting moralities.

( Or purely out of grief and rage; he doesn't add that, though. )

If I had to guess it's because he owes money. Either that or whatever lives around here is pissed off at men peacockin' around like they don't have bills to pay.

( The last one is a joke, sort of. )

Re: help them both omg

[hadthenerve]

[He nods. Owing money seems pretty likely, although he does wonder why the attacks seem focused around this one bridge. Wouldn't a debt collector be more persistent than that?

But before all of that, Caramia does feel the need to point out the obvious.]

Why would he use this bridge at all? Couldn't he just take the long way around?

[Speaking of Mr. Gaudy Jacket, he's strutting down the street like he's some kind of celebrity, occasionally offering a grin and a wink at attractive passers by. Classy.]

[deathrespect]

You think a guy like that's gonna take the long way, or the most populated way?

( Indeed this route across the bridge is better lit than the side streets to the other side are. Certainly more people. )

Oi, boss. ( Definitely a joke, that one. ) Did your attackers say anything when they got you?

( He replies in the negative. Not much other than rage and bloodlust. )

... Seems like this bridge ain't gonna end.

[hadthenerve]

Good point.

[Yeah the way this guy just soaks up any amount of attention he gets makes it pretty clear that between being safe and being seen Mr. Jacket will always pick the latter.

And now that they're on the bridge in question it's only a matter of time before something- Oh. Caramia suddenly stops in his tracks.]

Do you hear that?

[A splashing sound. Something is moving in the water below. He nervously glances from one side to the other, wondering if now might be a good time to start panicking.]

[deathrespect]

Yeah, I do — fuck, look out!

( There's hands over the railing of the bridge, and then there's more movement, a lunging forward and scream from the youkai below.

Samatoki is quick, jumping in to pull Caramia back so the hit's not as hard. )