[OPEN] someone please suggest cut text and subject title for me

[mahoraga]

Who ⬤ Megumi and awesome people (YOU)
What ⬤ May catch-all - substories, IC Mingle log, Megumi's part-time job, anything else that comes up
When ⬤ Throughout May
Where ⬤ Various places
Content Warnings ⬤ N/A - will add as I go


SUBSTORY #1: thanks mods i happen to love body heat meme

[ This is just about the last time he takes free food from anyone, even if they look like a harmless rabbit. Curse his slight fondness for rabbits. While Megumi went a good half hour with no side effects, the chill gradually sets in after that, his long-sleeved clothing and large collar that usually keep him fairly warm no longer making the cut. The worst part is, the effects set in right in the middle of the busy pavement. He would be able to deal with this better if he could wrap himself up at home.

Megumi tries to tough it out for as long as he is able to, arms wrapping around himself as he tries to keep the shivers at bay. He doesn't particularly like to draw attention to himself or make people worry about him, but it's hard to walk normally when the chill seems to have permeated every inch of his body. ]

What did she feed me ... [ Another day he wishes he could summon Divine Dog. Their fur would actually feel divine right about now.

Eventually, his hands seem to seek heat on their own, grabbing the sleeve of someone nearby to give them a light tug closer. ]

SUBSTORY #2: the one with the butts and wild goose chase

[ As if life couldn't get any harder, upon Megumi's refusal to help it with its pointless request, the shirime in all its eye-in-butt glory has taken to following him around, harassing him with its request incessantly.

"So, you'll help me, right? Hey, are you listening? Will you help me? I want the A5! You'll help me, right?"

There's only so much of being followed around and pestered that a boy can take. He doesn't even know which vending machine the shirime is talking about and it keeps ignoring the question when he asks.

There's only one way to solve this problem: Pawn it on someone else. Though he feels a little bad about this, there's no other choice. Megumi addresses whoever might be nearby, thumbing at the silly-looking yokai who's following him. ]

You. Can you help him?

IC MINGLE #1: welcome wagon

[ Megumi doesn't particularly care about movies, preferring to spend his evenings with a good book. When he does watch movies, it's when he's being roped into it by someone else.

He doesn't have much interest in using the movie ticket but it also feels like a waste to throw it away when someone else might want to use it. Anyone who's hovering around the theater will be approached by a tall young man with a deadpan expression. He straight up puts his ticket in your hand. ]

Here. Enjoy.

IC MINGLE #2: haniwa dolls

[ As the night goes on, and the partying locals and lost souls continue to drink themselves silly, a lot of people are focused on having a good time and paying less and less attention to the sporadically emerging dolls. They were creepy at first, but after the fourth time you see one popping up, it becomes a bit easier to ignore, apparently. It's because people are paying less attention that they're being less cautious and allowing themselves to be exposed to its cursed effects.

At a local nightclub, a fight seems to have broken out, a wolf demon randomly breaking out into some paranoid hysteria about everyone else's faces changing, and charging at the other patrons with his sharp claws. At the center of it all is a haniwa figure, and though Megumi's spiritual senses have dulled immensely, he can still pick up its off-putting, dreadful aura.

The other patrons, some also succumbing to the hallucinations, are obviously going to return in kind. A bottle thrown by one of the angry patrons sails through the air towards your character. Before it can hit, they'll be yanked to the side by a young man with dark hair. ]

I have to get rid of that figure. [ He turns to the person he's grabbing now. ] Go somewhere else.

[ He can handle this!!! (Allegedly ... )

ooc: As a note, Megumi is a helpful boy who will be trying to remove the statues as advised by Enma. He might succumb to the effects after a while and i'm happy to plot it out with whoever ]

PART TIME JOB: book shop boys (later in the month)

[ Megumi has found a part-time job at a local bookstore in the Sutoku Alliance. There are books of all sorts available, and the colourful and upbeat members of the staff (with the exception of .. Megumi, who stands out with how quiet he is by comparison) are always ready to help out.

A: If your character looks unsure of what they want to browse, they'll be approached by a quiet young man in a blue apron, who will point at one particular book in the non-fiction section. ]

This one wasn't bad.

[ The title reads 'Everything You Need to Know About Concrete Engineering'. That's ... so boring, why would anyone (who isn't a builder) ever read it??? ]

[ B: Or, if your character happened to wander near the shelves behind some bashful yuki-onna who quickly takes off and leaves, they might get falsely accused of a book-related crime.

Megumi will approach them with a book in hand (a romance story, apparently) and open up the cover. Written on the pages are the romantic exchanges between two regular patrons, who have chosen to trade their love notes through this one book.

The latest one reads "There isn't a day I go on without thinking about you. I long for the touch of your fingers, to hear the sound of your voice. My heart can take no more of this cruel fate that separates us."

Love between enemy faction members? Whatever, he doesn't care. Megumi looks very unimpressed. ]

Please have your love affair somewhere else.

[ OOC: Do something else with me??? You can reach me via PM or at charsiu (feel free to add) ]

Comments

Haniwa dolls

[protectorofkouka]

[After almost a year in Hakagemachi Soo Won knew better than to mess with cursed objects. Turning a blind eye to them completely was too risky though so he was observing them from a safe distance for the time being. Which led him here. Soo Won was considering how best to approach the dangerous situation when Miyako, the yokai inside him chimed in with a frantic flurry of telepathic notes from a gottan as a warning. Soo Won's eyes widened in surprise when Megumi beat him to it and pulled him out of harms way.]

Ah! thank you.

[Soo Won glanced back at the violent fight with an incredulous expression.]

You're planning on fighting them alone?

[The violent yokai aside, any reckless action could shatter the haniwa doll which Soo Won would prefer to avoid.]

[mahoraga]

[ After he gets close to this other person, he does pick out the faint aura of a youkai, his spiritual senses just not as pronounced as before. It's odd that it would emanate from this person, and it makes Megumi wonder if he's a youkai himself, or has something living inside of him like Yuuji once did. There isn't much time to think about that now though. ]

Do I have a choice? [ He's not a fight crazed maniac, but he's also not someone who can ignore when there's a call to action. Leaving the bar fight as it is, lost souls and youkai alike are going to get hurt, and the dolls may get knocked over also, which he somehow has a bad feeling about.

Look, he's open to a team up if it comes to that! ]

[protectorofkouka]

[The dark haired youth reminded Soo Won of his dear friend Hak. He was also quick to rush into battle and put himself in harms way to protect others. Soo Won was a bit more cautious but with his strategy and Hak's incredible strength, it felt like they could take on anything together. Until Soo Won betrayed him for the sake of his ambition. Soo Won pushed those painful thoughts aside with a faint smile.]

You could let me help you.

[mahoraga]

[ Megumi lends towards working as a team naturally, acknowledging that that usually gives them the best chance. He doesn't feel up for risking his life for a fight he doesn't hold any emotional stake in today. The offer for help is taken. While he can't exactly tell how strong Soo Won is, he's hoping they have enough sense not to offer help if they can't actually manage this level of combat. ]

What can you do then? [ They can work out a rough plan if they know more about each other. ] My cursed technique is more or less sealed, but I have a knife to use if it comes to that.

[ He's hoping it doesn't though! ]

[protectorofkouka]

[Well that's a relief. Given how quick Megumi was to rush into the the fight Soo Won was worried that he wouldn't agree to help. His expression darkened for a second when Megumi mentioned curses but he quickly hid it behind a confident smile as he revealed his sword that was hidden within his robes.]

Unfortunately Yin's magic is sealed as well, but I've been fighting longer than I have had magic so it won't be a problem.

[Miyako quietly joined in the an annoyed strum. She didn't like how weak she felt here and even if Soo Won was an experienced fighter, her illusions would still be helpful. Soo Won agreed with a faint smile but it didn't help them right now so he disregarded it as he considered their options.]

If we can get them away from the haniwa it might be enough to calm them down.

[It wasn't the first time Soo Won had seen someone lose their minds due to some kind of supernatural interference and he would prefer if it didn't come to a fight either.]

Do you think you can sneak past while I distract them?

[mahoraga]

[ Sneaking around the place would be easier if he still had full use of his cursed technique, but at the level of a bar fight he does feel fairly confident he can sneak past some raving drunkards. ]

Won't be a problem. [ He'll swipe it and transport it elsewhere while the youkai are distracted. It's a fairly simple plan. Still ... Having analysed what Soo Won had told him, he feels like he can't proceed until he learns more about the other boy. ]

There's another presence I can sense ... Is that 'Yin'?

[ ooc: Megumi has some spiritual senses ... let me know if you don't want him to be able to sense the youkai in Soo Won and I'm happy to change my tag! ]

[protectorofkouka]

[ ooc: You're fine. I don't mind Megumi sensing Miyako at at all. It's a fun detail to play with. Also sorry I forgot to mention this, Miyako's telepathic music can be heard by other people too unless I specifically state she's just communicating with Soo Won.]

[Soo Won considered Megumi's answer with a hesitant but satisfied hum. He felt a bit uneasy leaving the cursed haniwa to Megumi but one of them had to deal with it. Maybe they could lessen the risk by wrapping the doll in something so Megumi wouldn't have to touch it?

Megumi's question interrupted Soo Won's thoughts and his eyes slightly widened in realization. Right, he forgot to mention her and he remedied that with an apologetic smile as Miyako answered with a curious sounding chord to introduce herself.]

Yes. She's a yokai that lives inside me.

[Now wasn't the best time to get into the long story of their rather unusual partnership so he left it at that with a quick reassurance.]

She's not a threat.

[At the moment but there was a reason Soo Won was leaving the cursed haniwa to Megumi. Even if Miyako was weaker here, he couldn't rule out the possibility that she might go mad like the other yokai if he came into contact with it. Soo Won kept that dangerous detail to himself. It wouldn't be difficult for Megumi to come to the same conclusion but he didn't want to draw more attention to it. He had already taken the threat into account and crafted a plan with minimal risks. There was no need to damage their already fragile team cohesion over a necessary risk.]