[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

substory 2!

[beginanew]

[Sasuke had been mining his business, ignoring the begging of the weird creature-person and the boy that he was begging to, when the boy actually spots him.

Crap.

He clicks his tongue.]

...With what?

[mahoraga]

[ Though he's relieved that someone actually responded, his voice continues to sound dry and unenthused. ]

He'll tell you.

[ The shirime randomly decides to be quiet, putting Megumi in an awkward position having said that. He furrows his brows, feeling slightly betrayed and sounding more annoyed now. ]

... He needs a certain item from the vending machine.

[beginanew]

What item?

[That's... Quite easy. Why hasn't this kid done it?]

[mahoraga]

[ Why indeed ... Megumi waits, hoping the shirime will take off and start explaining itself to this stranger. Though it makes him feel a tinge of guilt, a part of him wishes the shirime would start pestering this older boy instead of himself. He just really wants a quiet evening, and it's hard to do that when he's constantly being badgered and forced to look at the off-putting form of a ... butt with an eye in it.

For some reason it's really decided to be quiet now, and it only serves to annoy him more. Wasn't it pestering him non-stop only a few minutes ago? ]

He's been badgering me to get the 'A5' for 20 minutes now, but he won't tell me which vending machine he's talking about or what he wants from it. You might have better luck with this ...

[ So...

Please take over!!! ]

[beginanew]

Why don't you try all the machines?

[There can't possibly be that many that have the A5 combination, can there?]

If he wants the 'A5' item, then that's what he wants.

[mahoraga]

[ Trying all the machines is an option. Whether a good or not option, he is still undecided. No, actually, he is decided - decided that he hates it! ]

I don't want to spend the whole day with this guy.

[ Plus, would he have to use his money to try out all the machines too? He hasn't received his paycheck and there's no way he has the money for that.

The shirime has thankfully warmed up to Sasuke a little and starts getting noisy again. That doesn't mean it's going to be any more helpful, though. It continues to chant that one same line, giving no information beyond that.

"Hey, big brother! You'll help me, right? I want the A5! You'll help me, right?"

However, a kejoro lounging by a bar behind them happens to overhear the commotion, and chimes in with her input, her voice a lazy and seductive drawl.

"You handsome boys want to know which snack he's after? I can tell you. But you'll have to do something for me ~" ]

[beginanew]

[Sasuke stares for a moment, and hums.]

Haven't you spent a good moment with him already?

[Sasuke turns to the little... What is even that? and nods. The moment the Kejoro speaks though, Sasuke feels a shiver down his back.]

... Should we try talking to her?

[mahoraga]

[ It's precisely because he's spent too much time with that ... literal asshole that he does not want to spend another second! Megumi turns his attention to the Kejoro also, and he's feeling just as uncomfortable with them as Sasuke is. ]

Do we have to ...? [ HE DOESN'T WANT TO. The Kejoro senses their discomfort and gives a chuckle, trying her best to beckon them closer still.

"Don't be shy, little boys ~ I'm not going to bite! It's just a little favour that I want. Come here, come closer ... "

All things considered, it might be the only lead they have on this however. ]

[beginanew]

[Sasuke doesn't want to either, but he shrugs and walks up to them.

The Kejoro though just chuckles and waits for the other guy to come closer.

This is getting ridiculous.]

Just tell me, already.

[mahoraga]

[ Megumi does consider walking away now that he's roped someone else into participating, but at his core he is a good boy, so he ends up feeling guilty about that. For that reason he will stick around, even if he hates how ridiculous things are right now. At least he has a kindred spirit.

The long-haired youkai continues to lounge, her kimono slipping off her shoulders suggestively. She takes a puff out of her kiseru before speaking, blowing some smoke at both boys at the same time.

"I'm fond of handsome men, and you two fit the bill. Give me a smoldering pose that will make my heart flutter, and I'll consider telling you what you need." ]

... I don't know how to do that.

[beginanew]

[Sasuke stares for a moment at the yokai, then at Megumi, then the pervert yokai, and sighs.]

No.

[And so he turns around, walking towards the shirime.]

Let's find the vending machine he wants.