( open ) here I am, swollen red

[breweries]

Who 🍷 Shylock and you!
What 🍷 The softest of openings of his bar, Hemlock! Haniwa may or may not be there. And maybe some other substory prompts?
When 🍷 Anytime this month
Where 🍷 His bar, Hemlock, and all over town probably.
Content Warnings 🍷 tba


source | bar reference

Comments

BAR PROMPTS;

[breweries]

welcome

[ even though shylock had released the video advertising the opening of his bar earlier, said establishment was already opened without so much as a party to celebrate it -- as if it's been around for quite a while now. strange, but that's just how shylock rolls.

regardless, business is certainly booming. shylock may be the only bartender for the time being, but his hundreds of years in the business has made him more efficient; he is able to make any sort of drink with ease, and even if he can't serve his magical specials at the moment, the way he mixes his drinks with a sleight of hand here and a bit of magical levitation here can make anyone spellbound.

and sometimes, it seems as though there's always an empty seat at the counter. shylock will greet you with one of his perfected customer-service smiles and a bow, the canisters and various bottles already floating in the air around him. ]

Welcome to Hemlock. What drink with you be indulging yourself with tonight? Or would you like me to surprise you?

[ non-alcoholics are also on the table (also very popular with the masses due to how hellstagrammable they are -- not that anyone would be able to because of his strict rule against technology), but it couldn't hurt to ask for specials anyway. ]

haniwa

[ not even this place is immune from these funny-looking clay guys. shylock has done his best to store the most of them away, drape them in a tablecloth and offer them little shotglasses full of drink, but there's just no getting rid of these guys as of right now.

for people who might be dining on their own, they might find a haniwa accompanying them on the table or beside the bar counter like so like so, cropping up without any warning whatsoever. might as well let shylock know that there's an intruder on the midst -- he's mostly running a one-man show, after all. ]

nightmare

[ you might have heard about shylock's ability to neutralize the horrid effects of the haniwa and have been brought here to his attention, or you might have stuck around the bar for too long with the haniwa still lurking in the premises. either way, you are wracked in a nightmare filled with faces that should be familiar and horrific, but instead replaced with empty no-faces that are just as horrific or even moreso.

either way, it isn't pleasant. but at some point, the sweet scent of roses, apples, and cinnamon waft into your deep subconscious, perhaps distracting you from the nightmarish crowd chasing or surrounding you, enough to rouse you from your slumber bit by bit. you will find yourself in one of the bar's lounge, the inside clouded with smoke coming from shylock's pipe. the wizard is seated on a plush seat nearby, taking another drag and relishing in the scent and flavor, and he turns to you with a gentle, alluring smile. ]

Sleep well?

[ did you? either way, tell him about it if you wish. ]

nightmare.

[deathrespect]

... Oddly enough, yeah.

( His voice sounds rough with sleep, and even the lounge's dull lighting makes his eyes unfocus for a moment. )

Don't think I could forget all that though.

[breweries]

That won't be the last nightmare you'll be getting, I'm afraid. Even my magic has its limits -- even moreso while we're in this realm.

[ sucks being depowered. here, shylock will push a glass of water across the low table towards samatoki. ]

[deathrespect]

Well, shit. Thanks.

( He takes a deep drink, washing the taste of blood out. )

Normally I can handle 'em better. Not today, I guess.

welcome/haniwa eventually!!!

[worldbent]

[Matoba does spend quite a bit of time in Tamamo territory, for... a variety of reasons; today he is on his way back from acquiring some delicious sakura mochi dumplings to enjoy the afternoon when he finds himself stopping in front of the doorway to an establishment with an oddly familiar presence inside. Was this door here, before...?]

[His eye narrows, deliberating over whether it would be a good idea to enter, but... He just can't help his curiosity, sometimes. Pushing the door open, he finds himself within a sultry abode, dark and moody and glamorous. It reminded him of a cabaret- how Tamamo. There didn't seem to be any gaggles of waiting hostesses here, though- his eye squints to adjust in the low light, and lets it come to rest on the sole figure behind the bar. Ah. As expected.]

[After another brief deliberation, Matoba comes to the counter and slips himself into a seat.]

I see you are doing well for yourself, Shylock-san.

[breweries]

[ ah. he couldn't mistake that unique magical(?) signature from anyone. shylock smiles and bows like the usual. ]

Oya. Of all the guests I did not expect to come, this is a nice surprise, Mr. Matoba.

[ does this mean the human has finally opened his eyes towards western drinks? he sure hopes so (except not really, that all depends on matoba at this point). ]

It was only a matter of time. That being said, part of my profits still go to our leader, not that I truly mind. This is technically the third bar I myself had ever established in my lifetime.

[worldbent]

I was passing by, and found myself curious, [Matoba holds up the small package of sweets he'd gotten himself] A familiar sensation overcame me when I looked upon the doorway... I couldn't just leave it alone, I suppose.

[Something something cats and cat-adjacents, amirite?? Matoba might not be interested in liquor anytime soon, but surely he could indulge himself in a brew of a sort from the wizard. He rests his chin in hand as he takes in the rest of the bar atmosphere, the bottles behind him, the lavish decor.]

The third... [A pause; his lips curl upward, and he turns his lidded gaze on Shylock.] What happened to the first?

nightmare

[hellborne]

[ for a so called devil, something like nightmares should not affect them. if anything, they're the cause for hundreds of thousands of nightmares, all of them dreading the serial killer that roamed the streets. the nameless, shapeless horrors that walked among the normal citizens...now that should be a nightmare.

but the nightmares that they wake up from are far more horrific than any legend that they could be a part of. they wake up with a quiet start, the sweet floral scent mixed with the coppery scent of blood that was in their dream strong enough to make them nauseous but--

... ]

All just a dream, huh?

[ shylock's voice is distant, but jack forces themself to look up and turn towards him, their lips turned upwards in a forced smile. ]

Just peachy. [ ... ] Keeping me company?

[breweries]

Yes. No harm will come to you in the waking world.

[ except not really. in hell, people will hurt people. but at least they'll be safe here for the time being.

shylock nods, waving his pipe a little to help spread the smoke. ]

And someone's got to help turn those horrid nightmares into sweet dreams. [ a soft chuckle. ] I can go back upstairs if you wish to have some time on your own.

[hellborne]

...

[ they think similarly. if anything, the nightmares in their head are lullabies in comparison to whatever horror the waking world can bring.

jack watches shylock wave the pipe, eyes focused on the smoke that dissipates from it. they stare at it for a couple seconds in silence, before turning towards the barkeeper to shake their head. ]

That won't be necessary. [ ... ] Apologies if I came off as rude. If anything, I suppose that I am now in your debt. Though I thought you had announced that you were capable of neutralizing the effects of the haniwa?

welcome

[sweetsong]

Hi, Mister Shylock!

[ here he comes, a bundle of curiosity and excitement and all of the sweetest things in the tamamo district, combined into one pink haired boy who immediately slides into that empty seat and places both of his elbows down on the counter. resting his chin on his hands, robin giggles softly before looking to his left and right. ]

Actually... I'd like you to surprise me, if that's okay? No alcohol if possible!

[ because robin has never had a sip of it in his life and he's trying his best to keep himself that way. it's too easy to hide any amount of booze in a sweet and fruity drink, and so to become addicted to both of those at the same time would be pretty unfortunate. ]

[breweries]

[ oya, now what do we have here? robin's bubblegum-pink personality almost contrasts the bar's sexy aesthetic, but he is a tamamo, so he practically belongs all the same. and you know what, maybe shylock needs to hear what the """youth""" are into these days. ]

It is more than okay. Give me a moment.

[ he's got just the drink in mind, actually. while he works his magic on the ingredients at hand, he can afford some small talk or two. ]

What have you been up to, Robin? Doing well, I hope.

[sweetsong]

[ ah yes, the youth! robin is certainly one of those. he is young in more than one way. and while he may not fit the 'sexy' aesthetic of this particularly fine looking bar, it hasn't stopped robin from trying to brute force his incredible pink-ness into it!

but at least he followed the rules. no phone. for someone who is very attached to his social media... robin can respect the nice wizard regardless. ]

Oh! Um... I guess I've been okay...

[ there's a brief moment where that smile fades completely, averting his eyes away from shylock and focusing on the bar--- thinking about what he should say? what he could say? and then snapping back up and trying to smile again as best as he can. ]

... I heard you were opening a bar, so I wanted to come by and see it! You know they love competition around here.

welcome

[paperpusher]

[Shylock came to see Natori's movie, so it's only fair that Natori return the favor! When he slips in, it's while wearing his recently-ubiquitous misshapen fashion crime of a bucket hat crammed over his hair, which is probably an affront to Shylock's sensibilities (since it is to mine). At least he's not wearing the paper bag this time? And at least he takes it off as soon as he gets in the bar, sliding into a seat at the counter with a cheerful smile.]

Congratulations on your successful opening, Shylock-san! I can't put my finger on it, but this place really suits you.

[breweries]

[ maybe shylock should implement a dress code on top of the no-phones-allowed rule, but AT LEAST natori has the decency to remove it once he's inside. whew. ]

Fufu, you're too kind. And likewise, it is such an honor for a actor of your caliber to drop by my humble establishment. My heart is already aflutter.

[ to have a celebrity visit a bar like his...! kyaa, kyaa. shylock should make natori sign something and put it on display sometime. ]

What will you be having tonight? For reference, Mr. Matoba had dropped by for tea some time ago. You'd think that he'd rather visit teahouses for that, but...

[paperpusher]

[Natori's gonna come back and the rules are going to be like "dress code: for the love of god if you're hot stop pretending you aren't." Anyway he puts a hand on his heart in a dramatic swoon and tosses some sparkles Shylock's way.]

Please, you're flattering me! First you humored me by seeing my movie, and now this.

[Natori really isn't a bad actor, though, and he proves it by keeping a neutral, polite but disinterested smile on his face as he considers his drink options.]

Is that so? Well, it seems like a shame not to order something specific to the bar, so... Surprise me, Shylock-san? Ah, so long as you keep any 'extras' out of it, but you know that by now.

welcome + maybe haniwa

[kikuichi]

[After seeing Shylock's network post. Norimune decided to keep an eye out for his bar. Once he have free time, he'd look around during his trips to Tamamo Territory. Even if he can't find it, the territory have no end of interesting stores and leisurely activities to participate in.

He eventually spot a door and curiously went to look inside. And finally step inside, once he sees it's a bar. There's no end of bars in the territory, so what does this one offers?]

Oh?

[As he walks in, he spot a figure behind the bar. A familiar looking one. With a smile, Norimune goes ahead and sit down on the available seat.]

How about a surprise for me? I'm curious about which one you'll choose.

[breweries]

[ oh, it's the fellow old soul he met on that app. something something about fate bringing them here. ]

Mr. Norimune. So glad to finally meet you in the flesh.

[ all right, let him just get a glass-- ]

Is this your first time trying Western-style drinks? What flavors do you usually go for?

one google search later

[kikuichi]

And same to you, Mr. Shylock.

[What kind of flavours does he like...]

I drank some before, perhaps once or twice, but nothing fancy. [Or so.] I personally like some fruity flavours, but I don't mind some sourness if it's not too strong.

haniwa

[nerine]

[The soft opening of Hemlock didn't escape Marianna's notice; Shylock had introduced himself on the network after all and her interest was piqued when he had asked for devices to be shut off.

It felt right, supporting a business that was run by a fellow Lost Soul, as well as a fellow Tamamo. And maybe, him being a wizard, made her think of certain people from home. One night, after finishing a shift at the hostess club, Monts heads down to the bar. She doesn't take off her coat and instead, looks for an available seat. There are a few, but the one with one of the mysterious haniwa figures catches her eye.

She promptly takes a seat right across from it and leans her face in her hands giving it a once over. These funny little guys were just all over the city now weren't they? ]

Hm. You're quite shy, aren't you? What's it gonna take to get you out of your shell?

[Of course, it doesn't talk back to her. Monts glances around the bar and then back at the haniwa.]

Any recommendations on food and drink?

[Yeah, she's just doing this for fun. What's the harm? She's by herself anyway.]

[breweries]

[ usually most people would rather avoid the haniwa if it ever manifested onto the nearest seat like an uninvited guest, so seeing a fellow tamamo playfully entertain one of the cursed clay figures catches shylock's interest as he walks over to her (them?). ]

They're a little on the shy side, I'm afraid. Not to mention rather picky. Even now they still haven't consumed the drinks I made them...

[ a sigh, despite his smiling expression. ]

But I digress. In any case, welcome to my humble bar. What will you two be having tonight?

[ monts is just going to start dating the haniwa now. it's fine, he won't judge. ]

[nerine]

[The mark on her neck lazily stirs (it hasn't been very active since her arrival in Hell) as Shylock approaches and she turns to look up at him, smiling.]

They're quite unsettling with how untalkative they are, don't you agree?

[She leans back in her seat, twirling her hair to think about the type of drink she wants.]

Do you know how to make a Negroni? I'll start with that. If not, I'll let you surprise me sooner than later.

closed to hizen

[breweries]

[ when shylock was making plans on setting up his bar some weeks back, he'd really thought that he won't have to get involved with the infighting between shuten and tamamo. not that he wouldn't know how to defend himself now that he has his magical artifact with him, but it's not enough. the tamamo aren't exactly known for their physical prowess, and shylock certainly is not one of them.

and yet, business goes on. despite the current state of affairs of his clan, shylock insists that he opens shop -- especially when tenkohime had personally recommended hemlock to the celestials who are visiting hell. on one hand he is rather honored, but on the other... oof. he'll have to do his best to defend his own territory at all costs, too.

which is why when a couple of low-ranked shuten cronies come charging in, thinking that the proprietor will be no match with them, shylock is waiting right outside the front doors with his pipe in hand and a smile that does not quite reach his eyes. ]

Welcome. What will you be having on this fine day?

[ the shutens look quizzically at one another. "what's this weirdo smiling about?" they wonder aloud. "whatever! let's take the old hag down and take everything he got already!"

shylock's smile only widens. ]

My, if you wanted a drink, you are free to come in as ordinary customers. But I suppose etiquette is the last thing in every Shuten member's mind, is it?

[ how annoying. at least he knows just the spell to render them useless in a matter of seconds. ]

[harimaya]

(The fighting is really starting to get annoying. No, scratch that, it was always annoying because as far as Hizen's concerned, it never had anything to do with him and he hates getting dragged into other people's messes. He isn't sure why this started and it doesn't matter anymore. Everything is just a drag!

Some younger members of the clan are stomping off, picking fights where ever they can in some sloppy way of currying favor with those in power. If they smash enough Tamamo businesses and beat up enough of those foxes, then surely they'll get neat little promotions and can show off more to their friends or something. All it's done is draw ire and cause more trouble for the clan in the form of petty retaliations.

He spots a group of them hanging outside one bar and barging in. Annoying. Aggravating. He's so tired of always doing cleanup. Isn't this also...?

He arrives just in time to hear a familiar voice chastise them,)

Oi. (He's usually tired and sullen but his voice cuts sharply,) The hell are you doing? Making more trouble?

(It isn't much but Hizen does have a low rank and it's just enough to be over these grunts. Not quite enough for them to take him very seriously, especially given his smaller size and his status as one of the newer members but they know who they're talking to at least. They begin to tell some stories about Shylock gossiping about the Shuten, spreading rumors about Toraguma at his bar, and how he's been watering down the drinks of Shuten members. A load of lies but anything to try to get another ally on their side. Fortunately, Hizen knows better.)

Keep talking and I'll cut your tongues out.

("Hey! He's the one running his mouth about the boss!" They give Hizen a strange look. Why is their sullen senior suddenly so worked up...

Hizen looks over at Shylock as if expecting him to say something in his own defense here.)

[breweries]

[ okay but for the record he'd LOVE to serve toraguma himself at his bar, but not before tenkohime drops by first. he's a simple guy with simple needs, what can he say (except not really, this guy has even more refined tastes than a diamond).

the rumormongering slide off shylock quite easily. please, he's heard worse from the humans back home, like how he might have killed someone in cold blood at one point. the shutens are supposed to be more vicious than that, right? then where is it?

but before he can egg them any further, a familiar voice and short stature comes in. he sighs. this is one of the things he'd rather avoid if he could help it; asking hizen to come visit him at his bar the other week was already asking for trouble, seeing as they're in two opposing clans as it is, and it seems to be that hizen isn't going to back down either despite their apparent closeness.

or is he? ]

If it isn't Hizen of the Shuten Clan. I suppose my luck is going to run out at some point.

[ he is rather happy to see him, though. maybe hizen could listen to reason? ]

My bar is already in shambles. Surely there is no point in targeting my humble abode any more than it needs to. [ he'd cry crocodile tears if that's ever his thing. but no, he has dignity. ] Furthermore, I have rather important guests inside. We wouldn't want them to have a terrible impression of this wonderful city, would we?

[ namely the celestials, who probably doesn't mind the chaos so long as they're thoroughly entertained. he keeps his gaze on hizen, watching him closely, and if the sword choose to retaliate with violence then shylock will have to stop him in his own special way. ]