jigokulogs | ( open ) 001

Entry tags:

( open ) 001

Who ⬤ Hizen & you
What ⬤ Catchall for March. Open prompts in main post for substories. Closed starters in comments.
When ⬤ All of march!
Where ⬤ See prompts.
Content Warnings ⬤ TBA

SUBSTORY: WELCOME TO THE NIGHT PARADE (I)

("Outta the way, outta the way!"

A group of smaller youkai yell. They might not be big but what they lack in size, they make up for in number in spirit. They push their way through the crowd carrying a portable shrine. It's a diverse group made up of smaller youkai and spirits— little oni, cats walking on hind legs, a one eyed umbrella, something with a face as large as its body, and fish-looking creature that flails across the ground as it makes its way through.

Do you get out of the way? Or do you miss the warning in all of the hustle and bustle?

In the case of the latter, you can expect one of several things to happen…)

A.
(Hizen loudly snaps at you,)

Oi! Pay attention and get out of the way!

(You probably don't want to get caught up with these little guys. Their patience is as little as they are. The shorter the person, the shorter their temper. If you'd like to avoid confrontation, Hizen can suddenly grab your character by the arm and pull the aside. Alternatively, you can just let the crowd crash into you. Maybe he'll help?)

B.
(Or maybe you're helping Hizen with setting up for someone's game stand. Have you noticed that the owner won't actually let either of you help with getting the game part together? Leave that part to them (so they can rig it). You and Hizen can set up the prize wall made up of different masks and toy weapons.

As the little procession goes by, Hizen stops for a moment to stare and mutters,)

The "parade of a hundred demons," huh...

(He sounds like he might know something?)

SUBSTORY: WELCOME TO THE NIGHT PARADE (II)

(It's security detail!

… Or really, it's more like crosswalk duty.

On the night of the parade, you and Hizen will be expected to keep the pedestrians from crossing the street before their turn. Instead, you'll wait for scheduled stops in the parade that will give enough time for people to get to the other side.

Before the parade begins, you'll have to help set up the barrier using cones or barrels or what have you. And the person in charge of overseeing? It's a long-necked woman that keeps looking over your shoulder and telling you the barriers are too close or too far from the street. The crosswalk openings are too narrow or too wide. She keeps picking at everything you're doing! Is this your first night parade? Do you have any idea what you're doing? She asks for help and she gets sent a bunch of fresh lost souls who have no idea what they're doing!

She doesn't even have the courtesy to say this behind your back. She's right there with her long neck, complaining right in your ear. Or Hizen's ear.

And he looks like he's going to snap. )

SUBSTORY: LOOK AT THIS SWEET JACKET

(The first step to any assignment is gathering information. It's time to get to find the bridge in question and meet the client. Hizen checks the writing on one of the columns at the end of the bridge and looks over to you,)

This is it. (This is the bridge.)Looks pretty normal.

(He's unimpressed. But because timing is comedic, as soon as he finishes speaking, a man gets tossed back across the bridge, rolls like a ball, and stops right in front of them.)

...

(Hizen looks down and... looks away. He sure is going to make you take care of the talking first)

WILDCARD.

❀ Hizen is in the Shuten Clan.
❀ If you have another idea for a prompt or would like to plot anything out, let me know
❀ You can check out my intro comment for some ideas, too.
❀ contact; eski | discord: eski#9874 | PM

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(The one researcher Hizen knows is eccentric. Unpredictable, impossible to understand, but still scary. Someone who casually comes up with new bombs and deadly traps. The sword of a killer that preferred to manipulate from the shadows first and become involved second. The sword of the man that led his own master to his end.

Ah,

...

But Nehan would have no way of reading into what Hizen is really trying to say with a nondescript answer like that.)

You remind me of someone I know.

[one ear flicks as he considers that response.]

I see. No wonder. [no wonder he was able to tell what nehan was so quickly. even if he didn't peg nehan as a criminal and murderer... no, he tells himself, being considered a researcher is a good cover to use.

(haha he thought.)]

You're right-- I am that kind of person.

(How can two people be so wrong but so right.)

Hm.

(Just "hm." In Nehan's defense, Hizen's government assigned babysitter senses aren't tingling so maybe things aren't completely the same. Maybe. Further observation required.)

Just be careful at the parade.

(Friendly... advice?)

I know how to be careful.

[then one ear twitches.]

You're acting protective of someone who isn't my guard.

You started it.

(Giving him unsolicited advice when they first met????)

Oh? [he would have remembered if he did... whatever.]

Does this mean you accept my offer, or will you continue to push back your decision.

(That again... he looks surprised that Nehan would bring it back up and he looks away in some vague attempt at hiding it.)

Get a job first. (As in, get him a job first.) I'm not gonna sit around doing nothing...

(Or something. He doesn't know. He has other things to do, too, though? Maybe?)

I already have a job for myself. [then he tilts his head, one ear flicking.]

But if you're speaking of a job for yourself... Fine.

Sooner or later, someone will be coming for my head, anyway.

I don't care what you do.

(So yeah, it really is a job for himself. But as soon as he asks that, the next thing that comes out is a surprised--)

Why?

Because the things I want to do will inevitably paint a target on my back. [he doesn't even sound worried about it.]

I'm not interested in not doing them just because there's an element of danger.

(Why is Nehan like this. It really does remind him of sensei and it makes him want to ask what exactly but he catches himself, knowing better than to pry. He thinks back about how this researcher has his hobbies and stops his imagination short right there.)

... What about the guys in charge?

(The factions.)

Right now, I'm a nobody, like everyone else. I don't know if they will take notice of me, but I will concern myself when they do.

I just don't expect them to until much later.

[the only sort of attention he wants is the sort where the higher-ups of his clan take notice of his work and consider him too important to throw away-- or hurt.]

(A sudden jump in topics but not without reason,)

... I didn't see you at the Shuten party.

(But he was at the main party. In a sea of unfamiliar people, it's easy to spot the few you know. It's hard for Hizen to get a real read on which faction Nehan may be in. He looks so clean and has a confident air to him that could fit with some of those Enma people, he thinks. But Sutoku is such a mix, anyone could be there. Tamamo really is the last one in Hizen's mind. He associates them with a certain type of person-- more carefree, obnoxious.)

[one ear flicks, and he raises an eyebrow at hizen. that was blatant-- he wasn't even asking. what a demanding little man.]

Trying to figure out who has their claws in me, then? [he shakes his head.] No, I was not wherever Shuten met their new recruits.

I am not of Enma either. But I wont tell you any more than that, for my own privacy and security unless you actually work for me. [he raises a hand, as if to tell him no. for emphasis, that he's serious about this.]

It's not a bribe, I just prefer it to be that way.

(He doesn't know how to ask nicely. He isn't going to dance around it either.)

It doesn't matter. If it's not the same, it's different.

(And that's that. But interesting. That only leaves Tamamo and Sutoku. The one he expects the least and the one that could be anyone. He'll have to observe more, he thinks. He still needs to learn the culture here if he wants to stay on top.)

You aren't worried about conflicting interests? Pissing off a bunch of oni? Shuten disagreeing with you guys?

(Which would put Hizen in a difficult position. He isn't naive. He doesn't expect everyone here to just get along at all times.)

Why would the oni scare me? [no, really, why...

after all, nehan can kick one of the lower ranks down on the ground, and to think he's so weak.] The higher-ups, the more dangerous ones, would be able to hurt me, but I'm not scared.

Of course, I would be more worried if the head were to frown on me stepping on the other organizations' toes.

...

(He's quiet, following along, and certainly thinking.

Enough to live. Open negotiation. Right to refuse. Those had been the terms. Enough to offer service, free enough to hopefully not conflict with other jobs should it arise.

This guy... Hizen still isn't sure what to think but he hasn't forgotten the offer they made when they first me. Is he... serious?)

... A bodyguard?

(And sometimes a killer.)

[one ear twitches as he considers the man before him more closely than previous. interesting question-- nehan was getting ready for another question.]

The position is still open. However...

I should ask you the same question-- are you not concerned about being at odds with your clan?

You know they got the contract first.

(They're all contracted by their factions and the contracts can't be broken.)

And... (It's here that his hand moves for the sword hanging at his side. A sword that he always carries with him. Speaking quieter, a private confession,) I gotta work if I wanna get everything back. Right now, I'm almost human.

(Admitting, or rather, implying, that he isn't one. But he needs to work to be more than that. His strength, his stamina, the things that made him a touken danshi. He doesn't want to elaborate but he's hoping he doesn't have to explain.)

But most everyone in Shuten's a fighter. Always fighting and drinking and making a scene. A few more fights isn't anything... as long as you're not stupid.

(And there, he offers a glance at Nehan. Don't go doing stupid things and picking stupid fights that will put him in a position where he needs to make stupid decisions. )

Hmm.

[it's not complete loyalty to himself, but nehan would have been an idiot to expect such a thing, especially when he suspected from the start that they would be in different clans. thankfully not wholly opposing... but still a wrinkle in the plans. one he can work around very easily:]

Nothing of what I ask of you will put you at odds with your clan. [meaning, he'll deal with shuten matters himself, even if he has to climb an oni just to snap their neck rather than make use of an easy, sharp sword to cut them down.]

I'm more likely to point you at the Enma, really. [because... fuck the authorities.]

…

( As much of a bane that had been, the negotiation is going much easier than he expected. It would have been easy to simply cut everything off there. A part of him almost wishes Nehan had. It would have made things easier if he could just write him off as someone he can’t work with. As someone who won’t work with him.

But this means it’s serious, right? He still hasn’t let the offer go and is willing to work with or around the more difficult parts…

(What is he planning? What does he want to do that makes him so serious? And against Enma of all factions. He’d made a point to say he wasn’t with Enma earlier too, hadn’t he…) )

Hizen.

( He’s never given Nehan his name. )

[he takes that single word to mean the man's name, and he gives a nod.

then he offers the man his hand.]

A shake, to seal the deal.

(Wordlessly, he takes Nehan's hand. If you can tell about a person from their grip, his isn't much. His grip is light and like the person himself, unassuming.)

[hizen's grip isn't much... it's actually quite weak. but nehan will forgive him that, because he hasn't seen many people shake hands here anyway. it doesn't seem to be their culture.]

I will call you one day.

For now... Food? [because he knows hizen wants it.]

(He takes his hand back, tucking it into his pocket and keeping his eyes down. Just when he thinks this is the end, he's offered food though and it's hard to not look like he's interested. He seems to perk up just slightly... before slouching again,)

... You don't owe me anything if there's no job.

(He doesn't need freebies?)

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