jigokulogs | JULY CATCH-ALL

I try to do that at work as well. [ Kim gives Kimmuriel a wry sort of look, expecting that Kimmuriel understands what he says next, though it could not be further from his own experience considering his power and bearing. ] There are some perks to being effectively invisible.

[ He doesn't take offense to it. He is an ordinary looking middle-aged man, in a minimum wage job people associate with a lack of intelligence and curiosity, and he is good at remaining still, remaining quiet. For all others are concerned, he may as well not exist at all. It is something that would rankle elsewhere, but he finds it to be of great help here. He doesn't want to stand out. Living life quietly and inobtrusively seems just fine to him. ]

But... let me think. [ He gets up from where he's sitting on the curb, stretching out his back. ] I have seen particularly careless drunks coming out of the bar over -- Hitokasumi street, I think it's called? They usually get kicked out and come straight to my store for more beer to carry them home. Are you familiar with it?

[ He gives Kim an understanding nod in return, feeling no need to confirm it verbally. To be overlooked and underestimated are both useful traits here, in a place they both do not belong. ]

I am passingly familiar with the place, but I have not yet gone there in person. Today is as good as any to see if it will be useful for my needs. [ And he'll have willing company, even, which is as always still something of a surprise to him. ] It is popular enough, which means it has promise.

And grimy enough too. You may be able to find someone connected to the Stardust trade there. Especially if we can pass convincingly as people who would actually be interested in that sort of thing.

[ He rises to his feet, dusting his pants off, pants covered with the bits of gravel and grime of the street. He's long since stopped being precious about that sort of thing. ]

If you don't mind me accompanying you for this, that is. I happen to be doing my own research into the matter.

That is true enough. [ His tone is mildly thoughtful. He's already wearing the clothing that the native demons seem to favor, here, so he at least looks the part. ] If we can procure additional information, that will work even more in our favour. [ Gotta stay on top of things, after all. ]

And I would not object to company. [ He surprises himself a little with how easy it is to say such a thing, now. He gets to his feet, considering himself as prepared as he's going to get. ]

All right. Then let's go.

[ It occurs to Kim that he ought to have something to eat before visiting a bar, but it's not as though he's intending to do more than have a drink to blend in with the locals for some good old-fashioned eavesdropping -- and maybe rub elbows just enough to get some gossip out of the whole affair. He can always get something to eat afterwards.

It's not a long walk to the bar, but it is fascinating to see the city change as they stroll over. They leave behind the brightly lit metropolis at the heart of the Sutoku district behind them and the streets grow rougher, gutters littered with brightly coloured shattered glass like confetti, the smell of smoke seemingly emanating from the buildings themselves, the windows they pass darkened save for neon signs proclaiming that they're open, people gathered together in small clusters in order to murmur among themselves; even without drug use necessarily being criminalized in a city such as this one, they know the importance of subtlety.

Few glance twice their way. There are some benefits to having Kimmuriel by his side. A human alone may be noteworthy as a Lost Soul, but a human accompanied by one like Kimmuriel is far more passable as simply a humanoid youkai in his own right, and a rather unnoteworthy one at that. ]

Ah. Here we are.

[ Kim nudges the door open with the side of his body instead of touching the handle, and as soon as they're in the bar, they're met with a blast of cold air from the AC on blast and a wall of sound, customers chattering loudly amongst themselves, a spirited game of darts and pool going on in the corner (with even the gentle pings of a pinball machine that Kim determinedly ignores), the floor sticky with booze underneath their feet. It seems as though many people are an inch away from either taking someone home with amorous aims or from breaking out into an all-out brawl. Cigarette smoke hangs heavy in the air, and behind the bar itself are a couple of youkai looking none too welcoming.

In other words, it's an ordinary bar. As far as Kim's concerned, it's practically home. ]

Here we are, [ he says crisply. He elbows some of the patrons out of the way in order to get to the bar, meeting their glares with one of his own until they manage to muscle their way to a couple of barstools, though Kim is learned enough about these places to test it out with his knee before taking a seat; he only had to hear the one story about a man having an unfortunate intrusion up his rectum after an encounter with a faulty barstool to never trust a dive bar again. ] Whiskey on the rocks for me. And my friend...

[ He looks questioningly over at Kimmuriel. The man doesn't strike him as a drinker, but if he wants to fit in well enough to eavesdrop, there's no such thing as a designated driver in places like this. ]

[ At times like this, it reminds him all too much of the city of his birth, for how far removed it is in modernity. A strange blend of distant homesickness and latent disgust stirs in his gut; he ignores it, pushing the feelings away. He doesn't have time to think about this.

The bar is familiar territory, too. The flashing lights of the pinball machine are about the only thing that is different; he's frequented enough taverns, both well-reputed and not, to relax a little and put on a slightly different face. No less serious, but he carries himself in a way that makes him a little more present than his usual demeanor; presenting himself with a little more force, not someone who simply just doesn't want to be noticed.

His choice of drink is immediate. It might not be the same taste, but it's as close as he'll get, and he doesn't drink much anyway. ] Brandy will suffice.

[ That gets a slightly dubious glance from the bartender, given that Kimmuriel looks like a more native yokai himself, but it seems to pass muster regardless. Kimmuriel gets himself properly seated while the bartender attends to the order, hands clasped loosely in his lap as he makes himself comfortable. ]

[ So Kimmuriel's a brandy man, huh? He'd pegged him for liking something a little less sweet, more main course than digestif, but Kim files the information away for later; there's nothing like a good bottle of liquor as a gift, if need be. He accepts the bartender's drink with a nod and a word of thanks, then turns to face Kimmuriel, head minutely cocked as he takes in the bustling bar, trying to get a read on who's here to drink, who's here to hook up, and who's here to do a little bit of each but also talk business. ]

I suppose it's of some comfort that no matter where you go, places like these are more or less the same, [ Kim says wryly, looking out at the hive of degeneracy before them. Everyone's smoking. It makes him want one too. It always does. ] I'd suspected as much, given the clientele.

[ The pall of smoke hanging thick in the air tickles his throat, and he huffs a little. Smoking isn't nearly as common on Toril, in more disreputable places at least; even with the wider range of goods available, mass production of cigarettes simply isn't a thing in the same way. He knows already he'll probably have to wash his clothes if he stays long enough. ]

The ones I am used to have far less smoke, [ he comments, leaning against the bar, ] but otherwise, I see your point.

[ This close, Kim can likely see Kimmuriel's ears move slightly as he takes in snippets of conversation if he looks for it. He's good at controlling even instinctive reactions, condensing them into only minute movements, but not moving at all would be more suspicious. ]

They are more relaxed than I expected, given recent events. That little gift from the heavens seems to have done much work in easing their spirits.

Not from a place with a lot of smokers, are you? Probably healthier, [ Kim notes with a quiet hum. He does, however, privately consider that it's missing a certain aesthetic, a je ne sais quois that comes with a cigarette, but that's neither here nor there. He watches curiously as Kimmuriel's ears twitch and move, as though they're satellite discs searching for the correct frequency, and considers the likelihood that Kimmuriel will discover far more than he will. ]

Drugs do tend to help with that, [ he says dryly. He's not as good at listening - or seeing for that matter - but he's able to identify signs of someone tripping when he sees them. He nudges at Kimmuriel's elbow. ]

At your three o-clock. That tall fellow, [ he murmurs. ] You can see it in his eyes.

These kinds of disposable cigarettes [ and again, he pronounces the word as someone who hasn't quite gotten his mouth around it yet ] are not common, no. Pipes and other paraphernalia are easy enough to find, but they are a surface affectation. [ He shrugs. ] It is preferable to have habits that do not emit smoke underground. Nowhere for it to go.

[ Also, it was rarely safe to have something that could give away your position so obviously, or divide your attention. But that's neither here nor there.

His ears twitch at Kim's statement; he turns slightly, his gaze flickering over several people, including the person Kim has indicated. The yokai seems to be in something of a euphoric mood as he stares openly at anyone who catches his attention, seemingly enjoying the act of observation. ]

I wonder if that is a good idea, [ he comments, dryly. ] But I suppose this stardust does not promote subtlety, unless that is your idea of happiness. It is an unusual vice, though.

No, it doesn't. We should keep an eye out for whoever warns him to practice more discretion... or whoever wants to take advantage of him, I suppose.

[ Both are equally likely. Kim shifts on his stool, sighing over his cup of liquor. ]

That's another way in which our homes differ. Substance abuse like that is more common than not where I'm from. I don't... [ He hesitates. ] Feel positively about taking over that sort of sordid business, but better from a controlled source than not, I suppose. [ His eyes flit towards Kimmuriel. ] Is this not a serious problem where you live in the underground?

[ He turns back to the bar, but he keeps an ear out, almost literally. His hearing isn't supernaturally good, but he knows the difference between a wandering footstep and a purposeful one...the problem in this crowd is just picking them out.

Courtesy of his first sip of brandy, he offers a wry smile to Kim's question. ] To be unnecessarily inebriated or intoxicated is to offer an advantage to a potential rival, and in the City of Spiders there are many potential rivals. We have traded intoxication through substance for debilitating paranoia.

[ He takes another sip. ] Not to say that we still do not partake in alcohol and other such goods - they see plenty of use both among the nobility and the common folk, and of course they are good for trade. But it is more important to be alert, and thus the practice has not spread as far as it might have with your own home.

[ Kim sighs. ] I would argue that it's just as important to stay alert where I am from. Perhaps without the same... intrigue and political ramifications unless you happen to be a particularly important person, but nevertheless.

[ Revachol is a dangerous city. Everyone knows it. People may not want to take advantage of you for reasons of political salience, but they'll certainly steal the shirt off your back, target you for being different, want to take out some aggression that's built up year after brutal year. Wryly, he says, ] I'm a bit envious. I wish it were less widespread in Revachol.

[ It is not illegal. But he has seen what it does to a person. ]

You could say the same about this place, couldn't you? With the sort of fights people pick, it's better to keep your wits about you. I remember some oni tried to pick a fight with me my first day here. [ For looking lost, he recalls. Like some stupid tourist. He resents that. ]

But I'm one to talk, considering we intend to take full advantage of that.

[ Kim is a cop, after all. He is not above abusing someone's state of inebriation for answers. ]

[ The man in front of him speaks of his home city with a strange sort of fondness, like he wishes it to be better, wishes it was not so damaged as it was. It is a feeling he had only lately been starting to rediscover before he came to this place, and he cannot say it is quite the same thing. ]

A drunkard is at least more salvageable than a corpse, or so it has been in my experience, but I understand the point you are making. [ There is a carefulness to his words, an awkward avoidance of his usual blunt and straightforward manner, as if he is making some sort of acknowledgement that this is a sensitive topic without actually saying that outright. ] There are many ways for the mind to fracture without dying.

[ And so often he has been involved in stitching them back together, somehow. ]

It is. [ He takes another sip from his glass. ] It would make me homesick, if I ever had a reason to miss home. Even the lights in this place are reminiscent of it. [ His tone is a bit drier, lighter.

He merely shrugs at that last bit. ] It is an easy way of getting information. All we need do is listen, and that is not harming anyone.

Edited 2022-09-21 12:25 (UTC)

Therein lies the problem. A drunkard usually becomes a corpse.

[ Kim will say it bluntly, though he appreciates Kimmuriel's discretion. It is a personal subject, yes, but also a professional one. Most of the corpses he gets sent in to take a look at tell a familiar story, and though they haunt his dreams, he manages not to allow it to haunt his waking life too. Kimmuriel does him a kindness, though, treating them with less cruelty than he could, especially knowing Kimmuriel's unusual bluntness when it comes to his own - often horrific - past. ]

Though not always. Recovery is more than possible. As I hope it's possible for those here who have fallen victim to the newest drug on the streets. Though... do you know what harm it does yet? That's one area I was unable to find out more about, and I doubt anyone here would be forthcoming about it.

[ That gets a shrug. ] It is true enough. [ It's not like he hasn't seen it himself, both underground and on the surface. Alcoholism is an affliction that plagues all races, it seems. ]

Apart from making the imbiber less inhibited in general, it seems that it is also delicious. [ Vendors were just...grinding it into their food during the festival...which, ok.... ] Delicious enough to be addictive, I do not doubt, given the desperation to hoard more of it. If there are any other side-effects, I suppose we will see it whether we want to or not.

[ He'd certainly be interested in seeing them, just out of curiosity. People are going to make stupid decisions and continue to chase their own pleasures regardless, so why not get information out of them? ]

Likely there are those who would use it to surpass their own limitations in some way as well, [ he muses, more to himself than to Kim. ] Chasing a version of themselves they see as more superior or glamorous, far above the chaff of a mundane existence.

JULY CATCH-ALL

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