IC-OP-1 ("finding footing" | open)

[camyoflage]

Who ⬤ Ethan
What ⬤ March Sub-stories (Kappa Investigation & Hashihime)
When ⬤ Pre- Night Parade
Where ⬤ Waterways around Jigoku-Cho
Content Warnings ⬤ naughty boy doing graffiti (will warn for additional if they come up)


A. Fraternizing

[If you're one of the people trying to direct approach with the Kappa, you'll likely encounter Ethan. He's been trying to get along with the fellow members of his clan and that translated into being a nuisance to most of them. At this point, though, he's at least gotten the idea that he needs to bring something to the table in order to get any information.]

Ah, yeah, so not Savra, not Aegir... It's taking me a while to get used to all this new terminology! You're such a good guy, describing it to me, that's why I like you!

[... like the one he's managed to at least hold a conversation with while they both snack on taiyaki, brought by Ethan. Anytime he asks a question about the actual state of the tunnels the conversation dries up (pun intended) so he keeps it to general topics. Anything helped.]

But you Kappa got different tribes? Okay, so you all are "River Kappa"... what's the difference? Or are you all just better?

[he snickers conspiratorially]

[While he's chatting them up, he'll try and also serve as a blockade, to show how absolutely loyal and trustworthy he is. So, your investigation may be met with,]

Ah, sorry, no can do. Strictly off-limits unless you happen to be a Kappa.

[the guard he's been plying sighs dramatically, reminds him that's not his job, reminds him that he doesn't get to go in either]

What? What? I'm just helping!

B. Warning

[Jigoku-Cho's nights are longer than normal. That suits Ethan fine. He's lost his normal invisibility so the shadows are going to have to play cover-up for him.]

[He's bought himself a new set of clothes, a lot closer to what he used to wear, and as he stalks around he also concentrates to shift the color of his hair and tail to black. The result is a very hard-to-see figure hanging off of high spaces and bouncing around the waterways. He's keeping an eye on things. It wasn't his business, it wasn't even what his higher-ups wanted, but it was weird. People who cut others out of their plans usually had something kinda mean about their plans.]

[He's not the kind of person to make a decision and go in all by himself. He knows he doesn't have the strength for that. So, he does what he's always done when he lacks the strength, and found himself some cheap spray paint.]

[He leaves a mark around the areas he spots the Kappa moving boxes. A clear signal for anyone looking for it but still vague enough he could get away with it.]

[Of course, the pop of blue appearing is a dead give away and everyone else has been tasked with preventing trouble-makers. He's just as likely to end up on the run.]

C. Community Service

[Sometimes, when you indulge old habits, they start to take off on their own. Tagging to mark locations starts to get to him, he picks up in the swell of it, and he wants to vent some of the pressure from being put into this new, ridiculous situation. He wants to leave a mark, his voice without a voice, so on, so forth.]

[He had entirely meant to be on the side of the bridge youkai! His tag, a bold "FASHION JACKASS" was totally meant to be talking about the guy who was bothering them. Just, you know, he defaced the bridge to write it and one of the sharp-eyed youkai had caught him.]

Sorry, ma'am, I wasn't thinking, ma'am, please, please don't go telling anyone, ma'am.

[Getting in trouble for graffiti was one thing, but if the hashihime told his higher-ups, he'd probably also get in trouble for sneaking around the waterways and observing in the first place.]

[So, he's taking this lecture straight on the nose, promising to clean it up, and now he's also stuck at the bridge for a while, wiping off his own marks with a chemical cleaner. At least he's on-site in case the jacket asshole shows up. Or, you know, on display if someone wants to laugh.]

D. Wildcard

[Hit me up via PM or at slothplaying if you're interested in threading but none of these work for you!]

Comments

[camyoflage]

[He puts a hand over his chest in mock-hurt. Vandalism! Like he was some vandal, sneaking around in all-black, making trouble for people! ... Oh.]

You haven't noticed, huh? [Plenty of people probably hadn't. The other clans all had more decorations and stalls to set up. Most of Sutoku's stuff was allied with corporations and businesses. They could help out but if they didn't expect the bunch of informants to want to chase the one place they couldn't go...]

It's probably nothing but that's why I'm keeping track of it. The second it changes over from something to nothing we don't gotta go back and double-check everything.

[Wordy sentences that say hardly anything.]

[enterthe]

I have not noticed it, no. Now please explain what it is that you are speaking around. [People speaking around information is something Ydris can recognize immediately, thanks to the Springtide upbringing. They're all like this, especially the one they like most. Ydris has patience for it to some degree, but they'll cut to the point when being led around.]

We are the same faction, that should not be improper to share with me. [loyalty isn't really something Ydris cares about, but propriety should be observed, yes?]

[camyoflage]

[Ethan laughs, silent and breathy, at the idea that they needed to share because they were in the same faction. Man, if some people did that he wouldn't be having to tag places!]

It's people from our faction that I'm watching, you know.

[he wasn't stubborn enough to keep hiding it when asked so directly]

The Kappa have been moving a bunch of big boxes underground. Now, all the pipes and crap are their business, but it's suspicious to be doing all that while the rest of us are bustling around working on that parade they're gonna do, right? And not letting anyone else come anywhere near it.

[enterthe]

No, I had not taken note of this. [an honest admission, because they appreciate the info being shared with them, they genuinely do. Ydris takes a moment to consider]

It might concerning, but... [and this is where Ydris ends up, the empass of should we do anything about it]

They are on our side. If this is some plan, don't you believe it is in our best interests to go along with it? Or at least feign ignorance to the matter?

[camyoflage]

[Usually, when people admit they didn't know something, it's with a kind of sullen tone. This was a lot more clear. That was something, at least.]

Look, it's not like I'm trying to stop it or anything like that.

[He was being very careful to try and do this in a very indirect way. If it were discovered, he was absolutely getting yelled at no matter what. He was at least trying to minimize the potential punishment. He was just keeping track was his defense if the marks were identified by his clan.]

If it's a plan that turns out to be in our best interests then we just let it happen. I'm just not ruling out that it might be something under the table that's not in our best interests, you know?

[enterthe]

[Ah. Getting yelled at. The worst of all punishments, by Ydris' measure.]

I understand. We do not have a single point of leadership as the other clans seem to. [Being raised by and for the purpose of protecting the Springtide Clan, Ydris can think of all manner of ways this could be a scheme. They're a scheming batch of people. Vying for power is in their nature, Ydris has always needed to understand that.]

This is something the creatures calling themselves Kappa are being suspicious with-? Perhaps a powerplay to take over the other Sutoku Alliance for their own?

[camyoflage]

[Getting yelled at, only equaled by holding an employee-shaming sign.]

Could be. Moving around boxes could be a lot of things under the surface.

[He tilts his head to the side, a loop of headphone wire moving with it]

Could be trafficking, logistics, construction... I asked the bosses, you know, when they first turned me away from helping, and the Tengu bosses said to leave it alone. If it was an attempt to knock 'em off, they'd know about it, right? Probably.

[enterthe]

A fine point. If it was some manner of coup, I doubt the other Sutoku members would be so defensive. [unless the Tengu are just not that deep of thinkers, but no... it seemed they were sharp and intelligent. The Oni are the brutes who wouldn't notice something like this going on right beneath their noses.]

You've been marking these spots with this same graffiti, so far? [wonky mouth aside]

What if it tips off the wrong people?

[camyoflage]

[There was always the chance this really was just some covert action for the benefit of the clan but... why keep secrets within the information clan?! They knew someone was gonna go sticking their nose in it right?! Why not just make up a convincing enough lie?!]

I figure once you get into those waterways it won't be a straight shot to whatever they parked those boxes anyways.

[It was a small hint but hardly a dent in the armor of secrecy.]

And if someone manages to figure it out... ehhh, maybe we give them a pat on the back and try to poach 'em from whatever clan they're in?

[enterthe]

I believe I understand. I'll keep this in mind and quiet.

[that's probably most of what Ethan wants to hear. Ydris isn't a narc... well, maybe if they had ended up in Enma, but that's not the case. They can adapt to being more mindful and cautious with information]

If anything goes sideways, how about I meet you back here?

[camyoflage]

Eh, well, believing you understand is the first step to understanding, I guess.

[And it'll take future events to determine if any of this ends up being worthwhile anyways. Maybe it'll all ultimately be pointless and unable to prevent or solve a damn thing. Who can say.]

Sounds like a plan. It'd be nice to have some of those muscle sorts but I'll just wrangle up whoever I can if something happens. You know, just shout and see who comes running~

[enterthe]

[the point will be that they met and they can go forward with the pilot episode of their new sitcom-]

Then it's agreed. Meet me here after the Night Parade if anything occurs. If not, I suppose I'll see you around.

[camyoflage]

[it's always sunny in hell]

If nothing happens, we'll just enjoy a party. That's the best, when nothing too crazy happens.

[like their boss getting shot that would be wild]