jigokulogs | July 2022 IC Mingle

July 2022 IC Mingle

1. ITADAKIMASU!

After the harrowing incidents involving the curse last month, unity is the theme for welcoming the new influx of Lost Souls. The factions are still busy with cleanup efforts and making sure their personnel are in fighting shape. What’s more, most of the usual spots that would play host to the factions’ parties are either closed until they’re repaired, or in no state to be hosting parties that big.

Thus, an agreement has been reached. All of the factions will hold their mingles together and host a food truck/yatai festival in the blocks surrounding Theater Square, in the Sutoku Alliance’s territory. This gets money into the hands of the local vendors, and allows the community to spend time together in relative peace. It’s still Jigokucho, there are punks prowling to start fights and steal wallets, like they always are, but it’s a breath of fresh air after everything that’s been happening lately. Just keep your wits about you and enjoy the food. Takoyaki is one of the most popular items and competition between the carts motivates chefs to make them flair and style!

Kushiten, yakitori, dango, croquettes, senbei, onigiri, yakisoba, taiyaki, you name it, it’s probably represented here in some form. There are even any number of your favorite treats from home, even if your home isn’t Earth. It might take a little poking around to find them, but isn’t that part of the delight of exploring a city’s food?

The falling Stardust has made its way into the food as well. You may notice that some vendors are grinding up the glowing stellar fragments and putting them into the food itself as a spice. Are… you supposed to eat that?! Oh well! When it’s time to party, you can’t go wrong with a little Stardust.

2. MUSIC GOT ME FEELIN SO FREE

In the center of Theater Square, surrounded on all sides by the many colorful food stalls, they’ve set up a stage for local artists to perform on. There are a great variety of acts who come and go to play a few songs. The music reaches all throughout the square and may be little more than background noise, until just the right tune catches your ear.

Jenny⁣ – This all-girls story of hidden love should be hitting all the ladies in the crowd a certain kind of way. Have you been admiring a friend or coworker and just never taken the plunge? Now’s the time for that kiss, the music is playing.
KONNANじゃないっ⁣⁣ – This sweet idol bop about striding bravely towards your best future fills you with inspiration and hope for the future. You may feel compelled to bring your hopes and dreams into every conversation. The future is bright!
Running Up That Hill⁣⁣ – As the singer performs some kind of interpretive dance, she sings about her frustrations with never truly being able to see from another person’s perspective. What would you do to show your true self? Maybe it’s time to iron out that ongoing misunderstanding you’ve been circling.
Love Warriors⁣⁣ – A simple act with a guitarist and singer, she sings a mellow piece about the true value of love. What a beautiful message. Your heart might begin to overflow with feelings of care and affection. Will you finally spill those all-important three words? I-love-you.
One More Time⁣⁣ – The last act of the evening is lively, colored lights flashing out across the square. They begin to play an impossibly catchy beat that no one can resist dancing too. Dance like no one is watching and enjoy the sweet catharsis of a good dance session. You’ll feel better for it tomorrow.

(Players are more than welcome to use their own song and effect. 💖)

3. BIRD BOMBS

At some point during the festivities, the Daitengu takes the stage. They’re in exceptionally high spirits. They give a shout-out to Toraguma and Tenkohime for helping to make this happen. As usual, The Enma is not present. However, the Daitengu forgoes any snide remarks, although they do seem a bit let down. Hope springs eternal, one supposes.

Next they would like to announce that they have even more reasons to celebrate: a truce has been declared between the Shuten and Tamamo clans. The war for the Underground is over (for now) and new construction has started on a new casino and adult entertainment complex in the once-contested territory. They hope that this will lead to an ongoing era of financial cooperation between the three factions.

They thank Sakamoto Ryouma for making all of this happen and give him a shoutout in the crowd. Word has spread all over the Alliance about their deeds, and what they managed to pull off; a blessing and a curse. It becomes obvious that not every tribe within the Sutoku Alliance was okay with putting the Alliance itself up as collateral to make this happen. The Kasasagi Tengu Tribe, in particular, has decided to let their protest be known by storming the party in a flood of aggressive magpies. They vulture the food, they pick at jewelry, they’re an absolute menace.

Good luck shooing them away. The vibes are counting on you to deal with these feathered buzzkills.

Welcome to the IC mingle!

If you have any questions about the mingle content, please ask them here!
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.
For Rewards, given both the Stardust and Turf War prompts are involved in all three, threads in the Mingle log count for TWO (2) points!

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Oh--

[ It's surprise turned breathless once Haru realizes what the woman is selling. She'd been prepared to politely refuse whatever it was she was peddling, but there's very suddenly a lump in her throat and she reaches out very carefully (instinctively) to the flower Aerith holds out, before catching herself and slowly lowering her hand.

That's it. That's what was missing. And for some reason, this is what triggers the wave of homesickness, an even thicker lump that she forces herself to swallow. ]

This is... a zinnia, correct? It's lovely.

[ Still got it, Aerith thinks with a smile, and she pulls it back to look down at the thing. It is, indeed, a pink zinnia. It's petals are pale pink, the stem a shocking shade of green, and the pistil in the center is a pleasant shade of yellow. It wouldn't be out of place on a Spring display, in truth, and the smell is unmistakable. ]

Zinnias are beautiful flowers with strong scents. People would give them to each other, as gifts, to symbolize they'd return some day. [ Smiling at Haru again, Aerith tilts her head. ]

You missing anyone?

They represent loyalty, where I'm from. I've always thought they were beautiful.

[ But with a softer smile of her own, Haru shakes her head. ]

Just my friends. But it feels a little strange to even think about wishing they were here, given the location. [ Phantom Thieves in Hell. Imagine. ]

Of course they do. [ Aerith twists her fingers, spinning the stem lightly. A smile dances along her lips, softening at the edges and letting in a more thoughtful expression. ] It's a promise. To return. Think of me...

[ Phantom Thieves in hell sounds about right. ] I know it seems strange to want to see people you care about, but it's not like we're here to suffer. We're all here to pay off a contract. It's not so bad.

[ With a tilt of her head, she keeps the flower in place, right at Haru's face for tempting. ]

I just think they've all been through enough...

[ With a faintly tired smile that she shoves back because she doesn't know this young woman at all and she needs to present a better image than that.

But she fishes out her money because she would purchase flowers over food any day. ]

If you please, then. I was hoping I could find a place to grow my own, and also vegetables, but I think that might take a little more exploration first. So I'd be honored if I could purchase one of yours, miss.

[ Perhaps it says more about Aerith that she thinks this world has a great deal more freedom than punishment— but Tamamo prides itself on this, in truth. She knows that, now. Haru pushes the thought of her mind by continuing, however— ]

Exploration? You've find the right person. [ Aerith pulls out her phone, then, moving around on it to find what she's looking for; a video. When holds up her phone, it's playing the media in question already. The wind whistles in it as the camera pans over a patch of grass that's full of flowers and plants. It continues down, to show a street completely overrun with flowers, too. Certainly, it doesn't fit in with the idea of Hell, and what's been seen. ]

Most of the gardens here are privately owned. It must be hard growing new life here.

This is...!

[ Haru's eyes are like saucers as she stares at the screen, taking in the sight of the flowers in sheer awe. It's much wilder than the tame kind of gardens she's accustomed to seeing, but there's a beauty to be found in this too. ]

It's so beautiful... I'm so relieved to know there's a place like this here.

[ When the phone is pocketed again, Aerith replaces it in her hand with a flower, a pink zinnia she imagines would look lovely on the girl in front of her. It's a fluid motion, as if she's quite used to it. ]

I know. [ A recollection strikes her; desperately looking for a piece of home in the early weeks of her journey into Hell, only to find herself rooting around in alley ways and abandoned buildings. It was a long search, capped off by the realization that she never really needed to look at all. ] For a while, it seemed like that's all there was here. Cement, pavement, buildings, nothing like them.

[ A knowing smile crosses her lips. Only someone who understands what the flowers can mean to you would grasp what she means. ] But now, we can all enjoy then. Together.

[ It feels like such a simple thing, if she were to try and explain it to anyone else-- how much she'd missed flowers already. Between the ones she'd tended to, the plants she'd grown and raised, the fastidiously fussed-over roses in Hokkaido... but the video goes such a long way in easing her worries and that sense of feeling alien in a place that felt foreboding in different ways.

Haru takes a quiet breath, gazing at the flower. It feels, inanely, like she could cry if she's not careful. ]

I always thought... it was an incredible thing. That no matter what kind of environment a flower came from, or where it was moved to... with the right care, it could blossom beautifully.

[ It feels more like a thought than a reply, but she does nod, lifting her eyes to Aerith's face. ]

... I'm sorry, you said 500 yen, correct?

[ Aerith's in agreement, of course. That said, it seems like this really strikes a chord with the girl, and seeing that she's a fresh face, young, and liable to fall into a seedy business— ]

500? Sorry! I actually meant... 500 million!

[ She just goes for it. Grinning, she holds the flower out, and then places into into the girl's hands without waiting for confirmation. The contract is sealed. ]

Eh?!

[ Poor Haru just goes pale, though she holds the flower with the utmost care regardless, instead of dropping it. ]

Wait, I could have sworn-- million?

[ With an eager nod, her smile stays in place. She sells it well, at least? ]

Seems fair, right? For a Hell-grown flower...

[ A beat. ]

But if you'd like, we can come up with a deal.

... A deal?

[ Said quietly and a great deal more warily For Some Reason. ]

I think I would have to hear the details of it first before I could agree to anything...

Of course! That's smart. [ Most people just agree out here. Hm. ]

It's easy. My name's Aerith, your local florist! I don't have a shop, but I have a street full of flowers that needs delivering, packaging, cutting... And maybe some more patches in the future.

[ She's working on it. ]

A job so be enough to pay for them, right?

Edited (lemme reword that.............) 2022-07-22 01:47 (UTC)

[ Oh! She could work with flowers? She could see how they're grown? Would Aerith let her have some to take home and liven up the apartment? Could she--!!

Haru catches herself before she eagerly agrees, because she's taking business classes and boy does she know what one should and should not agree to before hashing out details. Her shoulders slump a little, though. ]

... My apologies, Aerith-san. That sounds truly wonderful, but I do need to be able to make money to... er, well, afford daily necessities, though I assure you that I'll find some other way to pay off the flower.

[ Her expression droops, and she feels like her bluff's been called. Really, it would have been strange just to offer it up, but... ]

Aww, you got me. Alright. How about 500 yen for the flower, and you get to come down to the patch to help me once in a while?

[ To her credit, she's done stranger things in her life. ]

[ Haru blinks at her, just to make absolutely sure she isn't being fronted yet again-- and then nods, fishing out the required currency to offer to her. ]

I think that sounds like a wonderful idea... Aerith-san, you said? My name is Haru. Haru Okumura.

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July 2022 IC Mingle

flower peddling

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