jigokulogs | 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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Matoba holds his hand out limply, and then takes the phone to scroll through and look. (He's looking at the selfies- not for their content, but to see who else she knows. Oya, that most certainly appears to be Mister Cloud Strife again, now doesn't it....)]

[The grainy photos show a familiar machine. Its wreckage Matoba has seen before, but it matches everything he knows- a generator, the kappa had insisted, it had just been meant to be a generator, but it must have been tuned up too far by some bad actors and thus had caused the explosion.]

The Enma claimed to have confiscated it after the events of that night. Although, Strife-san has told me he did not see it present in the containment level when they dispelled Haniyasu from the basement...

Perhaps it has been moved elsewhere.

[He looks thoughtful as he hands the phone back to Aerith. The machine may have created a smokescreen in more ways than one, that night.]

Aerith-san, did you ...feel anything below you, as you walked through the Underground?

[ Her answer is quick, simple, and offered up naturally as she takes her phone back, pocketing it. ] I haven't been back for a bit. Not since the storm...

[ Turf war just wasn't on her mind, frankly.

That said, it also predates when she began to hear the flowers again. Maybe it's worth it to try— she notes it for later, but doesn't say anything. ]

Did you, Matoba?

I haven't been down there personally, but I sent my shiki to inspect it for me. I have also heard descriptions from those that have investigated the lower levels, on the behalf of the kappa who were stranded at the time.

[This was Sutoku business, and furthermore it was the far more dangerous thing, as far as Matoba is concerned, to let out into the open. But she didn't quite answer his question, did she?]

I would like you to investigate and draw your own conclusions as to just what your lady is after down there. Then, I shall tell you my own impressions. [He turns back to look at her again, cheerful.] That is a fair exchange, don't you think?

[ In response, she squints, measures out the expression on his face, and then decides that it doesn't hurt to trust him for now. Perhaps he's curious to see what differences there would be now, and then, but she also knows that they deal entirely in different kinds of magic, too. ]

Fair enough. [ Just barely, perhaps, but she'll take it. It's homework, but you need to do some investigation to get it done.

The taxi-slash-cheap limo begins to roll to a stop, seemingly making a decision for them. It eventually parks back in the same spot as before, and Aerith decides to not look a gift horse in the mouth. She doesn't dislike Matoba, but she knows she's also made a deal behind Tenkohime's back that could get a target painted on her— with any luck, it'll pay off.

With a chipper wave, she opens the door. ]

Aww, looks like our joy ride's over. Well, it's be pretty fruitful for you, hasn't it?

[ She's not a total idiot, you see. ]

Yes, quite.

[Matoba sighs in resignation, and draws out his wallet to pay for the taxi. He is the higher ranked one, after all... He adds a substantial tip to the amount, an implicit wink and nudge for the driver to keep anything he might have overheard to himself.] And so, I expect a good return on this investment.

[Tucking his wallet back away, Matoba swings his legs gracefully to exit out the other side of the taxi, closing the door and watching it pull off. He turns back to face Aerith, bowing his goodbyes.]

I will speak to you soon enough to collect, Aerith-san.

[Time to disappear off into the crowds of the festival and enjoy himself a little.]

July 2022 IC Mingle

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