jigokulogs | [ OPEN ] sunrise, sunset

Entry tags:

[ OPEN ] sunrise, sunset

Who ⬤ Kim Kitsuragi & YOU
What ⬤ March substories (night parade & babysitting bad trips) & more!
When ⬤ Throughout March
Where ⬤ Throughout Jigoku-cho
Content Warnings ⬤ Drug use for the applicable substory, otherwise n/a

a. high definition.

[ When Kim notices people exiting the drug testing location looking decidedly worse for wear, his first instinct is to simply ignore them. They knew what they signed up for, did so willingly, and evidently did so without having the contingency of planning for a friend to accompany them and keep them safe afterwards. He stands off to the side for a frankly unconsciable amount of time, reasoning that some good samaritan will choose to be helpful. It doesn't have to be him. He's done enough of babysitting people on unadvisable drug trips for an entire lifetime, and he's not keen on repeating the experience.

Except it quickly becomes clear that nobody else is going to step in, even when he's given one or two passer-bys a hopeful glance. Whether it's the blindness, hallucinations, or general revelry that influences people to make terrible decisions, participants in the study are going to wind up being a danger to themselves or others, Kim decides, and reluctantly approaches one of them. ]

Khm. Excuse me. Are you all right?

[ He knows the answer to that question. It's no, because agreeing to be the guinea pig for unknown drugs as administered by some bizarre rabbit creatures is not something you do when you're all right, but he makes the executive decision to err on the side of politeness anyway. ]

b. night parade.

i. decorating.

[ Assisting with the parade seems like an easy way of currying favour with his superiors and to at least put on the pretense of helping out, so Kim gladly accepts the task of hanging up the decorations. He'll be around to help hold ladders, move boxes from point A to point B, or toss a bottle of water to one of his fellow assistants who looks as though they've failed to hydrate through any of their hard labour.

He does, however, become more invested in it than he specifically means to as he stands back, hands tucked neatly behind him, and scrutinizes one of the stalls' decorations, in a very interesting colour scheme. ]

No. I'm sorry, this needs to come down. These colours are... [ There is a polite way of putting this. ] ...very ugly.

ii. eyes needed.

[ Kim, having been deemed a very responsible looking man (probably because he's one of the older people here, he thinks with a sigh), has been tasked with sorting the fireworks and putting them in appropriate storage. Some need to be stored at certain temperatures to maintain the brilliance of their colours, and others need to be put under lock and key in a nearby storage unit because in the wrong hands, they have the capacity to do an awful lot of damage.

Which is fine. Kim is more than capable of handling this. Only he's supposed to be reading the criminally tiny fine print along the sides of the tubes. He holds them away from his face as far as possible in a desperate bid to translate it, but to no avail. He could rely on guesswork, but...

Reluctantly, he turns to one of his fellows, roped into helping with the parade as well. ] Can you make this out?

[ He's secretly hoping the answer is no, which is a possibility. It would be less embarrassing that way. ]
c. sutoku district & housing.

[ Otherwise, Kim can be found wandering around what he's been told is his new home, pausing occasionally to look at the huge, flashy arcades, the blindingly bright department stores, or perhaps dwelling a little too long on one of the vehicles parked along the side of the road. Shopping isn't the most exciting thing, perhaps, but Kim has plenty he needs to get with his first paycheck: groceries (largely frozen and canned foods, specialty-made for the consummate bachelor), a first-aid kit, cigarettes and toiletries, instant coffee, and a pitstop where he inspects a truly tragic looking pot of mint planted in ruinously dry soil.

By the end of the evening, he can be found on the balcony of the long line of depressing apartments that all of the newcomers have been put into, staring out at the night sky with a cigarette dangling from his fingers and a convenience store bag filled with premade food hanging off the crook of his elbow. He's willing to share, if interest is shown -- a cigarette for the adults, or a an extra onigiri for the kids. If he's going to eat a depressing late-night dinner standing out here, he may as well have some company. ]

d. wildcard.

[ want something else? I'd love to make a starter for you! just hit me up at my ooc comment here and we'll figure something out. ]

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[he seems startled by the casual kindness, maybe a little more tense and wary than he should be (it's just a water bottle, he saw clearly where it came from, a stranger mutually helping out doesn't have any reason to not be nice...?)

after a moment he does reach out and take it, though, flashing Kim a smile that doesn't seem entirely forced, before unscrewing the cap and taking a long drink]

--ah, you're right, I did need that. Thank you.

[and, hurrying on as if to gloss over that brief awkwardness]

I know what fireworks are, but all this, um, packaging on everything is pretty unfamiliar to me. These aren't as bad as the food stores, though.

No problem.

[ It's not as though water will cure all ills, but it's good to see that the man in front of him is amenable to at least drinking and hopefully taking a rest. Kim has found relocating here trying enough with a lingering concussion, let alone what appears to be the remains of a lingering illness. Was he provided with medical care upon his arrival? Any necessary medications?

Ah, well. It truly isn't any of Kim's business. Instead, he offers him a small, sympathetic smile, difficult to see on his rather inflexible face. ]

Yes, the food stores were a bit much for me as well. Too large by half, and certainly too bright. I never felt it necessary to see my groceries with that much clarity.

[ Mostly because then he'd be able to see how shabby the produce was. Which it's not here. Odd for a place that calls itself Hell. ]

Your home was quite unlike this place, I take it?

Hmm, how do I put it...the cities aren't nearly as big as this, or as flashy. Our cuisine is also definitely better. Demons would be trouble that needed to be exorcised from people, not citizens and allies. And no one has the power to grant anything like the contracts we're offering us here.

[he seems to have relaxed out of that wary moment; maybe it's the hydration, or maybe it's just being able to talk to someone who understands at least a little of the culture shock and also has no anticipated reason to hate his face. maybe both.]

What's yours like? Is it too nosy to ask how you found your way here?

[ It was too much to hope for someone at least somewhat normal, Kim reflected. In a month or so (though Kim hopes not to be here in a month or so), perhaps he'll get used to people discussing demons and spirits and other such nonsense usually relegated to the ravings of paranoid people eager to blame anything other than themselves for their own problems as being real, identifiable issues in their daily lives. Considering what they're surrounded by, Kim's the odd man out here.

Ah, well. At least the rest seems normal enough. He's certainly sympathetic to most of the notions the man's talking about. ]

No, not at all, [ he says, shaking his head. ] The last thing I remember from home is falling asleep. When I woke up, I was here. And like you, my home is smaller, less... [ He waves a hand. ] Ostentatious.

[ His home is in post-war limbo and far too impoverished for anything like what he's been presented with here. He prefers his own way of putting it. ]

Behind in this place's technology as well. How did you find yourself here?

[ He had assumed that everyone had simply fallen asleep, much like him. Now he's realizing what a silly assumption that was. ]

[unfortunately, what comes out of Wei Wuxian's mouth next isn't likely to make Kim get better bearings on where he stands, here in this version of hell. because...]

Not to be spooky about it, or imply anything about your own arrival, but. I died a very violent death in the middle of a fight, after having been fully unrighteous in a number of ways, so in some ways I suppose I expected this?

[other people he's spoken to about their arrival haven't been definite about their deaths either, so hopefully the two don't correlate?]

Well--not this this. I expected more torments and things that were actually, you know, recognizable, not being put to work like this. But this Hell has alcohol and spicy food, at least, and I couldn't eat those if I'd become a wandering ghost or a tortured soul instead, so I'm not complaining much.

[ Kim's eyes widen. He's horrified, though his implacable demeanor merely makes him look surprised. Not at the discussion of a violent death - he's seen many in his day, and investigated more - but at the fact that he had mistakenly asked someone to relive their own horrific death. A hand flies to briefly cover his mouth. ]

Oh! I'm so sorry. Nobody else I had spoken to remembered anything like dying, and I had assumed -- [ He shakes his head. ] I shouldn't have.

[ Well, this is awkward. It also puts a wrench in his running theory that this isn't actually the afterlife, though he's still pretty stuck on that one. His lips thin as he searches for something to say that isn't the uncouth question of, so what were you doing dying violently anyway? ]

I... suppose this is something of a second chance, then. Ayakishi aside, this place doesn't seem so different from what you'd expect out of life in a different country. Or a different time.

Ah, don't worry about it. What's done is done for me; I'm glad it doesn't seem to be much of a pattern, at least!

[he can't read minds even when the factions haven't stripped them of special abilities, but hey, he can kind of guess the train of thought that reveal might cause. he's keeping a casual face on it; smiling faintly, apparently unconcerned with his state and fate.]

And that's true! I prefer to think of it as a learning opportunity, if anything. And at least they always seem ready to celebrate here, hm?

[indicates the fireworks they're working on, meaningfully]

Ah -- yes. There is that. Khm.

[ It's strange that he's taken his apparent death in stride. At the same time, it beats the hell out of him getting emotional about it or, god forbid, crying where Kim can see it. He'll count his blessings, though he makes a mental note of how... odd this gentleman is. ]

Celebrations certainly weren't what I expected of Hell, no. [ He turns one over thoughtfully. ] What were you expecting?

[ Basic theology seems like a better topic than his violent, ignoble death, at any rate. ]

[on the one hand, to be fair to Wei Wuxian, he's had a weird fucking life. on the other hand, he would probably find Kim's world and background equally weird in different ways, and many other people's here, so. either way, he also seems a little more comfortable settling on a more theological angle than on getting into his own personal gory details.]

Ah, hmm. I guess if I went to the courts of Hell, interment and punishment. But...I wasn't particularly expecting Hell either, I think? If people die with enough unfinished business like I did, they'd linger as some kind of ghost...vengeful, or simply confused.

[his lips twitch up into a smile for a second]

I like to think I'd be the confused sort.

[ Lingering as a ghost, unable to form real relationships or to affect real change sounds like a greater Hell than the one they're currently living. It also doesn't seem to be that different from Kim's real life, so he doesn't linger too much on that thought; at least in life, he can have the illusion of having the ability to do either of those things.

As it is, he simply nods, noting that even if their worlds differ, at least one theological basis of the afterlife seems consistent. Everyone has some conception of Hell, and everyone has some conception of those who linger on. Perhaps it is some base human desire to see the wicked punished, formed before they themselves join their ranks, as they all inevitably do. ]

That seems to be the better of the two, yes. [ His lip quirks. ] Though this place has a promise that most theology doesn't include... which is a chance to go back to finish that unfinished business. And not as a ghost.

[ Whether he believes it or not is a different question. He glances at Wuxian, curious. ]

Would I be right in assuming that was what was offered to you?

Ah, yeah. Well--not really unfinished business so much as...

[picks at the corner of one of the box labels, idly, brow furrowing for a moment; even he isn't shameless enough to just lightly drop 'I got a lot of people killed and I wish they'd lived instead.' his own death? fine, he had it coming, he'd deserved it. they hadn't, at all.]

...a lot of things in my life turned out badly, for other people. So it'd be nice to take that back, if I can, is all. If this chance is real.

And... that is what they promised you, I take it? That you will be able to reverse that decision while remaining here yourself?

[ For someone to want to stay, or to prefer staying in order to enact change in some other way isn't something that's even occurred to Kim. Maybe he's just not that selfless, he supposes. He's not sure if there's anything he wants more than to return back where he belongs.

Not that that's the only thing that was promised to him. He won't speak on it - it's too sad, too strange for that - but what's been promised to him is so unbelievable that he's harbouring his share of doubts of it ever coming to pass. ]

They just promised me that I'd be able to reverse the decision for others. Whether I stay or go doesn't really factor into my contract that much...I guess I'd probably stay, though? It seems like it'll take a long time to work off no matter what, so it won't be like I won't be used to here by then...

[spreads his hands, with a little huff of a laugh]

I didn't bargain to restore my own life, and being a ghost is no fun, anyway. I hope your deal's something better, though.

My deal will be to return home. That's good enough for me.

[ That's not all there is to it... but he'll leave it at that. The excess is nobody's business, and Kim can't think of a soul living or dead that he would confess it to beyond, perhaps, the parents he never knew, in some misguided attempt to curry their favour. It's a silly thought. He's older now than he was when they had died; if anything they ought to be trying to impress him. ]

Yours seems like an altruistic goal. [ Of no personal benefit, really. But for someone who has accepted his death, it makes a certain amount of sense. ] Maybe one subject to change, if you happen to meet them here, though. I imagine their contracts would be very much the same.

It depends. I think theirs would be focused on other people, too?

[shrugging; he doesn't want to delve too far down the rabbit hole of what his dead would desire from the factions, should they too become Lost Souls.]

It's funny, actually...there's at least three other people from home here, but they're most definitely alive? And from the future? Our contracts probably don't overlap much, but it's really very confusing how that's all supposed to work.

There are four of you here? [ Kim blinks, surprised. ] That's got to be a record. The most I've ever heard of people knowing each other is two.

[ At least, that's true in his own case. Though being that this fellow is bringing time travel into the equation... it's enough to give him a headache. He's glad that he and Harry appear to not have to grapple with that. ]

That's convenient. Have you discussed it much? Your contracts? [ Kim rolls a shoulder to loosen it as he sets down another box. ] Assuming, of course, that you are allies.

Huh, really? I would've thought more people knew each other, but...ah, I guess we'll see.

[they are both getting headaches.]

One of them is a friend, so we talked it over a bit; he wants something for his family out of his contract, but I don't think he'd want me telling others about it more than that. The other two are, ah. We are not. Allies. Though one of them is in Sutoku too, so we'll have to make some arrangement eventually.

Contract talk hasn't really come up, with them. It's...honestly, whenever I think about the situation too hard I just want to go to the nearest bar until I stop.

[ Kim's lip curls in a slight smile. ]

Then I'd advise that you stop thinking about it. The last thing you need is to wind up in Hell with a drinking problem. Just the one problem is enough, I think.

[ He's joking. Probably? It can be hard to tell, with Kim. ]

I understand, though. Some things are better kept private -- and regardless of what they've offered us, it doesn't change our current situation. All we can do is make the best of it.

[he's already a massive alcoholic, but he also doesn't think of it as 'a drinking problem' so much as 'coping,' so. hooray for maladaptive mechanisms. he's got no booze here, though, so he raises the water bottle, tone a little dry]

Well, I'll toast to that, friend.

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[ OPEN ] sunrise, sunset

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