jigokulogs | ( catch-all : july + august ) something chronic, bit demonic

ITADAKIMASU: stardust edition

[ It's not every day that she finds something shiny in her food. Sure, there are times when her companions cook something suspicious that would make an entire heavily-populated city sick, but nothing like this, she thinks. She peers into the bowl of ramen she's ordered, a familiar fare from the days and weeks and months she's spent in Inazuma, before she deftly picks up a glittering piece of rock between her chopsticks.

It's definitely the same thing she's been picking up from the rooftops of the establishments around Jigoku.

She glances around the other patrons' food, blinking at the same shiny, sparkly rock that's scattered all across the noodles and charsiu pork elegantly arranged on the bowl (despite it being a food truck thing). The other festival food contains it, too: sprinkled like bonito flakes on the takoyaki, mixed in with the sauce for the poutine, scattered on top of the icing for what looks like cupcakes.

In any case, she leans towards the person next to her, her eyes focused on the sparkling things on their food. ]

You know, I found some of those on the ground. You don't think ...

[ The vendor picked it up and sprinkled it there?? She tries not to think about it ... ]

ITADAKIMASU: fight club edition

[ Lumine has eaten her way through the festival.

This much is obvious from the small pile of refuse next to her on a table: oil paper from croquette vendors, disposable trays from the takoyaki stall, bamboo sticks that once held dango and yakitori ... and she looks very happy with herself. Happy, and maybe a little red on the cheeks, because as it happens, some of the food she's consumed has a bit of stardust in it, unnoticed from all the bright lights in the festival square.

But she's now ready to throw away her garbage and go through the food stalls all over again in search of something new to eat when she senses a hand slip into the pocket of her skirt, deft fingers wrapping around the purse full of stardust she's just managed to acquire. It's instinctive that Lumine's own hand, despite her current state, wrap around the offending wrist, throwing them over her shoulder—

... And possibly over to the next table. Another table, to be exact, possibly disrupting their meal and enjoyment of the festival? Look, she would've tried to settle this in a very calm and peaceful manner, but she's quite excitable today. ]

I'm sorry, [ she offers them a faint smile, apologetic. Her fingers are still wrapped around the would-be thief's wrist, her wallet held in their hand. ] Someone here was trying to steal from me. Let me pay for your meal as an apology.

Edited 2022-07-14 21:18 (UTC)

[ normally, he would have no qualm or issue about approaching someone during their most vulnerable. as within the laws of nature, there are few times where someone's guard is as notably dropped as when they sleep, eat, and/or bathe. it was simple fact. but, still, he finds himself more on the side of observation. between himself and few others he's encountered here, he at least feels comfortable enough with the concept of knowing that no one appears to be coming and going from here as they please. if anything, he did have some loose semblance of time on his side. especially, if he were to encounter these individuals and fight to a strength that is more befitting of his prior abilities.

but, as he ponders over this, he sees subject 1 of his observational endeavors on full swing and all action. she never struck him as the type to be so... reckless and excitable, and yet here she was throwing someone over her shoulder and right into the table in front of him.

while dragons tended to be voracious and greedy creatures by nature, he honestly doesn't lament over the lost food, but... he isn't at all against the idea of her owing him. nor was he against letting her know this. to be honest, he's probably sampled the majority of what he wanted and even pocketed some of the little stardust from a few vendors. regardless— he wasn't about to miss his chance here. ] What if I wanted something else in return?

[ This isn't how she usually is, she'd like to say.

But she's been in high spirits since ... well, since she's started eating some of the festival fare. Which, to be fair, she wasn't really warned about. She had assumed a few things about it, mostly from the snippets of conversation she's heard around the Shuten clan, but she's yet to completely understand what it's all about or for. Though she is starting to realize, especially with the guy seemingly losing consciousness from what she's done.

Lumine looks up at the voice, blinking away the haze brought about by the stardust she's managed to consume, and recognizes the face. Right. Him. Mort, she remembers faintly. ]

I suppose that's fine, so long as it's reasonable.

[ Except what is reasonable for someone like him, for someone who tried to do matchmaking fortune-telling with her? ]

Isn't "reasonable" a bit subjective? [ per usual, he discovers himself nitpicking her words when it's convenient for his own narrative. but, he does believe he has a fair point. one he doesn't dwell on too long, however.

as much as he would love to see her rack her brain over the mystery over not having a clear answer (or, she would conveniently pay it no heed per usual, but listen, he's hopeful about making an impact here!), he decisively opts to provide just a bit of clarity. ] You'll come with me.

[ to explore the rest of the festivities. he supposed there was no better time to get to know someone than when they seemed like they were in the highest spirits. it's when those are at their ultimate highs and lows that one can truly learn what they're about. or so mort would argue...

though, they still did have another issue at hand. with his foot, he seems to brush it on the man that lumine still has a hold of. ] What were you to do with them?

[ Why is it that she always has to come with him?

Somehow, that's a very sobering command, one that draws out a sigh from her lips. Why can't this be as simple as asking for payment for his ruined meal or disturbed ambiance? Somehow, she can't tell if this is going to be a good idea or not, especially with how weird things turned out last time, but she did agree, so ...

Her gaze briefly flickers down on the man she's holding onto, slowly slipping into unconsciousness from the ruckus she's made. She quickly sits him up on a nearby seat, holding out his wrist to Mort. ]

Do you mind keeping an eye out on him for a minute?

[ Lumine doesn't even wait for his response, heading toward one of the vendors nearby to request something. She returns with a marker in her hand, pushing the would-be pickpocket's hair back from his forehead. ]

This won't take long ...

[ Because writing "pickpocket" on the man's forehead is as easy as one-two-three. ]

[ it's true. similar to clockwork, he can't deny their relationship was somehow defined by little acts of coincidence; their whole bond forged on one favor after the other. which was unusual, but at the same time, considering that he tended not to bother with most individuals, he lacked the actual comparative background to truly designate it as strange.

which means for better or worse, he was more than content on pursuing this line of interaction. he supposed if she wasn't all that forthcoming with offering her company (and by extension, the potential for him to learn more and eventually conclude whether she could be his rival or not), then he would have to keep creating reasons between them. he supposed it wasn't all that dissimilar to when he had to threaten to decimate a village or two...

luckily for lumine, it doesn't escalate that far, and instead he's here. now using his foot to keep the thief steadied beneath his weight. he seems curious as to what she'll do and then she just... ] Wouldn't that be a little too easy for him to remove?

You may be better off branding him. [ is he joking....

probably not. ]

[ For better or worse, her ass.

In any case, Lumine doesn't glance up at him until she's finished her task, satisfied with her handiwork. The suggestion causes a wrinkling of her nose and forehead, clearly not at all in favor of any physical or mental scarring on the person. Sure, she has a strong stomach for violence but torture is a completely different ballgame. ]

Maybe ... [ She replaces the cap of the marker, finally turning her gaze at her now-companion as she stands up. ] But by the time he even realizes that he needs to rub it off, someone from the Department of Enma will have already seen it and pinpointed him for apprehension.

[ She pockets the pen, determined to return it later to the vendor. ]

So, where to?

[ the fact that she could take his words in stride probably implied something of her mental fortitude. or the fact that maybe she didn't take his words all too seriously. either way, mort seems content with leaving it at that. there wasn't any real reward or any sense of accomplishment he would have gotten for torturing this man, even if he believed it appropriate.

eventually releasing his foot, he gives her a small, curt nod. ] It seems you have more faith in them than even the people here do. [ a vague comment, but his feet are already beginning to shift in a new direction.

they pause for a second if just to peer back at lumine. ] To be honest, I have never been to an event like this.

[ if just because he didn't tend to like associating with inferior beings, unlike his father. but, that said, it isn't like his opinions haven't shifted a little overtime, or specifically in this place. hence— ] Show me your favorite place.

Huh? You think that they might have just picked it off the ground and put it on their food...?

[ Because that's the implications that she seems to be arriving at when she hears Lumine say those words, and it's enough for her to furrow her brow, thinking a little bit. ]

That's got to be some health code violation or something. Not that I'd know much about that sorta thing, that's much more law enforcement related. But I sure wouldn't eat it now. I'm pretty sure not even the five second rule could save it.

[ She's pretty sure that the five-second rule won't save it at all, because who knows how long it's been on the ground or on whatever surface it's fallen on. ]

I don't know much about it either.

[ Should they call someone from Enma? Will it create some kind of chaos, especially when this festival is supposed to be some form of truce between two clans? Lumine debates if it's a good idea to try and solve this by themselves. ]

I'm not sure if they simply picked it off the ground ... [ She picks up a piece of stardust with her chopsticks, peering at it closely. ] But I'm sure this is one of those things I've been collecting all evening for the past few days.

[ She's had her share of nuisance hilichurls, pigeons and slimes, but Lumine doesn't remember ever having to deal with dancing, naked people on the street. And honestly, she would've just let it go and didn't bother with it if it weren't for the fact that it's harassing people and being a general menace to the community. At the very least, it's work that pays (probably) and something to keep her mind off of the shooting stars that remind her too much of her brother (not really).

Lumine turns to Eula, putting her hands on her hips as she observes the man dance in front of a few establishments, scaring off some of the customers and bothering some of the passers-by. Even the employees behind the glass windows look exasperated at the act, refraining to do anything in case it runs off from them. ]

Are you sure you'll be okay?

[ Just asking since she doesn't think this is a common occurrence back in Mondstadt. And Eula, being part of the Lawrence clan, well ... ]

I can deal with it by myself, if you want. You can just come and arrest him once I've caught him.

Edited 2022-07-14 21:37 (UTC)

[ truth be told, there's no doubt that mondstadt would have had a few cases of drunk streakers every now and then. but that's usually a job for the lower-ranked knights and not, you know, the reconnaissance captain.

so here eula is, expression utterly deadpan as she stands beside lumine and watches this naked carnage unfold before them. ]

You do realize you're talking to one of the ranked members of the Department, Lumine. Dealing with miscreants like that is par for the course, even back home in Mondstadt.

[ still, she'd rather do recon shit than this like wtf...... ]

Furthermore, the more I look at him the more disgusted I become by the second. [ eugh. ] And for that, he must pay. Let's move.

[ just going to strut over there to karen him out of it, come on ]

[ Ah, her condolences that she had to deal with this, too, back in Mondstadt ...

Lumine has thankfully not been given any similar commissions by Jean or the other knights, even during Windblume. She almost wonders how each Captain dealt with cases like this, except maybe for Lisa who has a very effective means of cowing down a person to her. And Kaeya, who probably made the guy's life a living, frozen hell. ]

The City of Freedom truly is the City of Freedom, isn't it?

[ Anyway, she blinks, quickly following after Eula and matching her pace to catch up to her. Because while she's concerned about the Recon Captain, she's even more concerned about the man in question—

Who turns to them with a grin, looking ready to bail. ]

Hello there.

[ it's not easy being a knight of favonius lately, what with varka taking most of their peeps and running off to god knows where rn... :/

anyway, the half-naked man turns around, bulging eyes roving all over their figures. gross, gross, gross. eula continues to maintain her composure though, but only by a thread. ]

Let's cut to the chase. We're going to take you in for indecency -- no ifs, ands, and buts. Resist, and your retribution shall be swift.

[ how she sounds like diluc sometimes. oh if only they got along. eula continues to stare at the man, as if glaring daggers is going to make the guy keel over and surrender--

but nope, he's turns around and fucking books it. it's almost comedic, tbh. ]

Hey! [ she clicks her tongue. ] Come on, Traveler.

[ Gross is the understatement of the year. Lumine doesn't even remember the last time she felt disgusted over something, not even when a cryo slime exploded on her. And truth be told, if she were given the choice between dealing with this man and a hoard of slimes, she'd choose the slimes any day.

Any. Day.

The moment the guy in quest moves, however, Lumine sprints into action after him, easily sidestepping the passers-by and people strolling down the street, knowing that Eula will be right behind her. She keeps up with his pace, hoping to corner him somewhere with the Favonius captain. ]

Eula!

[ Lumine glances at the other girl over her shoulder, nodding at an alleyway. She can send him right there for the taking if she wants. ]

On it!

[ great minds think alike, or so they say. and eula's mind is telling her to go on ahead and get him in a pincer attack in a nearby alleyway, so she picks up the speed, backflipping in the air and landing on the roof of a small building as she matches lumine's quick strides. then she leaps onto said alleyway right when the naked menace turns around the corner. ]

Halt! You're under arrest!

[ she winces a little as she says that. ugh, to have been reduced to saying those kinds of words as a low-ranked officer instead of doing her own thing as reconnaissance captain... the department is sure to pay one day.

said menace however, is sweating bullets, but is not giving up.

"come onnnnn, pretty lady. i was just providing some free entertainment for people! tanabata is coming, riiiiiight? why not celebrate in advance with me~?"

...

okay that's it, she's manifesting her claymore. ]

[ It's about time that she's found a replacement for her table, feeling sore all over after having stood up for several hours. All Lumine wants is to return to her apartment and collapse in bed, but dinner first and maybe a bit of a stroll around the city. With everyone's spirits high, she doesn't wish to miss anything exciting or interesting in hell—even if it is hell.

On her way out, however, having changed into something less conspicuous, she spots a familiar head, amused that she's even here of all places. If there's a person she's expected to be here, it's not her but her subordinate.

Or is it ex-subordinate? ]

Hu Tao!

[ She gives the girl a wave, smiling as she approaches her. ] You should've told me you'll be here.

[What a situation Hu Tao found herself in. All she wanted to do was to get some money as a way to start her business here and now, she was stuck on what to do. Looking at the bag in front of her, she mumbled to herself. How was she supposed to drag all this money to the bank?

It was then, at that moment, she heard a familiar voice.]

Ah, Lumine! How wonderful, you came just in time! You're just the person I needed!

[Nevermind how she was attempting to hide said bag behind her with a smile on her face!]

( catch-all : july + august ) something chronic, bit demonic

— mingle (open)

itadakimort...

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stardust!

so sorry for the delay!! i was sick ...

— closed starters

— eula

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— hu tao

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