July Catch-All (Open)

[itstillhurt]

Who ⬤ Azula and whoever you think has wronged you enough to deserve her!
What ⬤ July substories and unrelated encounters
When ⬤ Any time in July after the festival
Where ⬤ Throughout the city, I'm flexible
Content Warnings ⬤ None off the rip, will tag appropriately if they come up



SUBSTORY 4: Stardust

Azula's primary focus for all of July will be gathering Stardust. She wants as much of it as possible to get into the good graces of the Department of the Enma, and she's not terribly bothered if somebody else is under the misguided presumption that they already own it.

She's not going to fight anybody for it- it would reflect poorly on her with her new employers- but manipulation, pilfering, and other less attention-grabbing means of relieving people of Stardust are all on the table for her- and, of course, she can be found hunting it the old-fashioned way, searching any nook and cranny of the city for the stuff.

GENERAL: New Hire

Azula hasn't really gotten a permanent 'day job' per se, outside of her assigned Enma duties. However, she's been pretty enthusiastic about learning everything she can about the Department of the Enma and the work that's done at the Administrative Offices, even if that means menial grunt work.

Unfortunately, "enthusiastic" doesn't necessarily mean "good," even for a quick learner like Azula. Her attempts to deal with the public are mixed at best, her patience for redundant meetings and unnecessary errands is slim, and despite taking pride in her rapid mastery of modern technology, somehow she still can't make the worthless printer work properly.

Need to submit paperwork to the office? Need to file a complaint with the Department? Whatever you need, it's your unlucky day, because Azula is here to... help?

GENERAL: What Is Free Time

When not engaged in the odd menial labors she's assigned by the Department, or hunting Stardust, she's still spending a lot of time studying the city. Starting in Enma territory and working her way outward over the course of the month, she'll be exploring businesses, memorizing neighborhoods, and occasionally even engaging in what appears to be parkour. She won't particularly care about respecting silly little trifles like "This is my roof and I'm trying to sleep" or "That wasn't meant to hold weight and you're damaging it."

GENERAL: Wild Card!
(None of these grab you? Got something else in mind? Feel free to hit me up in PMs, on the discord server, on plurk at YonFellow, or at my plotting post.)

Comments

stardust

[shrieking_violet]

"You want me to what?" Chris has been down on her damn hands and knees gathering up the sky drugs, and trying not to eat or inhale or otherwise get them inside of her, and it's actually really hard shitty work. She still feels a little bad about whatever accidentally made Azula so upset the other day (yes, Chris could tell, Azula) but that doesn't mean she's handing over her fresh new stash.

[itstillhurt]

Turn over the Stardust to the Department. For safety reasons.

[It's not like it's that much of a lie, this stuff was clearly dangerous. Not that she's bitter.]

Obviously, considering the incidents with the food at the festival, the urgency of containing such a dangerous substance is much higher than we previously appreciated.

[shrieking_violet]

...am I gonna be compensated?

[ The bosses all want this stuff, and she looks pretty suspicious of Azula.

Of course, the girl really could just be doing her job, but Chris doesn't have to just let Azula do her job at Chris's expense. ]

[itstillhurt]

[...Uh-oh. Okay, that was a reasonable question, and this way lies danger. She's not going to surrender the stardust for nothing. Smart.

She tries to think what leverage she has to exercise. No authority, no power- well, that was the whole point of the stardust, wasn't it?

Then again...

Well, she was getting paid for the stardust. She... well, she didn't have a lot of money, but the money wasn't as important as the reputation and credit with the Department.

Fine. She'll just have to give Chris whatever money she gets paid. Inconvenient, but it will do.]

Of course! I'll see to it personally that you're paid a fair value.

[shrieking_violet]

You don't have it on you huh?

[ Suspicion worming into the back of her mind. Maybe it's unreasonable, but she couldn't be sure either way. ]

...I feel like we at least need a witness, if we can't make some kinda contract.

[itstillhurt]

[Oh, right. The authority of a spoken deal wasn't as ironclad in this day and age.

Well, that's...

Inconvenient.]

Oh, of course there'll be a contract- well, a receipt, technically. You know the department, we do love our paperwork.

[She gives a little roll of her eyes at that, as if sharing something relatable and mildly amusing.]

Unfortunately, it's valued by weight, so we'll need to measure it in order to determine the fair value.

general: new hire

[rainswords]

[ Finally, after that long wait his turn has come at last. The lines aren't getting any shorter at the department but that type of complaint won't get him anywhere, he has made a mention of it before so he won't even bother this time. In fact, he hasn't spoken of it for a long time but he generally likes to come to the department attempting to get general information. Why this is where his wide array of maps have been obtained from. Or maybe he is just here to be difficult.

Only today, at the window there is someone unfamiliar. ]

Good morning. Or rather I should say afternoon. It's been quite busy I noticed but you made quick work of the line.

[ Which is much appreciated but it's probably due to her demeanor. Okay, so he has been observing from afar until his turn came. But he won't be discouraged by what he witnessed, after all despite her efficiency it was quite a wait. ]

Now then. Let's get to business.

So I was directed to come here in order to retrieve one of those licenses in order to lawfully operate a vehicle. How may I go about doing so?

[itstillhurt]

[This is too much conversation. Entirely too much. She gives him a very forced smile at the...

Compliment?

Okay, probably not a compliment, but whatever, she'll pretend if it helps. Professional smile. Not at all frazzled. Not at all.>]

Are you a first time learner, or an experienced driver?

[...Well, at least she's still putting... some sort of energy into it. It's not exactly as friendly as she's going for, but she got the spirit.]

[rainswords]

[ That smile silences him. There is nothing captivating nor lovely about it, rather he notes its strained and unusual qualities. She needs more practice! ]

Uh. Yes. I would be a first time learner.

[ If he hadn't found her expression so distracting he may have gone on to explain further about his situation. The lack of motorized vehicles in Liyue attributes to his inexperience. Really, he is working from the ground up here but he has seen enough cars within the city to finally decide to give it a go, it seemed convenient and he may have other plans. ]

I assume you must know how to operate one, correct?

[itstillhurt]

[... She's so not looking to explain the technological background of the Fire Nation to this guy. Cars look and sound repulsive to her anyway.]

Oh, I've never seen the need, but don't worry, I'm sure the instructor does.

[Apparently that was a joke, because there's a very, very forced laugh.]

[rainswords]

[ It would appear he may be speaking to the wrong person, then why did the signs indicate he should wait in that particular line to get to this window. Unless they station just about anyone here from the department, which would make sense with the number of people that solicit all types of assistance or come to make complaints.

Of course, he just stares at her as she laughs and only offers a polite chuckle followed by a cough. ]

I guess I would be worried if they didn't.

[ Wow. This is actually awkward. ]

Do I have to wait in another line?

1/2

[itstillhurt]

[... That's it? That's it? That awkward forced little laugh was it?

Oh, come on, that was funny!

Ugh. Witless fool wouldn't know comedy if it was right in front of his-

Oh. Right. Right. Question.]

2/2

[itstillhurt]

[She quickly composes herself again, responding in her usual... attempt at an engaging presence.]

No, no, this is the correct place.

[She waves the concern off with a gesticulation of her hand.]

I'll just be processing your forms and scheduling your meeting with the instructor for a future date, that's all.

[And if that sounds tedious and pointlessly inefficient, you can at least take comfort in knowing that she agrees entirely.]

stardust

[socute]

Sorry. I don't know what you're talking about.

[ Totoko had, naturally, been busy hunting for the stuff herself. She wasn't necessarily being thorough about it, but if she saw a bit of a twinkle somewhere, why not go for it? She's sure she spotted something sparkling in this case, which is when she went searching, but...

Then, she just happened to get caught on the one time she wanted to look. So, she had to make up a quick story. ]

I'm just looking for my other contact. That's all.

[itstillhurt]

[Azula knows her way around lies, and that, my dear, is not a good lie.

Still, may as well indulge it, maybe she can at least corner her with it. Contact. Contact. It takes her a second to place that one.

Oh, contact lenses. For eyesight. Right. Right.]

Well, then I tell you what. How about I look for it? Since I'm not visually impaired, I'm less likely to accidentally damage it.

[socute]

[ She's still working on her lying! She's too used to being an honest girl... where she'd explain that she was gathering this stuff for herself. But, never mind all that.

Right now, she's got to rely on her other skills to get her out of this! Like, a disarming smile. ]

That's nice of you, but I should be able to see it up close like this. Oh, you don't have to move either-- if you do, you might crush it.

[itstillhurt]

[Disarming smiles are not staggeringly effective on Azula, sadly.]

Oh, don't worry about that, I have very light steps and I'd of course be extremely careful.

[socute]

C-Come on, I don't wanna bug you or anything...

[ So return the favor already! Get the hint and get lost!! ]

[itstillhurt]

Oh, really, you wouldn't be bothering me. It's my duty as a member of the Department to help.

[You're not getting rid of her that easily.]

stardust

[himbosupreme]

His attention is caught by what sounds like a fight trying to start breaking out, and the word Enma getting mixed up in it. Cain sighs, since he just hoped it was some random fellows getting antsy rather than someone from his department trying to start a fight.

"Hey! Okay guys, settle down. Can you tell me what's going on?" His hand is on his sword in preparation, but he was not ready to fight just yet.

Oh no, threading NPCs, my fatal weakness. (Also I see we're prosing!)

[itstillhurt]

"Nothing you need to be concerned about," Azula calmly insists. "These fine citizens were just relaying concerns about recent thefts of stardust, and I suggested that the safest course of action for all parties would be to turn any remaining stardust over to us."

The most belligerent yokai- apparently the one who's been arguing with Azula- glowers down at her and barks. "What kind of answer is that? You're supposed to be protecting us, aren't you?"

She quirks an eyebrow back up at him. "I'm sorry, is that not what I'm doing?"

sdfs sorry didnt want to do anything you didnt want

[himbosupreme]

Ah, yeah this was about the situation he'd expected from hearing those voices. Though he couldn't actually see anyone, he nonetheless stared the group down.

"I get your concerns-my colleague here might not have worded it the best, but we are trying to get this stuff off the streets so people stop getting hurt. I can't guarantee that the next people who come and ask are going to be nice."

He's hoping they see the logic in that...or he may have to pay them for it if its the money they're after. He didn't have that much. Still, Cain levelled another stare over to where he thinks Azula is from the sound of her voice in a silent 'please don't make this worse'.

At least one of the yokai seems to be considering it, but his friend...

"So you're just gonna steal it from us too?!" They barked.

YOU'RE FINE, I'm just over here being self-deprecating.

[itstillhurt]

Odd. His eyes don't quite seem to focus on her when he faces her. Blind? If so, he seems quite capable of navigating the streets- but so was the last blind person she dealt with.

Well. Useful information for later. Don't worry, blind man, she's more than willing to play nice as long as the riffraff do.

"Of course not, don't be ridiculous." Her voice fairly drips with insincere pleasantness. "We're not forcing you to turn over the stardust- we're not making you do anything. I'm simply pointing out how potentially dangerous it might be to keep it in your homes."

[himbosupreme]

Conditionally blind, but he'd since learned to not let it affect his job as much as possible. As for what this girl was saying, the words were fine, but the tone....it was not winning her any favors.

"Yes, she's right. I'm sorry for any trouble you were given before, but we really don't want you to come to harm for harboring it. There are some really shady people out there who will get it with any means necessary and I'd hate to see you get hurt." He had his hands out in a placating manner.

"Yeah, and what about our money, pretty boy?" The closest youkai growled. Ah, yes. That's what Cain figured was the concern.

"Me and my coworker can arrange some form of fair compensation for you, in return for turning over the stardust. Does that work? I don't have too much right now, but if need be, I can pay a down payment."

[itstillhurt]

You are doing an awful lot of volunteering on her behalf there, new blind friend, and she's not a fan. Nor is she rich enough to be funding your generous offers.

"Of course, in the interest of fair compensation, we would need to measure and weigh the stardust you all turned in, which would be far easier to do at a Department office. Surely that would better for all of you anyway, since you could retrieve drop off your stardust at your own convenience and comfort- which is, of course, our first priority."

Look, she thinks that sounds reasonable. And better for her, on basically every level.