[ closed ] 別道 「 another way 」

[kaientai]

Who ⬤ Sakamoto Ryouma + the Stars
What ⬤ Ryouma holds a meeting for ranked Sutoku Lost Souls (finally)
When ⬤ the beginning of July, after the mingle
Where ⬤ Konoha
Content Warnings ⬤ none that I can think of!



[ weird how things come full circle. the first meeting ryouma ever put together in jigokucho had been here at konoha under similarly dire — if you want to focus on the negative — circumstances. ryouma thinks they're doing great!

ryouma is also still wearing his bird wounds for the optics.

doing. great.

in any case, there is no time to lose, and so the call goes out to all the Sutoku Lost Souls who command any bit of influence. proper time to plan and a bit more clout to his name this time enables ryouma to do better than just renting out one of the VIP rooms for a few hours like last time — borrowing a room much more suited to the purpose. ryouma has no love for the nightclub or the boardroom atmosphere, but it is the faction's central hub, and as much as he might have preferred to do this at a more intimate location that's more his speed, he feels like it's important to make the gesture.

plus, he's invited the boss. ]

I'm sure you all know why we're here, so now it's time to fill you all in on what's been going on! This is gonna be a lot that I gotta say, so it'll save us all a lotta time if ya let me get to the end before ya ask questions, okay?

[ if anyone was expecting him to look sorry... he does not. he doesn't look worried either, even if some people think he ought to, but unflappable confidence in times like these is just ryouma's thing. it's worth noting that ryouma also looks slightly different and now carries two swords in addition to his gun, which… might be interesting? ]

Ever since what happened at the Night Parade, I've been working real hard to find a way to restore the peace around here. Nobody told me to do that, mind, but forgin' unlikely alliances is sorta what I'm known for where I come from.

[ and you really don't want to know how much things here have followed the trajectory of his former life, considering how it ended, but at least he succeeded at the time? ]

It was only a little plan at first, just a small thing to try and prove it could work out, but then it started takin' shape over time, especially when I caught wind that we were gonna end up negotiatin' with whoever won the turf war anyway. Problem was, Shuten and Tamamo were pretty evenly matched there so things were at an impasse, which ain't real great for them but the perfect opportunity for us.

[ as he keeps talking, ryouma starts to pace, and his accent slips more and more over time as he finds a flow. he's excited about all this and is eager to finally have people to collaborate with. now more than ever, he's picking up on the same feeling he used to have back when he was alive, instead of how it's been while he's been a counter guardian. for better or worse, everyone's getting ryouma in his element. ]

I met with—… well, a lot of people, but most importantly, I met with Majima and Musashi — lieutenants from Shuten and Tamamo, respectively. A couple of folks who were working with me on it aren't here anymore, but one of them gave me the clue that'd be the key to the whole thing, which is lucky because the Shuten Clan was the hardest sell on this whole thing.

[ here ryouma takes a momentary pause. he has a sip of water and looks around at everyone he's addressing right now, sure that he's at least interested or annoyed everyone into having their attention. that's how it usually goes, in his experience. he also lights a cigarette because he finds it relaxing, and everyone else will just have to deal. ]

So, what did I sell them on, right? I'm gonna tell ya.

[ he actually has something prepared to show them, so he starts by unrolling a map and flattening it out on the table before he pushes it forward. he's old-fashioned; he doesn't know about powerpoint. this map is the same one used at the negotiation meeting, meaning everyone's respective aggressive scribbles are exactly where they left them. ]

This is how things in the Underground will be divvied up, more or less. As you can see, this location'll be jointly controlled by all three factions. Givin' a little ground keeps the peace down below, which is good because we don't want the Department steppin' in, but not everybody's happy with that. It's understandable, what with it bein' a loss, but I consider any time we can settle something without bloodshed a win. In any case, the Alliance's most important asset down below — in my opinion — is the waterways and how we can use them.

We need those 'cause we're takin' over the black market.

[ so there. because… that's what he wants to do. so he'll do it. this is definitely not the time to sound wishy-washy. ]

We know there have been leaks and it's eatin' into everyone's cash flow. It's just not been a solvable problem before, so naturally… we're gonna solve the unsolvable problem.

[ as one does??? ]

That is, I'm confident that with a combined effort, we'll succeed. That's the advantage we have now that we didn't have before!

But, there is a catch…

[ and he offers an apologetic smile for the trouble that is the rollercoaster of this explanation. ]

We have two months to do that, or Toraguma will personally come and collect my head. And go to war on everyone else. Tenkohime, of course, will not be interfering, and I'd assume they'll clean up what's left and go back to tryin' to kill each other when the time comes. In which case, this place is finished. You all lived through that curse, same as me. If somethin' like that happens again and everybody's all too busy fightin' each other, that's the end of the road.

[ considering the pressure ryouma lives with, he's not trying to shovel it on now to stress anyone out, but he has also never been one to downplay things in the interest of sugarcoating them. they need to be realistic, or it's not going to work. ]

I'm not gonna let that happen. I didn't a long time ago when I was weaker and dumber, so why let it happen now? I have complete faith in all of us. That bein' said, I have more detailed plans for what I intend to do about it, but the first thing we need to do is start investigatin'. Second, I'm lookin' for volunteers to come in on this and take ownership on the side of what's happenin' in the Underground. I don't have the time and, honestly, no interest in managin' all that, but I won't just drop it on somebody an' cut ya loose. If ya wanna work with me too, lemme know.

I know that's a lot, so I'm gonna shut up and yield. I'll answer your questions now, too. Otherwise, I'm happy to hear your ideas. Plans can always stand to be improved, right?

---

Welcome to the meeting log! Yay!

• This is a meeting for all Sutoku Alliance members who have any number of stars.


• Since there will be many people involved in this (at least ten, I think??), I've decided to organise this a little weirdly given time constraints and mod responses and the like.


• I've laid everything out as far as everything Ryouma has to say. Then after that, everyone is free to respond/react/threadjack each other, etc. This way, everyone ICly has all the pertinent information going forward, and no one will have to rush and wonder what was or wasn't explicitly stated, and threads can progress at their own speed after that. I usually don't do "infodump" style posts, but I didn't want to lock anyone into long tag orders to get the info out.


• Finally, there is an OOC interest check for the parts of all this that deal with developing the Underground itself. Since Ryouma is gonna be deep diving into his black market business, I wanted to hand off the rest of this to other people. I have plenty I want to do, and other people should have the opportunity to take over and carry on! Since it will require a bit of coordination and communication with the mods, I'm doing this because I don't want to assume that someone's character having IC responsibility means you wanna take that on OOC. SO! Please only respond here if that's something you would be interested in!

Comments

hope a lil threadjack here is ok!

[worldbent]

That will be our job, Strife-san.

[Matoba folds himself gracefully beside this discussion, his interest caught as he listened in. The Black Market in itself interested Matoba for a number of disconnected reasons, but his aims lay ...elsewhere.]

I would like to take responsibility for honing our offensive and defensive methods. We all have our specialties. Mine is finding ways to destroy things.

[It's not something he says pridefully, even though he's smiling like always. It just is.]

Of course, there's more to attack and defense than just weapons alone. There are a number of ways to ensure your enemy will want nothing to do with you that don't involve killing them.

perfectly fine!

[identitycrisiscore]

Our job, huh?

[ He folds his arms - like Matoba wears a smile, Cloud wears a frown. It doesn't mean he isn't thinking about it. ]

Hrm. Makes sense, I suppose. I don't know that I'm that good a leader, but it's better than waiting on the sidelines.

[ He turns back to Ryouma, nodding along. Ryouma was right - relying on one person wasn't a good idea, even if he had been the hero of the hour. ] But I think making sure we don't have to get into open conflict is the best plan. Not that we couldn't handle it - but the smoother things go, the better advantage we have, regardless.

I guess what I'm saying is - you want my help training people - I can do that.

[kaientai]

Mind if I leave that to ya then? [ thanks, cloud, for volunteering! ] Oughta start out by gettin' a clear picture of our resources t' start with. Who is good with swords or guns or tactics or whatever. That way it'll be easier knowin' where t' fill in the gaps and who else t' enlist so ya ain't tryin' to do it all yourself.

[ once again, decent advice that ryouma is much better at giving than actually following. ]

I bet ya already know I'm gonna say that I would prefer it if we don't end up being thought of as the sort to rule with fear, though. I'd like it if no one tried t' cross us 'cause they know they couldn't get away with it. They should have to consider what they say and where they say it and t' who, 'cause we'll hear about it. Obviously, the Alliance has its own connections, but we oughta be establishin' our own.

[ they're pretty sorry information brokers if they don't have any good information. ]

[worldbent]

[They sure are in a state, when Cloud Strife is the preferable Good Cop between the two of them to get people trained and organized, but they all must play to their strengths, hm? Matoba looks pleased with Cloud's volunteering, as it solves another piece of that puzzle. Coordinating the methods and physical resources available to them were one thing, but people were a whole other part of that puzzle that must be handled with a little more care.]

Human resources is also an important part of offense and defense. [Human or not, you get what he means-] Not only should we ensure that others are trained in the ability to fight, but to your point, we should ensure that everyone has a good sense of how to handle situations in which they are gathering information safely. I am certain that there are many that do not know how to defend against ayakashi from reading the heart, or how to identify a compromised informant and how they might tell bad information. I've never been known as a good teacher, but these are defenses I believe all should know. I don't mind taking point on matters of magical and psychological defense. [Lord knows Cloud should not be, cough]

...We'd all prefer, [He glances towards Ryouma with his playful deviousness,] to not have to get our hands too dirty, I think. Fear of consequence might as well be the same as fear specifically of physical reprisal, but it's less resources spent if we don't have to lift a finger. It's efficient, so you might as well be correct.

That said I have spent quite a bit of time establishing my own connections, over the months. [He hums cheerfully.] Not all of our compatriots in other clans are pleased with their own situations. Unhappiness breeds loose lips, and I'm happy to take advantage of the gaps that their little squabbles formed in their ranks.

[identitycrisiscore]

[ Truthfully, Cloud had been intending on hanging back. Doing delivery. Gathering intelligence that way - do good turns for people, and they'll usually tell you something you don't know. But he sees the problem Ryouma's put forth. And Cloud, as much as he might try and convince himself otherwise, is one of the people to be looking at for combat prowess in Sutoku's ranks right now. ]

[ Matoba's support is, at least, galvanizing to some degree, covering the knowledge gaps Cloud couldn't help but have. He nods, after a moment. ]

Sounds like what we want is something like smaller cells of active teams coordinating with each other. Learn to fight, to gather intel, and to play to each other's strengths. Let people stay independent and intervene on their own accord. Pivot when we need to. No sense giving people directions over objectives - if our strength is that we have a lot of various talents at our disposal, we should trust everyone in how they employ them.

[ He's vocalizing it so he can see it in his mind's eye. Trying not to imagine the AVALANCHE cell, but, well, it wasn't the worst template to work off of. ]

Intel training can be left to Matoba and Mr. Kitsuragi, but I can show them the ropes of mercenary work - including the information you get when you help people out.

We don't want people to think us weak - but we don't want a standing army, either. If Shuten has power, and Tamamo has cunning, then we need to be quick - either because we've planned ahead, or because any group can assemble quick enough to hit the ground running.

[ He folds his arms, looking between Matoba and Ryouma. ] That hit all the high notes?

[kaientai]

[ hold on while ryouma's brain catches up. he thought he'd put cloud in charge of some things because he seems capable, but he never expected the guy to so neatly unfold a perfect strategy just like that. ryouma doesn't imagine he invented it on the spot, but he doesn't care. ]

Ya did somethin' like this before, huh?

[ it's no accusation. ryouma looks pleased. ]

I like it! Ya got my support. Bein' able to take what works an' shape it t' fit is why we're ultimately gonna be stronger in the end.

[ ryouma has based all his plans so far on what he did before. it worked at the time, so why not?

he's had to change plenty to accommodate where they are and a certain level of aggression and violence present in this world thanks to its yokai population that he didn't have to deal with before, but the basic framework is the same. ]

I used t' help teach a long time ago, but these days I think I'm better off helpin' out whoever wants t' get involved in the business and — unfortunately — the political side'a things. A reasonable division of effort for everybody involved, I think!

[ and each to their own strengths, just as he prefers. ]

[worldbent]

It's settled, then.

[Matoba shares a sly smile Cloud's way. The way he spoke certainly had the ring of an experienced soldier to it, didn't it? When they had first met, he had assumed Cloud a spy of some sort; he still wonders if he wasn't far off, with his guerilla descriptions of organization. They were well-rounded; Sakamoto Ryouma was famous for his skill in organization and bringing people together in the turn of the century, but it was good to have someone who was used to the workings of more modern military technique and technology as well. (Or so Matoba assumed;)]

We are all quite self-motivated, I think, every Sutoku I have come across. [Cheerfully,] The new faces never need more than a hint or two and they will be well on their way to finding something that they can do; I have no doubt that we will not have to worry much about the guidance end of things.

[Matoba might never have been called a team-player even by his own clanmates, back home, but amongst his Sutoku compatriots there was a comfortable ability to assume a level of understanding between them all, in intents and purpose. Matoba had never been in a situation to feel out of place somewhere, and that was true even now.]

Ah, on that note. Among the various projects I am handling, Mizumori Tama-kun has expressed interest in writing something of a guide on youkai and the spiritual world that we now reside in, for those who seem to be unfamiliar. When it is completed, I would like to ensure that it is distributed to new recruits, whenever we pick up a new handful.

While I trust everyone's ability to adapt eventually, there's no sense asking individuals to collect information on something they lack basic knowledge on... And given Haniyasu-no-kami's insurgence last month, I believe this will prove to be important to more than simple adaptation.

slides one in here quickly

[kaientai]

When you say new recruits, that means all the Lost Souls that come to this world, I hope?

[ ryouma understands the value of being better informed than your competition — he's pushing for that the hardest, after all — but on this, he has a particular opinion. ]

There is sure to be no competitive edge in sharing basic knowledge of this world and the people who reside in it freely. At the very least, you'll probably have fewer people opening their homes to cursed items in the future?

slides one BACK haHA

[worldbent]

[Sigh ... Well, he did assume this was going to be something Ryouma would say. Don't ever say he doesn't get a quick read on people--]

I don't think it's the sort of thing that could be kept under wraps for long if we wanted it to. And as you say, it will lead to less stress on my part.

[(He's still making a face, though.)] ...Anything that is truly worth "learning" is earned by one's own merits in meeting others, anyhow.

/popcorns

[identitycrisiscore]

I've been around a few military groups.

[ That's all he'll say about that - especially as Matoba and Ryouma start a digression. Cloud watches the exchange - he's not really looking to get a word in edgewise as they talk. Honestly, he's not exactly confident he's the go-to guy for this, despite Ryouma's excitement with the plan, but, well. Can't back out now. ]

Tama's a good pick for that. Pretty detail-oriented. And probably for the best that everyone is on the same page - I don't know youkai, I know monsters. There's a pretty big difference between the two. [ No matter what Matoba may say. ]

Besides, it's not a bad idea if we're the ones behind that - it means we have indispensable value, right? That's what we're looking for.

[kaientai]

[ ryouma beams at having something like an agreement. he's willing to turn a blind eye to things if he must, but he'll stick to his guns on the little things like this. ]

Naturally. And all the factions will each have their own ways of bringin' their new recruits into th' fold, but look how long it took us to gain any traction in this world.

We've been playin' catch up 'cause we got tossed in the deep end and had t' figure out how t' survive real quick. Our people'll benefit the most from that experience no question.

[ he never said there couldn't be exclusive information just for sutoku alliance recruits either, on top of what gets freely distributed either. ]

[worldbent]

[You win some, you lose some... That's not the hill that Matoba is going to die on, and Ryouma does have a point, after all! Take the W, master negotiator.]

Yes- he has quite a bit of experience in the spiritual realm himself, and a talent for converting that knowledge in a creative way. [(Is that a complement? It's tough to tell)] I think he will be up to the task, so long as I make it worthwhile for him to see it through. [He will handle that. Don't worry about it.] Information on youkai varies and spans between many sources and legends, and even I do not have knowledge on every one, of course. Having multiple collaborators on this project will be a must- Mizumori-kun is quite social, so I'm sure he can bring those voices together.

[Don't tell him Matoba said that, though. It's too fun to let him think Matoba just piles on him.]

[Even if they were the clan that had the slow start, a stalemate like the one the city seemed to stew in even without the Underground conflict was best won with stamina. If the Shuten and Tamamo wanted to race each other to the top, Sutoku could easily build quiet power and speed and come up unexpectedly from behind without their notice.]

Well then, I will continue to work on methods of increasing our resources. If you hear of anyone else who is in need of support for a project, please send them my way. I am looking for more investments.

[identitycrisiscore]

Which leaves me to organize and draw up how the fighting force works - and get them trained.

[ He had spitballed the large overarching ideas, but now he has to tie it all together in a flexible way and drill down into it.. ]

We'll probably want somewhere low-key where anyone who isn't familiar can get their bearings. I know the Daitengu's guard have a place of their own to train - but I think it makes more sense for somewhere where they can make a bit more of a mess...

This'll take some time, but I think I can put the call out - maybe sometime next month. I doubt I'll have anything ready before then. Should still give us plenty of run-up to start training people in the basics before your 'rent' comes due, Lieutenant.

[ Because he's not going to mince words - he's aware the other reason they're doing this is to make sure if they can't fulfill their promise, they aren't just immediately rolled by Toraguma's hit squad. ]