jigokulogs | (semi-closed) hanging by threads of palest silver

[ "we come on behalf of the iron bear, and we know who you are!"

iron bear.

when the clamor of chaos first broke, shuten resigned herself to be the spectator of another show, a brilliant firework display lit from the clashing of vested interests of which she remained contentedly aloof. blink and she would have missed it — the way that familiar name fell from the assassin's lips, and the way toraguma broke his windpipe so as to never speak it again. the moment was brief, but unmistakable.

this time, shuten lingers around the scene in the aftermath, leaving others to the investigation as she slinks around corners, biding her time. when she finally sees him reasonably alone, she steals the opportunity to approach toraguma, voice low, even, and not a feather on her boa out of place. she peeks up (up) at him. ]

Well, well, I didn't think I'd hear that name again anytime soon ... Kaneguma, hm?

[ Toraguma doesn't turn to face her, at first. He just sort of stairs up at the "stars" Tamamo's magicians had created for the evening, puffing on his cigar and nursing his own sake dish. If he wasn't wearing such a vibrant looking yukata, one would think the guy was at a funeral, with the energy he was putting out... ]

Didn't even know he was still alive...

[ well, far be it from her not to join in, funereal or not — shuten motions over a clearly lost and frazzled, albeit dutiful server over and takes a sparkling drink for herself, swimming with stars.

that surprises her enough to stall her first sip, though. ]

No? And here I thought you'd just been keeping him to yourself this whole time ...

[ she drinks. ]

I suppose that means his awful conduct is a complete surprise to you as well.

I'm not gonna pretend I have any idea what's going on with him, his intentions or his goals...

[ He sips from his drink, letting out a heavy sigh. ]

But even if I haven't seen him since that day... This is all my responsibility.

You thought you were the last, but unless someone really has it out to torment you ... [ merely using the name instead of being the real deal, she leads ] ... that's clearly not the case.

[ "responsibility."

like the cup in her hand, she attempts to balance the cold flippancy she displays recounting the past with the sensitivity of toraguma's still-bleeding wounds. were it anyone else, she might have pulled at that vulnerability like a loose string. she keeps it tame, an honest question: ]

Still ... aren't you happy to hear he's alive?

[ It was a possibility. After all, she wasn't "his" Shuten, either. But...

As far as whether he should be happy or not... ]

It's been centuries, boss...

[ She wasn't 'boss'. They both knew that. But she'd allow him the indulgence, if just for the moment... ]

I don't know how to feel. What to feel. When I heard that name on that punk's lips, all I saw was blood. My blood. Yours. All I saw was Raikou's men slaughtering us. But when that faded... it was just... empty.

[ it shouldn't, given the proud and shameless way toraguma wears his heart on his sleeve, but the name still surprises her a little, flickering in the violets of her eyes as the tapestry of diamonds flows on above them. it comes and goes, and in its stead, shuten gives him a smile she often gives ibaraki: quiet, knowing, but distant and mysterious, long and far away from those heavy regrets and the guilt that boiled her companions' blood. it's sympathy — comfort like a pat on the back for her own tragedy, as though she weren't present for her own execution. ]

... Was it the same when you'd heard Ibaraki and I landed down here? I can see why you snatched us up so quickly, then... How greedy of you.

[ a compliment, between oni, even speaking of the burdens toraguma's collecting for himself. her voice is still light, at least, considerate of that weight. ]

Our histories are different, so let me ask you something, won't you? Was your Kaneguma the type to let you do the same to him?

Kaneguma...

[ A puff of his cigar, rumble of his chest. ]

He and I were really different, even if we both believed in you. For me, you gave my strength direction, a place to feel like I had control over my life. You were the boss, to me.

But for him... this was more than just a home, or a family. It was a creed. A higher calling.

My, how awfully ambitious. That never ceases to surprise me about you three.

[ ibaraki, toraguma, now kaneguma, wishing for so much when she'd always accepted the will of fate as readily as any sake dish.

... she dreams too, sometimes. but only of something so far beyond the whims of fate that she can't help but laugh herself off. ]

Then, in all likelihood, he disagrees with the way you've chosen to carry the legacy. ... Well, that's just my guess, though.

Maybe...

[ He pulled the cigar from his lips, ashing off the tip, and taking a very long drink from his dish. ]

No matter what state he's in, or what he intends to do... It's my responsibility, boss.

I made an oath... that I'd take care of us. That includes Kaneguma, no matter where his head's at...

[ The night had been unusually kind to Totoko.

As a woman who constantly strived for more and more, never being satisfied with the attention or adoration that she was given, she had no idea what to do with herself when she actually reached that point. It wasn't as though her life was filled with any good qualities there... the attention and adoration typically came from the same shitty source, the same that'd been around her most of her life.

For what she wanted... it was fine. But it wasn't enough.

When she experienced a good night, luck at the tables, a performance that others cared about... she had no idea where to go from there.

So, the bar it was. Specifically the Palace of Sai, where she wanted to have the chance to indulge in trying out the pricier drinks if they were completely covered. Leading her to the bar, where she pays no attention to any guests that may occupy the spot next to her. ]

Pour me a glass of Platinum Passions, please? You can leave the bottle too, if you want.

[ If she's been given the chance to indulge, then so be it. It's much fancier than she's used to... but when in Rome. ]

[ this sort of mingling is one she'll always prefer: the drink, the brushing of silken kimono sleeves, the sighs of indulgence in the atmosphere. all the teasing she'd done over text is a blurry memory, especially for those whose faces she'd never seen in person before. their bickering was entertaining enough, but when totoko sits next to her at the bar, it takes a little more than a few, long glances in her direction to see that she's familiar.

either way, totoko makes a show of herself — someone on her opposite side can't help the surprised murmur when the thick glass quietly thuds atop the table.

only shuten seems shameless enough to pipe up about it. her voice comes high, excitement in the way it winds when she leans inward, ever-so-slightly. ]

My, I've only seen a few of us here snatch up the whole bottle. But the night is still young, I suppose...

[ was it? ]

Say ... do I know you from somewhere?

[ Unfortunately, Totoko's memory is better than she'd care to admit. At a glance, without recognizing the voice of the woman she's speaking with, she recalls the face and smug expression of the oni regarding her. The demon that showed off so much skin that she had to be one of those succubi that she'd heard about.

As the liquid filled the glass, Totoko's finger impatiently tapped the surface of the table, eager to drink her fill and then move onto something else. If she didn't like it and wound up wasting the bottle, let whoever was around polish it off if they wanted.

It might be a once in a lifetime opportunity for them, to try such a exorbitant drink so close to the opening ceremonies.

Huffing every so slightly, Totoko waved her hand. ]

Maybe. If you saw me on stage earlier... but, there were so many there, I can't remember just anyone's face.

[ She casually picks up her drink, swirling it around slightly. ]

I'm only trying it out. If it's awful, I'm going to pass it along to someone else. Or is a lady meant to drink until it's all gone?

[ A slight call-back to indicate yes, she does remember Shuten. ]

[ the addling of drink isn't as strong as one might expect on someone who spends her existence teetering and off-balance in mannerisms and temperament alike — she's always worn the dress of inebriation with a flair of elegance, calculated instead of accidental.

no matter what number of drinks in she is, shuten picks up on the message left like crumb trails.

the sharp taste of bitterness on the tail end of totoko's words fires up something, and shuten leans in on her wrist. fully, this time, letting her fangs catch the glint of low, sparkling lights swimming about the bar. her voice drops a tone. ]

Oh, I think propriety lies more in sharing when you indulge so shamelessly, but ... Who am I to judge?

[ Part of the stories always passed around was that oni couldn't get enough of booze, but she never thought until now as to whether or not they're affected at all by the drink itself. The concept of one on a drunken rampage made too much sense, and given the words of another she had met before, felt more likely than anything.

Taking the opportunity to ignore the demon, Totoko brings the glass to her lips and gives it a taste. Better than anticipated, certainly a thought that might've only been spurred on by the high price tag. ]

Someone that didn't pay for it, that's who.

[ Which, on her end, who is she to speak? ]

If you ask nicely, you may be able to try some. I'm not that mean.

[ Only mean enough to ask someone to check an attitude that may not have existed, if it weren't for her needling. ]

[ the ghost of an oni whose reign came and went with its bygone age operates a little differently than their living, breathing counterparts; the scent of drink permeates her like she's composed of intoxicating fumes, like the essence of her spirit is alcohol — difficult to tell, then, whether she is drunk or merely existing as the conscious embodiment of sake and violence.

but the other thing about ghosts, especially ones who lived and died thousands of years ago, especially shuten-douji, one of a kind demon of an era, is that shame means nothing. ]

Oh?

[ she lights as though the girl'd stepped into a trap like snapping jaws. her claws slide along the counter until she's found the edge, leans in, and really leans in. the other patrons at the bar spare a quick glance at the closing distance between the two women, but nothing more, the whispers and the inebriation standard fare in the cast of club-red. ]

And how "nice" would you like me to ask...?

[ her voice curls like winding vapor, from her lips to the warm space of totoko's ear, fangs close enough to nick pink skin. ]

Because for an oni ... this is plenty nice already.

[ Totoko may be a lot of things. Stuck up, vain, tactless... but she's not completely ignorant. While the air of inebriation was difficult to ignore, the overwhelming threat of danger was impossible. She'd been audacious enough to speak to oni any which way she wanted when they weren't face to face and when the banter remained light.

In this case, her mind swirled. She felt like prey, like she'd fallen directly into Shuten's hands. She attempts to lean back, but it's to no avail. She's caught.

In one way shape or form, she was going to be devoured. Her breathing strained, her eyes scan over to the bartender, and back to Shuten while her hands hovered over the oni's shoulders. Wanting to push her away, but feeling like initiating any kind of physical contact would be fatal-- ]

S-S'cuse me, one more bottle for the oni, here...

[ Self preservation. And, probably, passing over some of her dwindling supply of Stardust later to the clerk later. ]

[ a looming threat or a sultry invitation — both simultaneously? from the stutter in the girl's breath, brushed against the silk of shuten's crimson ribbon, the fear and the shrinking, she can tell totoko knows now, the conundrum that she is.

(it was both, simultaneously.)

characters moving against an eye-straining screen fly in and out of her mind regardless of the conversation. this, though — the brush of mouse-brown hair, delicate hands lifted like a flimsy barrier, the perfume of product and exertion from the girl's earlier performance — this, she'll remember.

shuten drags herself back, and allows herself a reveling sort of giggle, tapering off at the end when she's finally back in her seat. ]

Oh!

[ her thin hands, as though they weren't flesh-rending claws, suddenly curl under her chin, cute excitement animating her wide, sharp smile as the bartender neutrally serves the bottle and a chilled glass. ]

How generous! You really shouldn't have.

[ she sings a little pleased hum as she takes the poured drink in hand. ]

Remind me again, sweetie, who I have to thank for her hospitality?

[ her name, she means. shuten lays a hand against the pattern of her own white kimono. ]

Oh, but my manners ... you can call me Assassin.

[ Totoko's survival instincts had to kick in, and in both cases, she sure as hell felt every bit as human as she was. An oni would rip her to shreds, and Shuten didn't seem like the type to play nicely with any toy she came across. Depending on what she considered nice, maybe.

The adrenaline very slowly dies down, color returning to Totoko's face in a pink hue as she folded her arms, turning back to the bar. Taking her eye off the demon would be bad for her health, even as she seems satiated for the time being. "She shouldn't have" indeed. ]

Don't get used to it... ugh, I thought I was going to pass out.

[ Her habit of speaking her thoughts out loud may get her in trouble at some point, but she was determined for it to not be tonight. It was only lucky that she did maintain enough social awareness to not bring up that title.

Assassin. In one word, sliding the gauge on Shuten's intentions per Totoko's thoughts from somewhere between pleasure and pain, strictly to pain. A shaky hand reaches out to her own glass, resting while she mumbles her response carefully. ]

Totoko. Just the one is fine... any more, and the hosts'll probably kill me first.

[ She knew full well she was taking advantage of the generous offer based on her performance earlier, but she wasn't going to lose out on that privilege by offering drinks to everyone who threatens or propositions her. ]

[ her giggle is like clinking chimes in the wind following the visible relief and honest admission on totoko's end, delighting in the aftereffects of that spike of fear. shuten resists the urge to pop her bubble again, invade that newly allowed gap of space and breathing air with the sharp end of her claw.

instead, she drinks in her reward, literally, the alcohol passing that much more sweetly between her lips as one of her demonic spoils. she pulls away with an exaggerated, satisfied breath, setting the glass down as the tip of her tongue chases its lingering taste. ]

—Ahhh, how refreshing! Mmm, the quality is certainly there.

[ the high tones of her delight settle down eventually, and she also grants totoko the favor of redirecting her sharp, animalistic eyes elsewhere. ]

In my opinion, decadence like this is meant to be taken for all its worth. If they're willing to serve you like a queen, let them.

[ and literally taken, more often than not; like glittering treasures bagged from royal storehouses, pretty faces stolen to pour her sake.

where she humbly obscured the truth of her name, her greed hints at the make of the once-oni king of an era, the power and pleasure she was accustomed to. ]

And you ... fufu. You're so much cuter like this, you know. I'm sure they don't mind one bit.

[ Any more and she may have fallen out of her stool, making a scene to rival her performance on stage earlier. Potentially doing more to steal her own spotlight away, leaving the bartender and the other patrons with a much more memorable shot of Totoko to end the night.

How undignified that would've been. ]

Hope you like it. [ Spoken with a light sarcastic tone, as bitter as a grapefruit cocktail. ]

You're right, but it means a lot less if I have to share it with anyone else. A queen wouldn't give a commoner anything that fancy.

[ Also, she was a princess. That was cuter, in her head. ]

You make it sound like I'd be awful to be around if I wasn't buzzed. I'm always this cute.

[There was something kind of nostalgic about hanging a wish on a bamboo tree underneath the starlit sky. Tenshi was relaxing there when she happened to catch sight of something, or more precisely someone? It was the horns that did it. Huh. Was there another oni in town? Well, besides the blue-skinned big oaf who ran the Shuten. he didn't count. But the raven hair definitely wasn't Ibaraki's.

She frowned a little, unsure, but finally the mixture of liquid courage in her that she'd been drinking for a fateful match soon to come, along with just generally a bit of a bolder mood than was wise had her raise the glass of sake she had and motion with her bottle.]

Still only about halfway done for the night if you want to share a drink with a stranger.

[She really needed to work on her introductions, though she was at least offering alcohol, so there was that. At least she didn't start with "Hey, Oni!"]

(semi-closed) hanging by threads of palest silver

for toraguma.

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oh bother........

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Tanabata Wishes