jigokulogs | September 2022 Mingle!

September 2022 Mingle!

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The influx of fresh Lost Souls means the factions need to have a little welcoming party for them. So some recreational activities are in order. All Lost Souls will receive a message from their respective faction leaders with orders to go have some fun.

Shuten - WEENIES ON PARADE

Shuten Clan newbies will be summoned to the Arena, which has been set up with a very different kind of fight than usual. The members of the Shuten Clan do nothing by half-measures. Partying, drinking, and eating are all encouraged to excess. This time they're inviting new recruits to test their mettle in various eating contests. You'll need nerves of steel and a stomach of iron to succeed. Hot dogs, marshmallows, pizza, lobster rolls, breakfast cereals, rice, and more are all on offer.

See how much you can eat and try not to get sick! Competitive eating is a messy, disgusting affair, regardless of the emergency buckets stationed strategically throughout the building.

If you're feeling especially ballsy, you can take on the biggest onis and other youkai by teaming up with your fellow Shutens. They're all confident enough to take that bet.

Glory, prize money, and antacids to the winners. Shame to the losers – they'll be run through town in weenie costumes.

Better eat up 🙂

Tamamo - ALL NIGHT LONG

The newest Tamamo recruits are summoned to a local gymnasium. Strangely, rather than sports equipment laid out on the court, there are a number of light futons, blankets, and pillows. Everyone will be sorted into one of two yukata patterns – one purple and one blue – and sent to their respective sides of the court to lie down in bed and pull up the covers.

It is then that the referee will explain the rules of competitive pillow fighting. When the whistle blows, jump up and grab one of the authorized pillows at the center of the court. It's a game much like dodgeball, but the goal is to hit the opposing team's king with a pillow from your half of the court. Team members use blankets and sometimes their bodies to protect their king.

There will be a few rounds, and you can rotate who is king at your discretion. Protect them with your life! Or whatever. Star players will receive a bonus and a coupon to one of the best Tamamo spas.

When the competitive stuff is done, the sleepover proper will begin. There will be liquor, sodas, and light snacks for everyone while movies are projected onto a screen late into the morning. The movies range from classic dramas and romances to outrageous yokai comedies.

Sutoku - GROSSERY GANG

The Alliance has found themselves in the possession of an entire truckload's worth of reject children's toys. Ever the opportunist, the Daitengu has assigned the project of inventorying and trashing the particularly offensive ones to the new guys.

Of course, you're expected to play with a few of them as well. Maybe one of them is decently fun, and they could sell the rest, you know? Many of these toys are gross out bathroom humor in nature, and spit water randomly at anyone who loses their round. The Daitengu has thoughtfully provided a selection of alcohol to make this game a little more adult friendly. Toys that lack the appropriate spitting mechanism can still be played over shots, really, go nuts.

While you 'work', there will be plenty of motivating music piped into the warehouse. The sound quality is not great, but they tried?

Everyone who sorts through a decent amount of toys will get a little extra pay, although who is really paying that much attention to who's doing what here?

Credit where it's due: We turned kids toys into drinking games

Enma - BREAKING THE ICE

Welcome to the Department of the Enma. New Lost Soul recruits will be summoned to a large conference room in Kaigo no Bou, which has been outfitted with a variety of buffet table offerings and tables which seat between 5 - 6 people comfortably. You are invited to fill your plates at your discretion, the craft services people are used to feeding bottomless yokai stomachs and the food will not run out.

Clipboards with a variety of icebreaker questions have been provided at each table. The pens have assuredly been firmly affixed to the clipboard. Please return them together.

Every 30 minutes Captain Shiki will blow her whistle to signal that you are to migrate to another table with fresh companions. You are, indeed, being forced to get to know your coworkers, lucky you. This isn't tedious at all.

Pick a few of the questions below to answer, and get chatting. Or Captain Shiki may come over to stare at you with intense disapproval. You can't get away with just zoning out to that sweet smooth jazz playing overhead!

1. If you had a time machine that would work only once, what point in the future or in history would you visit? 2. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? 3. If your house was burning down, what three objects would you try and save? 4. If you could talk to any one person now dead or alive, who would it be and why? 5. If you HAD to give up one of your senses (hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting) which would it be and why? 6. If you were an animal, what would you be and why? 7. Do you have a pet? If not, what sort of pet would you like? 8. Name a gift you will never forget? 9. Name one thing you really like about yourself. 10. What's your favorite thing to do in the summer? 11. Who's your favorite cartoon character, and why? 12. Does your name have a special meaning and/or were you named after someone special? 13. What is the hardest thing you have ever done? 14. If you are at a friend's or relative's house for dinner and you find a dead insect in your salad, what would you do? 15. What was the best thing that happened to you this past week? 16. If you had this week over again, what would you do differently? 17. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about 'God'? 18. What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten? 19. If you could change one problem in the world today, what would you like to change? 20. What book, movie or video have you seen/read recently you would recommend? Why?

All Factions - THE GIFT OF SONG

Did you all enjoy having some of your wishes granted? Well, so did a flock of those annoying magpie! They asked for the gift of music. These feathered nuisances, however, have fallen in love with an old school metal band. That is all they will be singing for the foreseeable future! Different members of the flock have taken up different instrumentals and vocals for the track, spread out across electrical wires and rooftops, singing their favorite rockin' tune to the skies!

Lost Souls have been asked to please catch them and get them to knock it off, they are truly annoying everyone, across all factions.

Should you catch these musical magpies, and not one of the other clans, they will tell you their sorry tale! They love this band, but the group broke up years ago. All the magpie want is for their favorite old dudes to be reunited to jam with them, one more time!

The old dudes are out there in the city, but who knows why they broke up and if they can even be convinced out of retirement. Good luck, if you succeed your boss will give you a favorable bonus, which would be a great boon to a newbie just getting settled.

In the meantime:

Shabadabadia
Shabadabadia
Babababa
Babababa
Babababa

Welcome to the IC mingle!

If you have any questions about the mingle content, please ask them here! We're trying something a little different to help reduce comment clutter a bit, so that link actually goes back to a header on the Substory post.
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.
For Rewards, threads in the mingle will be worth one (1) point!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

_{[ It's unknown how it came to be. Did he get so drunk he started streaking? Did he have the weenie costume and discard it? Or was he in his demon form and shifted back to a human when he passed out? All mysteries, and frankly, Akira couldn't even tell you what happened to put him in this predicament.

His eyes slowly open and blearily look at Megumi... Megumis? There's two of him? Akira doesn't mind that at all. His lips curve upward weakly. ]}

Yoooooooooooo.

[ From the scent of alcohol he can tell Akira was probably involved in some sort of party. It's not too surprising, given the boisterous way the Shuten faction tends to conduct itself. Megumi might be a bit more concerned if he stayed in that conscious state or there was any sign he wasn't breathing, but he's rousing, so that's relieving. Passing out from too much drinking isn't a very dire situation most of the time, but sometimes alcohol poisoning can be very serious. ]

How did you let yourself get to this point? [ Some tired scolding, but there's no real anger behind it. There's another glance at the boy's ... general state of undress, but he returns his gaze quickly, too proper to look beyond the lower back. ]

And you probably ripped my clothes again.

Edited 2022-09-15 02:50 (UTC)

_{[ By now, Akira slowly sits up, looking at Megumi with half lidded eyes. He teeters slightly, but holds himself rather well, still feeling like the room is spinning. He hasn't quite gotten a headache yet, but it's bound to happen the next day. Akira stifles some laughter, wobbling forward slightly. ]}

We had an eating contest.. there was free alcohol.. it was great, hahahaha. I bet— _{[ he jabs a finger into Megumi ]} — I bet I could kick your ass in something like that, gahaha.

[ This boy is so clearly intoxicated. Megumi already knows it's going to be a troublesome situation. There's a slightly irritated look at being jabbed, and he lets out a tired exhale. ]

I'm not fighting a drunkard. [ He might be up for a spar some other time, but right now? Nah. With Akira sitting up, Megumi's eyes glance briefly at what's now clearly visible below, but he's quick to avert his gaze again from how awkward that is. ]

You're not decent. [ They'll only get stared at if he tries to haul Akira home. Also, it's awkward. There's an easy solution to this, at least. ] Change.

[ Into his other form. Whichever one. As long as his $%$^ is no longer hanging out. ]

Yeah?

_{[ Yeah. He grins wildly before slowly standing up, dusting dirt off of himself. ]}

Are you checking me out? Do you like what you see? Hehehehe. I didn’t know you had a preference for how I looked.

_{[ He’s not changing yet, though. ]}

[ It's worse when he stands up. Megumi rises also, but the expression on his face only becomes more tired, and he continues to keep his gaze up at Akira's face for modesty's sake.

Though, the little glance he paid before in curiousity seems to be causing him grief now, and he breaks out into a small bout of fluster in response. ]

Who's doing that? I'll hit you if you keep spouting nonsense.

[ A preference? What would be his preference? He tries not to think about that, but with all he's gone through in Hell, he's started to find some appeal in a built body. Only when it's attached to a kind demeanor, of course.

He very pointedly looks away, but his tone is still urging, and it's his turn to jab Akira in the chest now. ]

Change.

Alright, alright. Jesus.

_{[ His body shifts with ease, fur growing over his lower half and censoring himself, the tail sprouting out behind him at the end. He slings an arm around Megumi’s shoulders, resting a lot of his weight into him. ]}

Meguuuuumi-kuuun. Are you gonna take me home and take care of me?

_{[ His tail is already wagging. ]}

[ Megumi stumbles briefly at the sudden weight that is plopped onto him, being the lighter one between them both, but he braces himself quickly and regains his footing. This boy is so tipsy, it isn't even funny. Megumi steadies him, allowing that arm around his shoulders and grabbing his hand to keep it there. It doesn't look like Akira can walk in a straight line, so he'll have to support him. He's just grateful he doesn't have to carry him back (that would definitely drain all his energy). ]

Yes? I can't leave you here.

[ If there's any sort of suggestive undertone to Akira's words, it goes right over his head. He intends to bring his new roommate back and put them to bed. ]

Let's walk.

_{[ With Megumi’s guidance and assistance, he is able to keep up and walk, feeling rather woozy especially when they start moving. He sighs contently, though. It is nice to be looked after even if he would deny that he needs any help.

If Megumi thinks he is brutally honest sober, get ready for him to be even more honest when he’s not sober. ]}

Yuuji-kun says you cook for us because you care about us. You’re just a big softie underneath, aren’t’cha!

_{[ His other hand comes around to slap Megumi on his chest near his heart as he barks out some laughter. ]}

I love it, it’s really good… really good. I care about you too.. you don’t want me cooking through.

[ Megumi frowns at Akira's words, feeling that hint of pink forming at his face, a little like he is being exposed right now. Soft? He doesn't think so, and hearing it is making him bashful. He's about to voice out some protest when he's hastily slapped in the chest, causing him to jolt from how rarely he gets this treatment. The only time he has ever been slapped was in a fight. Megumi looks completely affronted. ]

...?! Hey.

[ There's a sigh at that, one of many. He's going to have to get used to this boisterous treatment. ]

It's ... cheaper to cook at home. [ Which is him trying to explain away his actions, when Akira is actually right on the money about them. He wouldn't bother cooking for someone he doesn't care about. It's nice to hear that that care is returned, even if he's not used to having that said to him so honestly. ]

You don't have to do anything for me.

_{[ He is about to do it— to be honest about Megumi’s cooking, but somewhere in his drunken mind he hears the voice of Yuuji and how the other boy warned him to not talk about how Megumi’s cooking sucks. Instead, he clicks his tongue and makes a pensive noise, saying something else entirely. ]}

I will protect you with my life instead. That is how I care.

_{[ He leans into the other boy some more, taking in an obvious inhale of Megumi’s scent, whatever it may be. His tail continues to wag. ]}

Megumi-kun, do you kiss your friends?

[ It looks like Akira wants to say something, and Megumi waits in anticipation, but whatever he had wanted to say gets dismissed soon after. While he does find that strange, he doesn't put too much thought into it, only raising an eyebrow.

He's told the other boy several times he doesn't need to be protected, but that's a broken record at this point. Akira's quite a stubborn person.

The lean and the ... sniffing earns a look of annoyance, eyes narrowing as he leans away slightly. While it's odd behaviour for a human to go sniffing other people, it's not that odd for an animal, so he at least recognises this as one of Akira's many animal-like traits.

The question catches him completely off guard, however. ]

What?! [ There's a frown, and he's definitely blushing now, confused and in a small fluster. Did Akira notice them? Still, he tries to keep his composure. ]

Why are you suddenly asking this ...? I can't even keep track of what's happening right now.

_{[ He's blissfully unaware of what goes on in the household behind their closed doors, but he's just thinking about something that's been on his mind lately. Some people are putting all sorts of thoughts into his head.

Megumi's reaction is priceless and Akira is cackling again, removing his arm from both Megumi's hold and his shoulder so he can give him a proper slap on the back this time. ]}

You totally do, especially if you're soft like that! Is it fun? Do you have fun doing it?

_{[ Insufferable. ]}

Megumiiiiii-kuuun, we're friends, like you said. What if I want a kiss too, huh?

[ The slap to his back pushes him a little forward, and Megumi clicks his tongue in response, still feeling affronted by the casual treatment. That camaraderie isn't the most stressful or confusing thing about this interaction, however. The conversation they are having is way worse. ]

Don't just make assumptions -- [ Assumptions that he's having trouble denying, because they would be lies. Megumi can be a decent liar in some situations, but this wouldn't be one of them given the fluster he's currently feeling.

The next question - almost a request - causes his brain to freeze up completely. If his mind were a computer, it would be going into error mode. Megumi's definitely red in the face now and trying not to think too hardly about the topic matter. ]

You're drunk. You don't know what you want.

_{[ It's hard to focus too much on Megumi's reactions with him feeling this out of sorts, but he's very much amused by what he can see. His arm wraps around Megumi again, but this time at the waist instead. Just gonna try to sneak in another sniff here, sorry. his half-form also comes with some animalistic behavior that he can't always help. ]}

You're right. I probably don't know what I want when I'm sober either!

_{[ The honesty hour continues... ]}

Someone should kiss you, then. I think you deserve it.

[ Drunk enough to be handsy. That's the situation right now. Megumi tenses up at the hand resting on his waist, that fluster still evident on his face even if he's trying to stop himself from making a scene in public. At this point he's had some experience being close to other people (only one person, really), and while he's shed some of his touch aversion, it still takes time for him to be comfortable with intimate touch (even slight). ]

Your hand ... [ He grabs Akira's wrist and peels it off himself, hooking it back around his shoulder instead, where the touch makes him less embarrassed. Akira looks to still be on about the kissing, which he's writing off as drunken babble now. There's a sigh. Well, if he indulges his babble with conversation, he can keep him alert enough to finish the walk home. ]

And what makes someone deserving of that?

_{[ This time, he allows his hand to be misplaced back over Megumi's shoulders, giving him a toothy (and fangy) grin. It was easier to rest a lot of his weight on Megumi in this way. ]}

Like I said, you're caring.. and protective. And you cook for us.

_{[ That basically sums up Megumi's personality right there.. ]}

And your eyes.. they are so pretty. Someone special should be allowed to look into them as long as they want.

[ The outpour of compliments is just so overwhelming. He's never thought himself a very good person and doesn't put much effort or thought into his physical appearance, so it's always a surprise when he receives compliments. It certainly makes him feel seen, a bit bashful. ]

You're spouting nonsense. Don't look at them ... [ He just has normal eyes? Some pink colours his cheeks now, and he keeps his gaze away from Akira, keeping his attention on the direction they're walking in. ]

I'm just returning the favour. [ Not so much for cooking, but in how he cares and protects. He wouldn't give that treatment to someone who didn't already show him kindness. ]

I'll look at them if I want to.

_{[ assertive...
Akira suddenly stops, and without any warning, he wraps his arms around Megumi and just.. hugs him?? He's going for it, boys. ]}

You didn't have to.. and you didn't have to house me.. or take care of me.. I'm just a loser who ended up here, but you and Yuuji-kun have shown me so much kindness..

_{[ Oh. He's admitting he's a loser now. Akira is honest, but he's usually not that honest. His body quakes as he hiccups slightly, keeping his arms tight around the other boy. ]}

[ The hug is not at all expected, Megumi tensing up and freezing in place for a few seconds, unsure of what to do. Akira's clearly drunk, and it seems he's just the type of drunk to get emotional. While Megumi can be insensitive at times, his attitude occasionally bordering on 'mean', he doesn't feel inclined to push the other boy away. ]

I never thought that about you. [ A 'loser', as Akira had called himself. He's never had that impression of him, but he knows the other boy has his reasons for feeling that way. Reasons probably related to what happened back home. After he gets used to the sensation of having those arms around him, Megumi's posture eases up, and he eventually raises his hands, resting them on Akira's back and letting out a sigh.

Why did he let him stay? Well ... ]

You're a good person. Good people ... deserve kindness in return. [ A philosophy of his that he's clung on to, guiding a lot of his actions. He just thinks good people should have good things happen to them.]

_{[ It doesn't matter that Megumi never thought that about him— it's how he thinks about himself. Maybe time runs differently back home— maybe he'll be put back like nothing ever happened— but he knows he probably died at Sirene's hands (or.. talons) so if one demon alone can bring him to death, how is he going to keep protecting others? How is he going to use the powers he possesses? Was his sacrifice in vain? Akira is someone who cries— he was a crybaby when he was a child, but he eventually grew out of it. That doesn't mean it didn't come up from time to time, especially right now when he's drunk and doesn't care.

Again, his moods are like a light switch.

His hug tightens and he does start to cry, though it's rather sudden and it's paired with an uncomfortable silence. It's only because of the liquor he is allowing this to happen. ]}

[ It's such a rollercoaster of emotions that he's dealing with right now, he doesn't know what to make of it or how to keep up. Megumi can't quite see the expression on his face, but he can feel the tension in the other boy's shoulders, the silence that falls between them somehow such a poignant expression of the other boy's emotion - his frustration, his worry, and his sadness. He doesn't know what brought this on, whether it was the words he had said or other intrusive thoughts and memories, but he knows there's nothing that he can say to make this better.

There's sobbing that he can hear, the fabric of his shirt becoming slightly damp. He doesn't know what to say in response to that. Megumi stays quiet, the expression on his face softening as he looks upon his friend with eyes of concern. Though he has no words to say, his arms shift to encircle Akira's back, rubbing at his back softly in a way that he hopes is reassuring. He'll stay like this for however long the other boy needs. ]

_{[ The little episode doesn't last too long. If he wasn't intoxicated, he probably wouldn't have allowed this to happen, but he has even less of a filterv and control when he's like this. He nuzzles his face into the crook of Megumi's neck, enjoying the comfort the other boy brought simply by being here for him. He finally pulls away, looking a little embarrassed and avoiding eye contact. Megumi has probably never seen him act shy like this before. ]}

You're too good to me. I feel comfortable and like I can be myself around you and Yuuji. Is that weird?

[ This isn't a situation he's in very often, held as someone else outpours their emotions, but there's something affirming about being relied on like this. Like he's trusted, and they have a bond. For that reason, and out of sensitivity for the other boy's feelings, Megumi allows the closeness, feeling some of those nerves set in when Akira buries his face into his neck, but not in a prominent enough way to make him want to pull away. He allows all of it, patting Akira's back slowly, because that's all he really knows to do in this sort of situation.

His heartrate settles when the boy pulls away, and he looks at the boy with curiousity when he turns away, his boisterous personality tame in this moment. ]

I don't know if it's weird or not. [ He's not a normal person, especially when it comes to proper expression of emotions, so he doesn't have a clue. But it does sound like, to him, that Akira trusts them. Of course, typical to his nature, he holds on to that knowledge, not voicing it out.

However, with that conclusion, it feels like their bond is strengthened, and that's how he finds the confidence to reach out, bumping his fingers against Akira's hand - the offer to hold it there and present. ]

Come home.

Edited 2022-09-19 14:26 (UTC)

_{[ He doesn't know. Akira doesn't know. All he knows is what he feels in the moment when he can decipher it, and right now, it's hard for him to really be conscious of what he's feeling. He feels.. acceptance? Acceptance when he was reluctant to be accepted. Devilmen and demons were feared back home, but it didn't stop Akira from being who he was: an honest person who needed to show Megumi what he was, but then there was no fear from the other boy.

Come home. A place he could call home. He never really had a "real" home; his parents were never around for him to grow up with them in an ideal real home. Instead he had Miki's family, which, in his mind, was a family. Akira feels no different in the apartment in Enma.

He flushes but doesn't hesitate to hold Megumi's hand, his hold firm and his hand very warm. ]}

Okay.

...

I like this.

_{[ He doesn't specify what "this" is, but he likes it. ]}

September 2022 Mingle!

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