September 2022 Mingle!

[jigokumods]

MAIN NAVIGATION


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!

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Comments

[hiryugaeshi]

Nanomachines. Klironomia? [ Apparently ancient Greek for "inheritance" or "legacy." Not that Kojirou was there to see it happening in person, but he does have experience dealing with Greek heroes. ]

It would be quite difficult to deal with a magpie if it were covered in black steel, or if its blood were a portal which could summon a Pegasus...

[ Ah yes, nostalgia. ]

[eyediot]

[Kojirou, if he didn't know any better Jon would think you've visited his world at some point in the last five months. As it is, he's staring confused still.]

Yes... I agree, that would be rather difficult.

What- Where are you getting that idea?

[hiryugaeshi]

[ Kojirou shrugs, the roll of his shoulders deliberately drawing attention to the sword on his back. ]

I may have had some experience against their champions. I would not recommend it: it is like trying to carve out a mountain with a toothpick.

[ His battle against Berserker, the hero better known as Heracles, was something he did not care to repeat. For a sword to repeatedly strike bare skin, and for the blade to come closer to breaking was not a fun experience.

It was also the only time in that incarnation he was forced to rely on support from Caster, his Master, also known as Medea. That he REALLY did not care for. ]

[eyediot]

[??? Excuse??

You know what, he's not going to ask. His world is fucked up enough as it is, and he's heard Some Stories of others since he got here. He'll just take it as it is.]

I'll take your word for that. Still.

Something should probably be done.

[He's like..... part of the Department. He should probably do something.

But then that would mean he's actually being an active employee of the Department. No one can have that.]

[hiryugaeshi]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. The Machine Gods are not here and I do not believe any of the Greek heroes are either.

[ Small mercies. Kojirou does not think he could deal with both Tenkohime and Medea. ]

These birds can speak the words of humans, but I am not sure they truly understand. They seem to simply like the melody, but not the sorrow of a lifetime spent in pursuit of an impossible goal.

[ Tragic. They're missing the best part of the song. And yes, Kojirou's concern does appear to be that the songbirds are not matching his sense of aesthetic. ]

I do not know if it would be possible to convince them of anything like this. [ Truly horrible. ]

[eyediot]

Mm. While they seem to be missing the sorrow of the song, it still sounds like they feel some sorrow.

[He rubs at the back of his head. Trying to think. What can he do that's helpful and not be helping the Department? They didn't listen to him about their conduct at Tanabata, so he's even less inclined to help their image now.

Still.

Suffering and sorrow are not things he can simply turn a blind eye to (ha). But he's at a loss, even Jon has to admit.]

I can't say I'm familiar with the song or group they're missing, I'm afraid. What do you know about them?

[hiryugaeshi]

It is from a band they like, that has not released a new song in some time.

[ That's about all he managed to get from the birds before he ended up getting into a philosophical debate on the nature of sadness. ]

I do not know if they have a name, or if these magpies can even comprehend the idea of an individual with a name, but they can remember a sound better than most humans.

[ Which is probably quite a bit more information than most people have, actually. ]

[eyediot]

[It very likely is more information, if Jon's being honest.

Still. He thinks to his times in Uni, going out to pubs with bands and half-drunken students crying for encores. Maybe, maybe.]

Well. I don't know if we could find this band, but surely just letting them sing should suffice for now.

[He knows it won't. People are going to get even more annoyed by it.]

[hiryugaeshi]

I much prefer their usual song, but it is much more troublesome when the songbird refuses to sing than having them sing too much.

[ In the grand scheme of things, one is merely annoying. The other probably means some kind of disaster is coming soon. ]

I do not suppose you know an expert on the local music that could point an interested party in the right direction?

[eyediot]

Of local music? No, not at all. I haven't had much of a chance to see about it myself.

[He watches the magpies curiously, stepping forward to get a better look at them.]

I can say I understand how it feels to watch a group you care for break up like that. It hurts, but... People change. People grow apart, people fight. Sometimes it can't ever be mended. And you have to simply look back fondly of what you have in remembrance.

I am sorry it happened. But I don't know that your, um. Band can be brought back together. What do you say you enjoy what you have and let it be, then?

[The magpies listen to that quiet, steady voice. And for a moment, it looks like maybe they agree. Maybe this Englishman is speaking something heartfelt from experience. Can he genuinely understand their anguish?

And then... they start singing again. And Jon sighs deeply.]

Right. Next idea.

[hiryugaeshi]

The birds speak Japanese, but they ultimately seem to be rather simple creatures. Smarter than the average magpie, but not by much. They can understand that their favourite is gone, and that that is sad, but ideas like nostalgia and acceptance seem to be beyond them completely.

[ They seem to be ultimately motivated by instinct. They want a thing, and they will raise a fuss until they get it. If they were capable of understanding that some things are beautiful because they are fleeting, they would not be mere speaking birds, they would have ascended into nature spirits of some kind, like a fox growing a second tail. ]

It seems we can either reunite this band of theirs or find something they like more than shabadabadia.