jigokulogs | 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!

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You really are good at everything, aren't you?

[Rather than derision, his words are laced purely with kindness.]

But I was thinking that if they're youkai after all, they might be able to understand us. If I call them down and say I know something about music, they may listen. Or...

[The flush is already appearing on his cheeks.]

Maybe... I could sing. Or something. To catch their attention. [...] A-And then you'd have an opening to lunge at them from behind!

[ it's not as though he's unused to hearing that, but naito's inflection makes him avert his gaze. ]

It's just a result of my work before here. [ a full truth first, an assurance second. ] That said, it's possible you might be able to communicate with them. Even a few seconds will be sufficient enough...

[ his gaze flicks up. ]

You can sing?

Is it okay to ask what kind of work you used to do? I've never gotten the chance to ask before, even though I can connect some of the dots.

[✓ can fight
✓ trains regularly
✓ did balance training
✓ apparently strong
✓ has abs
✓ can run fast
✓ can jump well (new!)

So yes, he has kind of an idea.]

I mean... I can't sing sing. I've done karaoke with friends and sung with my class like everyone else, but I'm probably as average as you can get, so I feel stupid even suggesting it....

[Please tell him why he feels extra flustered to possibly need to do this in front of Shou. Ugh...]

But this matters more! So if talking to them doesn't work as a distraction, it's our next best option. What do you think?

Can you? [ he's genuinely curious about what naito may have guessed already. ] Typically, it's classified information, but I see no reason to keep it a secret here. I'm a member of the Alien Management Organization, Special Riot Police Unit 03. Specifically, I handle extraterrestrial threats in Tokyo. So you could call me a member of public security.

[ there it is. ]

But because of that, the fact that you can use your experience with karaoke is impressive to me. It's a good suggestion.

[ ONE THOUSAND PERCENT SERIOUS. ]

If conversation fails, we can move to that plan.

[Are they supposed to be keeping a low profile right now? Because even though he isn't loud, Naito is still awfully exuberant as he sits up straighter and leans in a little, smile wide. The lingering flush is all that's left of his embarrassment from only moments ago.]

You're from Tokyo?! So am I! We're practically neighbours!

[In a city of 14 million, but they probably rode the same trains! They could have passed each other somewhere! Even if, you know, they could very well be from different versions of Tokyo, based on what Shou is saying.]

I don't know anything about aliens, but my guesses were some sort of undercover spy or fighter, so I guess that's pretty close! I knew it would be something cool!

But it's time to focus, so let's get started! How about...

[Hmm. Give him a moment to look over to where some of the birds are and point to a spot not too far from them.]

I'll stand there and try to call them over, okay? That way, you can climb up either the tree or the building there and take them by surprise! [Fist pump.] I'm glad you're on board! Ready?

[ well, he wasn't the far off the mark. shou just doesn't have the heart to really get into why it's not as cool as naito likely thinks, even if they shared the same tokyo... ]

[ — but luckily, there's other and more immediate things to focus his attention on. like the birds squabbling away in the trees. regardless of how in control he seems, he's at attention and rather obedient to naito's plans, giving a cursory look towards the launch points the other boy mentions before nodding. ]

Understood. I'll be waiting on that opposite rooftop.

[ he's not too prideful to let naito take the lead on this.

with that, he balances his weight on one palm, pivots, and drops off their perch to skirt along the building to his destination. ...it's easily a 15+ foot drop, but he lands light on his feet, like a cat. when at the next building, he coils and springs up in an inky blur, also like a cat. ]

[Honestly, Shou could probably come up with a better plan in seconds, and Naito would be happy to let him. But this is fine for a first approach, except...

Focusing on the birds when Shou suddenly springs into action like some kind of parkour master is absolutely impossible. How the hell is he doing this without superpowers?! Is he even human?!?! He'd said yes when asked before, but Naito's still left to blink slowly and try not to go too starry-eyed when they're supposed to be carrying out an operation (?). Questions can come later!

Okay, okay! He'll just. Carefully climb down to the ground like a normal person, which means not dropping 15 feet down like it's nothing. And once he's in position:]

Um! Excuse me!

[Calling up to the birds, of course. At least he's sure he's in the right spot, since it's precisely opposite of Shou.]

I have a question for you, if you don't mind! [...] It's about your music!

[ it doesn't take long for shou to get into position on the next rooftop, slightly obscured by one of the building's corners. he's crouched on the balls of his feet with one hand poised on the tiles in front of him like he's ready to rocket off with zero fear of the height.

for now, he stays himself, bright eyes trained on the scene below. naito at the foot of the tree, the sudden shift of the flock in response to his request. some flutter to lower branches, and amidst the tinny repetition of guitar chords and drum beats of what surely is a whole song, a shrill voice calls out from between the leaves:

"What about our music?"

gaze flashing downwards to meet naito's, he realizes this could work. he nods, signaling him to keep going. ]

(Continued here!)

September 2022 Mingle!

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