jigokulogs | March 2022 Mini Event

March 2022 Mini Event

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The Night Parade is fast-approaching and each faction will be busy with their own preparations.

1. SHUTEN CLAN

The Celestial Phoenix Casino, a fairly popular casino in the Shuten territory, is overdue on its protection money. This money is sorely needed for parade preparations. Unfortunately, the casino has decided it doesn't need to pay up because they've hired some new unaffiliated muscle. Neither the manager nor their new muscle are the type to listen to reason, so be prepared to exert some intimidation and force to convince these new bodyguards to take their business elsewhere.

The brute squad working for the Celestial Phoenix seems to be made up of several different youkai. Some of them are more human looking than others, but you'll notice no Oni. Even independent Oni wouldn't dare turn against the Shuten Clan. Even lacking in Oni, these thugs are armed to the teeth, swinging several deadly weapons and even a few firearms. This could get rough, so be prepared for the worst. Take the gangsters protecting the Celestial Phoenix out or convince them it’s not worth it.

Once inside, you'll discover that the owner, in a panic, has locked himself inside the casino's value with the protection money owed. This might take some doing to get open...

2. SUTOKU ALLIANCE

The Kappa want to be left alone and the Daitengu has asked Sutoku Alliance members to assure their wishes are respected. Members are tasked with convincing people to stay away from the Kappa's riverside facilities by whatever means necessary. Of course, you may want to take a look for yourself to see what they’re being so secretive about. That’s not recommended, if you don’t want to get into trouble.

It’s not just strangers who are nosy, though. Retinues from both the Shuten and Tamamo clans are making an appearance and asking why the inspections are taking so long. Why are the Kappa dragging their feet? The Alliance prefers to avoid direct violence, so it's up to you to talk to these clan captains in a way that convinces them to leave the Kappa alone.

If you're curious enough to dive deeper into the Kappa's business, however, even your Alliance membership isn't going to keep you safe. The Kappa themselves seem to disappear from sight the further into the sewers you go, as if invisible. Preventing yourself from being spotted by a security camera or a patrolling Kappa is almost impossible. Cover your faces, stick to the shadows, and you might just notice that... they’re building something down there.

Something for the Parade? Who knows? But it’s definitely not decorations or a float...

3. DEPARTMENT OF THE ENMA

The parade route for the Night Parade needs to be "cleaned up". The Department is tasked with getting the low level street gangs and squatters to clear out. The homeless population will resist and may not be so easily persuaded to give up their spots. Your best bet is to offer them food, booze, or shelter for the night. The street gangs will assuredly fight back. Use your strength or your wits to get the job done.

The gangs will not typically be that tough, most don’t want to step up to the Department's goon squad too heavily lest they wind up in a cell for the rest of their lives. Still, some might be hopped up on encouraging substances and try to escalate. Don’t worry, though. You have the authority of the Enma on your side! Don’t think they will get away with waving a weapon in your face.

The homeless, though, lack strength or weapons. They are more fueled by desperation to keep their spots. Winter hasn't been kind to them, after all, and they don’t have much respect for the Enma's authority. Their belligerent behavior is loud, and often violent despite their absence of means to properly defend themselves. At worst, they’ll probably try to use biological warfare. Don’t ask what's in those bottles...

4. TAMAMO CLAN

Parade costumes need to be designed, crafted, modeled, and then likely mended knowing the rough and tumble yokai. The textile shops and tailors of the area need Tamamo Clan members to help them out. Costumes vary from extremely ornate to extremely sexy. These costumes need to merge form and function, for the Tamamo clan parade marchers that means they need to be able to sell their specific wares while wearing them. (wink wonk)

None of the costumes are floor ready and the shop bosses urge you that these cannot be seen by the public until they are ready. This won’t stop some peeping toms and tammies from trying to scope out the goods. Most of the voyeurs are spying for perverted reasons, but some are from shops outside of Tamamo’s influence trying to copy the designs for themselves. Either way, Tamamo Clan members aren't expected to be just pretty faces. So rough’em up.

5. TASTE TEST (ALL FACTIONS)

For those less interested in their faction's work, the restaurants in the Tamamo territory also need help finalizing their menu offerings for the Night Parade. Taste testers and creative cooks wanted! These aren’t just any dishes though and may have some interesting effects. One may be so spicy that everything burns, your face turns red, and you need to cool yourself off. Or maybe your dish is so good that you need to take a nap – it doesn't matter where you are, you'll just fall asleep right on the spot. Another possibility is a dish that gives you unstoppable energy – literally. It will make you want to get up and go and never stop moving. If you stop moving, it may cause a bigger problem.

Welcome to the mini event!

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Perhaps just a high pain tolerance...? He's no stranger to extremely strong women, his aunt being just as impassive when it comes to such things. She also got into a knife fight with demons when she was a toddler and won, so. Maybe this lady is cut from the same cloth? ]

Me? [ he blinks, and then straightens his spine, pressing his closed fist into the opposite palm with a short bow, ] My name is Chongyun.

[ Proper respects are important...! With that, he straightens up again, dutifully returning to finishing up wiping her hands and reaching for the bandages. He's opted to use the ones he keeps personally rather than the flimsy plasters from the kit. It's much better to use full tape for each finger than to just stack four bandaids in a row.

So that's what he does, unraveling a strip of white tape and applying it to the tip of her finger and down. ]

Yes, I am also with the Tamamo. I arrived recently. [ one finger done, he moves onto the next, ] It is a pleasure to meet your distinguished self.

[Ah, the polite kind and the genuine type too. Or at least she believes so, what, with the way Chongyun introduces himself and with his short bow. It's been a journey for Monts back at the Grind to not only wade through cultural differences of her own home but also those who came through the door of the cafe whose values and ways of expressing them are never a clean 1-1.

But when in doubt, a bow of the head doesn't hurt, is what Oren taught her. So she returns it with a bob of her head as he continues to take care of her hand.]

The pleasure is mine. The distinguished part may be questionable.

Are you a type of nurse or healer of some sort? You seem used to this kind of thing.

[ He blinks when she asks if he’s a medic—it’s the first time he’s gotten that question, but considering that he went right to help patch her up… ]

No, nothing like that. I’m an exorcist.

[ —but, he mulls as he wraps the tape around the tip of one more finger, he isn’t unused to such things. ]

Cuts and scrapes are a part of the job, so I know basic first aid. That’s all.

[ Acting to assist simply comes naturally to him at this point—and considering the squinting judgement of their youkai overseer, it’s … kind of like she’d been heckled by a spirit? A little?

Not that plenty of his jobs hadn’t been related to the supernatural at all. People often immediately blame spirits when something inconvenient happens. ]

How’s that?

[ All wrapped up! ]

Oh, another one?

[First Natori, and now Chongyun. If she had a nickel for every time this happened, she'd just have TWO nickels!

She'll keep that joke to herself. Monts looks at her treated hand. She wiggles her fingers and wags her palm and nods as if pleased.]

Nice! I haven't had to get wrapped up like this since I was a kid.

[With her uninjured hand, she reaches out to casually... Pat Chongyun on the head.]

Good job!

[monts he's not a dog...]

There are a few of us, aren't there?

[ He's met more than just one, so he doesn't know who she's talking about... but, regardless, he sounds pleased. He miiiight be a lil biased toward his fellow exorcists. Which he would continue on to say, since all of his social skills surround his occupation, but her hand extends before he can to land on top of his downy hair. ]

...! [ unexpected, so he blinks, almost owlishly with round eyes before glancing away. ] It's nothing, anyone would have done it.

[ Might be a lil flustered... but he powers past that, clearing his throat. Discipline, restraint, and all that. Peering down at the fabric that's been dotted by blood, he says, lowly, so that their boss can't hear— ]

We should put this piece in the scraps. Normally I'd say to pay for it, but the prices...

[ Glances at the window, where the pasted numbers of ¥100,000,000 and up blaze. ]

Not just anyone I think. [She puts her hand down, letting out a low hum.]

You either have to be kind to your core or have a motive to give on my good side. I think for you, it's the former.

[In addition to how he helped her out, there is something about Chongyun's visage that makes Monts view him with a fondness. Even when there were customers at the Grind who were in the vein of, "Looks 12, but is actually 100," she had a habit of treating them what they appeared as.

Well, back to the job, which as Chongyun has pointed out, is going to put her in a precarious position with those price tags. ¥100,000,000..............

She narrows her eyes, troubled, and whispers back to Chongyun.]

Do you have any antiseptic left? Pads, a bottle? I think we can use that to wash it out if we get desperate.

[god, they're gonna be in an inescapable debt to the Tenko-hime if they don't solve this]

I do.

[ He nods, keeping his voice low, conspiring while glancing over to what the boss lady is doing. She's been sniffing around some of the other workers, scrutinizing the stitching with furrowed eyebrows and a large nose wrinkled in judgement. Not satisfied, apparently, because she throws the lot of it down and demands the other sewer to redo everything from the waist up. Strict, but with the prices they're charging, every stitch must be small and even.

Reaching into his pockets, he pulls out a few more antiseptic pads. There'd been a bottle, too, so he reaches toward the cart for that as well. Otherwise the first aid kit doesn't offer them much: plasters, gauze, burn cream, a few tabs of painkillers. ]

What else cleans blood out of fabric...?

[ It's delicate fabric, too. You can't be too rough with silk and high thread count cotton. ]

[Monts takes one of the septic pads and surreptitiously rips it open, patting at any spot where the dots of blood are the most obvious.]

Can't think of any other method on the fly, unfortunately. I mean, at least I didn't spill a ton?

[She worriedly holds up the cloth and lays it flat on the floor to see if she's missed anything.]

Damn. Should have paid attention to the true-crime episodes I was recommended by customers.

[ What are true crime episodes… ]

True… if I didn’t know better, I might think it’s part of the pattern. This might be fine.

[ He gives a couple of the spots a good blot, trying to draw the color from the fabric. Then, he leans over to likewise squint at the piece she’s laid out. ]

….. We can put it on the bottom of the pile.

[ He had been carrying around bolts of fabric and piles of scraps. No one will notice this one at all if it’s at the bottom, right?? ]

[She holds back a chuckle; she recognizes the confusion just from the way he said the one word.]

True-crime is... Ah, never mind. You're right.

[Since the alcohol dries out quickly, she just as swiftly folds it up.]

I can tell you about it later after we hide our own true crime in the making.

I just … isn’t all crime true? Why would it be fake?

[ Says the guy who is constantly being told fake evil spirit leads and has no idea.

Regardless—task at hand! He draws over one of the piles he’d been toting around, peeking the bolts apart toward the bottom to create a little pocket and then gestures with his chin for her to hide the piece inside. ]

Here.

[ Before the boss looks over…! ]

Well, there IS a difference between fictional crime and crimes that actually happened. That's why true crime is its own genre because people don't know how to slow down.

[This is where she would make a joke about being a walking true crime (as both victim AND criminal), but Monts focuses on working together with Chongyun, pushing the cloth into the little pocket he provided.]

Annnnnd... Safe?

[She pretends to look past the boss picking up some pieces of cloth and stray threads. Just tidying up here, nothing to see!]

Edited 2022-03-24 05:37 (UTC)

Safe.

[ He exhales, coming down from the high of engaging in a life of crime with his ass plopping on the floor as he finally relaxes. Their boss seems none-the-wiser, and while he does feel a bit guilty for the subterfuge, it really doesn't seem fair to make a worker pay compensation for an honest accident.

—and after exhaling, he picks up the thread from before, ]

Ah, I get it. So you meant fiction. I have a friend who's always reading some book or another, I've seen a few like that in his collection. The tea master sometimes tells stories like that, too, during his sessions.

[ Which is actually one of his favorite pasttimes. Listening to stories! He really knows how to get the hair-raising quality of the supernatural, and build dread for the suspenseful. ]

... I miss sitting in for those.

[Monts lets out a relieved sigh as well. Sitting with her legs crossed next to her coconspirator, she relaxes and listens to Chongyun.]

The tea master? What does that entail where you're from?

[Being good at making tea she supposes, but it's better for him to elaborate than for her to make assumptions.]

I know how to brew tea and make other drinks myself based on my job that I had before finding myself here.

Hmm… well, knowing everything there is to know about tea, I suppose. An expert. He can identify a tea’s origin and growing conditions on aroma and mouthfeel, and knows the best way to make each one … honestly, I’ve never asked him much about the tea. Mostly the stories.

[ After all, he usually sits there for a long time waiting for it to go cold before he can drink it … the stories are an excellent way to pass the time. ]

Are you a tea master in training? I’ve heard it takes quite a bit of time to become a master.

[Monts shakes her head as she busies herself with folding up some of the cloth that has been littered around. Might as well organize while they chat so a youkai doesn't come in to threaten them with their scary faces and extra limbs.]

No, not a tea master. I'm what's called a 'barista' in my field. It sounds fancy, but when it comes down to it, it just means I know how to make different coffees, teas, and other drinks you'd find at a lot of cafes.

I've only been doing it for almost over a year, so there's a lot left to learn.

[ Ah, a good idea—he watches her for a second before following suit, picking up a needle and thread. Carefully, he lines up the end of the thread with the needle hole and eyes it as he tries to thread it through. Fails, and then tries again. And then one more time... ]

That's an excellent skill to have. In Liyue, you would be highly sought after.

[ He hums, thoughtful, ]

Even cold drinks?

[Oh no, that's so cute... Monts watches him struggle before... No, she'll continue to watch him struggle while she replies to his question animatedly.]

Cold drinks too! We love cold drinks where I'm from. Betcha there's quite a number you haven't tried or heard of before!

[ Poke… poke… poke… the damn thing doesn’t want to go through the hole? Eyes narrowing at the stubborn thread, he keeps trying. ]

Yes, I’ve already experienced much here that I hadn’t back in the mortal world. Cold drinks aren’t very popular in Liyue—I have to wait for tea to go cold before drinking it.

[ Says someone totally unaware that actual iced tea is so much better than hot tea sadly gone cold. A travesty…

He stares at the needle and thread, and then sighs. ]

Why is this so hard?

Is the weather particularly chilly and cloudy in this Liyue of yours? That might be why cold drinks aren't popular. Buuut, admittedly, I'm the type of person who drinks iced beverages even in those conditions.

[Must... Not... Laugh...!! Monts holds out her hands to Chongyun.]

Here. I'll thread it for you. I won't be able to poke myself if I'm looking at the needle directly.

[ He hands the needle and thread over to her, defeated. ]

This is why they had me carrying bolts.

[ Even if the sewing had been all hands on deck … he quickly proved he had no talent for it. Better to put his strength to other uses. ]

Liyue Harbor is right off the water, and the area around it is known as the Sea of Clouds … so you’re right.

[ He seems impressed! One really must not underestimate a tea master in training. Or would she be better considered a drink master? ]

As for me, I take all of my meals cold. Drinks, food … everything.

That so? I guess if you tried to brute force the sewing, your fingers would look like mine.

[The Mean Girl part of her enjoys it when watching other people struggle, especially when there's a degree of cuteness to be had. Sorry, Chongyun... But at least she doesn't tease him for his lack of sewing skills. His defeat kind of makes her want to pat his head again, but she figures that she's used up that quota of surprise head pats.]

And it was just a guess on my part. I try to notice those kinds of things while on the job. If a customer is wearing a coat, they'll usually want something hot to drink or if they're dressed lightly, it's the opposite.

[But his tastes though... That seems to be going too far...?]

... Are you bad with spicy food by any chance?

"Bad" would be an understatement. Even just thinking about jueyun chilis... starts to make me sweat.

[ He reclines back, glancing toward their boss. She seems occupied with yelling at one of the employees who was eating a sandwich right over some of the freshly pressed kimonos, which. Valid. Why would you eat an egg salad sandwich over silk? That's begging for a mess. ]

... I have a particular condition. Anything hot in general is a no-go for me.

[ And here he is, in Tamamo... someone up there has a wild sense of humor. It's Tenkohime, obviously. ]

Jueyun chilis? Sounds tasty to me.

[Partly joking, partly serious; Monts does come from a place where the cuisine is varied and a lot of it is spicy if you knew your way around. There is some concern in her expression when Chongyun confirms that his preference is part of his condition.]

Really? That sounds like a bummer. [No roasted salsa for Chongyun then, oh no]

What happens if you eat anything hot and spicy?

It's ... ah. Well. [ embarrassing? he hesitates, then vagues, ] I become unwell. I must stay vigilant to avoid that kind of situation.

[ He won't bore her with the details—how it isn't limited to eating hot and spicy, but he must avoid anything hot in general. Warm clothes, steamy locales, concerts, rousing music, anything that'll annoy him and get him heated ... his landing in Tamamo has been. Something of an adventure, due to that. ]

It'll be troublesome ... if I don't. [ ah, but, ] A lot of people do like them, though. Liyue is known for its spices.

March 2022 Mini Event

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