OPEN ➸ September Catchall

[worldbent]

Who ⬤ Matoba Seiji and you
What ⬤ Substories, monthly eye curse, etc. Closed starters in the comments.
When ⬤ Throughout September
Where ⬤ More or less everywhere
Content Warnings ⬤ Will add if needed



A. SUBSTORY 3: DRIFTER GRIFTER - I want that Spiderman Wastelander!!

[What a classic wild goosechase, huh? When Matoba's connections had told him of a certain individual that had been spotted around the city with information on the Iron Bear, he had set to finding this mystery youkai. But every time he gets to a location where the man was said to be, he finds nothing but other angry individuals looking for the same man.]

[Surely he can't be only a mirage...]

[Perhaps the Wastelander got you to pay for a meal or a new pair of shoes, only to leave you down on your luck.] I see... Don't you think this will be a good lesson for you? [Matoba offers you a cheerful smile after hearing your tale.] Never give up your side of the bargain before you get your information.

Shall I assist you in finding him, then?


B. CURSED EYES - The Me in the Mirror Limit first 5 tag-ins, please!
[ooc; If you are tagging in to this prompt, PLEASE READ THIS INFO/PERMISSIONS POST FIRST, thanks! If your character has spiritual awareness, they can tell the spirit in this prompt feels Real Bad.]
-------

[It's another busy day in Sutoku's shopping districts, with their modern buildings and flashy neon signs. It was easy to feel as though this was a normal shopping district in any human city, with the sort of glamor present.]

[As you pass by the reflective windows of a shop, you might have to do a double-take once or twice when the reflection that stares back at you is missing its right eye. You must have been seeing things- when you look back again, it's normal.]

[Maybe it takes you a few times to notice that your "reflection" moves on from your shadow and along the glass on its own after a while; it seems to be looking for something. But when you stop and try to look at it, you'll instead be interrupted by a voice that approaches you from behind, suddenly too-close to your ear--]

Excuse me. Are you looking for something?


C. SNACK RUN - Even menacing Lieutenants need a day off

[Matoba had earned quite a reputation over his months in Jigoku-cho for being "always on the clock"- it was, perhaps, a part of why he had managed to climb the ranks of the Alliance so quickly. Always dressed for success in either a suit or his clan's traditional kimono, it was perhaps hard to relate more personally to a man who seemed to carry himself as so apart from others in both appearance and speech.]

[But once in a while, you can catch even Matoba Seiji on an off-day.]

[In an adidas hoodie and a casual pair of joggers, Matoba has perched himself on the railing of a walkway overlooking the river at one of the bridge crossings. The Hashihime Clan may have to put up with a Lieutenant's presence now, but she doesn't look much happier about the crumbs from the flaky pastry he's eating, or the flecks of rice from that onigiri, as they fall onto her bridge and waters.]

[Like this, Matoba-san almost just looks like what he is- a bored 22 year old.]

---
[ooc; as always feel free to hit me up via my CR meme post, PM or kitsoru for plotting!]

Comments

a-ish 😌

[cutcloud]

[ Not too far from where Matoba is lecturing some random angry youkai that's mad about getting conned into buying the drifter a meal for info but not getting anything, Chongyun is on a similar hunt. Right across the street, actually, close enough that the young exorcist's conversation with another youkai is easily overheard. He's been investigating that same mysterious figure at the request of a few because of his behavior, and there are rumors that the man has information.

So you've seen the man in question? Which way did he go, and what did he look like? asks Chongyun, notebook at the ready, because he's already gotten so many different leads on this vagrant. The youkai hums, I dunno, I can't remember without a little... cash.

I see, Chongyun responds without suspicion and there's the following clink of coins. Will this much do? The youkai rubs his fingers together, Uhhh, yeah. He went left. But I need more money to remember more. There's another clink of coins entering the man's hand, I understand. Does this help?

Yeah, uh... he went left. And then made some more lefts. He had a beard and a mustache and uhhh, brown hair, I guess. He also wore a tophat. The youkai's clearly just making some shit up, hemming and hawing, but Chongyun's diligently writing down everything the guy says. A little more cash... would help. It's a condition I have, money jogs my memory.

I understand, how much would help you? the young exorcist asks, and the youkai chews on his lip.

How much you got?

Chongyun opens his little money pouch and the man nods happily, What do you know, that's exactly the amount I need to remember everything about that guy! The conner rubs his hands with glee, eyes sparkling. Chongyun nods, about to hand over his whole pouch of money ............................. ]

[worldbent]

[Okay, that is enough of that.]

If I had forgotten so many things on account of coin, I think I would be far more ashamed of myself. [Matoba looms over the youkai and Chongyun, laying a hand on the teen's shoulder and casting a shadow with his familiar paper parasol. He seems to be counting the number of 100-yen coins in Chongyun's hands.] ...To be honest, for good information, this is a little cheap. Your condition must be very severe, hm?

Allow me to sweeten the pot, Chongyun-kun.

[There's a brief protest of 'oi, buddy, what're you trying to pull' from the offended youkai as Matoba calmly folds his parasol and opens his own purse to dangle a 100k yen note. The youkai's eyes just about light up... until they fall onto Matoba's pin.]

Such tantalizing information.... You surely wouldn't lie to the Alliance hm? Willing to make a deal? Although, I should warn you that I don't accept failure.

[cutcloud]

...!

[ Chongyun is surprised at the hand on his shoulder, but instantly relaxes when he recognizes who the voice belongs to. Which is exactly the opposite of the youkai's experience; when he recognizes Matoba's pin and who it is from the rumors swirling around the various business chains, he pales. A reaction Chongyun notices, but of course his assumption is wrong: Matoba is a master exorcist, so naturally the youkai would be alarmed by his presence.

The young exorcist blinks at the note that Matoba dangles in front of the conman. No, he can't possibly ask for Matoba to invest so much in information he's trying to gather. ]

Master Matoba. [ he nods his head in proper greeting first, ] I don't want to trouble you, but perhaps this man's information would be helpful to you as well. He promises that he knows about the suspicious man everyone has been looking for.

[ Which only adds to the youkai's pallor, but ... he's in it this deep and he thinks himself a pretty clever conman, even if he hadn't been trying hard to fool the kid out of all of his cash. So, after a minute of opening and closing his hand, the youkai finally bites the bullet and reaches out to take the money from Matoba. Greed wins. He boldly claims, Yeah, yeah, I'll make a deal, I'm good for it. I know all about him, and saw him go left like I said...

Noticeably, he's also still clutching half of Chongyun's money. He didn't get his paws on the purse because of Matoba's interference, but he did grub some before the man stepped in. ]

[worldbent]

Oh? Does he now? [The sunny smile that Chongyun receives has a very different effect on the youkai, too, when he turns it upon him.] Well, considering that he was about to inform you of this very useful information, it would be a shame if I were to miss out, hm? You see, I am also after this mystery man. Shall we work together?

[Matoba releases the paper note into the youkai's hands, with only the barest of a mutter under his breath. How fortunate that the youkai snatches it up without examining it too closely...] Very well, then.

Left, and left, and left again... With a tophat. Was that about the size of it? [Matoba turns to his fellow exorcist, his comarade-in-arms for this hunt.] Shall we pursue this no-good scammer, Chongyun-kun? You know, scammers deserve everything they get... We might even have to bring him to justice by force. [Matoba raises two fingers.] Bad karma has a way of getting back to you.

Don't you agree? [Matoba smiles towards the youkai, by now sweating bullets and trying to make his getaway. And yet, Matoba does not make any moves to stop him.]

[Not yet. Let him know fear for a little bit, first. He turns to go and follow these directions with Chongyun- after all, if they're making so many lefts, they'll be riiiiight back in no time.]

[cutcloud]

[ Chongyun nods, in complete agreement, none the wiser to the silent conversation going on between Matoba and their youkai friend. The youkai clutches the money and swallows under the pressure of that smile, but he's still confident that he's slick as oil and quick as a cat. By the time they make all those lefts, he'll already be zooming over to the other side of the city and laying low. ]

Yes, I agree. Scammers are scum. They should have a bone broken for every person they've scammed. And then have those bones stepped on. That's exactly why this wanderer causing problems must be caught. The longer he's free, the more people who will be caught in his schemes.

[ ... which is a surprisingly brutal take from a kid he thought looked nice and innocent, so much so that the youkai does a straight up double-take. What the hell?! Broken bones?! And then smashing them underfoot?!?! That's too brutal!!! Yet Chongyun looks one hundred percent serious about his statement, nodding at Matoba again before bowing to the youkai in thanks for his help.

Chongyun smiles at Matoba and heads to the left, looking around diligently as they go for anyone matching the description their "friend" had given. The youkai, for his part, shoves all the money into his pockets and begins to scuttle away in the opposite direction, feeling very accomplished for having ripped off two gullible lost souls.

As they walk, Chongyun hums: ]

We should greet him later if we see him. It will be even better if we've caught the man by then!

[worldbent]

That's right. We must catch him and punish him, so that no one will ever get the idea to do such a thing again. That is our role, as righteous exorcists.

[Exorcists sure are scary, huh... Anyway, Matoba smiles down towards the youkai with a bow of his own, still menacing, still not letting the other shoe drop.]

[He's going to have to live in fear. Hold it to his chest. Let it become a part of himself.]

[As Chongyun walks with him and takes a look around for the mustachio'd scammer in a tophat, Matoba calmly pulls an ofuda from his inner kimono, and an ink pen from his sleeve.] Nothing yet, hm? I'm sure that our friend will be happy to learn when we have caught the fellow. I wonder how he is doing right now?

[Having copied the spell from the bill, Matoba claps it between his hands and recites a short sutra under his breath as they walk.]

[From about 5 blocks back as the bird flies, there's a strangled cry that makes all the crows flutter up from the rooftops.]

[cutcloud]

[ Beard and a mustache and a tophat ... one would think such a man would be easy to find. Chongyun scans every person they past, extremely vigilant in checking out everyone around them, so much so that he pays no mind to Matoba messing around with his ofuda and pen.

Left, left, and another left ... it's leading them right back to where they were. Did the fiend do some trickery and decide to hide back where he was least expected? No, but that's what Chongyun is wondering when, as Matoba said earlier, they quickly start looping back around to their starting point. ]

I don't know. Working? He seemed to be working at the fruit stand around there ... hm?

[ The birds are flapping their wings, crying out, and several youkai are excitedly buzzing about the street like something happened. Chongyun taps his chin and looks up at his fellow exorcist, ]

Do you think this could have to do with the man we're looking for?

[worldbent]

There certainly seems to be some excitement over here, hm?

[After a measured pause of consideration, in which the man even brings his hand up to his chin, Matoba folds his arms back into his sleeves and nods.] Let's investigate. There's no reason to let a possible lead slip away, hm?

[And so as they push their way into the crowd, there is the scene of a fruitstand that looks as though a bomb went off on it. Melons, bananas, peaches and all other fruits are strewn about with their gore, and in the center of it all and splattered with juice was...]

Oya... informant-san. Are you alright?

[Matoba feigns concern, only showing his smile once Chongyun was not in a position to see it. With a subtle wiggle of his fingers, the 10k-yen note flutters back into his sleeve from amid an explosion of fruit.]

I'm... sorry.......... [The youkai utters, as if with his dying breath. His arm outstretches to Chongyun-- was it a last clue...!?]

[cutcloud]

That fiend...!!!

[ He sympathetically pats the youkai's hand, thinking that the creature is seeking comfort in its last moments and not trying to point out the guy who literally murdered him, standing right over there with a shit-eating grin. ]

Attacking you because you gave us information. Don't worry, we'll get revenge for you. Your death and your destroyed fruit will not be in vain.

[ The creature is too weak to respond, but its eyes are bulging with a thousand things it wants to say, ranging from Don't kill me off when I'm not actually dead yet! all the way to You little dingus, it was your friend that did it, he's insane! Insane! Completely unhinged!

Dropping the youkai's hand, Chongyun turns back to Matoba. The youkai wheezes and just sprawls there, utterly defeated. ]

Master Matoba, we must find that man. He can't be allowed to wander around causing more chaos.

[worldbent]

Oh, my...

[Matoba watches the scene with feigned shock, even bringing his sleeve up over his mouth (to cover his smile).]

Such a shame... He died too young. [What's that? ...He's not dead yet? Matoba can fix that later. Instead, he shakes his head with a show of sympathy and tsks, kneeling to pluck Chongyun's fruitjuice-splattered coinpurse from the youkai's cold (not) dead hand.]

He would have wanted this, [Matoba says with a grave expression as he turns and hands it back to Chongyun with both hands, giving it all the due weight it deserves.] Let's use it to find the one who did this to him... together. With our teamwork, we are sure to avenge our friend--

...Ah, what was his name again? [Matoba picks up a piece of a signboard in the wreckage.] Oh, yes-- our dear friend Avocado-san.

[cutcloud]

[ Avocado-san is absolutely roasting inside when Matoba steals his coin pouch, cheeks bulging and eyes red, but he has no strength left to move or speak. Who’s an Avocado??? That’s clearly just something on sale this week, you asshole!

Chongyun, on the other hand, clasps his hands together solemnly and then bows beside the fallen youkai with an air of gravity. One must pay respects to the dead before making off with their stuff. ]

Thank you for your generosity, Avocado-san. May you rest in guacamole.

[ Caught up in the moment, some of the other youkai that had been standing around rubbernecking also bow despite how Avocado-san is glaring and blinking furiously on the ground. It’s a proper send off for a man that isn’t even dead, and that’s not even his name! He’s even madder when one of those youkai tosses a dirty tarp over him to hide the mess. Not out of any kindness, but he’s a businessman. He isn’t going to get customers with a body lying on the floor.

Standing upright once more, Chongyun opens the pouch and checks out the contents. There’s a lot more money inside than what he’d originally given. He nods to Matoba and pockets the purse. Normally he would refuse, but the culprit must be caught. This money is going toward a good deed. ]

Where do you think we should start? The trail we were following seems to have been a trick.

[worldbent]

[Rest in pepperoni. Matoba makes an approving nod towards the other youkai who just go along with their dramatic scene, kicking the edge of the tarp to flip the edge neatly over Avocado's body. (And maybe get him in the ribs while he's at it.)]

[Mess taken care of, Matoba claps a hand onto Chongyun's shoulder and begins to steer him away from the scene as the rest of the vendors shrug and get back to selling as normal. That's that Sutoku spirit, never let a penny pass you by due to some little inconvenience like a body! Oh, surely some Enma will be by soon to investigate--]

Where, indeed. I did hear some whispers that the man was seen getting a drink in a Shuten bar. Shall we go to that quarter of town and begin our investigation anew? [He smiles.] Perhaps someone down that way would have seen something.

[And then they can be as far away as possible when the cops start coming around here asking what happened...]