jigokulogs | March 2022 IC Mingle

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March 2022 IC Mingle

1. WELCOMING COMMITTEE

cw: optional aphro in Tamamo Clan prompt

The influx of Lost Souls means the factions need to have a little welcoming party of sorts. The leaders of each faction each send a message to their new recruits, telling them to meet at their respective headquarters.

The Shuten Clan directs their new recruits to the Arena. There’s plenty of food and booze to go along with the exhibition matches from the toughest fighters they’ve got. Enjoy the view or get involved in an arena fight, if you’re feeling spicy. If bloodsport isn’t your cup of tea, there’s a number of gambling games to partake in, too – don’t worry, your money isn’t at stake here, unless you want it to be.

The Tamamo Clan recruits are sent to the brothel Mizukume. Hosts of all sorts are there to fill your every need. If you’re not one to be doted on, there’s also exotic dancers in every state of undress for you to look at. You may be tasked with being a host or a dancer yourself. If you’re not in the mood for that, there’s plenty of food from Tamamo-controlled restaurants to eat and seemingly endless drinks. The drinks may or may not have a little something extra in them, so check the labels carefully.

The Sutoku Alliance meets at the nightclub Konoha. It’s truly a celebration with an enormous amount of fast food from every joint in their district and an equal amount of cheap drinks. Sing your heart out with live band karaoke – don’t worry about them not knowing your song, they seem to have a depth of knowledge beyond this world. Once that settles down, there’s plenty of dancing to do or you can be a wallflower, whatever suits your mood.

The Department of the Enma meets at a meeting room on the top floor of Kaigo no Bou. The room is uncomfortably opulent and wouldn’t be out of place in a Heian imperial court. Fine silk tapestries cover the walls, richly lacquered wood is inlaid with gold, and it all feels like it was decorated by someone with more money than taste. There’s fine food and even finer drink available. Various multi-armed youkai play in a jazz band, playing their instruments in a much more complicated manner than strictly necessary. Stretch your legs and dance. Take a peek out the window for a bird’s eye view of the city. If the interior is too stuffy for you, escape to the roof for some fresh air – just be careful not to fall off.

2. PARTY TIME

CW: optional aphro

After everyone’s had their fill of food, drink, and entertainment: the party isn’t over. They’re told to make their way to Konoha with the instruction to show their faction’s pride. That’s a careful way to tell them to raise hell. Upon arrival, all recruits are provided with an advance on their pay by The Enma. Food is provided by the Shuten Clan, a variety of all sorts of meaty foods. Drinks are provided by the Tamamo Clan, but be wary because some may have that special Tamamo kick to them (read: aphro). It’s technically a neutral meeting place, but there’s almost certain to be a fight sooner or later. Entertain yourself, meet the other factions, and raise some Hell.

Welcome to the IC mingle!

If you have any questions about the mingle content, please ask them here!
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

tojin battle royale

[Fighting is in his blood. Something about putting your life on the line appeals to Dante, especially since he’s been fighting since childhood. If there’s one thing Dante knows how to do, it’s kicking ass and taking names. He doesn’t really know much about restraint when it comes down to combat. That’s why his opponent has a nice-sized lump above their right eye.]

C’mon!

[He yells over the electrifying roar of the crowd. While he can barely make out the words, he thinks the crowd is chanting either his name or cursing him out. Whatever the case, Dante likes it.]

Is that all you got, big shot?!

[Just when it looks like his opponent is down and out, the oversized thug lunges at Dante for a tackle. Normally, the celebrated devil hunter would’ve been able to avoid it but he’s two seconds too slow thanks to consuming way too much sake. Alcohol is his bane despite being a Cambion. Even a half-demon like him can be laid low by some good liquor and Jigokucho has the finest alcohol you can buy assuming you have the yen for it.

Dante gets the wind knocked out of him once he’s slammed to the ground. He only has a second to catch his breath before the guy starts whaling on him with his fists. The first punch connects with his jaw causing his teeth to gnash together, while the second punch hits him square in the nose. At first, Dante didn’t even think he was injured beyond the agonizing ache in his jaw but once he tastes that familiar coppery taste on his tongue—things turn serious.]

Hey, watch the nose! [He shouts in between punches while doing his best to protect his face with his forearms.] Get off me!

[As the man keeps punching, an eerie red glow emits from Dante’s eyes as he lets out a fearsome growl that echos around the arena. While he can’t access his Devil Trigger here in Jigokucho, that doesn’t mean the devil within is gone.]

I said get off me, asshole!

[Just before his opponent could land the next punch, the poor bastard is literally flung across the arena by a well-placed kick in the ribs. Spectators look on in surprise as the man slams right into the fencing surrounding the arena with a sickening crack. The arena is silent for a moment as Dante clambers to his feet but eventually, the cheers start up again but not for him. The guy he just punted into orbit is slowly getting up.]

Fuck. [He curses under his breath spits out blood. His nose is leaking pretty badly but Dante is pissed.] This guy doesn’t when to give up.

[Maybe it was a bad idea getting into a ring, especially with this many demons afoot but Dante is known to be reckless.]

”Kanpai!” cw: aprho

[Who’s that miserable bastard in the corner of the bar nursing a glass of whisky with an icepack pressed up against his temples? If you guessed Dante, then you’re correct. Even though he managed to win that brawl earlier, Dante is looking a little bit worn out. He’s tired, okay? That fight earlier turned from a "1 v 1" to a "3 v 1" once some of the younger Shuten cadets joined the fray. While Dante is pretty damn spry for a man his age, he’s a little winded.]

That fight was supposed to be “mano e mano”, not a threesome.

[He mutters to himself before taking a hefty sip of his glass. Judging from all the grumbling, he’s a feeling little salty right now.]

Or was it a foursome?

[Dante lets out a sigh as he rests his chin within his hand. While that wasn’t his best fight, he still won. So whatever, right? Right.]

Mhmm, this isn’t so bad.

[The devil hunter comments before finishing the rest of his glass. Between all the booze and food, Dante is in heaven but something doesn’t feel right. He’s used to drinking alcohol and all but why is he feeling so damn warm and fuzzy? Maybe the meds are kicking in finally. He did drown half a bottle of aspirins before drinking. Not the smartest thing to do but whatever.]

Ugh, my head hurts.

wildcard

(Want to plot? Feel free to drop me a line here or send me a PM. I don't bite!)

Edited 2022-03-06 18:53 (UTC)

Yo, I caught sight of that fight.

( Samatoki is very much in the same boat, feeling more sociable and warm with each Tamamo drink he downs. )

You're pretty good — way used to it, looks like.

[It takes Dante a moment to realize someone is talking to him but once he does, Dante almost does a doubletake. It's not every day that he meets someone else fitting his aesthetics. White hair and red eyes, huh? That's a different. While Dante suspects everyone at the party is some sort of youkai, he can't anything from this guy.

Maybe he's just human? If so, that's not comforting since humans can be scarier than most demons.]

You can sorta say that. [He replies with a cheerful little grin.] Guess you could call me a "veteran".

I've been getting into fights since I was a kid.

( Samatoki nods; in these moments, it feels like Dante's words are the most interesting words he's ever heard. He wants to hear more.

Maybe that's obvious. Damn aphros and alcohol. )

Me too. It got worse in the last place, but it's a wonder I didn't get in the ring much.

( He takes a swig of his drink. )

It's different when you're doing it for survival.

[That makes the two of them. Dante can’t help but pay attention right now, more so than usual. He’s oddly focused on the young man across from him. Maybe it’s the aspirins kicking in or something because he knows alcohol has the opposite effect on him. Either way, he doesn’t mind the company.]

The last place? [He questions with an arched brow.] Sounds like you’re used to this kind of crowd.

[It wouldn’t surprise Dante if this guy was yakuza. Most of the folks here in Jigokucho seem to have some sort of ties with the mob. It’s a little unsettling but Dante isn’t in the right state of mind to think about it. ]

I bet. When I was a kid, fighting was all I could do to keep the monsters at bay.

[He mentions while idly tapping his finger against his glass.]

It was a rough life but I managed, somehow. I guess I had the Savior on my side.

[In more ways than one, of course. Especially since the Savior was his own damn father.]

[ Felix is in a particularly bad mood. He still dislikes the position he is in even if he does not necessarily disagree he would not fit it in a place that seems well-suited to violence. It is a violence that smacks of proving oneself, and one he soon will find himself joining in. Though, that being said he does hold interest in observing the battles fought between the others here, even if so far he has found them lacking.

It may have something to do with the fact the creatures here disgust him. But, when he spots someone else joining the fray who appears different than the rest (white hair, for one), it catches his attention. An older man, who seems to know how to scrap.

While the cheers start for the other guy (how boring), Felix has his own opinions as he shoves his way closer to the ring, and purposefully raises his voice. ]

Are you thinking of giving up already, then? It's too bad, I might have been enjoying viewing one of these wretched battles for once.

[Violence is violence. It’s both horrifying and sinfully entertaining. Granted, Dante would be enjoying this match more if his opponent wasn’t hellbent on rearranging his face but then again, he likes the danger. He doesn’t know much about youkai but the second his opponent’s skin starts to transform from tan to blood red, Dante knew he was in trouble.]

I didn’t know you could get such a cool tan, buddy.

[Two devils about to go blow to blow, huh? Dante can’t help but smirk a little.]

You know, that means I’m going to hold back anymore—

[Just when he was about to get action, a particularly loud spectator captures his attention. He peers into the crowd and locks eyes briefly with the guy. It seems he has a fan. That’s great! More than half the arena is shouting for his blood, all except for this fancy-looking guy here.

Dante much appreciates it.]

Momma didn’t raise a quitter! [He states triumphantly with a playful wink.] Just keep big cheering, bigshot!

[The Oni charges right towards Dante again like a raging bull but unlike last time, he’s ready for him. The devil hunter quickly pivots towards the left narrowly avoiding the Oni as it tries to shoulder slam him into the fence. Just the force of the slam is enough to rattle the arena cage from top to bottom. It’s a little scary for members of the crowd, especially since that oversized bastard nearly took down the entire fence.]

C’mon, buddy! You can do better than that.

[Dante shrugs off his signature red coat while taunting the monster. With a gleeful smirk upon his lips, he holds out his jacket like a matador’s muleta. It’s fairly hilarious, especially since the Oni is snarling in rage as Dante taunts him with such a sickeningly sweet tone.]

Toro! Toro!

[ Felix isn't surprised that he's surrounded by people in the arena that don't know have good taste in choosing fighters. It could be that the Oni that Dante is currently facing down just so happens to be a long-time favorite, but of course people who remain as such can be liable to get overly cocky so that they're no longer good. Felix does end up smirking in return at the man's response to his cheer.

He has a lot of spirit alright. ]

You know what? I think I just might.

[ Anyway, Felix is on the edge of his seat as he watches the battle rage through the fence, though his eyes do widen when the Oni practically rattles the whole damn thing.

And then when he spots Dante's form of taunting, he's practically the only one laughing, getting caught up in the moment while the Oni's fans are grimacing, though there are a few other amused looks in the crowd as well. ]

Hmph, I'd say with that giant ox standing around simply getting furious and not doing anything much else shows how worthless he is! I already know the one in red is going to take away the victory.

[ Yeah, that's his brand of cheering while the others in the crowd continue to get riled up. Partly because they have a stake in it, partly because there are favorites, and also potentially partly in response to Felix's own bold comment against the popular opinion. Not that it phases him any. ]

[Spirit isn’t just about the only thing Dante has. He also has decades of experience when it comes down to fighting and the best way to win is to make your opponent irrationally pissed off. Despite popular belief, getting angry doesn’t help you win a fight. Rage can be a useful tool but only if you can control it. Just giving in to anger will give you a boost in motivation but it always leaves you open. This is why Dante doesn’t ease up on the taunts as this overgrown demon comes charging towards him again.

Like a skilled matador, Dante narrowly misses getting skewered by his opponent’s enormous black horns. An Oni is basically an oversized ogre with human-like features. They’re one of the few youkai that retain such traits, especially since most youkai tend to be more animalistic in appearance. Amusingly, the Red Oni is acting more like an angry bull than an actual person.

When the beast attempts to charge at him again, Dante narrowly dodges but manages to kick his leg out last second to trip the monster off its feet. The Oni goes spiraling into the crowd, his enormous bulk slamming against the fence with enough force to shake the entire arena.]

Whoops, sorry bout that! [Dante chuckles as he dusts off his coat.] I guess that wasn’t in the script, huh?

[He glances over towards the crowd after that little quip, his mischievous blue gaze focused on his newly acquired fan.]

I owe you a few drinks later!

[He means it too. It’s nice to have someone cheering for a change. While the crowd at large is still booing him, Dante can’t help but grin at his new friend in the stands.]

You’re the only guy who knows how to spot a winner shithole!

[ Just like that, Felix is on the edge of his seat. Given the extent of the crowd, it doesn't even make a dent through the noise as he takes a breath at the narrow miss. But it's a miss all the same and warriors calculate those all the time, so all is does is make him even more excited for the result of the bout.

He chuckles to himself when the Oni gets literally tripped up, and that's really all it takes. His eyes do widen briefly when that huge mass of a creature ends up flying into the fence, rattling the foundations as a result. ]

...A few drinks, huh?

[ Felix can probably ask him a few questions about his technique too, as one combatant to another. Anyway, he will raise his voice accordingly. ]

What can I say? Unlike most people here, I just so happen to not be blind! I think that makes a huge difference.

[ He'll ignore the dirty looks in his direction. ]

You know what? Just for that, I’m treating you to a full bottle of sake once I win the gold!

[Dante states with a cheeky grin as he bows before his new adoring fans with such unnecessary flourish.

It seems he’s slowly winning over the crowd. His silly antics won a few chuckles here and there but the laughter was few and far in-between. Most of the spectators are just horrified that this mere human just swept the floor with their champion. It’s almost insulting, really. Little do many of them realize is that Dante is anything other than human despite his previous demonstration of strength.

Nevertheless, the devil hunter’s antics won the attention of a pair of great blue Oni who are now stepping into the ring.]

Ah, shit! Who brought in the calvary?

[He questions once the large Oni jump into the ring. It seems that the big goofy red guy is their brother and they’re pissed.]

Alright, alright…

[Dante takes a moment to roll his shoulders before doing a big stretch much like a lazy feline. Once he works out the kinks, the devil hunter gets into a mock kungfu stance that is definitely a call back to a certain Chinese movie star from the late 70’s. This is about to turn from your average brawl into a legit kungfu flick.

Just keep your eyes on him, folks.]

I’m not holding back anymore.

[In just the blink of an eye, Dante closes the gap between himself and his new opponents. They barely had a second to react before Dante’s boot ends up flossing their teeth. It’s a gruesome sight, especially since Dante managed to knock their teeth out. Blood splatters against the fence as Dante keeps up with this brutal barrage of deft-defying kicks and punches. He’s moving as fast as lightning just like the song.]

I'll remember you said that.

[ Felix has never had sake, but you know what, he's in hell, so it's ripe for the time to try new things.

And oh boy, when the two new contenders step right into the ring...well, he already knows for certain this is about to get real wild. Which is fine, because at least this time he feels a little more prepared for nonsense, though he will also take a some steps back just in case. Out of a sense of practicality with two big opponents and one strong man fighting in the ring...

...And holy shit. That sure is a ... sight.

Well, the two are very visibly large monsters, and stepped into a ring—they knew what they were getting into. They don't like human either, so that helps. He is also fortunate to have seen battle and the results of such grisly outcomes already, even if he is more or less thankful to have made sure he was not so close to the fence. ]

Looks like they didn't stand a chance. I'll be surprised if they don't call it soon enough.

[ Any good fighter in a battle—that isn't life or death—would know when to yield. ]

Dante | Devil May Cry | Shuten

kanpai!

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tojin;

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kanpai

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kanpai

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