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.

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If that's how you see it, then, yes. I've always been held prisoner by my obligations. That is the nature of duty. [they say this with an odd pride, like it's somehow respectable to be shackled to a purpose someone else deemed fit. For Ydris, it's supposed to be divine to serve as the Fire Dragon. They cannot be anything else, after all...

This might strike them later as transcendentally horrifying, but listen... that's later.]

Loyalty has little to do with it, as you explained. You made a deal, you should honor that or walk away entirely. [whole ass it, no half measures]

You can’t walk out of hell.

[ If you could, he’s not sure if you’d just walk into something worse anyway. ]

So this place is just a continuation of the same for you, but I’m not thrilled to be a prisoner. My old life was awful, but at least I wasn’t doing someone else’s dirt—-

[ A look of horror crosses his face, and suddenly he shrinks down from his previous confident lecturing. ]

—- well, not for most of my life, anyway. But at least that was my own choice. Stupid or not.

Don't mistake me for ever being thrilled. I've done what is required of me. [sometimes, when they aren't completely fucking off from what they should be doing- that's beside the point! Ydris doesn't need to admit to such personal failings,]

It's cooperate with a faction or nothing. So don't be stupid about that. [that would be bad for the human, so none of that! Ydris must caution him appropriately!]

Better to work towards a reward than impotently protest. Your only prize then will be further suffering.

I wasn’t planning to resist.

[ The reward is too valuable. Even if there’s a part of him that has doubts on promises made by yokai. There hasn’t been any proof given they’re capable of doing what they’ve said they will, after all. ]

But this party can’t be that important. Most of these people are so drunk they won’t even remember tonight. All I’ve done is avoid people and feel restless.

Stay at least through the following party, to make an appearance before the other factions. They'll want a show of numbers. Sneak off after that, h-... [they realize that, for someone they've spoken to for a while now, they cannot... recall sharing names with this one. No, no, Ydris only gave their name last time!

This is still just human to them.]

... what is your name, human?

Junpei.

[ The question is sudden, but there’s no reason for him not to answer it. As much as he tends to be argumentative with Ydris, he hasn’t gotten the feeling they’re going to do him any harm.

Also, just maybe, a part of him likes that someone seems to give a damn about what happens to him. That’s not something he is fully aware of or would ever admit to, but when you’ve gotten used to most of the world ignoring or assaulting you being fussed over is a novelty. ]

That’s going to be hours from now, isn’t it? Ugh.

[Ydris is certainly going to fuss, especially as Junpei has expressed how exhausted he is by all this. The dragon has little knowledge of average human limitation, their own depowered state being their first direct experience with it. Most of their second hand experience being with druids, humans with far greater ability than the average person.

So, concern activated]

You should pace yourself, then. Shall I find you another water bottle? Something that can't have been tampered with...

I need more than water. I need quiet.

[ He starts off towards some open seats, not necessarily expecting Ydris to follow but not minding if he does. Maybe if he’s already talking to someone there’s less chance of some random person bothering him. ]

One is much easier to come by... [that is to say, Ydris will fetch him a water. It might have been a nice, icy cold bottle (sealed, Ydris demanded!) if it wasn't for the fact they were the one to bring it over to him. It warms up in their hand, just mildly chilled by the time it's tossed into the young man's lap.

Ydris flops to sit in a seat nearby, kicking their legs up onto the table in front of them. Someone had given them a pack of cigarettes, which they begin fiddling with to open. It's really the main thing they can indulge in at such a party. Food is odd for them and drink isn't going to do anything but start an alcohol fire]

[ Even though he hadn’t asked for it, Junpei opens the bottle and takes a deep drink anyway. It had been awhile since he’d had any water, and he didn’t realize how parched he was until he had some.

Then he notices the cigarettes.

An uncomfortable expression forms on his face as he wrinkles his nose. ]

You’ve got to be kidding me.

With what-? Oh... [they pop a cigarette from the box, fiddling with it between fingers]

Don't like them? They appear common. [Ydris sure had no trouble getting a pack. Most Springtide smoke, especially the Druids... but then they can easily heal away all the health downsides to such habits]

My mother smoked.

[ It’s all he chooses to say, looking down to his lap as his manner wilts. It’s not preferable to have his discomfort on clear display, but the memory of her and what happened is still raw and sore. ]

I tried to get her to quit ... but she’d still sneak them.

Ah.

[well. Ydris thinks to put them away, but their form doesn't really accommodate for that, so they end up looking around. With a wrist flick they end up tossed onto a side table out of Junpei's sight, just to sit abandoned. Someone will probably pick them up. It's fine, it's not littering.]

I would not smoke around my own daughter. Around you I can just not. [there's no need for it, it was just something to do, after all.]

[ He wasn’t expecting Ydris to toss the cigarettes and the action clearly surprises him. The reveal that the other also has a child just doubles that. ]

... just like that?

[ Someone he hasn’t known for more than a couple days being so accommodating is incredibly confusing.

He also wonders how a being that was created by humans can reproduce, but Ydris had seemed touchy about that subject before so he keeps that query to himself. ]

Don't give me puppy eyes over it. I am meant to protect humans like yourself and set upon a good example.

[it's obligation! Definitely not genuine care. Nope. Nothing of the sort.]

Without healing druids about, such vices are needlessly destructive. I can smoke another time.

Edited (html help) 2022-03-10 18:31 (UTC)

I didn’t make ‘puppy eyes’.

[ He had. He can’t help it, he was born with big, expressive peepers. ]

There are more humans than me around here. You’re going to wear yourself out if you try to protect them all. Maybe ... it’s time you lived for you.

Hmph... there's no escaping my nature. I was built for a purpose and so I must exist on, shackled to that.

[Ydris doesn't really feel assured in that, they don't know if there is a way to break from their divine right. Maybe they already did, being brought here, but in spirit... they cannot fathom. It's simply too unfamiliar to suddenly be free of.]

I'll manage, no matter how many humans there may be. I was tasked with the protection of a whole civilization. [they kick their legs down from the table and sit with a wider stance, before leaning in towards Junpei with a more focused stare. Low, perhaps even domineering, they ask]

You're not going to give me more trouble than all that, are you-? Junpei?

[ That stare and question are much more intense than Junpei was prepared for. He looks like a deer in the headlights, unsure how to respond.

His mother had never been the strict sort. She was a free spirit, and wanted to encourage the same in him. He’d been a pretty good kid anyway so it wasn’t as if she ever really needed to be hard on him. Even when he stopped going to school she looked at it from a unique perspective, seeing high school as paling in importance to the great, wide world beyond its doors.

This? Is definitely a different vibe. ]

I ... I mean ... I didn’t ask you to take responsibility for me.

You dodged my question, Junpei.

[Ydris sure doesn't blink, Junpei's big puppy eyes are not going to win this wide eyed staring contest. The dragon's sheer level of intensity burns, literally, hot on the young man's skin when they're so focused on him]

Are you going to give me trouble or are you going to behave?

[ He shifts awkwardly in his chair, averting his eyes as he’s unable to take any more of that heated stare. ]

I don’t know what this place is going to throw at me. You can’t ask me to make a promise like that.

I want what I was promised. That’s all that’s important to me. Whatever it takes to get it ... I will do.

Fine. No promises. I'll just need to keep a close eye on you.

[They sit back upright, kicking their feet up to rest on the table again, casually adding]

That way, I can be sure you make it to your goal.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

March 2022 IC Mingle

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