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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[ Kimmuriel is getting some fresh air because it's far too crowded. Normally this wouldn't bother him as much as it does now, but his powers have changed; the constant humming of mental voices is an irritating itch he can't quite tune out all the way.

He paces the outer edge restlessly, finding a modicum of peace in repetitive motion, and it's only being spoken to that stops his movement. He stares at the human for a moment, and then the corner of his mouth twitches in something like amusement. ]

Is that supposed to convince me of your loyalty? [ Even the rawest Bregan D'aerthe recruit could do better, though he begrudgingly supposes that the situations are much different. ]

It didn't work? [he says dryly. If it weren't for what he swore was a hint of a smile, Natori might think this guy was legitimately challenging him on it. As it is, he thinks he can afford to play a little flippant, though it wouldn't be the first time he's been proven wrong in this place.] Sorry. Take two? I'll put more heart into it next time.

It was very unimpressive. [ That hint of...something resembling a smile doesn't quite leave his face. He's amused by the whole thing despite himself. ] I am not the one to convince, though. Save your effort.

[ He's starting to feel exhausted, so he sits, his back facing towards the view; he's not interested in sightseeing. Drow are nocturnal and prefer the night, but in this place night might as well be day with all the illumination here. And he's never been good at parties, though he's certain his partner would still be inside if he were here. ]

Pledges are worth little without backing anyway. [ He doesn't put a lot of stock in the power of words without anything more solid behind them. They were easy to work and twist and manipulate. ]

["Youkai" is a wide enough umbrella term that Natori doesn't have any problems fitting this guy underneath it; it makes things much easier, dividing the world into "humans" and "youkai" and not having to deal with any in-betweens. At least not often. The question, then, is whether he's a "native" (for lack of a better term) resident of the city or another lost soul. If Natori were a betting man, he'd go with the latter, at least based on that last comment.]

Hm, you don't think there's a lot of genuine loyalty behind an oath of allegiance to a group you just learned about, what, yesterday? [Go figure! But man, he needs to get this sarcasm out of his system before it gets him into trouble.] --Sorry. Apparently I'm in a worse mood than I thought.

[ The sarcasm is preferable to brainless enthusiasm, if Kimmuriel was at all inclined to be honest about it. ]

Why, how could anyone be in a bad mood when dragged away to this place they call hell? [ There's a little bit of his partner in him, then, in that uplifted, falsely jovial tone, though he makes no move to actually back it with movements. He's learned a little verbal playacting from Jarlaxle's constant ridiculousness, if nothing else. ] Are they not generous hosts?

[ He drops the tone and his voice goes flat once more, something he seems much more comfortable with. ] I trust none of it. [ Demons are dangerous to tangle with at the best of times, and now here he is in what seems to be a home plane for them. ] They will extract their prices eventually.

[Apparently he's not the only one who needs to get some sarcasm out. It surprises him only because he's not used to hearing that sort of tone from youkai; the gist of what the guy is saying, yes, but sarcasm always felt like such a human trait. He huffs a laugh, tilting his head up to try and get a peak at whatever nonsense happens in hell's sky.]

Yeah. [Well, at least he's pretty sure he has an answer as to whether this guy is a lost soul.] Having a contract in place is better than nothing, but. It'd be foolish to rely on something like that, especially when they're the ones drawing it up. [Which isn't to say that human-created contacts are always fair; usually they're not. But it feels differently being on the other side.] But unfortunately, our options seem to be play along or nothing, so here I am practicing my gratitude and clan loyalty!

They could be useful, [ Kimmuriel says, begrudgingly ] in time. Right now there is very little to bargain with except ourselves. [ A situation he's not at all comfortable with. ] But the longer our stay, the better the chances to gather resources of our own may become.

The situation here is tense. So I believe. [ Even though this man isn't of his faction, he's shown discontent and is a fellow lost soul. That means a little more, he thinks, than the arbitrarily assigned bonds haphazardly given to them.

(Not that much. He doesn't trust so easily. But he'll offer this much for free when it's information that isn't sensitive and can be easily observed.) ] Four clans each vying against the other, striving to be on top, never suffering the others to be too powerful for too long. That creates certain opportunities in its instability.

[ He glances at Natori, expression thoughtful and calculated, a silent question hovering in the air. He's curious to know what the man will say, what he will offer in return to the words. ]

[Natori listens carefully, his face neutral.]

I'm not the sort of person who would be too upset if they occupy each other for a while. It's if it spills out from here to other realms... [If one faction became strong enough to overpower all the others, and then turned its sight towards the human world. Or if, facing an impossible battle, the battleground spread, and the factions started pulling in more people.

Natori sighs, tilting his head fully backwards to look up at the sky and wishing he'd refused when Natsume asked him a favor.]

If one of us had something very powerful-- something that could turn the current situation into a one-sided struggle. If one of us had something powerful, and so the faction leader had access to it only until the end of that contract, do you think they'd let the contract be completed?

[It's a hypothetical question, but Natori still waits after he poses it anyway.]

Better that they stay preoccupied. [ Devils and demons war constantly against one another, where he's from, and that's probably one of the only reasons they're not taking it out on everything else. He's pretty sure. ]

[ To Kimmuriel's credit, he takes the hypothetical question as seriously as he takes everything. He thinks for a long moment, and then shakes his head. ] Who can say with demons. Some of them honor contracts better than others.

But if I had to guess... [ There's a bit of distaste in the words, as if he hates that uncertainty. (He does, but he hates a lot of things.) ] They would offer more at the end, for another contract. Or make other things so attractive that the subject no longer wants it completed.

[ These demons seemed to be more indirect carrot than stick. He's waiting for the stick to show up. ]

Or find a way to extend it. Add on additional time as a result of infractions, or whip out some technicalities that means the terms weren't what they appeared at first glance. There are a lot of ways to manipulate a contract, if you're so inclined.

[He's seen his fair share of exorcists who strongarm or otherwise force unwilling shiki into a partnership, and that was just for a small boost to a family's repertoire. He could never stomach that sort of thing, but that was just one of the reasons the more established clans could turn up their nose at the Natori family.]

I'm not so suspicious as to say something like that might go on here. But it makes me wonder all the same just how useful we are to them if they're able to promise us the things that they do. [He sighs, straightening back up to look at Kimmuriel slyly.] If you're going to inform on me for being so cynical, now's the time to do it. Great way to get out of a party, too.

Such things are bad for business, many have found. [ His voice is dry. Trust, in a transactional sense, was what a mercenary company ran on. Not giving value for money just earned a terrible reputation, which was even more of a headache.

But, well, some people tried to worm out of contracts regardless...

He glances over, raising his eyebrows briefly but otherwise remaining relatively expressionless. There's a pause, as if he's actually considering it. ]

I see no value in it. [ He shakes his head. ] If they are smart enough to understand loyalty may not be earned so easily, then they will already have prepared for such cynicism. If they are truly so short-sighted... [ He shrugs. ] I see no reason to do their job for them.

Besides, this is an opportunity, is it not? We are of different clans, but like mind. [ At least, for the moment. ] There is some benefit to be gained from a positive bond.

Mm, well. Get powerful enough and you don't need to worry about your reputation for playing fair. [But it's a human clan he's thinking about when he says it, not an ayakashi one.

The pause does make him laugh. The response is the sort of thing he'd expect from a youkai-- legitimately thinking over the offer, and dismissing it because the alternative was more useful. Also the sort of thing he's used to hearing from other exorcists. For two groups ostensibly at odds, they sure are similar in key ways.]

Nicely reasoned. I'm Natori. You already know my clan, but I promise I'm better at playing along during work hours.

What idyllic lives they must lead without fear of retribution. [ He's very used to being the one doing the following up. People who weren't nervous about cheating Bregan D'aerthe in the Underdark were either overconfident or just hadn't met them yet. But it's different in other planes, who don't seem to have that kind of lever. ]

It is a logical decision, [ he replies, mostly impassively, at the comment of nicely reasoned.

He can't help but crack a slight smile at that laughter, though. It reminds him perhaps a bit too much of his ongoing time with the mercenary company, that mutual, comfortable understanding of transaction. It's safer, more respectful, than acknowledging emotional bonds among drow.

This is not the same thing, but it's almost nice to know that people can understand that regardless without having to have it all explained to them. ]

I will say nothing around your superiors. [ A pause. ] Or your clan members.

[ Another pause before he decides that there's probably no point in concealing his name. It's not like his appearance isn't distinctive already. ]

I am Kimmuriel, of the Sutoku Alliance. At least on paper.

[He laughs again, this time ruffling his bangs strategically with one hand and cocking his head at its most attractive angle. Like flipping a switch, he manages to project an air of relaxed, effortless charm, insincere only because it was such a sudden change from how he acted before.]

If I have my way, they wouldn't believe you anyway! ...Though I suppose that would work better if I were laying the groundwork in there instead of out here.

[As he speaks, the lizard youkai that lives on his skin scurries up from under the collar of his jacket to rest on his jawline like a moving tattoo, as if to further undermine the flirty act. He huffs out a sigh.]

Well, I'd say nice to meet you, but I'm sure we'd both rather we weren't here, huh.

[ That sudden change of demeanor reminds him enough of his partner that he grins, briefly and ruefully, before returning to his usual passive expression. He shakes his head, but not disapprovingly; it seems to be more of a who have I started talking to? kind of gesture. ]

I am sure we are both busy people, and have better things to do than serve in this manner. [ He doesn't know for sure, but it seems like a decent guess with what he's gleaned of Natori's character. ] But it hurts little, to play along for the moment.

Haha, I suppose it depends on who you ask. As my day job, I'm an actor in romance films-- that's like... a play that's recorded so people can access it multiple times. [he adds automatically, in deference to the fact that he's very clearly talking to an ayakashi (as far as he's concerned).] Pretty debatable how much has changed here! I suppose that's why Tamamo claimed me.

[ He acknowledges the courtesy of explaining what a film is with a slight nod. There are similar sorts of recordings done with magic, albeit for messages rather than entertainment (that was what the theater was for), so he understands enough to grasp what this man's former job was. ]

I suppose it makes sense. [ Ever so slightly begrudging because conceding that there were sensible decisions made is for various reasons, a big deal. ] We are made to serve based on our strengths. It would be less useful if we were more mismatched.

[ Is Kimmuriel going to explain what his day job was? .......not without prompting, no. ]

You are not particularly fond of it? [ Natori's former day job, he means. ]

Hm, acting? I wouldn't say that. It comes very easily to me. [Which is not an answer to the question Kimmuriel asked, and may be telling in and of itself for that. It's a thing he does because he's good at it and it pays well enough to fund his exorcist activities as a solo practitioner with no family support. He expects to approach his job for Tamamo in the same way, just with a different goal in mind than financial stability.] That said, there are a few people I've met already who seem... Poorly suited to the work, so who's to say.

[Read: there are some grumps among the Tamamo and he's vaguely amused to see where that goes for them.]

What about you? I'm not sure if I've fully grasped what Sutoku's whole deal is yet.

[ He doesn't push any further with the question; that answer is enough to allow some measure of understanding.

At the next comment, he just shakes his head. ]

I would have little surprise if that was on purpose. [ He can easily understand the reasoning, now that he thinks about it a little more. ] Most likely they are there for amusement on the leader's part.

[ Being asked what he does gets some mild surprise. He's used to people knowing who he is already to the point that it's usually odd to be asked. Even if he knows it's a different plane, it's still hard to get used to. ] I lead a mercenary company.

Haha. It'd be pretty cruel of them, but you might be onto something. They wouldn't be the first powerful ayakashi to toy with humans-- and other spirits [he adds with a half nod towards Kimmuriel, evidently thinking this is a gesture of inclusion] for their amusement.

[It's actually about what he'd expect from a group of power-hungry gang leaders. He might be onto something.]

Ah, really? That's interesting. Sorry for saying so, but you don't really fit what I'd think of as a mercenary captain. [Because he's tiny, mostly. Idly he wonders if the Shuten thought the same thing; wouldn't that be the stereotypical pairing there?]

I am hardly a spirit. But I understand your meaning. [ His voice is dry. ] People who wield such high authority are callous to anyone below them, regardless of composition.

It is not the worst thing I have ever been called. And you are not wrong. [ A little amusement creeps into his tone, then. ] It was once a tiresome chore pushed onto me by another, but I have grown very used to it. [ Enough to admit that he doesn't mind running the whole thing, that he at least thinks of it as partially his. ]

You are less dramatic than I would think to see from a performer, but that is the whole point, I expect.

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March 2022 IC Mingle

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