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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What is this?!

karaoke

people are singing

riveted

A one and a two...!

more

Raisin' Hell!

What's this talk about raising hell? Yuri throws a glance in the direction of the rowdy Shuten clan before his gaze returns to regard the girl who had asked the question. She doesn't strike him as inebriated, bright-eyed and eager as she is. Perhaps wherever she came from, the expression didn't exist?

"It means stirring up trouble. Making noise, smashing windows, throwing bottles... Get the picture? And sure, friend," he says dryly, "I'm sure our hosts will be thrilled."

"Oh," she says, her expression going a bit blank as she retreats to process the answer. Her focus resharpens on this helpful purveyor of knowledge and she says, "Thank you."

On the heels of that, though, she says, "I think I am technically one of the hosts? I am newly of the Sutoku Alliance, if not a host. So I should probably stop people if I see such hell being raised."

After a considering beat, she ventures, "Trouble would be interesting. I have never gotten into trouble before. Were you going to raise hell?"

In the same moment's pause, Yuri does some (not computationally powered) thinking of his own. Was this girl simply sheltered or what? Never gotten into trouble before? Wow, can't relate.

"You could, or you could just let them be. Sometimes it's better not to stick your nose into someone else's business." Especially when things are being smashed and thrown. His tone of voice seems to emphasize that he'd be in the latter of the two camps.

"Wasn't planning to." The question has him raising his eyebrows. "Why? Know somebody who is?"

"I don't know anybody if you're not going to," she tells him rather earnestly. Turning, however, she casts her gaze across the riotous crowds and considers the problem. "Though I could probably find someone."

Which is a thought. But she has a new person right here speaking to her, so that option slips down the priority queue. She rounds upon them again and asks, "When is it better? I would like to know everything about everyone's business."

Edited 2022-03-11 19:31 (UTC)

"You're a curious one." In both sense of the word. Yuri's not sure what to make of it. It's a bit like talking to a child, though the woman is far past the age where these things need explaining. What's more, he's pretty sure he spotted her at the Sutoku gathering earlier where they were told the workings of the clan. Well, if anything, she had the investigation part down pat, if not the subtlety...

"If you want to snoop on someone, never start by stating your intentions, first of all."

"I am designed to be curious," she agrees easily. Though at the advice (instruction?), she furrows her brows. That...does not compute, in a rather literal sense. Her investigative algorithms are all very direct. "How else am I to acquire information if I do not ask questions? Observation is sometimes insufficient for comprehension."

"What do you mean by designed?" That's an odd way to put it. Yuri's own brows furrow at the strange direction this conversation's taken. "No one likes their privacy invaded, friend. Some things are fine to ask, some things are personal. Asking directly is a sure way to get someone to shut down your questions."

A faint pause to make a few unique connections to try and rephrase 'designed,' she draws upon a conversation with a unique individual who had drawn parallels with her own world. "I am a creation. An intelligence designed for a purpose." That should clear thing up. Especially as she adds, "The purpose of asking questions. I have not run into 'privacy' and 'personal' as yet. Is this something that would make an individual uncomfortable? This is something I should be concerned about?"

"Well, yes, it's bad manners to pry. Though some won't care and will dig up the dirt on you anyway. That seems to be how they do things around here. Hah. I can see why the clan signed you on," he says with a dry chuckle.

She's a real interesting one, the way she calls herself a creation. That some sort of slang, the way 'raising hell' had made no sense to her? Or metaphorical, like in the musings of a poet or a philosopher? Either way, Yuri's not following. He comes from a time long before artificial intelligence, but if he had to guess, knowing what he knew now about different worlds...

"This may be rude to ask, but are you not human?"

"Bad manners. I see. This seems to be something to be avoided. I will need to discover alternative avenues of inquiry so as not to make other individuals uncomfortable, then." Her natural language processing is straining a little bit at the moment, but she thinks she got the gist.

Focused as she is, the rest of the party around them garners only the most cursory of her attention. Enough for her not to be knocked into and that's about it.

The final question, though, earns a, "I am not human. That is correct."

Because, well. She just looks as close as her world's technology could get her to look. After she speaks, she would smile to accompany her words, if that was something she had quite figured out how to do yet.

Well that explained some things, like her lack of social awareness.

"Do you not have the concept of privacy in your world?" Yuri ventures a guess. He's still wrapping his head around the idea of other realms and existences. It's shocking, but not completely unthinkable after meeting beings like the youkai.

"That would be wise. Be careful when you go meddling, yeah? They say curiosity killed the cat."

It only strikes him after the words leave him. Will he have to explain that expression, too?

"Theoretically I understand privacy. I am. Aware of its existence. But not what counts as private," she explains politely. "I do not have much experience with speech. Or other individuals."

She nods a little thoughtfully at that. "Do you have any ways to 'meddle' that you use? As I am not a cat, so it should be fi—" She cuts off before she finishes, however, though only just.

There's a pause and she blinks a bit as she shuffles through her database. "That is an idiom. I understand. Curiosity can be dangerous. Dangerous enough to kill me?" Now that is an alarming thought and she absolutely sure she does not like it.

"In the worst case, yes. So don't get careless and let people in on your intentions, alright?" Take it from someone with experience prying. Ophelia has asked the right person, and Yuri's eyes glint with mischief. "As for how to meddle... you can always start with a compliment. Butter them up, get them to like you, and they'll be all the more willing to spill the beans."

Yuri scans the crowd, eyes settling on a burly Oni who's just won a round in the ring and is celebrating with a swig of alcohol in hand, soaking up admiring looks from lady youkai. He looks as Shuten as they come.

"Take that Oni over there. I bet he's the type who'd love to boast about himself, and it looks like he's had a few drinks that'll loosen his lips. Wanna give it a try?"

Doubly alarmed, Ophelia is going to be much more cautious about trying to ask people questions in the future. Or, well, perhaps not "much" but at least "more."

"I will hide my intentions," she agrees very seriously. A little frisson of delight (delight? regardless, the emotion is logged) zips through her frame as Yuri offers skill information. This suits Ophelia on both the data-gathering level as well as the learning-to-mimic level. "And I will compliment people."

She follows Yuri's gaze.

"Oh, yes, of course. Are you going to provide an example or shall I attempt this on my own?"

"How about you watch first?" Sure, Yuri Leclerc will give a demonstration in how to schmooze.

He first retrieves a glass, then makes his way to the Oni with drink in hand. Rather than approach straight away, he first spends time pretending to be interested in the brawls going on and claps along when someone goes down.

"That was you in the ring earlier, wasn't it? That was an impressive throw."

"Damn right it was." The Oni grins, then looks him up and down with raised eyebrows. "You're no Shuten. You with Tamamo?"

"Yeah, it got kinda boring on my side of the club, and the matches here caught my attention. We don't see many fighters like you around." Yuri doesn't bother to correct the Oni's assumption. It's more advantageous no one knows he's from the clan known to pry.

It takes a bit for the Oni to warm up to him, but Yuri knows what he's doing and doesn't lay it on too thick, making small talk with questions and well-placed compliments peppered in between. It's not just in his words but his posture, too, the way he leans closer to signal interest. The Oni eventually begins to boast about his accomplishments, about impressing Toraguma, and about some old rivalry he has with another clan member all of which has Yuri bored to death, but he pretends to be enthralled in the conversation.

When the crowd begins to hoot loudly for another match, Yuri uses the distraction to excuse himself and return to Ophelia.

"Well? Learn anything?"

How long had it been since Gojyo had last gone club-hopping?

How long had it been since clubs even existed?

As far as Gojyo had known, it had been years. And so, it was with absolute wonder that he found himself enjoying the night. For now, he wasn't getting into the swing of the crowd just yet. He found himself nowhere near drunk enough to let loose completely; instead of chilling along the bar and savoring a cool glass of rum on the rocks as he closed his eyes and allowed the beat of the blaring music to surround him.

At least, that was until a girl approached him.

A girl he had run into once before at that.

"Eh?" Hey. Wasn't this that girl who didn't understand the infamous sex number? What was an innocent-type like her doing in a place like this?

And was she asking him to dance with him?

S-- Score...? (Hesitant)

"Dance? With me? Wait-- Have you ever even been to a club before?"

Oh boy. It looked like it was time for more 'Life Lessons With Sha Gojyo.'

"Yes, dance with you. You are familiar. You are willing to provide me information. This makes you an excellent choice." She says this very earnestly. There's not quite a smile on her face, but it looks like she's very gradually learning how to make her face do such a thing. "I have not been to a club before. It is very chaotic. I would like to learn one thing instead of many things at the same time for fear I might miss something important."

Shit. Ophelia did not know much of anything, did she? At this point, he most certainly felt worried about her being by herself in a world like Jigoku-Cho.

Sighing out, he ruffled at his hair to quell the oncoming headache he felt budding. Lifting his glass to chug down his drink before sighing out quickly. Digging through his pockets to pull out a small wad of money before offering it to the bartender.

All right. Gojyo made up his mind. He would keep as close to Ophelia as he could for the time being. And if that meant obliging to her request for a dance, then so be it.

"Here, follow me," Standing up straight, he reached out and grabbed at her wrist, hoping to pull her out into the sea of people. The best experience was always best in the midst of fully embracing it.

Ophelia follows the grip on her wrist without protest--no, more than that, she's down eager to follow. The dance floor is crowded as hell (hah) and she can move her limbs to the beat if she cares to (it's metronomic, it's not a difficult prospect), but she does not know if that is what is desired or required.

"Thank you," she shouts as politely as she can, since it only gets louder out where there's people. A moment later, she realizes that she never clarified: "Do you know how to dance?"

"Not been formally taught. But--" Gojyo smirked, a devious smirk that he filled with playful insinuation. The movement around them pulsating and writhing with the heavy beat of the music and flashing lights. The body around them seemed to mesh together in chaotic rhythm, all falling into the backdrop as he stopped abruptly. He was turning to stand before the girl so much smaller than him.

Damn, he was almost a whole foot taller than her, wasn't he? Well, it was undoubtedly going to make leading easy, at least.

"Here," Letting go of her wrist, his hand moved down. Long fingers lightly brushed along her own before breaking away. "I want you to close your eyes for a second. Can you do that for me?"

The insinuation flies right over her head as she blinks up at him, her face smoothing out a little as she acclimates to the cacophony of the dance floor. Though--she does capture the image of that smirk for later, for when she parses out what situations she might be able to use such an expression for in the future. But for now, as the evening wears further into night, she's been struggling more and more with her mirroring protocols.

She tips her head back a little further to look him in the eye rather than at his mouth, where his voice comes from. This is the first point at which she truly internalizes that her creator was perhaps on the diminutive side. Her eyes widen a little at the request, her fingers twitching beneath the brush of his, seeking continued sensation.

"I can," she agrees and, because she sees no reason why not to--hearing is her primary sense--she closes her eyes with her face still upraised towards him.

"Good," His voice called out, just clear enough to be heard over the loud noises surrounding them. Holding Ophelia's wrists within his hands, he took a step closer to her. Their bodies were now only a few inches apart. He knew there was still plenty of room between them and the rest of the crowd, but he also understood how important intimacy was to the art. His body slowly swayed and shifted, his weight moving from one foot to the other. It was not an extreme form of movement, but something to start adjusting her into the sensation.

"Now. I want you to listen to the music. Feel the sway of the melody, but more than that, I want you to keep track of the rhythm. Notice the way the beat grows faster and slower? That generates the general 'feel' of the song."

As if proving where he was going with this, Gojyo's slight shifting movements began to flow to the rhythm of the heavy base of the song—lightly swinging her hands back and forth to the beat.

Ophelia hears him just fine, even with all the noise. Her audio doesn't function entirely like human ears (though not entirely dislike human ears, of course) and his voice is distinct enough that she can focus on it. She feels him shifting, too, and stays preternaturally still until he instructs her otherwise.

Well, except for her arms, held by the wrists, as he sways in place in front of her. "Rhythm," she repeats, not taking over the movement from him at all but internalizing when and how Gojyo synchronizes. It's...organic. On the beat, yes, but there's a push-pull-not-quiteness that makes the motions slower and faster at different points in between the bass hits. "I feel it."

In a more literal sense: it's hard not to. The thump of the bassline vibrates her metal frame. "It is not mechanical. Nor random." She does not let him bear the weight of her arms, but makes it so they move almost frictionlessly at his direction.

"That's right. Neither one nor the other. Just like you, yeah?"

He smiled with that, his head tilting to the side as he looked down at her. The way the dim neon lights flashed and moved across the floor occasionally reflected against the blue scales along his cheeks, causing them to glimmer out. He may have gotten caught up in the song, but he was not stopping the movements of her arms, hoping to help her grasp the concept of his motions. He wasn't entirely on time to the rhythm, but more than close enough, the buzz of the rum warming his body and hitting him just enough to loosen him up.

"Now, the problem is, music, it's fluid like that, yeah? It's timed but organic. Following a score but also capable of a certain human touch that makes you able to translate emotion through it. So the skill comes to mimicking that with your body movements. There are different techniques of dance, sure. You can learn certain skills, but making it look natural has to do sheerly with sensing out the music and letting your body melt into its rhythms and melodies."

He paused. He was thinking of how he could help someone who is still so new to the concepts of 'moving organically.'

"Feel how my hands are moving? Try rocking your hips from side to side in the same way. Try to shift your weight from foot to foot. Form a balance between how my hands are swaying and the song's rhythm."

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March 2022 IC Mingle

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What is this?!

A one and a two...!

Raisin' Hell!

raisin' hell

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A One And A Two~

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