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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Ah, sorry. There's not much of one. They're both terms that encompass... Well, anything here that isn't human. [He gestures out to the party around them. It's a rather black-and-white view of the world he has: humans, and other.] They use the same kanji as well; the "you" in "youkai" is the character you'd use for "ayakashi." It means... mysterious, or enchanting. Something that humans can't understand. But it feels safer to refer to a kami as an ayakashi rather than a youkai.

[He says all this, and it only just now occurs to him to glance back at Shylock, at his cautious attempt to sit seiza, and say] Sorry, I might be assuming a lot. Your Japanese is very good, so I'm sorry if I'm saying things you already know.

Truthfully, I wasn't even aware that I've been speaking in Japanese this entire time.

[ rather strange, isn't it? all right, he seems to have gotten the seiza down-pat, and he offers natori a serene smile. ]

And thus, when you put it that way, I myself would count as a youkai as well. For humans could not understand wizards and magic as a whole. [ the black-and-white thing is a rather common line of thought back home as well. ] But I did come from another world, so does it still count that way? I would never eat a human, for one.

[ fellow wizards on the other hand... well. ]

Really? How strange. It sounds so natural, it could be your native language. [Gently poking at the fourth wall there, Natori... but maybe his biases are talking, because as soon as Shylock indicates that he might himself be considered a youkai, it seems to make more sense. The rules for non-humans are just different! He's never questioned why they all speak Japanese in the past!]

Haha, I guess it depends. There's plenty of ayakashi who wouldn't eat a human, so that's not how I'd determine it... but if you consider yourself something different than human, than maybe.

[Magic alone might not do it; there's plenty of people who would call what he does magic, for example. It's the opposition to humanity that really seals it in Natori's mind.]

...It's a big umbrella, like I said before. I haven't really had to think about creatures from 'other worlds' instead of different realms, but it's a convenient enough term that I won't argue it if you don't.

I do admit that there are still a great deal I do not know about youkai, so I won't be thinking too hard on it as well. I will, however, freely admit that I am not human.

[ just getting that out of the way, because it's not like he's the only non-human around. he's behaving! which is wild considering how batshit insane westerners can be, but natori won't have to know about that. for now, at least. ]

However, since I fall in neither human nor ayakashi, it should be all right if I make you something nonetheless. [ yes, he still wants to give him something. if you won't eat, you won't last here -- it's common sense. ] You can even supervise me, if that greatly worries you.

[Shylock may say that easily enough, but Natori's view of the world is so comfortably stubborn that no matter what he says, Natori's safely putting him in the 'ayakashi' category. It's not a measure of trust or not; it's that it's been large enough to hold every non-human sentient creature he's come across so far, and he sees no need to make a new category. even when. someone explicitly told him that his existing schema doesn't apply. Exorcists are pretty rude.

But he's not just going to say that, so instead] Haha, that's awfully kind of you. Well... if you give me your name, I'll take that instead of getting in your way by watching you. [Something of a dark inside joke to himself, no matter how easily he says it; he's going to blame it on being hangry. He didn't mean it as anything sinister, though, so he adds] If I know who to complain about after the fact, that's enough protection from something going wrong, right?

Edited 2022-03-15 01:01 (UTC)

My, you have no faith in me at all, haven't you?

[ he says in jest, so it's all right. not the first time humans are sus about him because of his wizardness. ]

Shylock Bennett, a wizard from the West. Not that our place of origin matters at the moment. [ a shrug. ] If I could get your name as well along with your preference of food and drink, I shall be on my way.

[He says it in jest, but he's not actually wrong, so.] Haha, occupational hazard! It's not personal.

[Inasmuch as "nonhuman, so be cautious" can be considered impersonal.]

I'm Natori, an exorcist from Japan. I'm not picky as far as food goes, but for drinks I'd rather have something nonalcoholic.

[ food can be anything, and nonalcoholic drink. got it. with a nod, he gets up on his feet and retreats to the bar...... only to come back again with not just a drink, but a tray full of ingredients that make up a simple Shirley Temple drink -- and a smaller plate of yakitori. ]

There you go, some yakitori and-- well, your drink is on the way.

[ he's going to sit down beside natori once more and start making the drink in front of the guy, just to prove that there's really no witchcraft going on here. ]

Haha, you're really taking this seriously, huh? [Natori's not sure if this is just Shylock humoring him to the point of mocking him or what, but... the truth is, he is hungry, and the party likely isn't anywhere near over. It really will be easier to get through all of this if he eats something.] Well, thank you.

[It's not a proper 'itadakimasu,' though; he only uses it when he's around other humans. Shylock's already a victim of being categorized as an ayakashi!!]

You said you're a wizard, but it feels more like you do this sort of thing as a job instead.

Are wizards not allowed to have jobs?

[ like come on, he still has to eat and maintain a roof above his head. ]

I have owned a bar for quite a while now, Mr. Natori. Making all sorts of drinks is practically second nature to me, so naturally I have to take this seriously. And I'm not about to let you become easy pickings for our esteemed guests here.

[ and thus, here it is-- a simple non-alcoholic drink to parch his throat. and he did it the old-fashioned way in case natori really was observing him the entire time. ]

Is a wizard not a job? [he's legitimately asking! he doesn't know; he assumed Shylock was using it the same way Natori used 'exorcist.'] Sorry, even then I guess I shouldn't assume. I've got a day job as well, after all.

[He takes his baby paranoia drink with a little bit of irony, but does take a sip. See! Not aggressively paranoid!]

Well, hopefully you're able to keep doing something that you're used to here. Thanks for this.

[ a shake of his head. ] It's all right, it's an easy mistake to make. But yes, we wizards still have to make ends meet. You wouldn't say that being a human is already a profession in itself, no?

[ it's common sense. in any case, he beams a smile at natori before getting up once more, carrying the tray of ingredients with him. ]

And I intend to do that so long as I'm here. You're welcome, Mr. Natori. Please enjoy the rest of your night, and do tell me if you need anything else.

[ like more food, because it looks like it's going to be a loooong night ahead. ]

Ah, I see, so it's like that. ['Like that' meaning that Shylock's... species? Is a wizard? Maybe the better way to think about it is 'category,' as in 'category of ayakashi, because Shylock is one.'] Well, thank you for your work! Always nice to have the bartender in your corner.

[He raises his glass in mock salute to Shylock as he goes off to mom the rest of the party.]

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March 2022 IC Mingle

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