March 2022 IC Mingle

[jigokumods]

MAIN NAVIGATION

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.

Comments

[stubboarn]

I suppose we'll be adept with it soon enough - it is our job, after all.

Though you have to give them some credit, they do look like they're having fun.

[ even if that fun involves beating each other up. there's a very rowdy crowd that's cheering two fighters in the dance floor, names becoming garbled amongst the roar of the crowd and the noise from the speakers. neither of them are professionals, but that doesn't matter here. it's just another fight in the pub; dimitri's just glad he's getting paid to watch. ]

[diesuki]

That, they do.

[Whether it's to their credit or not, Dazai manages a sincere smile at it. How simple people can be... He's a little jealous.

But also not really jealous, let's face it.]

Sadly, they're pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things. The real work here is certainly not getting done by the likes of us, as yet.

[He has mixed feelings about that, really. On the one hand: the less work (and the less serious the work), the better. On the other hand: having to do pointless work like this is extra painful for how boring it is! He'd rather be doing something worth the effort, if he has to do anything at all.

Still, he's playing along, just about. He has a contract, after all; he was promised things.]

[stubboarn]

Are you that eager to get busy? [ dimitri sounds amused as he says it, leaning back on his seat to observe him with a smile. ] I can sympathize, however. I like to keep busy; this is the opposite of that, even if celebrations are also an important part of work while fostering camaraderie.

Patience is not my strongest suit, but unfortunately it'll have to be - for a very long time. [ he gives him a slightly curious look - ]

How have you been settling otherwise? [ in the town, in general. ]

[diesuki]

Not even a little bit! [Dazai declares... or bemoans, practically, which probably doesn't lend it any credulity. That said, it's not entirely untrue. He's just of two minds, here: he'd rather do nothing, but doing nothing is not an option; he wants to fulfil his contract, but he's also not sure how much he needs or wants to work for it. (Yes, he wants his reward, and he would do literally anything to get it. But that doesn't mean he likes being used this way, lured in with promises that may or may not be fake.)] But it's not like we have enough money to live a life of leisure, either.

[He doesn't really want to work, but he also can't not work, for reasons of livelihood and contract fulfilment both. It's complicated!]

Just fine. [He doesn't manage to sound much more than bored. Sure, he's settling in. That kind of thing is probably easiest when you never fit in, anyway!] This place isn't so different from what I'm used to. Apart from some of the inhabitants, that is.

[No youkai, where he's from! Not beyond fairytales, anyway. Still, his world had some weird things, too, and he's just rolling with all the weirder aspects of hell. They're already in hell; what even does he have to worry about?]

Yourself?

[stubboarn]

How lucky for you.

I've been doing well. There's plenty to get used to - this is a lot more modern than what I've experienced back home. But people are very accommodating of my lack of experience, which is kind of them.

Though I have to say, the work is quite strange to me.

[ mostly because he's never been in a situation where he has to do so much casual work on top of what's expected of him by the department. dimitri is a noble; he's a prince, and has never experienced this level of familiarity with the masses in a way that's permanent. ]

You sound like you're saving up for something.

[diesuki]

You do look a little out of place.

[Dazai smiles, very gently mockingly. Maybe it's true and maybe it's not, but as long as Dimitri has already admitted to it, there's no harm in taking credit for the "discovery".]

Saving up? Not really. But I wouldn't say no to having more money at my disposal. It makes a lot of things a lot easier. [Said plainly but honestly - which of course means he has to switch to absurdity immediately after.] And also saves you from having to work~!

[Except that their contracts here aren't (normally) about money. But shhh, let him pretend.]

[stubboarn]

Is it too obvious? [ dimitri smiles, a bit embarrassed. ] I will try to blend in a bit better. I am fascinated by this future, and I spend a lot of time trying to learn about everything. There is too much to catch up on.

[ especially with the internet and ... just modern conveniences. the printing press was controlled by the church back home, so a lot of what he sees here is just impressive to him. ]

I do agree with you, though - money makes a lot of things move. [ he sighs. that is one of the things he misses, horrible as it may be - the privilege that he has as a prince. ] Though I'm more interested in being comfortable here ... and of course, being able to afford what the city has to offer for entertainment.

[ though dimitri is very much a square and when he says 'entertainment' he really doesn't mean anything adjacent to tamamo's businesses. ]

[diesuki]

Oh! [Dazai's expression brightens as if he's getting a truly brilliant idea. (This is never a good thing, even in the rare cases when it is a brilliant plan.)] If you want to learn more, feel free to ask me! Like I said, my home world is very similar to this place.

[Is he going to offer useful information if taken up on this offer? Quite possibly! Is he also going to Make Shit Up in the worst way possible? Hell yes. (No pun intended.)]

Entertainment, is it? [Dazai smirks, because honestly, that does sound like Tamamo material. He leans in a little, conspiratorially.] Do tell: what are your vices of choice?

[stubboarn]

Is that right? I'll keep that in mind.

[ the next question is a bit more complicated. ]

My ... vices? [ dimitri looks at him blankly. oh. things he likes, probably, because he can't think of any vices.

anyway the prince is a little embarrassed to admit this, but here you go - ] I like going out for long rides, usually horseback riding. I enjoy combat with high-quality weapons and weapons training - I even keep a log book of my training! Which, ah, is going to be modified here ... oh, and I also enjoy laborious work, and strength training, it's always deeply enjoyable to become a better master of your strength. In particular, I am very good with lances, though I am also not too shabby with swords.

[diesuki]

[Dazai smiles, and if a spider in a web could smile, it would have that kind of smile. Still, he's not going to push anything here and now. As often as not, the idea is more fun than the execution, anyway.

Doesn't mean he can't enjoy the idea, however!

Oh dear, we do have a straight arrow here, don't we? But Dazai was talking about vices, and so that is what he will twist this into. No reason; just because he can.]

So power kicks are your vice, then... I see! [Dazai makes a show of pondering this, not especially judging it beyond calling it a vice. Which of course isn't fair, but hey, he never claimed to be.] To think most people are satisfied with the likes of alcohol or lasciviousness...

[stubboarn]

I don't know about power ... such things always tend to work against the person who desires it.

[ rather, he views the situation much more simply: ] I simply do not think I have vices.

[ which, well, as far as dimitri is concerned, is true of himself. ]

[diesuki]

You underestimate vices, then.

[... Does he mean what can count as a vice, or the benefits of having vices?]

It's healthy to let off a little steam once in a while, you know. Keep too tight a grip on yourself, and more than your resolve will break.

But perhaps you simply haven't yet discovered the vice that's right for you.