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

Natori Shuuichi | Natsume Yuujinchou | Tamamo

[paperpusher]

a. the tamamo shindig

[This is not Natori's first time going to a youkai gathering, but it is the first time he's attended one in a brothel instead of, say, an old-fashioned manor home or banquet hall. But it's fine; he decides to treat it as a wrap party than anything related to his exorcist job, even if there's way more youkai here than he'd ever see around a film set. That means smiling, making polite conversation while holding an alcoholic drink that he never seems to actually drink out of, and pretending he can't see the strange creatures moving around in the corner of his eyes (though, granted, normally the ones he's ignoring aren't dancing quite like these ones are).

i. Earlier in the night, he'll greet his fellow clan members with his enthusiastic actor persona still going strong; he might as well be subbing in for the hosts, with how sharp he looks in his suit and how genuinely he seems to say] Awfully kind of our hosts to put this all together, isn't it? May I join you?

ii. [...but as things go on and he gets increasingly cynical, you might find him saying something more like] Lovely party, huh. How late is this supposed to last again?

b. at da club

i. [Natori owns way too many exorcist documents detailing exactly how youkai can mess with food or drink to want to risk trying any of it, especially not at an ostensibly neutral event hosted by four competing factions for a bunch of newcomers who aren't used to what they're dealing with yet. Catch him politely waving off offers of specific meats with a] No thank you, I'm fine.

[riiight before his stomach lets out an enormous gurgle. whoops.]

ii. [No one would expect it from a man who makes his living flirting with people on camera, but the truth is Natori is a fuckin introvert nerd, and two back-to-back parties would stretch his patience even before factoring in the whole 'being press ganged into working for the ayakashi yakuza' thing. He slips outside to take a breather that stretches into some lengthy morose city-watching. He's idly considering trying to slip away-- is that disobeying orders? Would anyone notice if he's gone? How literally is he supposed to take "show some pride"?-- when he hears someone else approaching. Mind still turning over 'show some pride,' he blurts out the first thing that comes to him, which is]

Ah-- long live the mighty Tamamo Clan? [nailed it.]

c. wildcard me

[Feel free to toss something at me and we'll roll with it, or hit me up at spoilers if you want to come up with something specific! Natori is doing his best to avoid any aphro'd drinks (or any drinks at all, honestly) but anything else is fair game.]

b, ii.

[deathrespect]

( Samatoki stops dead in his tracks and at Natori's spirited utterance, he barks out a laugh. )

You sound unsure. Where's your pride?

( Hopefully it's apparent he's just jokin', but who knows. )

[paperpusher]

[The stop-dead-and-laugh response is better than, say, someone challenging him to a fight for no reason or taking legitimate offense on behalf of some clan they'd all learned about within the past few days, so. Hopefully a joke. If it's not a joke, he might as well just find out where he's sleeping tonight and go there, because he Does Not have the energy for this.]

I left it at home. [Like, actual home, outside of hell. Something about working for youkai at a host club really emphasizes the complete absence of dignity.] I'll dredge some up for tomorrow, I'm sure.

[deathrespect]

( He has to laugh again. )

I don't blame you. Getting into this shit is weirdly familiar but it's also just weird.

b ii

[psionicmolotov]

[ 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. ]

[paperpusher]

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.

[psionicmolotov]

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. ]

a1

[ryototsukai]

Oh! Um, y-yes, sure!

[ Another cute guy, may the Buddha show her some mercy. She was trying to take it a little more easy, given she got some staggering news about starting her contract off in debt when she came on, but with all of the good and drink being complimentary, she was already a bit tipsy and bound to wind up losing even more money once she got out Mizukume. ]

Musashi, by the way! As in, my name. Heh...

[paperpusher]

Nice to meet you, Musashi-chan! [Okay, maybe that's laying it on a little thick, but at least he sticks with tilting his head towards her with a smile rather than, say, an overly elaborate bow or some other similarly-cheesy host greeting.] My name is Natori. How are you finding this place so far? Are you someone who's used to being around youkai, or is this all new to you?

[With his senses dulled, Natori's found he's having more difficulty than he expected in identifying who is and isn't human; he's been defaulting to assuming that his conversation partners are human if they're not showing clear signs of being something else.]

[ryototsukai]

Oh, I've met all kinds of people and seen all sorts of places in my travels... [ Which was an understatement, she felt, but good enough for the moment. But she also felt like that wasn't really the heart of the question. ]

But this place, our boss Tenko-hime... that's all kind of new territory for me. I dunno how to tell her that I've actually met her mom, though. Or if I should.

[ Wait, what? ]

a ii!!

[breweries]

[ shylock, meanwhile, is having a Time. with hundreds of years as a bartender on his belt, he's able to switch between fellow tamamo partygoer and host for whenever they need someone to fill in with ease. why, he hasn't even noticed how fast time has flown since they first gathered here. ]

Judging from how our faction works, the party might continue on until dawn.

[ sorry, he can't help but overhear. a host's job is to make sure their guests are having fun, after all. ]

The party's only getting started, however. A drink or two ought to help your mood, unless you're already tired?

[paperpusher]

[UNTIL DAWN... ugh. It's definitely not the first time he's done an all nighter, either to show his face at a party or to deal with youkai business, but it still doesn't mean he's thrilled by the idea.]

All night, huh? I suppose we really do know how to indulge. [He's just barely able to keep it from tipping over into sarcasm; this would be a lot easier if he weren't hangry, but then again a lot of things would be easier if he could relax long enough to trust the copious food and drink passed out by a bunch of unknown youkai. Since he can't...] No thank you, I'm fine for now! Still working on this one.

[He gestures with the glass he's been using as a prop all night. It's half empty, and has been since he grabbed it at the start of the party.]

[breweries]

[ wait till they find out that they'll have to converge at konoha for more partying. which is perfectly fine for shylock and his love for chaos, but not everyone would share that sentiment, judging from the touch of sarcasm he just detected from the other man just now. ]

If you're sure. Do tell me if you'd like another drink made by yours truly, however. If you're not aware, the clan we're in are fond of putting this and that to spice up the party some.

[ mostly aphrodisiacs. already there are some unsuspecting humans who have had a tad too much to drink of the stuff, and had walked off drunkenly with a partner or two (or even three!) to continue their thing somewhere. ]

b-i

[harimaya]

( The nice thing about being a spirit is that you don't really think too much about what you eat. Maybe he should start. But today is not the day. He looks over from his yakitori Natori and raises an eyebrow.

When your stomach is so loud it can be heard over the entire club...)

You're just gonna starve?

[paperpusher]

Mm, it's not polite to comment on other people's eating habits, [or lack thereof] you know. I could be allergic, and now you're putting us both in an awkward position.

[Except if anyone's putting them in an awkward position, it's Natori by lying about it??]

[harimaya]

...

(He just watches Natori for a moment, completely unbothered. Is he supposed to feel awkward? Was he rude? He either doesn't think so or doesn't care,)

If that was the case, not telling anyone and making people try and serve you anyway is just wasting everyone's time.

b. ii!

[baofeng]

[The young man approaching him might also be a movie star out for a breather- specifically a period drama actor, as he wears his hair long in a half-up style and has selected flowing green robes as his outfit tonight. Of course, with a face like his, Gao Yizhi is also conscripted into the Tamamo Clan. He blinks at Natori and raises his own glass of sparkling grape soda.]

L-long live the mighty Tamamo Clan…?

[Natori’s nailed it enough to fool him, at least.]

Is that what we’re supposed to say?

[paperpusher]

[Normally, Natori wouldn't think twice about seeing someone humanoid wearing period clothing in the ayakashi realm. If youkai wear clothing at all, they go in for the old styles, and it's not as though Natori trusts his senses enough here to tell if someone's human. It's the response that makes him question that first assessment and wonder if this person weren't more closely related to his other job. Spirit who wasn't feeling confident in these circumstances, or human with a flare for the dramatics and a taste for older clothing? Hard to say.]

Haha, probably not. I'm not a great improvisor. [He smiles and waves a hand as if dismissing it.] You too, right? Tamamo, I mean. I'd never assume about another person's improv skills like that.

[baofeng]

[Yizhi will have you know that the sentiment is mutual, and he is also pretending to think nothing of it. Other worlds have such different clothes and hairstyles. Especially the hairstyles! Yizhi’s figured out that other Lost Souls don’t consider short hair a signal that someone is a particular kind of bad influence, but still, getting used to it is a process.]

No, it’s alright. I’m not much of an improvisor either, [a small, bashful chuckle,] I prefer having a plan.

I suppose we’re both the same? From Tamamo and out for a breather.

a. ii.

[starshepard]

[ Azem, on the other hand, is still enjoying the party. She's far from exhausted and still happily chatting away, nibbling on a bit of food here or there, or downing another drink.

Hearing his question she turns her glowing blue eyes toward him and chuckles. ] If I had to make a guess I would say until the sun comes up. Now, don't tell me you're already done?

[paperpusher]

Mm, well, I was hoping you'd say something else. [It figures; between his own experience doing all-night drinking binges with a certain cat-shaped thing and the implications he gets from Natsume, he knows ayakashi parties can last through the morning. He was just holding out hope that this wasn't one of them. Foolish of him.] Don't worry. Give me a minute and I'll get my charm right back up.

[starshepard]

Your charm, hmm? [ She chuckles. ] Why put on a mask? Why don't you just relax? That's the point of events like this, right?

[ His grumpiness reminds her of a friend and finds herself wanting to lighten his mood. Though, in her experience, her attempts to lighten the mood of said friend often made him grumpier. ]

B 1

[silentscout]

[Honestly, Lalli can't blame him. He's not as familiar with youkai behaviors, but he does have a youkai living in his head now and she's telling him what foods to avoid and what ones are safe to eat. He's picking a very careful path across the available foods, sometimes starting to reach for ones before stopping and pulling his hand away.

When he hears Natori say that, he gives him a slightly impatient look and points to some kind of crackers. These ones don't have anything on them currently, though there is some kind of dip nearby that people are clearly meant to dip them in. He'll point to those after he's caught Natori's intention.]

Eat them plain. They're fine.

[Not very filling, but better than nothing.]

[paperpusher]

[On the one hand, this kid (thinks the 23 year old) is pointing to perhaps the most innocuous food available on the table. It'd take a lot of planning to mess with crackers, after all. On the other, there's something slightly off about this kid. Natori's senses have been off ever since he arrived in this place, but there's something nagging him regardless.]

Ah, are they? What flavor are they?

[It's a weak question, but it's meant more as a confirmation that Lalli has actually eaten them for himself. It's not a guarantee that they're safe to eat, but... he has no idea how much longer this event will go, and he really should try something. Crackers might be his safest bet.]

[silentscout]

[Enjoy sensing 'Kissa' but getting no answers, Natori. Lalli won't talk about anything involving himself unless directly asked.

But Natori's questions here are valid. Flavor is important when it comes to food, and how can Lalli recommend something if he doesn't know what it tastes like? He's not even thinking of the possibility of poison, that's 'Kissa's job, and she's not telling him no so it's probably fine.

So he just. Reaches over and grabs a cracker, which he promptly shoves into his mouth.

He chews, swallows, and considers the flavor.]

...sesame.

[An acceptable flavor, in his mind.]