[ LOCKED TO SUTOKU ALLIANCE ] video; un: rider

[kaientai]

[ it takes ryouma a little bit to get around to this, but eventually(!!) he appears, filming a video from what appears to be... outside a fancy-looking starbucks? well, they're everywhere, after all! even in hell! maybe they're also paying him for the product placement? in any case, it's a nice day, and he's outside with his iced coffee and with sunglasses on you can't tell how tired he might be! coffee and a cigarette is the meal of champions when you have a lot of stress in your life. ]

Hello, everyone! I thought it'd be a good time to welcome in all our newest Alliance Lost Souls!

[ yes, he's waving! ]

I'm Sakamoto Ryouma — but just Ryouma is fine! — and a lot of people around here know I'm a Lieutenant and a main point of contact for any business with the Alliance. If you need anything, you can always come to me, and I'll at least try and help you find what you're looking for.

That being said, you've got plenty of good people around here you can look to also! The rest of you aren't off the hook~!

My newest co-Lieutenant is Matoba Seiji. [ so feel free to bother him now too, haha! ] Emily Dyer will be acting as my second, and if you don't already know where the clinic is, you should familiarise yourself and help out a little!

You can also find your other seniors — Kim Kitsuragi, Yuri Leclerc, Xingqiu, Artemy Burakh, Cloud Strife, and Ydris — if you need anything!

[ enjoy the new responsibility?? this is also live video and not text, so there is a strong possibility that ryouma has butchered several of these names in his accent. the good news is that he also holds up a list of the names written out because he knows himself.

now that that's out of the way, he can move along to some useful information before he wraps this thing up. his coffee's melting, and he's sitting when he probably has three other places he could be... ]

You represent the Sutoku Alliance now, so keep that in mind! We don't really have much of a dress code or anything, but you should still get one of these pins, so people know what crew you're with.

[ he taps the pin on his jacket with the kanji for sutoku. aren't you relieved that the naval uniform isn't standard-issue attire? now everyone knows why he's rated four stars for COOLER HAT on EMBER. ]

We have 'em at Konoha and at plenty of other places, too, so just ask!

We're gonna have a get-together officially soon enough, but this is a good opportunity to get to know each other ahead of time! My advice to all of you is to learn as much as possible about this place and the people who live here, your fellow Lost Souls in the other factions included! Find something that interests you and dig right in! Always be paying attention because it's all in what you know.

[ so go be nosy and get the good gossip!! ]

I'm excited to say there will be a lotta interesting things going on around here soon enough, so I'll be counting on you all to do your best! You have a week to settle in and get comfortable before we'll be putting you to work, so don't hesitate to reach out if you need something in the meantime, got it?

I think that should do it for now. Have fun!

[ ooc: this is an open post for sutoku so FEEL FREE TO THREADJACK TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT! ]

Comments

[worldbent]

I think it also depends on where you consider the line to be.

We do like to have fun around here. Supposedly. [Amongst all of the clan leaders, the Daitengu is certainly the most "Fun Boss", anyway...]

[And hey, Matoba's having fun. At least this guy owns his menace. Relatable.]

Haha, well it isn't exactly the sort of thing I can simply "teach" if one lacks the ability as it is, although I do offer simple defensive charms anyone can make use of.

That said, we humans are in their territory. I hold no love for youkai myself [--that is the understatement of the century--] but discretion in our position is valuable.

[Which is a nice way of saying, 'You're their junior, so put up with it for now if you don't want to get your intestines pulled out by a kappa, newbie.']

[worsening]

Not much of a surprise, with all the drinking and singing the Tengu do at night.

[ He’s gotten some experience of the nightlife around here. ]

So, you're telling me I won’t be able to banish evil and reach enlightenment through rigorous study of Laozi’s teachings?

[ Not that he carried a lot of expectation there. Towards the warning — well. Yang knows he has to get on their good side somehow. His feelings run closer to indifference, with an inherent distrust spurning his thought process. ]

I find the youkai more interesting than humans. However… there’s no guarantee that they won’t turn on us at some point. I’d like to be prepared for that day. You’re selling these charms?

[worldbent]

You should see when the Boss takes the stage.

Now that you mention, there were some practitioners in our ranks that could have told you the answer to that, but it seems their contracts were fulfilled, so perhaps they reached enlightenment first. [Hilarious. One of them was a goddamn zombie, so that's unlikely.]

Unfortunately, my school of practice is Shinto purification, so I couldn't say. My power is inherited.

[Of course, Yang is correct. Matoba won't be foolish enough to disparage their clanmates (and bosses) while acting in official capacity, but everyone who had met him knew that Matoba loathed them.]

[Make it a meeting, then.]

I do. You can even ask your clanmates as a testimonial as to their effectiveness- powerful enough to keep a man from death in the face of the divine Haniyasu-no-kami. Shall we cut a deal? You can find me in the Tengu Temple most working days, but if you'd prefer a more casual setting [Somewhere they can speak a little more freely... hmm.]

How do you feel about sweets, Yang-san?

[worsening]

Figures. They had a natural advantage. [ Not that Matoba lacks this upper hand, but it’s a fun thought. ] On the other hand, it seems I have to study a list of topics that never concerned me before. Youkai. The spiritual realm. Japan.

[ Japan’s too close to China for Yang’s liking, and from a young age, he always aimed to go overseas — away from the rules and direct oversight of the syndicate in the mainland. ]

I’ll be sure to do my research. If what you’re saying is true, then I’d be a fool not to accept.

[ There’s something certainly odd about having a discussion that anyone could read. It’s not a terrible idea, naturally, but… ]

A casual setting’s easier to work with. Less chance that we’d disturb the visitors. Sweets aren’t usually to my taste, but I can make exceptions.

[worldbent]

I would have liked to see the expression on Lan Wangji-san's face when you said that. A shame.

As it happens, there is a brewing effort to compile information on these topics within our own clan, so you might keep an eye out for that. You are far from the only individual who has arrived ill-equipped for handling matters of other side. Of course I can also answer any questions you have about those topics, and there are other individuals who can assist in one or more of those topics, as well. Do not hesitate to use your clanmates as a resource.

[He's sure this guy would not hesitate. Japan certainly wouldn't be a place to escape the Chinese mafia, that was for sure- even in Kyushu (perhaps especially in Kyushu), he was aware of their presence.]

Then, please meet me in front of the BiBi Bubble off of the central Alliance square. It is somewhat close to the temple and the staff are quite friendly with me, now.

[ooc; I can make you a starter in my current closed log for this, if you'd like!]