(post-mingle) text; un: UEHARA

[metafictions]

Good morning, everyone. I hope you're well.

[read: he hopes that you're not too hungover and that none of you died out there last night.]

Despite the different clans to which we've been assigned, we all find ourselves in strange territory in Jigoku-cho. It may look close to what several of us recognize as Japan, but as you might've already discovered, familiarity does not guarantee similarity. The other day, I met a man who could have easily been from my world, perhaps even my continent or country-- only to discover he hailed from a completely different planet.

So, I'd like to begin gathering information. [He's no Sutoku, but this is important to all of them, and-- as he's been taught-- there are no shortcuts when it comes to investigation.] The more that we know about our fellow lost souls, the more we will have to work from as we learn more about this place and why we're here. We can start with something simple. If you would like, please share where, and when, you are from.

I'll start. I am from Tokyo's 25th Ward, in Japan, on Earth, in the year 2005.

(ooc: feel free to threadjack around! ✌️)

Comments

un: majima

[no_kyouken]

Japan, Earth, 1988. Raised in Tokyo, been in Kansai for a while though.

When I wasn't in Hakagemachi, anyway.

Phone's sure get smaller in the future, that's a relief. Things are a damn brick in '88.

[metafictions]

I was just a kid in '88, but I remember how big they were... Don't worry, you only have to wait until the 00's until they can fit in your pocket.

Hakagemachi doesn't sound familiar to me. Where in Japan is it?

[no_kyouken]

Hakagemachi was like this. A yokai town, but it was a mess. Fallin' apart cuz of somethin' that happened to their local shrines. Never really figured it out, was here all of a sudden instead.

Still possessed though, brought the snake with me.

[metafictions]

[UH????]

Hang on. So you've already been somewhere like this? [???] You're possessed by a snake...? [???????]

When we were all checking in, did any of the officials haave anything to say about Hakagemachi? This seems really relevant.

[no_kyouken]

Nah, an' I ain't the only one. Few of us here from Hakagemachi.

Not all of us though. Dunno what that means.

All we really knew was that the yokai in Hakagemachi were starvin' and gonna die, so they went out lookin' for hosts. Brought us back t'sustain them, maybe eat us all the way if they didn't care about us much.

Chijoku an' I get along ok, as long as I feed him real food. Snake's always hungry.

[metafictions]

Sure enough, a little after you sent this, someone else from Hakagemachi left a comment here, too: username hardcore.

So... [HMMMM. This Hakagemachi thing is raising more questions than answers.] This world seems plentiful enough. Do you think there's any possibility that the yokai brought you here? Or would they have told you that much if they had?

[no_kyouken]

Think they lost bein' able to move 'tween worlds when they got anchored down t'us.

Joku says he ain't responsible anyway.

Hakagemachi was fucked. Had this underground train depot that looked like it used to connect places. Maybe this was one of 'em from before it broke.

[metafictions]

Given the existing connection, I think that's very possible.

Maybe you did do something for Hakagemachi after all-- even if only to give the yokai a way out, metaphorically, on your back.

[no_kyouken]

Some of 'em really hated their yokai, wouldn't make 'em happy to hear.

Joku's a pain in th'ass but... Dunno, needed his help in Hakagemachi or I'd be dead a couple times over. Ain't the worst partnership.

[metafictions]

Then I hope your partnership, at least, continues to benefit you here. Given the territory, I think we're going to need all the help that we can get.

[no_kyouken]

Sure, a lot of ya ain't yakuza.

It ain't like civilian life. So... tread carefully.