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[worldbent]

@matoba

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@kuromisa

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[Matoba is running 2 separate network accounts. Please specify which of his inboxes you are PMing! :)]
[Open Season profile/inbox are here.]

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[action] Dumb cuddling nonsense

[worldbent]

[Matoba Seiji would not call himself a lover of nature, but having grown up in the rural mountainsides, he was more than used to it. It was certainly far more a creature comfort than the opulence and manmade nature of the rest of the resort, and so somewhat reluctantly, he finds himself wandering the paths of the Vale one day.]

[The birdsong here was pleasant. There was a lack of trailing monsters, eying him as enemy or predator in the trees (comparatively). He finds his thoughts distractingly wanting to trail towards that subject lately- of being eyed as a piece of meat in a different sense than he is used to, of being ever more suspicious of all those who cast a glance at him.... but at least he's alone in them.]

[... Or, he was. He found himself a comfortable little gazebo tucked away at the end of a path, but before long, his thoughtful peace and quiet is interrupted by a lumbering, stinking presence he now finds himself exhaustingly familiar with.]

Hungry for more? [Maybe if he's annoying enough, he will go away immediately, and Matoba will not have to examine the strange, comforting serendipity in his presence.]

[swordhardy]

[ The more days he goes without encountering someone in an intimate manner, the darker his suit becomes. One can’t even say it’s been too long since the last, mark below his navel a faint gray at best, and yet his mind has kicked with racing thoughts that inspire the need for movement. So, he walks, wanders aimlessly, ending up deep in the belly of the vale where vines fall in thick curtain.

A familiar scent catches his attention and gives rise to vivid memory that curls an itch in the back of his mind. Not of the sweaty grind and not of the violent choke of throat, but of the soft moment in afterglow when he had laid himself on the body beneath his and had relaxed.

Inspiration that has him draw closer to the source. He hasn’t forgotten the sharp tongue of this exorcist; Rokurou snorts, stepping up behind him and sliding strong forearms down around his neck and over his chest. It feels good, touching, establishing contact, as that sudden urge had promised. ]

More what?

[ As if he doesn’t know. ]

[action] date time!

[catmemes]

[ With absolutely no idea how one sets up a date even when not in a weird porn resort, Kai had left the planning up to his supposed wingman with just a touch of apprehension. Sure the entire profile thing had been awkward at best, but when he's still trying to find his way around how bad could it be? Besides, if it's something neither of them pick then it's one less thing for Matoba to be smug at him about. Hopefully.

So Kai slowly approaches the door he's been directed to, he's got absolutely no idea what he's going to find on the other side. And finds himself staring nonplussed as he steps inside to find a number of feline eyes suddenly fixed on him. A cat cafe. Hilarious.

A few of the cats in residence pause to give him the narrow-eyed look of judging a newcomer onto their territory but when Kai just eyes them back they return to whatever they were doing without much issue. Regular cats do tend to find him a little strange sometimes, but the ones here seem largely unimpressed with his presence. Maybe they're used to weird.

So he has no problem picking his way over to an unoccupied table and dropping himself into one of the seats to wait for Matoba. And definitely not worrying about the next issue--namely that he still doesn't have a lot in the way of money. He can just deal with that problem as it comes. ]

[worldbent]

[There is one benefit to these troublesome phantom strings that have suddenly begun to sprout from Matoba's fingertips, and it's that they only seem to be perceived by him. Otherwise, having a long trailing yarn thread attached to your finger could end up quite disastrous in an establishment full of kitty-cats. At least the bright red of the string currently trailing along his path to the meeting location wouldn't be visible to their little hunting eyes, so long as he keeps it still....]

[...Scratch that, he thinks, when he arrives to the cafe to find that the string leads right up to his unfortunate "date". He pauses for a moment with a raised eyebrow, raising his hand up to be sure that it's his own string, really, and then meets Kai's stare, which could give any of the other unimpressed felines a run for their money.]

I am not going to squeeze those beans, [He declares resolutely, with no sense of public-facing shame. The couple other patrons and staff in the cafe glance over, but mostly they're ignored in favor of the fuzzy friends throughout.]

[It takes exactly three seconds for this resolve to falter, as he considers the cuteness of Kai's feline form, and adds,] ...However, should you wish to dedicate yourself to becoming my servant, I will see to it that you are fed three square meals and receive an adequate amount of treats and toys for exercise. Ah, and I suppose you would require more space than my current suite. I will have to see about my accommodations...........

[This is. a sort of 'confession', Hearts. It's the best you're going to get?]

@tseng » @matoba

[nonvoting]

Are you still open to additional negotiations?

[ let it never be said tseng doesn't get to the point... ]

[worldbent]

Good evening, Tseng-san.

I'm amenable to discussion. Last I recall, the current offer was dinner?

How is that pasta dish going?

Text | un: swords -> @matoba

[swordhardy]

Did you order something from the bakery?
It’s a big box…
You can’t be planning to eat this much alone.

[worldbent]

Oya? Nothing that I requested to be sent room service.

I typically only eat my treats at the cafe. You are certain it is meant for me?

( 12/25 ) — xmas ding dong ditch

[juhua]

[ on the morning of december 25, which hua cheng has come to understand is christmas day, a knock on the door will herald the arrival of a gift. it's nestled in a box and wrapped in paper of his signature crimson and tied with a gold ribbon, both very auspicious colors for such an auspicious(?) holiday!

when opened, matoba will find that the box contains a paper talisman imbued with a single use of hua cheng's cum cleanup spell, which he used in front of matoba back in october during the full moon ghost situation.

the box is accompanied by no note—hua cheng is confident matoba will know who sent it. :) ]

un: broca; text

[broca]

[ It takes a few days into this whole mess for Broca to message Matoba, but without powers of his own it takes a few days into this whole mess for Broca to realize that he might need to reach out to someone who does. ]

Hey.

[ Unfortunately, Broca is bad at starting conversations. ]

[worldbent]

I am not particularly in the mood to fuck, but make it worth my time.

paper doll note

[paperpusher]

["Let me know when you are checked in," Matoba had said. Natori had planned to wait a few days in a fit of pique, but that was before he found his, uh. Gifts. In fact, the makeshift doll that finds its way to Matoba appears to be made out of the label off a wine bottle? Natori's scribbled his room number on it, plus:]

They gave me cake.

[worldbent]

[The flutter of paper almost takes Matoba off-guard, in the sense that it takes him a split second not to regard it as one of the many pests of the resort and for the ally that it is.]

[Well. "Ally", insofar as a fellow exorcist could be counted.]

[He holds out his palm for the-- wrapper?? --to land in, lips pursing in disapproval as he reads the simple message. Ahh. Retrieving a brushpoint pen from his sleeve, he writes an equally simple return message:]

What flavor?

[It's only after he sends the doll off again that the numbers sink in. 3rd floor??? ...Down in the dregs nonetheless, but that leaves a bad taste in his mouth.]

[He will have to wash it down with cake.]

truth or dare network text

[paperpusher]

[It's a full day before Natori gets back to their truth or dare game, which is impressive given how much Chirpy has been screaming at him for leaving the game unfinished. (He even tried exorcising it, briefly but halfheartedly, before tossing himself into other games with other people so he could at least seem busy.)

The problem is that despite it being in the very name of the game, Natori hasn't been telling the truth. Sometimes it's simply not telling the whole truth, sometimes it's eliding the core of the question in favor of a literal interpretation, and sometimes it was outright lies. And so unbeknownst to him, his suit has taken matters into its own hands.

Maybe Natori should have noticed the outside influence on his mood-- but like the most insidious ayakashi, it's subtle enough that it doesn't feel all that foreign. A push behind what he's already feeling, especially when thinking about a person who he already has a complicated mess of feelings about. Once again a disappointment to the exorcist community, Natori snaps back to their game thread and picks up like it's a conversation he never left off, though it's not the one they were just having.]

Why are you still hiding things from me  

[worldbent]

[It doesn't matter what the subject or impetus of this is, because]

There are many reasons. Which one is it this time?

@hearse, a few days after the date auction

[wheft]

Matoba. Are you free to talk or chat on here? I know it's been a while, but I was wondering if you did get any info from that incident some months ago.

@matoba -> shikimail!

[worldbent]

Ishmael-san. Is this place treating you kindly?

Quite a bit has happened since then, hasn't it? But as a matter of fact, I did end up getting some interesting information out of all of that. One moment, please. I will send you another note by a more secure method.

[And lo and behold, if Ishmael waits about another 10 minutes, she'll get jumpscared by one of those tall, skinny shadow-puppets that Matoba had used to defend himself during their little adventure popping out of a ceiling, or from under a doorway, or wrapping itself around a corner- and handing her a piece of paper and a pen.]

[The paper has a note on one side:]

Better to discuss such things away from prying resort eyes, don't you think? You may reply on the other side, and my servant will act as courier.

After we parted ways, were you able to navigate safely? And, did you end up finding that place in the basement after all?

@jaycetalis > @matoba

[hexcope]

A demonstration and explanation of your "other techniques," not just spirit magic, and I'll

[He can't believe he's offering this. But if sex really is just that common here... then this is just negotiation. It's just as much a bargaining chip as arranging for funding through private trade agreements.]

provide one handjob.

[worldbent]

So you chose to go straight for sexual favors instead of information? Interesting.

[He has to get a tease in there. But that's not saying he's disinterested.]

That is quite the broad ask, however. I'd be bored out of my mind explaining things before we even got to the theoreticals. I'm afraid I'm not much of a teacher, more of a do-er.

I will demonstrate how to draw an example of a spell array for you, and I will demonstrate how simple banishment magic works. The smallfry that haunt this resort should suffice to show those off.

Also, add fingers.

Deal?

paper card

[paperpusher]

[At around 8 am, an envelope and card slides itself under the door to Matoba's suite. Written on the inside around the pre-printed message:]

To the head of the Matoba clan:

May happiness overflow in this upcoming year. 

Natori

[A polite set of birthday greetings for an elder. Not passive aggressive at all.]

text

[worldbent]

[He is always so poor at being bloodless, isn't he? Even with this dry set of birthday wishes, they both know each other too well to be fooled.]


What a cute kitty cat.

The Natori clan's wishes are appreciated. I can't say that I am happy to have seen two birthdays in an ayakashi realm, but I do hope I can count on your assistance in order to not make it a third.

action; for Broca; late Halloween night into early morning 11/1

[worldbent]

[It's no surprise that Halloween would be a favorite holiday of a certain sweet-tooth exorcist, is it? The previous year's festivities had been overshadowed largely by the swell of ayakashi activity in the resort influenced by the thinning of the veil (even relative to usual), but this year is a ripe opportunity for him to enjoy himself!]

[...So he thought. It turns out that not many are giving out proper treats, in his eyes. Huff.]

[By the time he gets down to the upper levels for his treat-tricking, he's on his last bits of hope. Sure, he's gotten off a few times, been given various strange trinkets of apparent value (that he doesn't really know what to do with...), and a few sweets- but his little Great Tit! Gold Membership Customer Gift Basket is hardly brimming with the candy and sweets he'd imagined!]

[What a bust... But nonetheless he lifts his knuckles to rap against a new door on the 7th level, hopeful that the upper floors might have residents more endowed with the chips to give out some quality sweets.]

[broca]

[ In a place that seems more focused on sex than anything else, Broca figures people are lucky just to be able to get something that isn't a sex toy. His own attempts at trick or treating will largely be just to be able to get out of his room for a night, cursory at best, and if he gets very few sexual favors offered to him, he'll consider it enough of a success.

As it is, this night he happens to be in, and he happens to be giving out treats that are decidedly non-sexual in nature.

Unfortunately for Matoba, they're also not candy, so when he goes to open the door he looks to be holding tools of some sort in his hand rather than a basket of candy for Matoba to paw through.

Though he will still look surprised to see him, only mildly, before looking in the basket with a look of understanding, then back at Matoba to wait to hear the words.

... Well? ]

( 12/25 ) — special delivery

[nonvoting]

[ is tseng keenly aware that things are mad awkward between him and matoba right now? yes. is that going to stop him from delivering matoba's christmas gift anyway? hell no, because tseng is nothing if not a consummate professional super capable of putting his own personal feelings to the side in favor of doing what he's decided is his duty. (?)

therefore, at some point during the day a harried but helpful resort staff member will hand to matoba a black gift box tied with red ribbon. inside is a variety box of wutaian sweets, each a different flavor, with a helpful guide attached to the inside of the lid so matoba will know what's what (as well as the contact information of the stall in the marketplace that helped create the desserts, in case he wants more).

the attached card reads simply, ]

Have a pleasant holiday season, or as pleasant as it can be in a place like this.

Tseng

paper card

[paperpusher]

[On the morning of the first, a homemade postcard on high quality paper slides itself under Matoba's door (or at least under the door where he's sleeping that night). On the front is a piece of highly stylized calligraphy. On the back, in more standard but still extremely nice handwriting:]

Happy Year of the Dog

The Natori clan thanks you for all your kind help in the past year. We hope for your continued favor in the future. Wishing you good health.

Natori

[He did write this before he received Matoba's card, but that doesn't mean the "year of the dog" greeting isn't a little passive aggressive regardless.]

@tseng / text

[nonvoting]

[ presented without commentary, and also without expectation that matoba will actually reply, comes a picture taken in one of the hallways of the resort somewhere between the lobby and the casino. ]

[worldbent]

[Ah, a surprise text out of the blue from Tseng-san? It must be something of great importance, Matoba thinks, to be contacted like this.]

[...And it is. Though perhaps not the sort of subject matter he'd expected.]

Good afternoon, Tseng-san. Where did you spot this fine creature?

[He must find this cat.]