westwhere | open | oh it's a mad, mad world, i'm drowning in

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open | oh it's a mad, mad world, i'm drowning in

WHO: Anyone wanting to find lamp oil, other oils, and the Remembrance's new hideout.
WHEN: After the TDM event! Before the next game event.
WHERE: In the Mouse House.
WHAT: In the spirit of adventurers the worlds wide, people go hunting for more lamp oil, only to find... dark water barrels, and the Remembrance's attempts to establish itself again.
WARNINGS: They're trying to make those womb walls again at the base; there's a potential at all times for violence; language potentially explicit.

You can find plot information or ask questions here! Keeping it simple, but here's a vague timeline of some possibilities:

Meeting outside the orphanage and searching through abandoned homes and businesses for lamp oil. Or sneaking into not so abandoned places and making off with some supplies.

Discovering a series of seemingly abandoned warehouses, and finding a means inside, with light. Much of what's there is junk. Be amazed by what you find.

In at least one warehouse there's large barrels! Which might be oil! These turn out to be dark water when opened.

Within minutes of the dark water barrel discovery, members of the Remembrance enter from an underground walkway, and confront the people by the barrels. Playact as part of the movement ("wake up!"), or else prepare to run.

If you played like you were part of the movement, be drafted into helping cart the black water barrels to the new safe-house, where it's apparent the black water's being used to recreate the womb walls of the former Remembrance headquarters. Or you might be tasked with chasing after one of your fellows who failed their acting chops.

If you failed to play along with the Remembrance, run, run, as fast as you can, and try not to get lost in the warren of paths. Or end up meeting a Rodent Of Unusual Size, which may or may not be wearing a paper crown.

Find a way back to the orphanage with whatever spoils of the day you managed to keep your hands on. Share information. The Remembrance is rebuilding, just as weird womb wally as before.

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[Later on, after they get out of this place and back to relative safety, Kanesada will have to really ponder how he got himself into this sort of situation with Licyn. Not the whole stumbling upon cult activity - though that definitely isn't what he thought would happen when he woke up this morning - but this very sudden intimacy with a person he doesn't even know all that well. A friend? Maybe. An ally, for sure.

So the flustered look? Yeah, that doesn't exactly take much acting right now. And when Licyn gets handsy, well. This isn't in Kanesada's wheelhouse. But he does his best to follow Licyn's advice, leaning in to speak quietly even as he's pressed up against a wall.]

Ah...you're sure that'll work? They'll probably just double down and tell us to shut up and work harder.

[That's a terrible possibility. Kanesada can't help the way his lower lip juts out in a little pout. Which one of them is supposed to be the whiny one again?]

I don't wanna work harder, especially not for these losers.

( he an tell the flustered isn't taking much, and it's part of why he's playing nice, by his rulebook. he smiles, more lips than teeth, and pats izumi on the chest, a small, reassuring sort of there, there. )

The amount of drugs down here, not just the opium, means they'd rather a clear head than one too distracted. Who's to say we're not a little high?

( he laughs, that sort of throaty rumble which sounds more bedroom appropriate than safe for public consumption. )

Keep pouting, love, and I'll be tempted to kiss you.

( giving a squeeze of their interlaced fingers, and lifting his brows. )

Ask while it looks like I'm playing with your belt. Waistband. Whatever this is.

( his other hand drifts down, looking like it's tracing izumi's waistband, because... it is. only he's not really trying to get in there, he's playing up the idea that there are place he wants his hands and mouth on, now. they even merit one lazy whistle, and a gruff call for playing nice. )

Ask, love.

[How did he get into this situation.

But, okay, sure, what Licyn says kind of makes sense. Maybe he needed a little more time to sort things out in his head, but Kanesada gets some sort of excuse ready, something to get the ball rolling on their exit strategy. When he sees someone he assumes is an overseer of sorts, he raises his free hand to wave him down.]

Hey, Boss -

[Which is, of course, when Licyn "starts" to try to "undress" him and Kanesada immediately retracts that hand to keep it from actually happening, capturing Licyn's wrist.]

Hey, stop.

[The overseer approaches them and crosses his arms while he waits for Kanesada to go on, clearing his throat when an answer doesn't come fast enough. Kanesada, face burning again, laughs a little shakily while trying to keep Licyn's hands away from any place dangerous.]

Yeah, hey, sorry. I know this is awkward and all, but I've really gotta get him home or else he's just gonna be totally useless the rest of the day. Like, you think it's bad already? You don't even know, ahaha. He gets loud. Whiny! I mean. Not like...

[He clears his own throat to get off of that insinuation.]

Again, real sorry about this. We'll be back tomorrow or the next shift or whenever you need us. It's just...today isn't working out.

( he doesn't mean to smile, but izumi catching his wrist and looking as flustered as he does pulls a quirk of his lips out of him anyway. he changes expression, looking back over his shoulder and managing to look utterly bothered in a pouty way at having been halted. )

He means like that. ( you dug that grave, izumi, he fed you a script, this is what happens when going off it. ) You should see when he tries gagging me—love, can't he come with us?

( here's the full force of his supposed puppy eyes, turned on izumi, with the buried amusement that helps him keep from freaking out over what the womb room means.

the overseer clears his throat and waves at them both, not looking happy, but also looking resigned. licyn leans on izumi then, not fighting for control of his hand or pulling their joined hands anywhere contrary, just making himself seem that much more useless.

he's surprisingly heavy for his height; he's also far more muscular than his stature tends to make it seem. enjoy. )

You're mine for the night, don't forget, no sharing. Unless you want to share? Do you want to share.

( licyn casts a look over his shoulder again at the overseer, who outright rolls his eyes and coughs into his fist, excusing them with a muttered statement about the rest of the barrels already coming over, no more of this nonsense right now. he's almost immediately distracted as one barrel tries to roll the wrong direction, with the one rolling it chasing after it as it heads back toward where it had just been pulled out of.

now's their moment to go. licyn hefts himself back off izumi, keeping his hold on his hand and letting him keep holding his wrist if he should so desire, but backing them toward a narrow gap between the buildings. )

[Licyn really has just dragged his ass into the deep end now, hasn't he. What a mess. What a disaster! Farewell, pride, you were good while you lasted!]

G-Gagging?!

[He sputters and stares very specifically at Licyn as he continues talking.]

Of course I have to gag him. He never shuts up.

[Stop adding fuel to this dumpster fire!

...He mentally says, before doing just that. Kanesada glances up at the overseer apologetically and then releases Licyn's wrist to wrap his arm around the shorter man's waist, tugging him closer. Then he leans down and, still speaking loud enough to be heard, continues despite the flush to his skin.]

No, he can't come, you know I don't like anyone else seeing you like that. Now, let's go.

[It seems that whole debacle is finished, though, and Kanesada heaves a sigh of relief when they're far enough away from everyone else. He tries to clear his head of all the embarrassment he's just undergone, as well, in order to make sense of the whole operation the Remembrance is up to in this new location.]

What the hell are they making?

( licyn is all lazy smirks and ragabone limpness at izumi's side as they leave, until they're two turns out of eye-line and he untangles himself, all tension, nothing of the flirt in evidence now. he doesn't stop moving, seems to have a sense of where to go that comes with his deep inhalations and a near itching unease over all this.

keep up, izumi, he's not waiting. )

The womb room. Where the sack doll people were crafted, they're rebuilding the whole searing thing. Where in the seven stormstruck skies did they find more of this black water? Where is it coming from?

[Despite not quite knowing how to react to a very clingy and flirty Licyn, the moment he all but wrenches himself away from Kanesada leaves the sword feeling almost lost for a short time. He still follows, though, jogging to catch up when Licyn gets ahead.

A lot of what he says doesn't make a lot of sense to Kanesada; he wasn't involved in any of the previous Remembrance shenanigans. But something about the black water feels familiar.]

I think they had black water in Ke-Waihu. I didn't mess with it, though, so I can't say for sure.

( He shivers, lips pulling back from his teeth momentarily, before he smooths his expression out. )

The island you all were leaving when we were on the ships with the pirates.

( He hardly meant to leave you hanging, Izumi, but also he has no idea he left you hanging. In fact would prefer to be back in that space instead of antsy and anxious, as he's inching toward now. )

Wasn't there something of it down deep, at the trenches, where we sailed? The mermaids spoke of it? Or the dead sailors, come back to lust after our lives. Hideous. As bad as that island we stopped at, the one with nothing on it that breathed air. Now there's these, the sack dolls, they're worse than the walking dead, who at least had the decency to be born of two living souls, not forced magic.

[He understands that the black water and womb room and all that stuff is messed up, so Licyn being upset about it makes sense, but he does seem to be even more bothered by it than Kanesada would expect. He catches up to him and clasps his shoulder, hoping to offer some little bit of comfort or grounding.]

Breathe, Licyn.

[Take a second. Don't get ahead of yourself.]

There might have been. Honestly, if we've already seen it in more than one place, this whole world probably has some form of it. They could be getting it from anywhere. Which isn't comforting, I know.

( the hand on his shoulder merits a twitch, then the redirection of his attention to izumi in whole. he doesn't blink at first, but he does listen, slowing down the pull of air in his lungs to breathe deeper, more fully, let his heart beat as it will into less flight-ready motion. )

Everything has a source. Those barrels mean the same thing, even if we don't know where. Even magic can't come from nothing.

( mostly. like he knows. he lifts a hand, running it through his hair, up to the knot of his queue at the back of his head. he sighs, letting his eyes close even as they continue walking. slits them back open to offer izumi a crooked smile. )

This world is far from comforting. Same as home. You find what comfort you can within it, isn't that the way, love?

[Kanesada doesn't let his hand linger, pulling it away as soon as he feels Licyn's little reaction. He crosses his arms instead, just waiting and listening as they walk.]

Mn. I've found it's usually the little things that get you by. Friends. Drink. Poetry. Whatever you can find in it. The world outside of all that is usually pretty neutral on you, on what happens to you.

[He glances over at Licyn, pleased to see some of his personality come back.]

Listen. I'll be real. I'm not always the smartest guy. I prefer solving situations headfirst, not necessarily thinking about 'em real hard. But there's so many of us here that someone's bound to be way more clever. Someone might've heard something we haven't. We just gotta tell 'em what we saw and see what comes of it. At the very least, we won't have to shoulder it by ourselves.

[He gently bumps against Licyn.]

Yeah?

( licyn's brows climb a touch, and he sighs, not quite scoffing, not quite amused. he does bump back into the taller man in return. )

Who says I want to shoulder any of it at all? Aside from being targeted because of our companions having the subtlety of cats in heat.

( he's even passingly fond of said companions, in the way people say, good dog, but also don't want to clean up after any of said dog's messes. )

So threatening possessiveness was a headfirst solution? Well played.

Well, you're not gonna dump it all on me and run. No, no, we're in this together, now.

[Licyn is still a little shaken up, obviously, and Kanesada can respect that, but he's not going to dwell on it if he doesn't have to. He would hesitate to call this a companionable walk back, but it's comfortable enough.

Except when their shenanigans are brought up again. His steps falter as he almost trips for a second.

Kanesada doesn't even notice the pout that overcomes his face again. Or the way he grumbles his response.]

Shut up. You didn't give me many options.

Watch me.

( Though he smiles, making it unclear if that means anything in particular.

The rest is him noting the faltering, the pouting, the grumbling, and he does smile then, shaking his head. )

I gave you a simpler play than the one you improvised. Gags are wonderful tools, for what it's worth, though it's often appealing to ask a partner to try and hold it in, or swallow their sounds with well timed kisses. Anyway, it was obvious he wouldn't have wanted to say yes regardless of having the time, he was more annoyed than curious, and slightly jealous, but I think more of me than you.

Don't you dare.

[Will Kanesada have to literally run after this guy at some point? He'll do it. He can go for quite a while. He's taller than Licyn, too. Probably has longer legs? That has to count for something.

His patience should be counted for something, as well, as he takes in Licyn's explanation, even though this is definitely not his area of expertise.]

Mn. I guess that makes sense.

[He can't help but wonder if Hijikata was into stuff like that. He knows more about what was said about his efforts on making people talk instead of keeping them quiet, but that's a completely different subject, and not at all sexy.]

Well.

[He, on the other hand, fits the sexy subject just fine, thank you very much. Kanesada straightens up and tosses some of his stray hair over his shoulder.]

I can't blame him. You've seen me.

[So humble.]

Oh, love, I dare.

( right now it mostly means let sleeping dogs lie, and not just marching in and making a muck of it (or laughing) as it was last time. not that he would care if the consequences didn't brush up against him, but, alas.

they did.

then here is this tall, handsome man making words like that, and licyn finds himself chuckling. )

Not nearly enough, love. Let me know if you care to change that.

( he winks up at him, smile a touch sultry. this is much nicer ground to cover and think about. )

If my butt gets thrown into the fire, I'm draggin' you in with me. I'm a team player like that.

[That's not what being a team player means at all.

He takes a turn down another street full of dilapidated houses, peeking into broken windows when he can. He hasn't forgotten their original goal in this outing. With a snort, though, he turns back to Licyn and gestures toward his face.]

What, you've already gotten your fill of this? My feelings are hurt.

That's not team playing, that's refusing to go down alone.

( which he sounds mildly amused over, but also: no. don't do anything stupid, izumi, and neither will he!

licyn, who could be using his nose more effectively, simply isn't right now. he's unsettled by what had happened, and not yet... recovered from it. so yes, flirtations are resuming. )

What can I say? I enjoy admiring people in full. Preferably at leisure, and at length.

We're partners in crime. Maybe just one crime, but still partners in it. Don't abandon me like this.

["This" hypothetical situation, since Licyn is, obviously, still around right this second.

The building they pass is dark inside and he looks through the broken glass hard, trying to decipher anything from the mess on the floor. Except it's so dust-covered at this point that anything worth taking has probably long been pilfered. It seems like the remaining shelves are barren, too.]

And if I told you I'm worth the wait?

What, you think we're pack, now? You'd hardly handle that, love, very few can.

( it's a tease, and amusement, because in no way has he had anyone attempt to be pack, and he doesn't expect anyone to be. he keeps himself as grounded and sane as he can with what he already does.

it has to be enough until he gets back to rillin. there's no other choice. )

Nothing in there smells right. Unless you like dust and rat droppings.

( he says as izumi looks into the hovel, as if this is how everyone should be diagnosing a situation offhand: by smell. )

If you told me you're worth the wait, I'd tell you I'm worth finding your way to whenever you're done waiting. I don't pine. ( he grins. ) Or spend time courting the unwilling. It's hardly honourable, don't you think?

( since he's never been one to hold out offers of longterm relationships. why would he set people up for expectations he can only fail to meet? )

Hm? Pack?

[He thinks he gets what that's supposed to mean, but he's not entirely confident. Licyn...has a peculiar way of speaking in the first place, so it's probably best to not make assumptions, not if he doesn't want to look like an idiot.

But he tilts his head to the side at the mention of what that particular building smells like inside before leaning in again to breathe in deeply. Sure, it doesn't smell great in there, but he can really only describe it as musky. Nothing he can pinpoint.

He looks at Licyn for a moment.]

How can you smell all that? And what does lamp oil even smell like, anyway? I didn't think it really had, like, much of a fragrance.

[Truly, such mysteries arise.

He moves on from that building since it's been deemed a lost cause in their quest.]

Maybe you'll see me again. Depends on if you actually leave me high and dry one day.

[Will Kanesada hang this over Licyn's head forever? Possibly.]

Consent is definitely important. So...yeah. You get some points for not being a jerk.

Depends on the kind. This is a bit pungent. Smells oily. Are you nose deaf?

( asked with a quirked brow. )

I've heard of it, but I don't think I've ever witnessed it personally.

( because he knows humans definitely react to kerosine, which, surprise, is something they do distill from crude oil back home. along with others, in a divergent sort of industry that hasn't managed to land them in clockwork land.

he snorts at the rest, rolling his shoulders and heading onward, breathing in the air and finding nothing useful at first on it. )

Admirably, I don't do things for points. Your opinions are noted, and your own.

There's some sort of oil, probably in a lamp, down that way. Or some small amount spilled when someone was transferring it.

( he gestures to the left, heading down the narrow alley carved between collapsing abodes. )

I'm nose...normal?

[What even is this conversation turning into?]

I can smell just fine, just not as intense as you, apparently.

[He follows Licyn once again, or perhaps more aptly, Licyn's nose.]

Like, this whole city is just...a real bummer for the senses, honestly, but it really does smell like straight up pollution. It's hot and steamy, so kinda wet. Musty in certain places, like that house. Even when Minaras is topside and exposed to actual air, it's not like you can really smell it, right? Man, I miss fresh air. I'd even take the sea air again over all this. Ke-Waihu and the island was basically a vacation.

If the oil you smell was spilled, then it's not like we can just scoop it all back up. Let's hope for the best.

Pollution?

( the term means nothing to him, so he lifts a brow when glancing at izumi. )

It smells like a shitty city, with extra strange chemical and metal smells most don't have. Then again we're missing a tanners, that's another one no one wants to be around. Knackers either.

( he nods toward a door, stepping up to the frame of it where stairs have collapsed, from rot and whatever else. more rot? he smells the fungal core of it, not the rot of the corpses in the morgue. something more usual to what he considers rot to be.

then he's pushing through a swollen door, dragging across the floor, his shoulder and weight the lever to get them inside. water damage is evident throughout, the floor boards showing mushrooms sprouting, but at about hip height, everything looks intact. including a lamp with oil. the top of the lamp is shattered, but the core holding the oil? intact.

its the wick, heavy with oil, that produced the scent he tracked. he indicates toward it with a flat smile. )

There we are.

I think it's more likely to happen when you have a boom in industry, like, with factories and stuff like that. It's when things like smoke or other chemicals get sent into the air and make it...dirty, you can say. It doesn't necessarily smell really strong all the time, but if you're in a big city where all those things are happening and then you go out to the country or somewhere way less populated, then you can definitely notice the difference in air quality.

[Licyn's target stinks. Literally. It's not the worse place Kanesada's smelled - he's had to muck out the stables back home and sometimes he wonders what those horses have been eating - but it's not pleasant, either. He doesn't say it aloud, but he can't wait to get back out where he can breathe a little better.

But this house also has what they've been looking for. Not a ton of it, but it's lamp oil.]

Nice. At least we're not going back empty-handed.

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