[JANUARY INTRO LOG | WORLD TWO]

[spellbindmods]

Who: All coven members, especially new folk!
Where: In and around the new world’s apartment building where the coven is staying, as well as the rest of Shehui
When: Day 160
Open/Closed: Open to All
IMPORTANT: While some prompts are newbie exclusive, all characters can tag this intro log!

How did you get into this building? This apartment room? What the fuck is going on? Let's refer back to this page for a semi in-depth, wow so detailed, explanation of your current situation. You'll also have a letter slipped under your door with some explanation about your whole coven situation, as well as info that explains you have magic now! And yet what kind of magic is conveniently left out. Are you up to speed? Great. Now, here's the question of the hour: what are you going to do about all this? A ▢ If you're the sensible sort and want to explore your new digs before slinking around Shehui, you're in luck! You've got easy access to your apartment, and it's luckily not on lockdown right now. Feel free to check out your room, raid the fridge -- oh, and saying hello to your roommates should also be on your to-do list. B ▢ Let's say that hanging out with these people is a little overwhelming...that's fine! There are plenty of things to do in the apartment building without interacting with roomies! There are vending machines to prop up, a leisure floor that contains a totally vacant air hockey table and a nice garden to relax in. C ▢ But ah, there's also venturing outside! Out front is the job board, which is a nice place to hit up if you're looking to add to your currently fat but depleting credit account. The problem is that the jobs are currently disappearing quickly, and those around you aren't giving you such nice looks. This apartment building is a known problem area at this point, and your signet doesn't do anything to settle their fears.

D ▢ With new year's week coming to an end, the residents of Shehui are feeling more celebratory than somber now. A lot of businesses are closed in order to enjoy themselves and ring in the new year the right way. A lot of restaurants and bars are currently offering specials, from free drinks to cheap food in order to pull in the holiday crowd. If you're looking to meet people and socialize in Shehui, this is the best way to do it. E ▢ Also because it's the post holiday season, stores are trying to push out the rest of their overstock merch. One item of note that's being peddled quite often is a cell phone. From tiny flip phones to the latest Orange product, cellphones are a necessity in this modern society. Get yours right now and begin texting right away! There are a few social apps that are installed, so you might be lucky enough to connect with another coven member! They also have Redmolar capability, which will automatically allow you to text those with phones in the area. Maybe send some mysterious stranger texts? F ▢ While you're hustling around Shehui, you may realize that the telepathic messages get stronger -- perhaps the new coven members are near? In general, you may be subject to telepathic messages about current Shehui goings on, random thoughts or requests to meet up at so-and-so location. A.K.A. let's utilize that telepathy...it may not last forever! G ▢ Because the week of remembrance is still going on, flowers are littering the streets, though most of them are dead. Bunches of flowers are being sold, and flower fortunes are a popular activity during this part of the holiday. There are fortune tellers on the street who will give you your flower of the year, but it's more fun to have them read with one another! There are digital cards that you can buy that will allow you to read fortunes on the go -- simply tap the screen of the card and your flower will be decided. Not happy with your choice? Too bad! It won't randomize to something different, no matter how hard you try. H ▢ While a lot of Shehui citizens are trying to avoid the coven members like the plague, a small alien child isn't so much concerned with who helps her, just as long as someone does. She accidentally left her house's door open and her five new kittens are suddenly missing! Where are they? Who knows! But she'd certainly like some help looking for them. I ▢ As the day winds down, snow falls on Shehui for the last time this season. The government is getting rid of their supplies that create the festive weather. This is old hat for older coven members, but for newbies? You better enjoy the snow while you can. After an hour or so, it piles up enough to truly be utilized for merriment...this also means that it's pretty easy to get snowed in if you happen to be in a building during the snow fall, which also creates some interactive opportunities. J ▢ Wildcard! How will your character interact with this new and unusual world?

Comments

[osuni]

[fine jusis okuni will forever think of you as 'that cat dude' FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. He'll be in good company with daichi the fidget spinner dude and jumin the piano man.

Okuni immediately looks amused, both at his tone and his suggestion.]

Of course. [is being a cat whisperer worth looking so smug, okuni] But unfortunately, I'm not the one who was asked to find the kitten. You should try harder for the owner's sake.

[She nyaas again at the kitten as if to say "RIGHT, U AGREE WITH ME DONCHA"]

[allbroea]

[ no please he doesn't even really like cats ... going out of his way to do fetch quests was a mistake.

he opens his mouth to respond, but okuni meows again first, and he makes an only slightly distressed look at the receptive kitten. this is unfair. ]

I did find the kitten. [ he makes a hopeful gesture towards the ground in front of him, but the kitten seems much more interested in okuni now, if still wary. jusis' frown deepens. he doesn't want to ask for help, either ..... ]

She's just not very cooperative. [ if only he had a cat whisperer right here. ] You're clearly familiar with cats. Does she seem friendly?

[ he's an extremely capable military academy student. how hard can it be to pick up a kitten. ]

[osuni]

[rean is somewhere being absurdly proud that jusis is doing fetch quests out of his own volition okay

Okuni smothers a giggle behind a hand, like what any punk would do, but takes his question a bit more seriously.]

Well, she doesn't seem to hate you. [The kitten seems to be less tense now, maybe she's admiring Jusis's good looks.... or maybe it's because Jusis and Okuni have been here and aren't leaving, so the kitten is losing interest....] But all cats are quick to attack if they feel threatened, and your super stern and stiff face probably isn't doing anything to help with that.

[JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE!!!]

If you really can't meow, then you can at least smile, right?

[allbroea]

[ jusis is internally blaming this entire event on rean's infectious do-good nature, alright. ]

My face is making her feel threatened? That's ridiculous. [ gotta get that one out of the way, but he pauses before he continues that thought. he has been told that he is not ... exactly ... easy to approach.

a small sigh. ]

You think a smile would be enough?

[ should he ... do anything else ... with the smile. that sounds a little far-fetched, but he's also smiled like four times in his life, so trust him not to know the magic of a pleasant expression. ]

[osuni]

[The gleam in Okuni's eyes grows brighter...]

It should be, unless you're the sort who's bad at smiling. [She has this feeling already... That Jusis is probably more than okay at smiling when he's happy(???), but can he smile under DURESS] Which you aren't, are you?

[There's this insinuation here that Okuni totally thinks JUSIS IS BAD AT SMILING but it's fine, he can do it, she believes in him. see, she'll even flutter her fingers at the kitten to keep her attention. WAIT TILL U SEE WHAT COMES NEXT, CAT]

[allbroea]

[ he's totally being taken for a ride right now, and okuni earns a sharp glare for it. ]

How is it even possible to be bad at smiling? [ it's a simple, thoughtless facial expression!! he turns his attention back to the cat, and channels his inner kindness. years of bringing treats to the kids stooped outside of the galleria have trained him for this.

it is, by no means, a perfect smile, but it's a lot better than his perpetual straight face or almost-as-perpetual frown. ]

There. Is that better?

[ his tone is, for the most part, much softer, so it's easy to think he's talking to the cat, but there's still a sarcastic edge under it that makes it clear it's intended for okuni, too. ]

WHAT A PURE ICON

[osuni]

[This is great. This is good. Okuni's glad she's a witness to this truly soft Jusis moment, because now it's in her mind for all time and that means she can totally send this via telepathically to all of Jusis's friends to embarrass him. For now...

She bursts into laughter, though it's more genuine than punkhearted FOR ONCE. but anyway it's a good this rebellious kitten responds positively to Jusis's soft tone, since now Okuni is banshee cackling.]

Oooh, that was better than I thought it'd be! [truly, she thought he wouldn't be able to do it!] Still not very good, but points for effort. I bet you're the type who isn't used to not being good at something, huh?

[but here, suddenly from Okuni's voluminous kimono sleeves... she produces a feather cat toy and then shoves it towards Jusis]

But here, your reward.

I KNOW ... he's such a pure boy deep down

[allbroea]

[ he came out here to help this very small cat and he's feeling so attacked right now. his momentary relief that the cat has accepted his smile as tribute is washed away as soon as okuni starts laughing, and all the hard work he put into that smile goes right with it. he's progressed from frown to rightout grimace.

he rightout snatches that toy from her hands when she thrusts it at him. ]

And I'm sure you're the type to needlessly aggravate someone for your own enjoyment. The smile clearly worked, so it was good enough.

[ she forfeited her thanks! —for now, at least, he's entirely focused on getting this nightmare over with, dangling the toy in front of the kitten and pulling it just out of reach when it paws at it. ]

im so glad okuni has been blessed

[osuni]

[Watching Jusis do battle with a feather is the thanks Okuni gets, but doesn't deserve, honestly.]

How unkind! Even though I've been doing my best to help you all this time.

[Okuni replies, COMPLETE WITH CHEEKY GRIN. Anyway, one cat toy is boring, so Okuni pulls out another??? from her sleeve to join in the Sudden Accosting. (why didn't she just fork these over in the first place) To the kitten,]

He can smile, but he's bad at saying thanks, huh?

[U GET IT, RIGHT KITTY]

[allbroea]

[ why does she have two cat toys in her sleeves? Does she have more? jusis is starting to feel like he's underestimated her, somehow. ]

If you weren't asked to find these cats, why in Aidios' name are you carrying around so many toys for them? [ is this just her m.o.??

—he forgot the feather toy. the kitten pounces on it mercilessly, and he is momentarily horrified before trying to tug it back from underneath its paws. ]

You can't be serious.

[ please ... the other feather toy is his last hope .... ]

[osuni]

[WHAT IF IT IS HER M.O.??? Okuni can't be Okuni if she doesn't shove every interesting thing she finds in her sleeves and pockets and then forgets about them until opportunities with stern-faced cat whisperer potentials appear.]

Because they're useful to have! You never know when you need a cat. [it's fun to toss cats at people........ also they're cute. they remind her of her brother Baren.... except he's the actual cat whisperer, cats just appear to drape themselves all over him.] And you never know when you'll run into someone who's bad at handling cats.

[LIKE RIGHT NOW, with this kitten establishing Dominance of the feather.]

Hee, it looks like you're losing... But since she's focused, you could try petting her.

[allbroea]

[ he was so focused on one route to victory he didn't even realize the opportunity right in front of him ... there's no way he can't just tear the thing out from underneath the cat's paws, but he wouldn't want to risk hurting it, either. ]

I don't spend a lot of time around kittens. Of course I don't know how to handle them. [ he says, reaching out to pet the kitten. if he spent more time around them, he's sure he would be extremely proficient with cat-handling, alright. he counts himself lucky that he has successfully built a rapport with the small animal; it leans into his hand, purring, and he takes the opportunity to finally scoop it up into his arms.

how does rean do this every day. ]

That was a greater ordeal than I would have liked. In the end, I suppose I should thank you.

[osuni]

[BECAUSE REAN IS GOOD WITH CATS AND AT SAYING THANK YOUs.

Okuni doesn't look offended at all -- maybe it's because she's already reaped many rewards from this entire conversation so far with Jusis.]

And I suppose I would say you're welcome, mister kitty cat. [He's just as ornery as a cat?? Rean is a cat whisperer in more ways than one, apparently.] But if you're not going to thank me, then I'll have to take my just payment from you some other way.

[OMINOUS.....]

[allbroea]

[ MISTER KITTY CAT ... boy, does he scowl. remembering that kittens apparently prefer it when he smiles, he makes an attempt to calm any nerves that flare up from the unsightly display by giving it another pet. he's getting the hang of distractions.

immediately: ]

That won't be necessary. [ that is a deep, dark pit he would never get out of if he agreed to it instead of uttering a couple of words. ] Thank you, miss. I would similarly thank you if you were to never call me that again. Jusis is fine.

[osuni]

[congratulations jusis u escaped the dark pit with sheer force of will....

Okuni pouts, all of that ominous punkshittery vanishing into the horizon.]

IF you're sure. [AWWW!!! but okay......] Being on a first name basis is just as good, I suppose.

[does it defeat the purpose if she just immediately ascribes a nickname to jusis anyway.]

My name's Okuni Kumou! There's no need for the miss, since we're all part of the same coven transported here entirely against our own will anyway.

[imagine jusis was just an ordinary shehui citizen, okuni is bad at keeping coven secrets]

[allbroea]

[ don't lay your traps so obviously, okuni ... she'll never catch him this way!!

he is, admittedly, taken aback by the sheer bluntness of the statement, especially given his signet is hidden quite (un)comfortably under his cravat. they're not in a particularly crowded area, though, so it's not like he has a reason to deny it. ]

... Okuni, then. [ uh, hm ] You aren't wrong; I am a member of the coven, as far as I've been informed, but how did you know that?

[ is there something else that stands out aside from the signet ... did she just nonchalantly guess. ]

[osuni]

I have a sixth sense about those sorts of things! [she nonchalantly guessed]

Also, you talked to me! Most of the people here turn the other way if I approach them. We coven-types aren't very popular with the citizens here.

[allbroea]

[ reason two sounds a lot more believable than reason one. he frowns, standing with the cat. ]

Of course. I had nearly forgotten the warm reception I received. [ he's going to take a stab in the dark here, given that. ] I take it that building is more akin to a quarantine for us.

[ the grump is almost overflowing ... it's a good first day in shehui. ]

[osuni]

[Okuni rises as well, dusting herself off and placing her cat toys back in her giant sleeves.]

It wasn't at first, but now it pretty much is. They can lock us all in our rooms without having to be there in person. It's quite handy.

[She says, like she wasn't the one who was being locked in!!!]

I imagine we can bust ourselves out easily if we really put our mind to it. The windows aren't too thick. They could break easily.

[allbroea]

[ he can't believe she really just puts the cat toys in her sleeves ... or how utterly casual she is about being locked into the apartment and breaking out of it?? his frown deepens at the mention of a lockdown; that's a much more literal quarantine than he expected. ]

This isn't a frequent occurrence, is it? [ this part is definitely kind of accusatory: ] What have the rest of you been doing all this time to get put under house arrest?