Post by Skoll Koryu on Nov 10, 2017 20:45:23 GMT -5
(Note that this is a social for Skoll and Luke)
“C’mon, Skoll, you promised. A deal’s a deal!”
“If I’d have known this what you had planned, I would have fuckin’ stayed in my jail cell!”
“Oh, quit being such a baby. You look good, anyway. C’mon, we’ve got some mingling to do!”
It had all started the day before, Skoll decided. That was how he had gotten into this mess. It had all started so innocently, too: with a few too many mugs of cheap Rukongai booze. After another trading trip into the outskirts of Soul Society’s major city, Skoll had foregone a quick return to his pack and had decided to stay among the human spirits for a while. Seeing as he had some time and a bit of spare change he had made here and there, the half-demon had immediately headed to the nearest bar. Though he didn’t indulge often, the Nakabakki had a bit of a fondness for strong drink, and though the Rukongai ale was low in quality, it was also cheap enough to buy in excess. Naturally, Skoll had chosen to go all the way, and had finished off nearly a half-dozen mugs before the room was spinning somewhat unnaturally around him.
What happened then was still a fuzzy mystery in his head, but it had involved a brawl with two patrons after a few friendly comments—calling someone a “son of a bitch” wasn’t much of an insult to Beast-Clansmen, but go figure, humans were so sensitive—a few flipped tables, and a gaping hole in the street-facing wall where a Bala had blasted out a large portion of the low-quality wood. From there, Skoll had at some point passed out and had woken up in a holding cell within Seireitei proper. Apparently the authorities didn’t appreciate a Beast-Clansman coming in and making such a mess, even within the Rukongai’s outer districts, and so he had been locked up until his pack could be contacted to retrieve him.
And then the nightmare had begun. Skoll had been quietly sitting in his cell, trying to will away the headache from his hangover, when an ear-piercing “A-ha!” had rang out. The sharp progression from headache to migraine aside, the Nakabakki had all but wilted when he saw a familiar face peering at him from between the bars. Konoe Kimura, an Omnitsukido trainee that he had met previously, was more than happy to tease him for his imprisonment. Lost in her heroes-and-villains fantasy, the young Shinigami was all too willing to chide him for his “criminal behavior.” Thankfully, this wasn’t the real reason for her visit.
Konoe made Skoll an offer then and there: she’d vouch for him, and get him freed without involving his pack, which would save him a good deal of time where he wouldn’t have to get lectured by Odin on human relations. In exchange, however, he owed her a favor, to be called in at any time. Skoll had quickly taken up that deal; he figured that Konoe was harmless enough, and whatever she asked for couldn’t be too bad. Getting out had taken no time at all, and soon Skoll was free to do what he wanted with the rest of his day—which mostly involved finding someplace dark and quiet he could use to rest off his splitting headache.
Unfortunately, it had been less than a day before Konoe decided to cash in her favor. She wanted Skoll to accompany her to some kind of convention that was being held in Karakura Town, a mixed-races event that catered to both the living and spiritual worlds. Apparently it had something to do with the picture books she liked to read, something she called “manga.” Skoll wasn’t familiar with the term, but given the size of the gathering, it seemed that his life in the wilderness had left him ignorant of a very popular attraction among many different peoples. Curiosity, at least, served as a minor balm to the very persistent irritation he felt.
Part of that irritation was in the outfit that Konoe had insisted that he wear as part of his debt to her. She said something about “cosplaying” or something, yet another odd term to the half-demon, but after nearly an hour of badgering him over it, the Omnitsukido trainee had won again. The result had Skoll looking like something out of one of the woman’s books, though he had to admit, it wasn’t a bad look. The problem was in the fit of the outfit; Konoe had either not planned for a Beast-Clansman who stood seven feet tall, or she had some strange ideas involving oddly revealing clothing for the usually-conservative humans who insisted on covering up the majority of their bodies.
Tugging lightly at the leather band on his neck, Skoll looked himself over in the mirror once more, getting one last look at his outfit. He wore a mesh shirt that covered most of his torso, but left the midriff bare. Atop that was a sleeveless leather vest that reached a similar length, leaving the lower half of his torso uncovered. He supposed if he had more visible musculature beneath his fur, it might have had something to show off, but as it was, all people would see was the usual spread of black. Long pants fit a bit better in terms of length, almost reaching Skoll’s ankles, but they failed when it came to the waist, which was too broad, causing it to sag down, slightly. A belt fastened onto the outfit helped in that regard, along with the half-demon’s tail assisting in holding it up due to the loop in back made for it, but it still felt a bit low for his comfort. His feet were left bare, but he made up for that in sheer accessories; a pair of golden earrings—the clip-on kind, as he lacked piercings—were fastened to Skoll’s left ear, and a chain with a delicately-carved wolf’s-head charm on it hung across his chest. Finally, a leather collar that was fastened comfortably around his neck and the bone-and-sinew Sinner’s Cross he always wore completed the set.
“Ugh… do I really have to go out there looking like this? I look like I belong in one of your ‘manga’… Besides, wouldn’t I stand out? You know even normal humans can see Beast-Clansmen, and last I checked, being big and fuzzy in the human world is a good way to get yourself hunted.”
“Oh, relax. Don’t worry about causing a panic; fur—er, people who look like you are fairly common at conventions of all types, so looking like an animal won’t cause any problems. And as for the outfit, that’s the point, silly! You look cool like that, and I bet everyone will fawn over it!” Konoe fiddled with her own outfit slightly, though it didn’t require much adjustment; she had used a sleeveless Omnitsukido outfit as a base, though the bright reds and pinks she wore was anything but fitting for a stealth squad member. Toss on an overabundance of sequins, and she looked like something out of a flashy movie. Skoll wasn’t sure what the appeal in such a choice was, but he didn’t question it; he was in unfamiliar territory now. “Since almost everyone is in a Gigai or just plain visible, you’ll just be a face in the cosplaying crowd!”
“I still don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. Can we just get this over with?” Skoll grumbled, crossing his arms as he waited for his companion to finish. He wasn’t even sure what he was supposed to be doing; was he just for show, to be paraded around the room, or was he expected to do something? Konoe wasn’t being very forthcoming on details, though he doubted that she was trying to hide anything from him. She was just too easily distracted, flitting from one thought to the other without seeing things through.
“Alrighty, I’m set!” Konoe announced with a smile as she tied the sash at her waist off. “Let’s hit up the shopping square, first; I’m sure we can find something to make even you smile!”
“Doubt that...” Skoll grumbled, but he followed at the light tug on his arm, stepping out the door and into the main convention hall.
The first thing that hit him was a wave of color. Dozens of people in outfits ranging from mundane to ridiculous were spread out all over, gathering in groups or moving from one place to another. It was like a kaleidoscope of people, whirling about before Skoll’s eyes. And the noise…! So many people talking at once, often raising their voices or even yelling with excitement; Skoll found his ears automatically folding back, sensitive to the sheer sound crashing over him. He couldn’t think of the last time he had seen so many people packed together in a small area; the Rukongai was far more sprawling and had people more wide-spread than this, and most towns he had been to weren’t this crowded either.
“Great, this is definitely going to be a pain in the ass—” Skoll started to complain, when a loud shriek erupted only a few feet to his side.
“EEEEK! It’s a wolf-monster!” Whether the comment was in the spirit of the convention or someone was really freaked out by Skoll’s appearance, all the Nakabakki knew was that it set his head to ringing again. The voice was loud enough that just about everyone within a hundred feet could hear it, over the noise, and before long, the half-demon found dozens of eyes on him. He froze, not knowing how to react.
“Uh…”
“C’mon, Skoll, you promised. A deal’s a deal!”
“If I’d have known this what you had planned, I would have fuckin’ stayed in my jail cell!”
“Oh, quit being such a baby. You look good, anyway. C’mon, we’ve got some mingling to do!”
It had all started the day before, Skoll decided. That was how he had gotten into this mess. It had all started so innocently, too: with a few too many mugs of cheap Rukongai booze. After another trading trip into the outskirts of Soul Society’s major city, Skoll had foregone a quick return to his pack and had decided to stay among the human spirits for a while. Seeing as he had some time and a bit of spare change he had made here and there, the half-demon had immediately headed to the nearest bar. Though he didn’t indulge often, the Nakabakki had a bit of a fondness for strong drink, and though the Rukongai ale was low in quality, it was also cheap enough to buy in excess. Naturally, Skoll had chosen to go all the way, and had finished off nearly a half-dozen mugs before the room was spinning somewhat unnaturally around him.
What happened then was still a fuzzy mystery in his head, but it had involved a brawl with two patrons after a few friendly comments—calling someone a “son of a bitch” wasn’t much of an insult to Beast-Clansmen, but go figure, humans were so sensitive—a few flipped tables, and a gaping hole in the street-facing wall where a Bala had blasted out a large portion of the low-quality wood. From there, Skoll had at some point passed out and had woken up in a holding cell within Seireitei proper. Apparently the authorities didn’t appreciate a Beast-Clansman coming in and making such a mess, even within the Rukongai’s outer districts, and so he had been locked up until his pack could be contacted to retrieve him.
And then the nightmare had begun. Skoll had been quietly sitting in his cell, trying to will away the headache from his hangover, when an ear-piercing “A-ha!” had rang out. The sharp progression from headache to migraine aside, the Nakabakki had all but wilted when he saw a familiar face peering at him from between the bars. Konoe Kimura, an Omnitsukido trainee that he had met previously, was more than happy to tease him for his imprisonment. Lost in her heroes-and-villains fantasy, the young Shinigami was all too willing to chide him for his “criminal behavior.” Thankfully, this wasn’t the real reason for her visit.
Konoe made Skoll an offer then and there: she’d vouch for him, and get him freed without involving his pack, which would save him a good deal of time where he wouldn’t have to get lectured by Odin on human relations. In exchange, however, he owed her a favor, to be called in at any time. Skoll had quickly taken up that deal; he figured that Konoe was harmless enough, and whatever she asked for couldn’t be too bad. Getting out had taken no time at all, and soon Skoll was free to do what he wanted with the rest of his day—which mostly involved finding someplace dark and quiet he could use to rest off his splitting headache.
Unfortunately, it had been less than a day before Konoe decided to cash in her favor. She wanted Skoll to accompany her to some kind of convention that was being held in Karakura Town, a mixed-races event that catered to both the living and spiritual worlds. Apparently it had something to do with the picture books she liked to read, something she called “manga.” Skoll wasn’t familiar with the term, but given the size of the gathering, it seemed that his life in the wilderness had left him ignorant of a very popular attraction among many different peoples. Curiosity, at least, served as a minor balm to the very persistent irritation he felt.
Part of that irritation was in the outfit that Konoe had insisted that he wear as part of his debt to her. She said something about “cosplaying” or something, yet another odd term to the half-demon, but after nearly an hour of badgering him over it, the Omnitsukido trainee had won again. The result had Skoll looking like something out of one of the woman’s books, though he had to admit, it wasn’t a bad look. The problem was in the fit of the outfit; Konoe had either not planned for a Beast-Clansman who stood seven feet tall, or she had some strange ideas involving oddly revealing clothing for the usually-conservative humans who insisted on covering up the majority of their bodies.
Tugging lightly at the leather band on his neck, Skoll looked himself over in the mirror once more, getting one last look at his outfit. He wore a mesh shirt that covered most of his torso, but left the midriff bare. Atop that was a sleeveless leather vest that reached a similar length, leaving the lower half of his torso uncovered. He supposed if he had more visible musculature beneath his fur, it might have had something to show off, but as it was, all people would see was the usual spread of black. Long pants fit a bit better in terms of length, almost reaching Skoll’s ankles, but they failed when it came to the waist, which was too broad, causing it to sag down, slightly. A belt fastened onto the outfit helped in that regard, along with the half-demon’s tail assisting in holding it up due to the loop in back made for it, but it still felt a bit low for his comfort. His feet were left bare, but he made up for that in sheer accessories; a pair of golden earrings—the clip-on kind, as he lacked piercings—were fastened to Skoll’s left ear, and a chain with a delicately-carved wolf’s-head charm on it hung across his chest. Finally, a leather collar that was fastened comfortably around his neck and the bone-and-sinew Sinner’s Cross he always wore completed the set.
“Ugh… do I really have to go out there looking like this? I look like I belong in one of your ‘manga’… Besides, wouldn’t I stand out? You know even normal humans can see Beast-Clansmen, and last I checked, being big and fuzzy in the human world is a good way to get yourself hunted.”
“Oh, relax. Don’t worry about causing a panic; fur—er, people who look like you are fairly common at conventions of all types, so looking like an animal won’t cause any problems. And as for the outfit, that’s the point, silly! You look cool like that, and I bet everyone will fawn over it!” Konoe fiddled with her own outfit slightly, though it didn’t require much adjustment; she had used a sleeveless Omnitsukido outfit as a base, though the bright reds and pinks she wore was anything but fitting for a stealth squad member. Toss on an overabundance of sequins, and she looked like something out of a flashy movie. Skoll wasn’t sure what the appeal in such a choice was, but he didn’t question it; he was in unfamiliar territory now. “Since almost everyone is in a Gigai or just plain visible, you’ll just be a face in the cosplaying crowd!”
“I still don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. Can we just get this over with?” Skoll grumbled, crossing his arms as he waited for his companion to finish. He wasn’t even sure what he was supposed to be doing; was he just for show, to be paraded around the room, or was he expected to do something? Konoe wasn’t being very forthcoming on details, though he doubted that she was trying to hide anything from him. She was just too easily distracted, flitting from one thought to the other without seeing things through.
“Alrighty, I’m set!” Konoe announced with a smile as she tied the sash at her waist off. “Let’s hit up the shopping square, first; I’m sure we can find something to make even you smile!”
“Doubt that...” Skoll grumbled, but he followed at the light tug on his arm, stepping out the door and into the main convention hall.
The first thing that hit him was a wave of color. Dozens of people in outfits ranging from mundane to ridiculous were spread out all over, gathering in groups or moving from one place to another. It was like a kaleidoscope of people, whirling about before Skoll’s eyes. And the noise…! So many people talking at once, often raising their voices or even yelling with excitement; Skoll found his ears automatically folding back, sensitive to the sheer sound crashing over him. He couldn’t think of the last time he had seen so many people packed together in a small area; the Rukongai was far more sprawling and had people more wide-spread than this, and most towns he had been to weren’t this crowded either.
“Great, this is definitely going to be a pain in the ass—” Skoll started to complain, when a loud shriek erupted only a few feet to his side.
“EEEEK! It’s a wolf-monster!” Whether the comment was in the spirit of the convention or someone was really freaked out by Skoll’s appearance, all the Nakabakki knew was that it set his head to ringing again. The voice was loud enough that just about everyone within a hundred feet could hear it, over the noise, and before long, the half-demon found dozens of eyes on him. He froze, not knowing how to react.
“Uh…”
