WELCOME TO KANSAI

[akudamods]

Where are you? When are you? According to the smoggy sky above you, "noon" is a reasonable guess. You are in Dotonbori, though it may seem unwise to get closer to the bridge over the river or any iconic signs. Wandering past this single city block will be met by police robots, stopping your way with a hologram that claims you are on "probation" and will soon be given a "briefing", that the next robot scans and copies. There are human citizens in this area, at first simply stunned by your arrival and appearance. Over the minutes, though, they notice the information circulating on all sorts of holographic surfaces, and they begin chattering suspiciously about you.

The holographic surfaces aren't the only bright light in the city. You also find yourself experiencing glitches multiple times over these first few hours - parts of your body temporarily turning into bursts of color along with a burst of intense pain, or briefly losing awareness of yourself and coming back into focus a good few centimeters to the left, making an agonizing adjustment to sensory non-deprivation all over again. The other "Akudama" seem to be undergoing the same phenomenon of inexplicable sudden little changes in location. Akudama - that's what the citizens are calling you under their breath from the other side of the narrow alley street.

Want to bum a cigarette regardless? Hide in a karaoke booth and scream? Hey, you do you, buddy. Looks like nobody is coming to give you trouble just yet, unless you make it yourself. Maybe those "Gifts" some of you have will make sparks fly.

Comments

[conways_retribution]

<sub>[Jake didn't even know how to process any of this. He was just fixing to return the heavy weaponry to Tyrell now that it was all over. Now the mounted machine gun is just awkwardly laying in the sidecar he fixed to his bike.

Between that painful glitching and neon lights brighter than San Alfonso's, he needed a break.

Parking by an alleyway, he took a box of cigarettes that was held snuggly by his shirt sleeve and bit down on the butt, pulling a lighter from his pocket and lighting it up, not even paying attention to the onlookers.]</sub>

Goddamn lunacy... probation? I never even went to jail.

[fullswingkiss]

[ If there is anything that is at all relatable in this place it's the need to find a quiet corner and smoke. Ainosuke wasn't exactly planning on doing so in company, but networking with others in the same predicament might not be a best thing.

After a drag of his own cigarette: ] Neither did I, but that does not seem to stop whoever is running this show. This is the exact opposite of due process.

[conways_retribution]

I wasn't exactly affirming my innocence there. It's the idea that in between me being back at Dead End and somehow ending up here, I somehow got arrested rather than shot dead on sight. _{[DAMN JAKE YOU REALLY JUST GOING TO ADMIT THAT OUT LOUD WITH YOUR MOUTHHOLE HUH]}

[fullswingkiss]

[ Ainosuke stares down at his cigarette for a moment. "Mass Murder" was very much on this guys list. That's a hell of a thing to just admit to, but he values his safety enough to not comment on it. ]

Well, clearly they have some plans for us that go beyond a mere prison sentence. Whoever 'they' may be in this instance.

[conways_retribution]

You think they're playing a game or something? _{[It's not like Jake is too worried. Nothing's been actively attacking him so far CANNED LAUGHTER]}

[fullswingkiss]

[ A game, huh... Ainosuke does let out a little chuckle. It's a disgusting prospect, technically, but... ]

Why not? We're clearly not people to them, but watching those lesser than you skit about in fear can still prove somewhat rewarding.

[conways_retribution]

I somehow feel like you know from experience. _{[The face and the tone of voice is just getting to Jake now and it's. Weird.]}

[fullswingkiss]

The experience of watching enough movies, yes.

[ The deflection is very smooth, no hesitation whatsoever. He may have a morbid sense of humor, but he's a normal guy!! ]

There aren't many opportunities to cause primal fear when you do paperwork and attend assemblies, sadly.

[conways_retribution]

_{[Somehow he doubts that but he doesn't need to be chasing away people who aren't actively trying to kill him CANNED LAUGHTER]}

I know this might be the most obvious question but with the most obvious answer but... you some kinda businessman? Like a loan shark? A lawyer or something?

[fullswingkiss]

Close but no cigar. I'm a politician. I hold a seat in the Japanese Diet. Not that this seems to earn me any respect in this part of Japan.

[ He sounds very disdainful. Kansai should stop being rude. ]

[conways_retribution]

Ah. That explains the everything.

[fullswingkiss]

[ Oh, he'll laugh at that. ]

Not a fan?

[conways_retribution]

Well, I've done worse things than you so it's not like I have any right to look down on you for just doing what politicians do.

...Also, "Diet"?

[fullswingkiss]

Is parliament a term you're more familiar with?

[ Hopefully. ]

And whatever your image of politicians is, I do my job with love. That much you can be assured of.

[conways_retribution]

...Yeah. _{[He's familiar with the word.]}

...I'm sure you do. _{[He'll let that be ambiguous.]}