YEAR OF THE TIGERDRAGON

[vengaboy]

No matter what language you speak, no matter what country or universe you reside in, a mysterious letter has found its way to you. Those who can read it will recognize it as an ornately scripted Japanese new year's invitation; those who don't might not even know these elaborate squiggles mean anything at all. Either way, when you look up from the neatly folded paper, you're probably nowhere near home anymore.

Where is this?! When is this?! Welcome to Japan as it was kinda, sorta, just shy of the year 1600, esteemed guests! If it somehow feels like it isn't even the right month anymore, that's because local time and date is still on the lunar system. It's fine. New Year's parties are New Year's parties.

And those parties mean alcohol! Music! Dancing! Feasting! Don't be shy! There are a number of attendants in colourful livery nearby, eagerly expecting an influx of new guests. They're all friendly enough, but they don't seem to bear the crest of any particular clan and sharp-eyed visitors may catch the briefest glimpse of a striped fluffy tail or a foxy grin... or is it a trick of the light? If you want nothing to do with any of this, they might pout a little but will send you home without any problem. But if you choose to follow them beyond the gates, get ready for one hell of a night. The only kind of explanation you get for what's going on is that the Takeda and Date clans have set aside their rivalries for a night of PEACE AND PARTY and everyone's invited. What does that mean? Go find out for yourself.

Of course folks from all over have been invited to this thing, but outnumbering the other guests by far are a bunch of rowdy samurai types, some in their armour, many in more formal robes, several proudly bearing banners of red or blue. Nobody appears to have any weapons on them, but if any guest takes that as an opportunity to start some shit they're going to be swarmed in like two seconds, so... maybe don't do that. However! There is plenty of space outside to spar in, if that's your thing! Or you can stay inside and drink, eat, enjoy the music, exchange raunchy stories, be an awkward wallflower, drink some more, witness some weird and kind of horrific family bonding, watch the unique display of gun- and canonfire alongside the fireworks, explore the scenic countryside outside of the compound, listen to some smug asshole in an eyepatch and some kid in red scream really loud at eachother, get playfully bullied into taking part in a ceremony you know nothing about, drain a bottle or two, flirt with famous historical figures, or... whatever you want!

All fandoms, all mediums, AUs, doubles, OCs, etc are all fair play here! Invite your friends! Invite your dog! Go nuts! Just slap a warning up if any threads take a particularly violent or sexy turn. Or both. I ain't judging.

LET'S PARTY!

Comments

[ooeshii]

[Like hell! She drags herself upright with a growl. The floor is spinning just a little. By oni standards, she's a lightweight and all.]

Ahaha . . . ! Take it up with the fools who invited in one of my kind! You humans can't help but flirt with danger!

[Hiccup.]

Ahhhh, I shouldn't be on the floor . . .

[All at once she seems embarrassed to have been seen like this, and pulls herself back into her seat like a normal-ish person.]

[belomancy]

[ She huffs and puts her hands on her hips. ]

I will, once I purify these grounds from your kind. In fact, it's working right now, my presence has weakened you!

[ Although a part of her is a tiny bit concerned as to why the ogre looks a little woozy. It's clear on her face for a brief second, before she furrow her brows even more. ]

[ooeshii]

It has not! I just drank a little too much sake. But don't think I'm going to stop just because I've had too much!

[By now, she's at least situated back at the table and looks passingly normal. Mostly. Kind of. Okay, she's real drunk.]

Unless you have the power to make sake stronger! If you do, you're coming home with me. Shuten would never let me hear the end of it if I let a treasure like that get away.

[belomancy]

[ Nah, it's pretty clear she's drunk. She's seen enough tonight to know what drunken people look like, and you're definitely one of them, Miss Oni.

She raises her eyebrow at Ibaraki's rambles. Now where had she heard of that name before... ]

Shuten... as in Shuten-Doji? Are you one of his underlings, the child from Mizuo? You're certainly much smaller than what the legends have said. But regardless the tales, I will make sure you won't cause any trouble here-- And I don't make sake stronger!

[...] I think.

[ooeshii]

Ahhh, Shuten's even smaller than I am! She'd still laugh at me if she heard you making fun of me for it . . .

[Apparently, in her world, both her and Shuten-Douji are tiny female oni. Ibaraki groans thickly in embarrassment even imagining how much Shuten would laugh at hearing this, in her ASMR voice, and slumps over the table again in her petulance.]

Look upon me, human! I am the great Ibaraki-Douji! It doesn't matter how small I am, I can still hold my liquor!

[belomancy]

Ibaraki-Douji! I should have known! [ She covers her mouth with her hand. She leans over to inspect the oni's slumped form. ] My, you're rather small for someone who hold her liquor.

[ She's impressed but also ??? The tales were incorrect? But what she knew is that the demon known as Ibaraki-Douji as some kind of barber turn barbarian oni. ]

You must have remembered your days before becoming an oni, would you rather not relive back those days instead?

[ooeshii]

You don't have to keep mentioning my size!

[She snarls. It comes out slurred. This is not the most convincing display of oni machismo in history, that's for sure.]

And don't make me laugh! Nevermind that it's too late for that anyway . . . why would that be what I wanted? I couldn't tell you one good thing about being human.

[belomancy]

Then, what good comes from becoming an oni, have you not brought blood and tragedy wherever you go since becoming one?

[ Despite her accusation, there is a part of her curious and maybe sympathetic about the poor child from Ibaraki. It must be sad having to leave your home behind. ]

I've only lived my life as a human, but here are plenty of wonderful things about being one.

[ooeshii]

I'll tell you what good comes from it! It's fun, that's what! A human can't understand, so there's no point trying. Blood and tragedy are just part of oni culture! Hey, are you really a shrine maiden if you think you can just talk me into living as a human?

[She squints through the haze of intoxication at the girl. What an interesting shrine maiden that is . . . ]