[Tohsaka, as someone who would do something quite similar for herself if she had the chance, recognizes this. Like looking judgmentally into a warped mirror, of sorts. Every effort put forth in crafting a certain image, the "right" image, for oneself. A mask to hide behind and a shield to use when deflecting certain things. Most, if not all, mages in her world were like that. Cunning and never direct. Always secretive and you only ever saw what they wanted you to see. That's because all mages are in competition, and the death of another mage means suddenly there are more resources for the remaining mages still alive.]
[Checking and not finding how a New York (L)imes photo with fuzzy animals to promote your next big romance film to rival The Notebook is "silly" (for legal reasons a parody magazine name has been chos—)]
Oh, of course.
[ #doubt ]
Well, should I save any further small talk for our meeting?
[There's another photo from the set where he's giving himself bunny ears. Silliness achieved.]
Haha, sure!
[And when it's time to actually meet, Natori managed to get there early (so he can see exactly how much she orders and not get scammed). For some godforsaken reason, he's wearing a bucket hat, a pair of glasses, and a virgin killer sweater. He does not seem self conscious about this in the least.
He waves her over cheerfully when he sees her.]
Tohsaka-san, right?
[There's what looks like a solid black tattoo of a lizard sitting on his exposed right shoulder which doesn't resemble any suits in the hotel; if Rin can sense youkai, she can probably tell that's what it is.]
[As someone with a more put-together outfit, Rin is quite taken back by his manner of dress. The bucket hat completely clashes with the style of the sweater, and almost makes her regret coming out to see him in the first place. Not that she takes issue with any piece by itself, but the image they make when put together is... off putting. She stares in stunned silence — in fact her surprise is so great she completely doesn't recognize the the lizard as a separate entity from him at first.
Perhaps she'll notice it later. For now she reluctantly takes a seat with him.]
Yes, that's me.
[She tucks the skirt of the 3/4 sleeve sweater dress underneath her before taking a seat. The waist belt cinches in the middle to give her shape, and the tights give a pop of red that stands out against the black dress and ankle booties she wears.]
Remind me of your name again?
[She's not so shocked that she has forgotten. Instead Rin opens with this holding the intention that a slight bit of 'forgetfulness' may make her seem less like a threat. More human, even.]
[Her reaction is warranted, particularly since the sweater isn't showing off any exceptional "assets." He's fit in a superficial way, in good enough shape that he can hike around the mountains at night and appear shirtless when a scene calls for it, but it's not like he's flaunting some impressive guns or pecs. He seems much more used to the hat.]
It's Natori. [He's not bothered by her forgetting, if that's what it is; it's still honestly kind of refreshing, introducing himself all the time.] Do you want to get right into business, or should we do some small talk first?
[Tohsaka gestures at the table as if opening the floor for him to start. With her time at the Golden Peacock quickly approaching the 2 year mark and the confidence she has in her own world's magic system there's little for her to 'worry' about. She welcomes his questions and is happy to answer them in exchange for the meal. Especially since she keeps blowing all her money one magecraft supplies so she's perpetually LOW BALANCE despite being a Rank 9 guest.]
[Fair enough. She did say she was expensive, after all.]
Alright then. [There's a lot of questions he has about the hotel, and he appreciates getting insight from anyone who's been here as long as she has, but where he starts is the one question that everyone else has dodged thus far. He's paying, after all.]
I'm told that around... 5 or 6 months ago, the hotel experienced a blackout as the house seemed to lose control. Did you encounter the heart, and if so, can you describe it for me?
Of course. It was exactly as it sounds like: a heart. However it was quite large, and surrounded by chains. Upon trying to engage it, whether it be to destroy or free it, anyone in the area got flung to the upper most floors of this place and were left to free fall back down to the bottom. While I had not died that day, I did suffer some kind of penalty for what I had witnessed. Beyond that, I had not intended to actually find the heart. I had come across it while following the voice of my beckoning sister.
[That wouldn't be the case for everyone, though. As a "Clubs" suit she was one of few who actually had some indicator there was something to find. Though she wonders what the meaning of using her sister's voice was. The call of a "loved one"? Of someone she felt guilt towards, or someone who hated her? Rin and Sakura's relationship is complicated in such various ways it's difficult to pin down "intent" on that alone.]
The voice of your sister... [And they got flung to the upper floors to fall back down, meaning...] It was in the basement, then?
[Was that the intention behind the voices down there? A defense system to stop people from poking around, one that had failed during the blackout? But no, if that were the case then it would be trying to keep people out, not draw them in. He lets out a single humorless laugh.]
Typical, to try to lure you down there only to punish you for following along. [Everyone he's tried to talk to about this has blown him off, but he might as well give it a shot-- again, he's paying. Matter-of-factly, as if he has every expectation that she'll be willing to share, he asks] What was the penalty?
What do you think it was? It's ever-present and sexual in nature, unsurprisingly. If you want specifics you'll have to do better than lunch.
[So it's on the table, for a price. For now she'll grab at the complimentary water and busy her mouth with taking a sip. She already knows what she wants for lunch, and she won't hesitate to order if a waiter even glances at their table. Fortunately for Natori that'll be a few more moments away.]
But someone else I spoke with posited the idea that the suits work independently of The House and the resort. If that's the case you could say my own suit is a bit rebellious. Prior to this there was a "Clubs Game" that revealed a bunch of secrets about this place.
[Ah, well. It certainly confirms that the punishments were deeply personal, even for a place like this where overt sexual nonsense was very much the norm. He shrugs one shoulder in a "can't blame a guy for trying" gesture to let it go; the lizard isn't impacted by the movement, as if it were really just a tattoo.]
Mm, I heard something about that-- that Clubs was able to take advantage of an earlier moment of weakness from the House, maybe? [So she's Clubs, huh. Natori can't help but remember the way Matoba had presented the suits to him, as selecting for common themes or traits amongst the new guests on arrival, and wondering what exactly that meant she had in common with the other people he's met who have been chosen by Clubs.] From what I understand, it seems that "the House" is something like a parasite or curse on the resort itself. [He glances at her for confirmation or correction; as he does, the lizard scurries further down his arm with a quiet slithering noise, just audible over the sounds of the restaurant around them.] In your opinion, which of them is the entity that we're sustaining? Meaning, is it the House or the resort that is obsessed with sex? Or both, I suppose.
[—Oh. He catches on quick, and is fairly well-learned about the subject already. Sure she's been pretty vocal about her knowledge if she feels like she's being properly compensated for it, but she wonders what other informants he's had the pleasure of speaking to prior to herself. As an Exorcist he's likely to have plenty of background that lets him not sweat the small stuff, but she's still quite impressed by his ability to keep pace.]
That's a good question. My guess is that The House is the one orchestrating everything and ultimately benefiting from it. Our "container" is likely to be something similar to a 'living haunted house' which may be sustained by whatever "left overs" The House may be able to spare it to continue the facade. If The House is low on harvested energy then our residence suffers.
So you're guessing that we're primarily fueling the House, and the Golden Peacock-- as our "container"-- is getting whatever the House doesn't take up itself? [Very much like a parasite, if that was the case. The idea of being inside of a sentient building clearly isn't new to him and wasn't even before he arrived, nor is the idea of another ayakashi tapping into an existing energy source and leaving the original one with crumbs. It's also why he conceives of each of the suits as their own sentient ayakashi, each an independent sentient creature that manifests across multiple people but still fits into the existing ecosystem; maybe it's not so surprising that he'd jump to that, when this isn't the first time he's had an ayakashi living on his skin.]
Then how do the suits come in? As you say, they seem to operate independently and at times cross-purposes to the House, as Clubs demonstrated, but they also seem to be the primary enforcers of the "harvesting." If not the mechanism by which the harvesting is conducted. [It seems natural to assume that the suit marks are the conduit for that energy, whether it's emotional or sexual as they've debated before; again, maybe that's a projection of how he's used to thinking about the lizard currently crawling down his bare arm.] Symbiosis? They've each decided to make do with what they can get while serving the House, but some or all of them are willing to take another option if it presents itself?
I'm not quite certain myself. The involvement of suits was an idea proposed by someone else. Parts of it make sense, but I haven't been able to wholly understand how their involvement shapes our current predicament. Each suit seems to do one of two things: select someone who seems to be lacking what they impart, or someone who embodies their traits. Rebellious, calculating, and dishonest people tend to align with Clubs. Those who struggle outwardly expressing their emotions lean to Hearts. People who have dark ambitions, amoral stances, or otherwise shady behavior but sweeten it with a smile or a joke are favored by Spades. The most stubborn and reluctant of us all tend to slot into Diamonds.
It's weird. Sometimes I jokingly think of them like horoscopes with how frequently these trends align. It's not a perfect sorting, but I think it encompasses a decent majority.
[When the waitress finally shows up, Rin orders... reasonably. An economic lunch plate with an entree, vegetable side, and some xiao long bao at the side. Comes with complimentary tea.]
[He's encountered the idea that the suits are selecting the guests and that those guests have some traits in common, but this is his first time hearing it articulated as including traits that they lack. It makes intuitive sense, at least with his own experiences with both Spades and ayakashi in general-- a targeting of weak points in the heart, of trying to subtly and not-so-subtly influence their behaviors, not exclusively for sexual purposes. Not just a favorite type of person or a common theme in what they like to feed off of, but potentially supplementing what the ayakashi see as a deficiency.
He doesn't react visibly to any of her descriptions of the different suits, but they're certainly amusing. And blunt.]
Haha. I can't say I disagree with your characterization, at least from what I've seen. [Not that he'd say he knows all that many people in the hotel, but it certainly fits for him. He pauses as the waitress comes by, pleasantly surprised by Rin's restraint, and orders his own lunch set (an entree with a bit of spice, veggies, the same tea). When the waitress walks off, he picks up like they hadn't stopped.]
It makes sense. If the suits each have a particular 'type' that they prefer to target, and they're given the chance to choose amongst the incoming guests, of course each one would select for what would maximize their benefit. No one's ever switched suits, as far as you know?
Not as far as I'm aware, but I doubt it's impossible. A person is complex, so more than one suit may be applicable to their various [mental illnesses] behaviors. Or perhaps we're seeing patterns where there aren't any? Maybe it's all just another game of roulette.
[With a shrug Rin reaches for the complimentary water again. In truth she doesn't believe the last bit of what she said — always more willing to put her money on the fact her opponent can and does have a reason for everything. Complex systems, organization, and overly involved rituals are all part of life when it comes to being a mage. Why shouldn't it be the same of some being with more power?]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
paperpusher) wrote2025-06-08 09:26 am
no subject
How much did you pay for the glamor shot?
no subject
[Well, the prompt was take a silly picture. He chose to turn that into a photoshoot with the rabbits to, yes, get his image up.]
no subject
Oh, of course.
[ #doubt ]
Well, should I save any further small talk for our meeting?
no subject
Haha, sure!
[And when it's time to actually meet, Natori managed to get there early (so he can see exactly how much she orders and not get scammed). For some godforsaken reason, he's wearing a bucket hat, a pair of glasses, and a virgin killer sweater. He does not seem self conscious about this in the least.
He waves her over cheerfully when he sees her.]
Tohsaka-san, right?
[There's what looks like a solid black tattoo of a lizard sitting on his exposed right shoulder which doesn't resemble any suits in the hotel; if Rin can sense youkai, she can probably tell that's what it is.]
no subject
Perhaps she'll notice it later. For now she reluctantly takes a seat with him.]
Yes, that's me.
[She tucks the skirt of the 3/4 sleeve sweater dress underneath her before taking a seat. The waist belt cinches in the middle to give her shape, and the tights give a pop of red that stands out against the black dress and ankle booties she wears.]
Remind me of your name again?
[She's not so shocked that she has forgotten. Instead Rin opens with this holding the intention that a slight bit of 'forgetfulness' may make her seem less like a threat. More human, even.]
no subject
It's Natori. [He's not bothered by her forgetting, if that's what it is; it's still honestly kind of refreshing, introducing himself all the time.] Do you want to get right into business, or should we do some small talk first?
no subject
[Tohsaka gestures at the table as if opening the floor for him to start. With her time at the Golden Peacock quickly approaching the 2 year mark and the confidence she has in her own world's magic system there's little for her to 'worry' about. She welcomes his questions and is happy to answer them in exchange for the meal. Especially since she keeps blowing all her money one magecraft supplies so she's perpetually LOW BALANCE despite being a Rank 9 guest.]
no subject
Alright then. [There's a lot of questions he has about the hotel, and he appreciates getting insight from anyone who's been here as long as she has, but where he starts is the one question that everyone else has dodged thus far. He's paying, after all.]
I'm told that around... 5 or 6 months ago, the hotel experienced a blackout as the house seemed to lose control. Did you encounter the heart, and if so, can you describe it for me?
no subject
[That wouldn't be the case for everyone, though. As a "Clubs" suit she was one of few who actually had some indicator there was something to find. Though she wonders what the meaning of using her sister's voice was. The call of a "loved one"? Of someone she felt guilt towards, or someone who hated her? Rin and Sakura's relationship is complicated in such various ways it's difficult to pin down "intent" on that alone.]
no subject
[Was that the intention behind the voices down there? A defense system to stop people from poking around, one that had failed during the blackout? But no, if that were the case then it would be trying to keep people out, not draw them in. He lets out a single humorless laugh.]
Typical, to try to lure you down there only to punish you for following along. [Everyone he's tried to talk to about this has blown him off, but he might as well give it a shot-- again, he's paying. Matter-of-factly, as if he has every expectation that she'll be willing to share, he asks] What was the penalty?
no subject
[So it's on the table, for a price. For now she'll grab at the complimentary water and busy her mouth with taking a sip. She already knows what she wants for lunch, and she won't hesitate to order if a waiter even glances at their table. Fortunately for Natori that'll be a few more moments away.]
But someone else I spoke with posited the idea that the suits work independently of The House and the resort. If that's the case you could say my own suit is a bit rebellious. Prior to this there was a "Clubs Game" that revealed a bunch of secrets about this place.
no subject
Mm, I heard something about that-- that Clubs was able to take advantage of an earlier moment of weakness from the House, maybe? [So she's Clubs, huh. Natori can't help but remember the way Matoba had presented the suits to him, as selecting for common themes or traits amongst the new guests on arrival, and wondering what exactly that meant she had in common with the other people he's met who have been chosen by Clubs.] From what I understand, it seems that "the House" is something like a parasite or curse on the resort itself. [He glances at her for confirmation or correction; as he does, the lizard scurries further down his arm with a quiet slithering noise, just audible over the sounds of the restaurant around them.] In your opinion, which of them is the entity that we're sustaining? Meaning, is it the House or the resort that is obsessed with sex? Or both, I suppose.
no subject
That's a good question. My guess is that The House is the one orchestrating everything and ultimately benefiting from it. Our "container" is likely to be something similar to a 'living haunted house' which may be sustained by whatever "left overs" The House may be able to spare it to continue the facade. If The House is low on harvested energy then our residence suffers.
no subject
So you're guessing that we're primarily fueling the House, and the Golden Peacock-- as our "container"-- is getting whatever the House doesn't take up itself? [Very much like a parasite, if that was the case. The idea of being inside of a sentient building clearly isn't new to him and wasn't even before he arrived, nor is the idea of another ayakashi tapping into an existing energy source and leaving the original one with crumbs. It's also why he conceives of each of the suits as their own sentient ayakashi, each an independent sentient creature that manifests across multiple people but still fits into the existing ecosystem; maybe it's not so surprising that he'd jump to that, when this isn't the first time he's had an ayakashi living on his skin.]
Then how do the suits come in? As you say, they seem to operate independently and at times cross-purposes to the House, as Clubs demonstrated, but they also seem to be the primary enforcers of the "harvesting." If not the mechanism by which the harvesting is conducted. [It seems natural to assume that the suit marks are the conduit for that energy, whether it's emotional or sexual as they've debated before; again, maybe that's a projection of how he's used to thinking about the lizard currently crawling down his bare arm.] Symbiosis? They've each decided to make do with what they can get while serving the House, but some or all of them are willing to take another option if it presents itself?
no subject
It's weird. Sometimes I jokingly think of them like horoscopes with how frequently these trends align. It's not a perfect sorting, but I think it encompasses a decent majority.
[When the waitress finally shows up, Rin orders... reasonably. An economic lunch plate with an entree, vegetable side, and some xiao long bao at the side. Comes with complimentary tea.]
no subject
He doesn't react visibly to any of her descriptions of the different suits, but they're certainly amusing. And blunt.]
Haha. I can't say I disagree with your characterization, at least from what I've seen. [Not that he'd say he knows all that many people in the hotel, but it certainly fits for him. He pauses as the waitress comes by, pleasantly surprised by Rin's restraint, and orders his own lunch set (an entree with a bit of spice, veggies, the same tea). When the waitress walks off, he picks up like they hadn't stopped.]
It makes sense. If the suits each have a particular 'type' that they prefer to target, and they're given the chance to choose amongst the incoming guests, of course each one would select for what would maximize their benefit. No one's ever switched suits, as far as you know?
no subject
mental illnesses] behaviors. Or perhaps we're seeing patterns where there aren't any? Maybe it's all just another game of roulette.[With a shrug Rin reaches for the complimentary water again. In truth she doesn't believe the last bit of what she said — always more willing to put her money on the fact her opponent can and does have a reason for everything. Complex systems, organization, and overly involved rituals are all part of life when it comes to being a mage. Why shouldn't it be the same of some being with more power?]