"isn't this a lot for your first day?"

[kokuyoyo]

Who: Chikusa and Axel
What: Hey Axel, did you know your new shinki has a worrying amount of criminal knowledge at 15? Well, now you do. (Prayer 23 at the least)
When: A couple of days after the festival (May 28), and then after that, probably a little wibbly wobbly on the time front
Where: The Near Shore
Warnings: Chikusa's questionable (lack of) morals, yakuza, inevitable ayakashi violence The day they return from what had been a festival (and which had quickly dissolved into wholesale slaughter), Chikusa had trudged along back to the temple with Axel and promptly fallen asleep in a shower. Fully clothed.

So that is a good indication of how their first day together went.

It's been a few days since then, and Chikusa has spent at least more than a few of that sleeping, probably more than was really normal, after Axel got him out of the shower. However, for as much as he'd like to sleep forever, the shinki has other ideas in mind. If there's one thing that the festival has proven to him, it's that he's not nearly strong enough to be of use to his god. So, with all the perseverance of a cat at a door, he's been following Axel around the temple pressing about prayers and if it's possible for them to do one.

Whether because of Chikusa's persistence, some mysterious work ethic awakening in Axel, or because this simply caught his eye... Here they are now, on the Near Shore. However, instead of doing whatever is required, Chikusa instead has found himself being tugged along through various Losts-and-Founds and thrift stores instead.

It's actually a decent concern. While Axel's coat has apparently gone mostly unscathed, Chikusa's middle school uniform has had no such luck. Fighting, hiding out from an explosion, and various bits of stray viscera made their mark on his clothing, and, even with all the cleaning he's aggressively done while not bothering Axel, it's still a bit worn. With a bit of searching, they've managed to find some suitable clothes and a backpack to shove his old ones in. From behind the curtain of a changing room, Chikusa's voice rises out.

"Will you tell me the details of the prayer now, Axel?" Shortly after, his head pokes out, and.... Apparently he's found a new hat, a knit one of mostly purple (with a horizontal stripe of orange through the middle) now replacing his plain white one from before. Listen. It was important.

Comments

[small_reservations]

Axel's coat may have gone all-but unscathed, but that doesn't mean it's comfortable in the springtime heat, and with summer coming... Needless to say, Chikusa's not the only one shopping. At least people notice them when they're offering money in exchange for goods and services, even if they don't seem to remember the god-and-shinki duo later. Just another customer, another face blended through the day.

Not that Axel minds, exactly. It's easier this way. Makes stealth easier, makes it harder for people to say, 'Hey, you're that guy who burned down half the festival!' or something. It's definitely convenient. He's currently wearing jeans and a T-shirt with a cartoon character on it, and has his old clothes shoved in the bag from the thrift store.

"I guess I can. Do you know what yakuza are?" He's gathered they're some sort of organized crime, more intense than a gang and powerful to boot, but this branch seems a little... different. "The job's pretty simple, really. Find their base and get the police involved."

[kokuyoyo]

"Yes," is out of Chikusa's mouth before he has time to think, and then the rest of the words follow even as he disappears behind the curtain again. "The police here in Japan call them bōryokudan, and the group themselves ninkyō dantai, but it doesn't matter. The biggest difference is that, unlike something such as the Italian mafia, they're considered somewhat legitimate even by the general public. They even think of themselves as semi-open in their activities, and believe their existence to be like that of feudal lords simply collecting from those on their land."

A pause, the sound of shuffling as he puts his uniform into his bag. This is probably the most Axel has ever heard him say since they first met.

"...But they're still nothing but filthy criminals whatever others or themselves might think to the contrary." And with that, he finally shuffles out, wearing jeans that fit those long legs of his and a purple shirt with a.... possum on it. The only thing to remain the same about his appearance, apparently, are his shoes. Those were still fine, at least. "Still, it seems strange the police are having difficulty... Are you sure you don't want to just eliminate them?" Well, that was sure a leap.

[small_reservations]

That's a lot of information. If you think Axel retained even half of that, Chikusa, you've got another thing coming. He blinks a couple of times as he listens; aren't shinki not supposed to remember anything? Maybe this is common knowledge here... That doesn't seem particularly likely, though.

"It's a new branch, and they haven't found where they hole up yet. We can fight them if we need to, but our job is just reconnaissance." That's all the prayer was asking for, and he's not going to work harder than he has to. Axel's got no reason to kill them. Then again, he's got no reason not to kill them either. So if they give him a reason to fight, he will. Otherwise, he's content to just use his semi-invisibility to spy.

[kokuyoyo]

Hey man, you brought it up.

Chikusa nods silently to that. It works well enough, and perhaps he should focus more on things like reconnaissance until he's become stronger that he can be a shinki Axel is able to rely on.

"If it's new... Perhaps eavesdropping on more established yakuza in the area would give us clues as to where this branch is located?" he suggests, leaning down to take his bagged uniform in hand. "Or... we could research on where most of their activity is, and search the area."

[small_reservations]

IT'S PART OF THE PRAYER HE'S KINDA OBLIGATED TO.

"Do you think the established groups are allied with the new one?" If they are... that could be trouble. At least they're invisible. He shifts his bag to over his shoulder, nodding to Chikusa. "Have you paid?" Since the festival, Axel's given Chikusa a regular allowance. He's aware that the teen steals, but that doesn't mean he needs to, or that he should, especially in a low-overhead shop like a thrift store.

[kokuyoyo]

Listen... First of all, he hadn't realized he even has an allowance. Secondly, money is to be hoarded for emergencies. Like so many of his habits or feelings, Chikusa isn't sure why he's certain of this sort of thing, merely that he is.

Still. It doesn't seem like Axel cares for it considering the circumstances, and he supposes he can see the sense in it. This is a thrift store, with cheap things. So he shakes his head, obediently going to the counter to leave the appropriate amount of yen, even as he continues talking to Axel.

"If it's still new and small, then it's doubtful that they're allied... but they'd probably still keep an eye on them, for territory matters. If you know the area where the they're causing trouble, I can probably find the other group that's nearest, and see what I can find out of them... Or just try and track them down that way... It's easier to find yakuza than other criminal groups, sometimes."

[small_reservations]

He totally has an allowance, but Axel's noticed Chikusa's hoarding instinct. At least there are such cheap stores around, and strictly speaking Axel doesn't need to eat. On the other hand, Chikusa is never totally satisfied and hoards food as well, so at some point Axel just accepted that he'd never be able to fully pay off Chikusa's theft habits, and left it at that.

Of course, that doesn't mean they always have to steal. Axel grins a little at Chikusa's actually paying. Progress!

"How is it easier?" Axel's worked with underground societies, but the Organization was more like a cult than a mafia group. If they ever need to look into one of those, maybe he'll have an edge!

[kokuyoyo]

Accepting the receipt for his purchase, Chikusa returns to Axel’s side. He’s expecting to be forgotten by the cashier, especially with other people coming up to the register, in a heartbeat, so he continues to talk.

“Other criminal organizations accept that what they’re doing is against the law. However, yakuza groups often consider themselves…. Semi-legitimate. They believe they have a right to do things, and the money they receive is considered a kind of feudal tax…” He shrugs. “Like lords owning land and those who live there.”

[small_reservations]

THAT Axel understands. "Do they actually take care of the people they keep under threat?" Depending on the answer, he might not have the urge to hurt them so badly. But that's not their job, he has to remind himself. He's not an assassin this time, just recon.

[kokuyoyo]

"I think there are reports about them helping during natural disasters.... But I would have to check that again." After all, he's not entirely sure how he knows this information, only that he does. Something like that isn't reliable, and he'd rather have facts to give to his god.

Still, he glances back to him. "...What do you want to do? Simply find them and tell the police?" That's what he had said before, right?

[small_reservations]

"Alright." That would explain the tough-looking guys helping out on his first day here... Or they could be normal people.

Axel nods in response to the question. "Yeah. If there's danger, we'll fight back, but for now we can just do some recon. C'mon, I know the fastest way to get to the area." Axel extends a hand again, ready to teleport Chikusa to the district described in the prayer. It'll be a little rough, without a connection, but it's still faster than walking or even taking a bullet train.

[kokuyoyo]

"Understood, Axel." Quietly, he accepts his god's hand, waiting for the stomach twisting sensation of teleporting. Once it happens, he's already looking around to try and adjust himself. The city is still foreign to him, but at least he can recognize the signs of yakuza, and that's all he needs to look for.

[small_reservations]

It takes less than a second for them to cover the distance, and then they're in yakuza territory. To Axel's mind, there's nothing that suspicious about the area. A few closed businesses, but more open ones. Cars (which he's still getting used to, to be honest). People walking around, maybe not so many as in other places. Someone passes them on a bicycle. "This is the place. General area. Whatever."

[small_reservations]

Axel nods. It'll be easy to slip past any remaining humans, and be ignored by the police. "They'll never notice us. We can get out easily."

... Of course, they might have other problems. There's a faint rumble, and the building shakes for a few seconds. Then there's a loud crashing noise. Dust rains down on their heads, as Axel just stares. "... What was that? An earthquake?"

[kokuyoyo]

Besides Axel, Chikusa subconsciously wraps his arms around himself, shuddering. Something feels… off. Not repulsion (not yet), but something he’s not comfortable with. He knows that earthquakes are a thing Japan deals with, but…

“Axel…. Return me to my vessel form, please. Just in case.”

[small_reservations]

He didn't call him Axel-sama... this must be important. Given that this building has doubtless survived many earthquakes, it shouldn't be damaged so easily, and an earthquake large enough to cause damage like what they just heard would be less localized, so...

"... An ayakashi?! Come, Saiki!" He holds out his hand, ready to accept Chikusa's weapon form again. "It's gotta be huge!"

[kokuyoyo]

And just like that, he’s pulled back into Axel’s hand. It’s a warm grip, one that settles him, and Chiksua would breathe out if it meant anything while he was in such a form. Like this, it feels like he doesn’t have to worry as much. He’s Axel’s weapon and, this way, he can defend him better.

If it’s large enough to affect the building, then at least we won’t be having a problem with hitting it…

[small_reservations]

"Yeah, but I don't think a little acid will cover it!" He starts hopping, literally hopping down entire staircases, to reach the ground floor. "Got anything with more... boom?"

[kokuyoyo]

Hastily, Chikusa thinks. It's possible that someone else would be more panicked, but he'd holding out pretty well as he does his best to think on it. More explosive power, more explosive power... He digs through what he knows, but what he knows seems to be mostly things used in poisons, or medicines- don't ask him about the acid.

However, something suddenly hits him. Nitroglycerin would work. It's used to treat heart conditions, he thinks- too much can make blood pressure low, causing fainting and seizures, among other things. But yeah, it's mostly known for explosives, isn't it...?

[small_reservations]

Acid was mostly Axel's idea, to be fair. If they work together, who knows what they can do.

However, Axel's limited knowledge as a not-even-high-school-graduate is not going to help them here. He's got to rely on Chikusa's expertise a little, and it seems like that's paid off.

"That'll do it! How much do you think you can produce?" Maybe he should burn something, power them up, but... It's hard to find a good sacrifice in a once-abandoned Yakuza building.

[kokuyoyo]

Almost immediately, an apologetic tone filters through their bond. Chikusa doesn't want to say this, but...

I don't think too much... At least not all at once. This form is.... still new to me. I'm sorry...

If only he could do better, be more certain of his abilities... I'll work on becoming more adept at your vessel as quickly as possible after we dispatch of this. I promise.

[small_reservations]

That... ow. That's stinging, yep. "Don't worry about it. Everyone's got an adjustment period. Just do your best, and we'll make it through."

To be honest, he's not sure they will, especially as he rounds the corner and sees the towering ayakashi before them. "Whoa. You... you seeing this?" It's corpulent, it's horned, and it's pushing over another building as people flee before its thunderous steps, which they attribute to an earthquake.

[kokuyoyo]

It's hard to miss.

Still, already he's quickly looking over the massive creature. To take out a large target like that... Chikusa's mind is already whirring with a strategy. Alright.

If I may- injure its feet first. Keep it from wanting to move so much. Then its eyes so that it doesn't see us. We can work from there.

[small_reservations]

"Good call." Axel flicks out the yoyo, tapping into Chikusa's expertise with it, and bounces it back to his hand. "How long is your string? I don't want to get closer to that thing than I have to."

It's certainly not long enough to reach from here, so Axel jumps to an empty-looking part of the building and calls out.

"HEY UGLY! Take on someone your own strength, huh!"

[kokuyoyo]

As long as you need it to be.

Somehow, he know that's true. While a normal yoyo string wouldn't be nearly that long, he's clearly not a normal yoyo. Neither are the ones he uses, in fact. So he can say such a thing confidently, even as he gets ready as the revolting gaze of the ayakashi shifts to them.