Who: a soosh (gekkajuu) & various What: February catch-all When: Feb..ruary.... Where: mostly Olympia and surroundings Warning(s): none so far... except extreme cuteness with egg moms?
[The coffee is just being poured when Chuuya comes in - and almost poured next to the cup, because while there's nothing all that embarrassing about seeing another guy naked, the muscles are -... Well, they're something. Atsushi can't even say they're unexpected in a mafia, but something about Chuuya's body is unexpected all the same. Maybe it's the fact that all the loudness feels like overcompensation, but there's clearly nothing to overcompensate for...?
Fixing his almost-missed-pour, Atsushi puts the cup of coffee on the table for Chuuya, and hurriedly hands him a neatly folded shirt. It's the best Atsushi has - the only particularly good shirt he has, actually - left over and carefully preserved from the winter gala and Valentine's, both. Fortunately it's not a crazy color or anything.]
Thesa.... They pray to the space station.
[In some ways, it's almost like a bad joke - and yet, aren't the Natha much like gods? Or at least as close to gods as anything Atsushi has run into.]
The people here believe it's a moon - a goddess that bestows light upon them. It's the common religion around here... almost like they know.
[Pouring some hot water into the bowls of rice and fish etc. that he'd prepared, Atsushi puts one in front of Chuuya and sits down with his own - and with some coffee for himself, too. It will likely be a long day; they may as well have a proper breakfast.]
[Chuuya has never been religious, but he supposes he doesn’t really care either way about these temples and whatnot. Let them do their thing, as long as he doesn’t get dragged into it.
Hey, this is actually a pretty nice shirt, and Chuuya doesn’t hesitate to pull it on. No offense to Atsushi, but Chuuya half expected to be handed something overly cutesy or just plain, but apparently Atsushi has some good stuff buried in his closet. Smells clean, too! What more could he ask for?
...okay, he could ask for a lot more, but he’s not going to.
He settles at the table and goes for the coffee first, and oh yes, this is exactly what he needed. His head is still pounding, but it should be manageable...as long as they don’t run into a group of huge ass monsters or something. He sips at the scalding hot liquid carefully before digging in to the chazuke.]
Not bad.
[Could use a kick of spice, but it’s definitely nice to have something warm in his stomach.]
So. What’s the plan? You need me to give you some smuggling advice?
[The suit that goes with the shirt isn't bad either, to be frank. But not exactly mafia style... and a little too long in the limbs.]
That's not -... [How to politely tell someone: "Actually, I don't need you at all!"?] Advice is always welcome, of course. But it's more a case of safety in numbers? If we do run into trouble.
Besides... You don't have a job yet, do you?
[Holding his own mug with both hands, he peers over it at Chuuya. Maybe it's a wrong assumption to make, but Chuuya is very new on the planet.
Atsushi will just politely decline to point out how he'd like to keep Chuuya on the right path.]
[Ah. Chuuya sees what this is about now. It’s a fair assumption to make given their history, he supposes, but still, has he given Atsushi any reason not to trust him so far? Chuuya fucking hates liars, but of course Atsushi wouldn’t know that. All Atsushi knows about him is that he’s ex-Mafia, really, and Chuuya can’t imagine the ADA, as goody two shoes as they were, ever saying anything nice about Mafia.]
No, I don’t. I’m not doing anything shady, if that’s what you’re implying.
[He huffs, scowling behind his mug. He doesn’t need to be babysat to stay out of trouble.]
[... Okay, it is a little. But Atsushi meant it more preemptively? Which is arguably even less trusting, but...]
It's just that: if you're new, you need money, right? Because you don't have a job!
[Has he mentioned the "jobless" part enough, yet? Because he could step on Chuuya's pride some more.
It's lucky for Chuuya that Atsushi can't babysit him 24/7, or he'd be tempted to try. As it is... Atsushi does trust Chuuya enough. But trusting him 100%? That would be foolish.]
Yes... [Atsushi quickly finishes up his food and coffee, the latter still a little too hot - but he'll probably appreciate that once they head outside.] Then, let's go?
[It's a bit of a walk to the nearest temple, mostly because Atsushi will drop by somewhere that's likely to sell medicine and/or a hangover cure, just because. Of course, if Chuuya is feeling well enough already, Atsushi won't insist.
At the temple in question, business is pretty quick. Clearly Voss and his acolytes are used to hiring people for this kind of work, because it barely takes a few minutes to sign up - and most of that is spent on explaining the crystals and how they work. With no magic of his own, Atsushi isn't sure how useful they'll be, but if Overseer Voss wants him to try, then obviously he will.]
[A LEGIT ONE just so that he can rub it in Atsushi’s face. How’s that for a job?? Not that he wouldn’t do something shady if it paid well enough and didn’t involve something terrible like selling people into slavery. He’s more than willing to pick a few pockets or forge a few signatures if need be.
Chuuya finishes up his coffee and food (he ate it pretty damn quickly, guess he was hungry) and stands up to stretch, his muscles still a bit tense from lying on the floor for so long the night before. He needs a good workout to get them fired up again, and this is the perfect opportunity to do so.]
Right. Lead the way.
[Chuuya accepts the offer of medicine because his head is still a bit painful, and he could always use any extra leftovers for future hangovers. And yes, there will be future hangovers.
Chuuya is actually kind of fascinated by the crystals, even if he’s still kind of confused on how they work...]
Bet those would fetch a nice price on the black market.
[He’s got jokes! Obviously he’s kidding, but that mischievous smirk could fool anybody.]
So we gotta find these people first, right? Any ideas?
They fetch a good enough price at the temples themselves.
[Before the whole magical part, but... Atsushi still considers it a fair point. After all, why do something illegal if you can stick to legal jobs? (Well... apart from the money... but enough money to live on is enough money, right? Right?!)]
So this is what Overseer Voss wanted those jewels for... [He stares at the one he's holding - with gloves on, just in case. He remembers how they're supposed to "sync up" with the crystals or something, but he'd rather wait until a quiet place outside the city to try.]
The temples said their concern was for people who have left the city but haven't yet reached further settlements for some reason. If those people really want to get away from the impending war, they can't exactly head south. There's not far to go east, and west is a dead end... Admittedly they could try to settle there, but with not so much as a village around, I think heading north is more likely.
[Chuuya rolls his eyes the second Atsushi looks away. Jeeze Atsushi, lighten up!
Okay, so north. Chuuya is intelligent enough to figure out which way is north from here, and there he goes, taking off and expecting Atsushi to keep up. Crystal or no crystal, Chuuya is more than capable of getting shit done in a timely manner, and this is no exception. He speaks over his shoulder, fully expecting Atsushi to match his pace.]
Anything crazy waiting outside the city? Monsters or some shit?
[Chuuya cracks his knuckles with a cocky grin. Punching the shit out of monsters and taking their loot or body parts is like living in a video game, and he has absolutely no problems with that.]
[Atsushi in turn is a little in awe of just how easily Chuuya handles all this - and then jogs a little to make sure he keeps up.]
... Define "monsters"?
[Yes. That's a yes. (Okay, a "probably".)]
I don't expect it to be that bad, since it's all pretty close to the city... That said, the north is the area I'm least familiar with.
[Atsushi has done more exploring than most, and even he has barely traveled around there. There's just not much there, compared to the south and west.]
You know. Giant rats. Ogres. Sentient plants. Haven’t you ever played a video game?
[God Atsushi, come on.
Chuuya has absolutely no idea what they’ll find outside the city gates, but he doesn’t let that deter him in the slightest. He’s expecting these people to have covered their tracks, but of course he’s thinking in Mafia mode again, and not everyone is skilled at disappearing without a trace.
A few minutes outside of the city and already Chuuya spots several clues that people have wandered off the main road around here. Footprints, food remains, that kind of thing. Looks like this isn’t going to be as tough as he thought.]
So what’s the plan? We find them and convince them that it’s all good and that they can come back with us? Are they even going to trust us at all?
No, actually..? [Sure, Chuu, the orphanage was just filled to the brim with the latest gaming equipment.] But I'm sure all of those things could be around.
Except ogres! I don't think we've had ogres.
[He says it so cheerfully, like it's the biggest silver lining ever.
Soon enough they've left the city, and as expected, those who weren't able to get very far for whatever reason were also not that smooth about hiding their tracks. This might just be even simpler a mission than anticipated.]
If they really don't want to come back, we can't make them. But they've been stuck in no man's land, and suffering harassment. If we explain that the temples are offering sanctuary, they'll probably be more than willing to return.
[The only problems Atsushi foresees are in encountering possible harassers (not a problem as such, but possibly a problem in that there could be fallout later), and in smuggling people back into the city - though that one crystal may help with that.
And the wildlife, of course. There are definitely plants and animals that would steal Chuuya's hat.]
[Hey, how was he supposed to know? Maybe the ADA has a gaming room!]
Guess it’s worth a shot.
[Chuuya follows the trail with ease, and eventually they’ll be led deep into a nearby forest, which Chuuya has to say is actually a pretty good hiding place. His clothes get caught on branches and brambles, and he curses when he almost loses his hat several times , but eventually he sees and smells the signs of a campfire up ahead, and he ducks behind a convenient bunch of bushes to survey the area ahead.
Before them is a camp, filled with rough and tumble looking men wielding swords and crossbows and all other manner of weapons, and Chuuya curses under his breath. These aren’t the people they’re looking for...]
Bandits...?
[Chuuya sneaks a tiny bit closer, signaling for Atsushi to stay where he is, and upon closer inspection Chuuya spots what look to be several human sized cages...with men, women and children locked inside. They look haggard and terrified without much space to sit, but still cowering in the corner away from one of the armed men when he throws a piece of bread at them.
Ah. So the harassment is worse than they thought.
Chuuya waves Atsushi over, expecting him to try and be stealthy.]
This is so fucked up. [He whispers.] I can try to get the jump on those bastards while you look around for the keys to free those people. I guarantee they’re the ones we’re supposed to be smuggling back into the city.
[Chuuya crouches into a pouncing position, and if Atsushi doesn’t stop him, he’s going to charge right in. Looks like he’s already forgotten about the stealth crystal.]
Atsushi may have his weaknesses, but at least he's good at being stealthy - and at taking orders, for that matter, so he listens to Chuuya immediately, quietly moving closer. It's a terrible sight, all those people locked up in cages like that... At least Atsushi is pretty confident that Chuuya and him can handle this together.
Which doesn't mean that he agrees with barging in then and there.]
Wait!
[He hisses the word at Chuuya. Yes, Atsushi is good at taking orders - but he still has opinions of his own, and while freeing those people is their priority, they came here to test crystals, too. They should use them anyway, right? There's no harm in using every tool they have access to!]
We should try to use the crystals. The peach-colored one is supposed to take out several people with one blow, right?
[That's just economical, Chuu, gosh!
And yes, Atsushi will insist that they grasp their respective crystals and meditate right there in the middle of a stake-out to get the crystals "adjusted" to them. Because not everything is about mindlessly charging in.]
[Chuuya shoots Atsushi a pissy little look when he’s asked to wait, and then feels low-key foolish for forgetting about the crystals entirely. Right. Tools to help them. Charging in with guns blazing clearly isn’t the answer. Damn.
He copies Atsushi, peeling off one of his gloves to hold the peach colored crystal in his hand and let it sync or some shit like that.]
So I’ll use this to take out several of them at once with my ability. You gonna use that one to sneak around? Find a way to free those people? I mean I can force the locks off if I need to but I might be kinda busy decking people.
[A tiger prowling in the shadows while Chuuya goes on a rampage. Seems fitting.]
[Atsushi has closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on his own crystal, which is a little hard with Chuuya talking to him... but they're in the middle of something important, so Atsushi won't complain.]
Yes, I think that would be best... [Then his eyes shoot open, and he glances down at the crystal.] It got warm!
[It's really working! Maybe that's not surprising as such, but it's still impressive.
Immediately after, Atsushi activates his crystal, making himself 50% less likely to be seen. Whether it will have any effect on Chuuya at this close a range is doubtful, but Atsushi moves immediately, as quietly as he can, just in case there turns out to be a limited time range on crystal use. (Admittedly there was no mention of this, but he'd rather not take any chances.]
Anyway, once Atsushi sneaks off, Chuuya copies what he did, closing his eyes and concentrating on becoming “one” with the crystal or whatever, and sure enough, it warms up in his hand just like Atsushi’s had. There’s a smirk of satisfaction when it works, and to test it out he activates his ability and touches a nearby (rather large) rock and hurls it right at the head of one of the bandits, and lo and behold, as soon as he’s knocked out, several other bandits all fall over as if they’ve been struck by invisible debris.
But now he’s alerted the rest, and it’s time to take action.
Chuuya will jump in and alternate between using his ability and using his fists and legs to take out the others. It’s impressive to watch; even moreso when he manages to make one of the bandits heavy enough that he can’t lift a finger and buckles to his knees before getting kicked in the face, and another poor fool floats away screaming.
Well. Atsushi will go unnoticed now, that’s for sure.]
[Sadly, Atsushi doesn't have much time to admire Chuuya's fighting, though he does glance over from time to time, just to make sure everything is going according to plan. Mostly, he focuses on staying in the shadows and sneaking to the cages. Even being as quiet as he is - and with Chuuya one hell of a distraction - it's pretty amazing how well it goes. It probably helps that the thugs are confident about their cages, though.
Suddenly a child in one of the cages starts, having spotted Atsushi: its mother, holding it close so it wouldn't have to see any violence, has unwittingly forced its attention elsewhere. Still, with that crystal, should Atsushi have really been spotted..? He holds a finger to his lips, trying to keep the captives silent; more have turned their attention to him, now, though not everyone seems to spot him at a glance. One quick up-close look at the cages tells Atsushi that he'll definitely need to find the keys: this isn't something he can just rip open even if he transforms, he thinks. Now, which of the thugs might have a key?
Atsushi will check some bags they left behind to fight Chuuya, first; after that, he'll just go from the unconscious thugs and take it from there.]
[Chuuya certainly is having a good time, because what better way to truly feel alive than to kick some serious ass? It’s all going rather well, and soon enough all of the bandits are either unconscious on the ground or floating away somewhere, and Chuuya is left standing as the victor, or so he thinks.
Just when he’s about to gloat he finds himself being hauled up and off his feet by a massive, muscular man that must be at least seven feet tall.]
What the fuck???
[Chuuya squirms, caught by the back of his shirt like a scruffed kitten, and he almost wriggles free to try and get a jump on the guy before he’s thrown into a nearby tree with such force that it knocks the wind right out of his lungs. Holy shit, the bandit had been strong and fast, catching Chuuya offguard even with his massive size.
This is what he gets for gloating.
He groans, clutching his side; he might have a cracked rib or two, but he has to get to his feet, and quickly, because the bandit seems intent on finishing him off. He can handle this, no big deal, and he forces himself to stand on shaky legs with a borderline maniacal grin.]
I’m not going down that easy, asshole.
[Chuuya is about to wind up his fist and deck the guy into outer space, but it seems like several of the other bandits are stirring, and he may very well be overpowered by a surprise attack...]
[Where Chuuya is clearly enjoying the fight, Atsushi is more than happy to stay out of it - but, the way this is going, that may not be an option. With no luck finding the key so far, and the next bandit he tries suddenly stirring under his hands, Atsushi is starting to get an idea of just how dangerous this is getting.
He appreciates it, really: Chuuya could have just killed everyone, but he didn't. Atsushi appreciates that a lot.]
Chuuya-san! They're coming!
[To Atsushi's credit, he doesn't just shout the words: still crouching next to a thug, he transforms his arm and punches the guy's face to knock him out properly, then launches himself at some others trying to get together. Maybe the only effect will be that Atsushi is the distraction for Chuuya instead of the other way around, but that isn't a bad result, either.]
[He could have, and probably should have, killed all those bandits, but really, without direct orders to silence any witnesses, killing for convenience just seems sloppy. Maybe it’s also a little bit of Chuuya not wanting any more blood on his hands, justified or not, but shhh. He won’t kill them. For now.
Chuuya snaps to attention when Atsushi shouts that warning, and now that Chuuya knows he’s got to hurry, he makes himself weightless and launches himself off the tree he’d been knocked into to land two feet square in the middle of the huge bandit’s chest. He switches to making himself far heavier seconds from impact, and when he connects the blow the bandit is sent flying backwards into a tree for pure effect. His own weight works against him then, and he’s knocked out cold.
Finally, with the stragglers subdued by Atsushi, Chuuya marches right up to the “boss” and snatches the key off his belt before tossing it to Atsushi with a grin.]
[Atsushi may not like hurting people, but in the middle of a fight, and when that fight is for a good reason, he doesn't feel even a little bit guilty. Maybe he should, really: maybe it's a little too easy to turn off his feelings in cases like this, and lash out with little regard for people's well-being. But he'd never be able to move ahead otherwise - and as long as he doesn't accidentally kill or maim someone, or anything like that, the ability to act guilt-free is more than welcome.
Getting the thugs knocked out is good enough; where there are belts or ropes handy, Atsushi ties their hands, just to be safe. He's not an expert, so someone will get free eventually and free the others, no doubt - long after Chuuya and Atsushi have brought the captives to safety.
He catches the key smoothly with a tiger paw, transforming his arm back as he lowers it, and hurries to unlock the cages. Whether the captives were traveling as a group before or not, they've certainly become a group now, and Atsushi hopes that'll keep them sticking together long enough to tell his story.]
I'm sorry if we scared you, but please listen to us. While I understand that you want to leave the city, this proves that you're far less safe outside Olympia.
Overseer Voss has sent us to help you. He'd very much like to offer you sanctuary in the temples.
[The newly-freed captives seem a little unsure even then, some of the adults looking at each other. Eventually, though, they decide to follow. What else can they do?]
[Chuuya takes a breather while Atsushi covers talking to the captives; he can be diplomatic when the need arises, but he’s simply too worn out to talk much right now. He’s got plenty of bruises and cuts on him from the scuffle, not to mention at least one cracked rib, but he stays on his feet nonetheless, waiting at the edge of the forest for Atsushi and the freed captives. Hopefully those bonds will hold the bandits until they escape safely.
Once all the people are safe and heading back to the city, Chuuya considers going back to raid the camp for valuables (stealing from bandits is justified, right?), but decides against it just in case sticking around ends up being a terrible idea.
He’ll toss his crystal back to Atsushi before matching his pace at his side.]
So...we did it, right? Once we get back to the city we’ll get our reward and we can move on with our lives?
I don't think "moving on with our lives" was ever under threat.
[He smiles, though: he's kind of proud of having gotten this far. All that's left now is to smuggle everyone into the city - and that needn't be hard, especially combining Chuuya's ability and his own.]
But yes, that's all there is to it. It's not so difficult to make an honest living, here.
[Or even a dishonest one, but Atsushi is sure that he could have never made this kind of money in any kind of legitimate job, back in Yokohama. Not without extensive connections and experience.]
Even with the political situation what it is, there are plenty of options for refugees like us to carve a life for ourselves.
[His voice drops a little, almost a whisper, as if talking about the past could make it go away. He's still happy with his life on El Nysa, but he's not sure he would have fared as well if he'd only arrived now, in the middle of political chaos.]
[Chuuya can believe that, actually; take away the political turmoil and you’ve got a beautiful, peaceful place to live. Chuuya is almost envious of his past self, who had apparently been able to settle in and make a life for himself before he was put back into stasis, but it’s not like he can’t do the same, right? He just has to make an effort and things will come together.
It’s much smoother sailing smuggling the people into the city, and luckily they aren’t stopped by guards or bandits along the way. Once everyone is safe inside Chuuya will finally get a chance to rest; he slides down the wall of the temple, clutching his side with a grimace.]
Shit...I know we need to report back, but I think that bastard did some damage...
[He’ll need to find someone with healing magic or some shit, he supposes.]
[Happy about a job well-done, Atsushi's eyebrows shoot up as Chuuya crumples against a wall. He hadn't noticed anything off at all! Guilt crushes him - which even more reason than he already had to help.]
You're injured? How bad is it?!
[Atsushi crouches next to Chuuya, and immediately makes to pull away his clothes so he can see.]
If it's not too bad, maybe I can help!
[... Honestly unlikely, if it's bad enough to make Chuuya collapse like this. But maybe Atsushi could at least do some damage control before they find a proper healer.]
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Fixing his almost-missed-pour, Atsushi puts the cup of coffee on the table for Chuuya, and hurriedly hands him a neatly folded shirt. It's the best Atsushi has - the only particularly good shirt he has, actually - left over and carefully preserved from the winter gala and Valentine's, both. Fortunately it's not a crazy color or anything.]
Thesa.... They pray to the space station.
[In some ways, it's almost like a bad joke - and yet, aren't the Natha much like gods? Or at least as close to gods as anything Atsushi has run into.]
The people here believe it's a moon - a goddess that bestows light upon them. It's the common religion around here... almost like they know.
[Pouring some hot water into the bowls of rice and fish etc. that he'd prepared, Atsushi puts one in front of Chuuya and sits down with his own - and with some coffee for himself, too. It will likely be a long day; they may as well have a proper breakfast.]
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[Chuuya has never been religious, but he supposes he doesn’t really care either way about these temples and whatnot. Let them do their thing, as long as he doesn’t get dragged into it.
Hey, this is actually a pretty nice shirt, and Chuuya doesn’t hesitate to pull it on. No offense to Atsushi, but Chuuya half expected to be handed something overly cutesy or just plain, but apparently Atsushi has some good stuff buried in his closet. Smells clean, too! What more could he ask for?
...okay, he could ask for a lot more, but he’s not going to.
He settles at the table and goes for the coffee first, and oh yes, this is exactly what he needed. His head is still pounding, but it should be manageable...as long as they don’t run into a group of huge ass monsters or something. He sips at the scalding hot liquid carefully before digging in to the chazuke.]
Not bad.
[Could use a kick of spice, but it’s definitely nice to have something warm in his stomach.]
So. What’s the plan? You need me to give you some smuggling advice?
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That's not -... [How to politely tell someone: "Actually, I don't need you at all!"?] Advice is always welcome, of course. But it's more a case of safety in numbers? If we do run into trouble.
Besides... You don't have a job yet, do you?
[Holding his own mug with both hands, he peers over it at Chuuya. Maybe it's a wrong assumption to make, but Chuuya is very new on the planet.
Atsushi will just politely decline to point out how he'd like to keep Chuuya on the right path.]
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No, I don’t. I’m not doing anything shady, if that’s what you’re implying.
[He huffs, scowling behind his mug. He doesn’t need to be babysat to stay out of trouble.]
I’m ready whenever you are.
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[... Okay, it is a little. But Atsushi meant it more preemptively? Which is arguably even less trusting, but...]
It's just that: if you're new, you need money, right? Because you don't have a job!
[Has he mentioned the "jobless" part enough, yet? Because he could step on Chuuya's pride some more.
It's lucky for Chuuya that Atsushi can't babysit him 24/7, or he'd be tempted to try. As it is... Atsushi does trust Chuuya enough. But trusting him 100%? That would be foolish.]
Yes... [Atsushi quickly finishes up his food and coffee, the latter still a little too hot - but he'll probably appreciate that once they head outside.] Then, let's go?
[It's a bit of a walk to the nearest temple, mostly because Atsushi will drop by somewhere that's likely to sell medicine and/or a hangover cure, just because. Of course, if Chuuya is feeling well enough already, Atsushi won't insist.
At the temple in question, business is pretty quick. Clearly Voss and his acolytes are used to hiring people for this kind of work, because it barely takes a few minutes to sign up - and most of that is spent on explaining the crystals and how they work. With no magic of his own, Atsushi isn't sure how useful they'll be, but if Overseer Voss wants him to try, then obviously he will.]
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[A LEGIT ONE just so that he can rub it in Atsushi’s face. How’s that for a job?? Not that he wouldn’t do something shady if it paid well enough and didn’t involve something terrible like selling people into slavery. He’s more than willing to pick a few pockets or forge a few signatures if need be.
Chuuya finishes up his coffee and food (he ate it pretty damn quickly, guess he was hungry) and stands up to stretch, his muscles still a bit tense from lying on the floor for so long the night before. He needs a good workout to get them fired up again, and this is the perfect opportunity to do so.]
Right. Lead the way.
[Chuuya accepts the offer of medicine because his head is still a bit painful, and he could always use any extra leftovers for future hangovers. And yes, there will be future hangovers.
Chuuya is actually kind of fascinated by the crystals, even if he’s still kind of confused on how they work...]
Bet those would fetch a nice price on the black market.
[He’s got jokes! Obviously he’s kidding, but that mischievous smirk could fool anybody.]
So we gotta find these people first, right? Any ideas?
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They fetch a good enough price at the temples themselves.
[Before the whole magical part, but... Atsushi still considers it a fair point. After all, why do something illegal if you can stick to legal jobs? (Well... apart from the money... but enough money to live on is enough money, right? Right?!)]
So this is what Overseer Voss wanted those jewels for... [He stares at the one he's holding - with gloves on, just in case. He remembers how they're supposed to "sync up" with the crystals or something, but he'd rather wait until a quiet place outside the city to try.]
The temples said their concern was for people who have left the city but haven't yet reached further settlements for some reason. If those people really want to get away from the impending war, they can't exactly head south. There's not far to go east, and west is a dead end... Admittedly they could try to settle there, but with not so much as a village around, I think heading north is more likely.
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[Chuuya rolls his eyes the second Atsushi looks away. Jeeze Atsushi, lighten up!
Okay, so north. Chuuya is intelligent enough to figure out which way is north from here, and there he goes, taking off and expecting Atsushi to keep up. Crystal or no crystal, Chuuya is more than capable of getting shit done in a timely manner, and this is no exception. He speaks over his shoulder, fully expecting Atsushi to match his pace.]
Anything crazy waiting outside the city? Monsters or some shit?
[Chuuya cracks his knuckles with a cocky grin. Punching the shit out of monsters and taking their loot or body parts is like living in a video game, and he has absolutely no problems with that.]
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... Define "monsters"?
[Yes. That's a yes. (Okay, a "probably".)]
I don't expect it to be that bad, since it's all pretty close to the city... That said, the north is the area I'm least familiar with.
[Atsushi has done more exploring than most, and even he has barely traveled around there. There's just not much there, compared to the south and west.]
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[God Atsushi, come on.
Chuuya has absolutely no idea what they’ll find outside the city gates, but he doesn’t let that deter him in the slightest. He’s expecting these people to have covered their tracks, but of course he’s thinking in Mafia mode again, and not everyone is skilled at disappearing without a trace.
A few minutes outside of the city and already Chuuya spots several clues that people have wandered off the main road around here. Footprints, food remains, that kind of thing. Looks like this isn’t going to be as tough as he thought.]
So what’s the plan? We find them and convince them that it’s all good and that they can come back with us? Are they even going to trust us at all?
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Except ogres! I don't think we've had ogres.
[He says it so cheerfully, like it's the biggest silver lining ever.
Soon enough they've left the city, and as expected, those who weren't able to get very far for whatever reason were also not that smooth about hiding their tracks. This might just be even simpler a mission than anticipated.]
If they really don't want to come back, we can't make them. But they've been stuck in no man's land, and suffering harassment. If we explain that the temples are offering sanctuary, they'll probably be more than willing to return.
[The only problems Atsushi foresees are in encountering possible harassers (not a problem as such, but possibly a problem in that there could be fallout later), and in smuggling people back into the city - though that one crystal may help with that.
And the wildlife, of course. There are definitely plants and animals that would steal Chuuya's hat.]
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Guess it’s worth a shot.
[Chuuya follows the trail with ease, and eventually they’ll be led deep into a nearby forest, which Chuuya has to say is actually a pretty good hiding place. His clothes get caught on branches and brambles, and he curses when he almost loses his hat several times , but eventually he sees and smells the signs of a campfire up ahead, and he ducks behind a convenient bunch of bushes to survey the area ahead.
Before them is a camp, filled with rough and tumble looking men wielding swords and crossbows and all other manner of weapons, and Chuuya curses under his breath. These aren’t the people they’re looking for...]
Bandits...?
[Chuuya sneaks a tiny bit closer, signaling for Atsushi to stay where he is, and upon closer inspection Chuuya spots what look to be several human sized cages...with men, women and children locked inside. They look haggard and terrified without much space to sit, but still cowering in the corner away from one of the armed men when he throws a piece of bread at them.
Ah. So the harassment is worse than they thought.
Chuuya waves Atsushi over, expecting him to try and be stealthy.]
This is so fucked up. [He whispers.] I can try to get the jump on those bastards while you look around for the keys to free those people. I guarantee they’re the ones we’re supposed to be smuggling back into the city.
[Chuuya crouches into a pouncing position, and if Atsushi doesn’t stop him, he’s going to charge right in. Looks like he’s already forgotten about the stealth crystal.]
On three...
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Atsushi may have his weaknesses, but at least he's good at being stealthy - and at taking orders, for that matter, so he listens to Chuuya immediately, quietly moving closer. It's a terrible sight, all those people locked up in cages like that... At least Atsushi is pretty confident that Chuuya and him can handle this together.
Which doesn't mean that he agrees with barging in then and there.]
Wait!
[He hisses the word at Chuuya. Yes, Atsushi is good at taking orders - but he still has opinions of his own, and while freeing those people is their priority, they came here to test crystals, too. They should use them anyway, right? There's no harm in using every tool they have access to!]
We should try to use the crystals. The peach-colored one is supposed to take out several people with one blow, right?
[That's just economical, Chuu, gosh!
And yes, Atsushi will insist that they grasp their respective crystals and meditate right there in the middle of a stake-out to get the crystals "adjusted" to them. Because not everything is about mindlessly charging in.]
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[Chuuya shoots Atsushi a pissy little look when he’s asked to wait, and then feels low-key foolish for forgetting about the crystals entirely. Right. Tools to help them. Charging in with guns blazing clearly isn’t the answer. Damn.
He copies Atsushi, peeling off one of his gloves to hold the peach colored crystal in his hand and let it sync or some shit like that.]
So I’ll use this to take out several of them at once with my ability. You gonna use that one to sneak around? Find a way to free those people? I mean I can force the locks off if I need to but I might be kinda busy decking people.
[A tiger prowling in the shadows while Chuuya goes on a rampage. Seems fitting.]
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Yes, I think that would be best... [Then his eyes shoot open, and he glances down at the crystal.] It got warm!
[It's really working! Maybe that's not surprising as such, but it's still impressive.
Immediately after, Atsushi activates his crystal, making himself 50% less likely to be seen. Whether it will have any effect on Chuuya at this close a range is doubtful, but Atsushi moves immediately, as quietly as he can, just in case there turns out to be a limited time range on crystal use. (Admittedly there was no mention of this, but he'd rather not take any chances.]
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[...it wasn’t an invisibility crystal, Chuuya.
Anyway, once Atsushi sneaks off, Chuuya copies what he did, closing his eyes and concentrating on becoming “one” with the crystal or whatever, and sure enough, it warms up in his hand just like Atsushi’s had. There’s a smirk of satisfaction when it works, and to test it out he activates his ability and touches a nearby (rather large) rock and hurls it right at the head of one of the bandits, and lo and behold, as soon as he’s knocked out, several other bandits all fall over as if they’ve been struck by invisible debris.
But now he’s alerted the rest, and it’s time to take action.
Chuuya will jump in and alternate between using his ability and using his fists and legs to take out the others. It’s impressive to watch; even moreso when he manages to make one of the bandits heavy enough that he can’t lift a finger and buckles to his knees before getting kicked in the face, and another poor fool floats away screaming.
Well. Atsushi will go unnoticed now, that’s for sure.]
AHAHA, COME GET SOME, ASSHOLES!
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Suddenly a child in one of the cages starts, having spotted Atsushi: its mother, holding it close so it wouldn't have to see any violence, has unwittingly forced its attention elsewhere. Still, with that crystal, should Atsushi have really been spotted..? He holds a finger to his lips, trying to keep the captives silent; more have turned their attention to him, now, though not everyone seems to spot him at a glance. One quick up-close look at the cages tells Atsushi that he'll definitely need to find the keys: this isn't something he can just rip open even if he transforms, he thinks. Now, which of the thugs might have a key?
Atsushi will check some bags they left behind to fight Chuuya, first; after that, he'll just go from the unconscious thugs and take it from there.]
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Just when he’s about to gloat he finds himself being hauled up and off his feet by a massive, muscular man that must be at least seven feet tall.]
What the fuck???
[Chuuya squirms, caught by the back of his shirt like a scruffed kitten, and he almost wriggles free to try and get a jump on the guy before he’s thrown into a nearby tree with such force that it knocks the wind right out of his lungs. Holy shit, the bandit had been strong and fast, catching Chuuya offguard even with his massive size.
This is what he gets for gloating.
He groans, clutching his side; he might have a cracked rib or two, but he has to get to his feet, and quickly, because the bandit seems intent on finishing him off. He can handle this, no big deal, and he forces himself to stand on shaky legs with a borderline maniacal grin.]
I’m not going down that easy, asshole.
[Chuuya is about to wind up his fist and deck the guy into outer space, but it seems like several of the other bandits are stirring, and he may very well be overpowered by a surprise attack...]
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He appreciates it, really: Chuuya could have just killed everyone, but he didn't. Atsushi appreciates that a lot.]
Chuuya-san! They're coming!
[To Atsushi's credit, he doesn't just shout the words: still crouching next to a thug, he transforms his arm and punches the guy's face to knock him out properly, then launches himself at some others trying to get together. Maybe the only effect will be that Atsushi is the distraction for Chuuya instead of the other way around, but that isn't a bad result, either.]
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Chuuya snaps to attention when Atsushi shouts that warning, and now that Chuuya knows he’s got to hurry, he makes himself weightless and launches himself off the tree he’d been knocked into to land two feet square in the middle of the huge bandit’s chest. He switches to making himself far heavier seconds from impact, and when he connects the blow the bandit is sent flying backwards into a tree for pure effect. His own weight works against him then, and he’s knocked out cold.
Finally, with the stragglers subdued by Atsushi, Chuuya marches right up to the “boss” and snatches the key off his belt before tossing it to Atsushi with a grin.]
Done and done. Let’s get out of here.
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Getting the thugs knocked out is good enough; where there are belts or ropes handy, Atsushi ties their hands, just to be safe. He's not an expert, so someone will get free eventually and free the others, no doubt - long after Chuuya and Atsushi have brought the captives to safety.
He catches the key smoothly with a tiger paw, transforming his arm back as he lowers it, and hurries to unlock the cages. Whether the captives were traveling as a group before or not, they've certainly become a group now, and Atsushi hopes that'll keep them sticking together long enough to tell his story.]
I'm sorry if we scared you, but please listen to us. While I understand that you want to leave the city, this proves that you're far less safe outside Olympia.
Overseer Voss has sent us to help you. He'd very much like to offer you sanctuary in the temples.
[The newly-freed captives seem a little unsure even then, some of the adults looking at each other. Eventually, though, they decide to follow. What else can they do?]
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Once all the people are safe and heading back to the city, Chuuya considers going back to raid the camp for valuables (stealing from bandits is justified, right?), but decides against it just in case sticking around ends up being a terrible idea.
He’ll toss his crystal back to Atsushi before matching his pace at his side.]
So...we did it, right? Once we get back to the city we’ll get our reward and we can move on with our lives?
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[He smiles, though: he's kind of proud of having gotten this far. All that's left now is to smuggle everyone into the city - and that needn't be hard, especially combining Chuuya's ability and his own.]
But yes, that's all there is to it. It's not so difficult to make an honest living, here.
[Or even a dishonest one, but Atsushi is sure that he could have never made this kind of money in any kind of legitimate job, back in Yokohama. Not without extensive connections and experience.]
Even with the political situation what it is, there are plenty of options for refugees like us to carve a life for ourselves.
[His voice drops a little, almost a whisper, as if talking about the past could make it go away. He's still happy with his life on El Nysa, but he's not sure he would have fared as well if he'd only arrived now, in the middle of political chaos.]
Before, it was truly like a dream.
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[Chuuya can believe that, actually; take away the political turmoil and you’ve got a beautiful, peaceful place to live. Chuuya is almost envious of his past self, who had apparently been able to settle in and make a life for himself before he was put back into stasis, but it’s not like he can’t do the same, right? He just has to make an effort and things will come together.
It’s much smoother sailing smuggling the people into the city, and luckily they aren’t stopped by guards or bandits along the way. Once everyone is safe inside Chuuya will finally get a chance to rest; he slides down the wall of the temple, clutching his side with a grimace.]
Shit...I know we need to report back, but I think that bastard did some damage...
[He’ll need to find someone with healing magic or some shit, he supposes.]
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You're injured? How bad is it?!
[Atsushi crouches next to Chuuya, and immediately makes to pull away his clothes so he can see.]
If it's not too bad, maybe I can help!
[... Honestly unlikely, if it's bad enough to make Chuuya collapse like this. But maybe Atsushi could at least do some damage control before they find a proper healer.]
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