nysalogs | . all you have's your axe to grind . closed

[Old wood stays silent as the third party joins them; Takasugi knows from the lack of protesting hinges that their company isn't the pugnacious sort. He regards the woman with a nod, slower for his recognition.

Of a person he's worked with before, and a face marked with scars he's not seen.

Whether they're a result of the kidnappings, or of her own ventures, he'll leave unaddressed.]

Yo.

Cree's sent me someone useful. [His smile widens as well, a vague memory of her throwing some drug addled idiot around a bar.

The only thing different about this time would be the locale.

There isn't much time between Mai's arrival and the sporadic shuffle of feet outside. A few voices, one that caries more loudly than others, argue, the door slammed open dramatically. But only two fit through at a time, the third squeezing his way and stumbling in.

There's five in total, the ringleader swirling light blue chill in his hand. The other's don't seem to possess anything by way of magic, a deficit they make up for with clubs of wood, a blade, and a chain attached to a stick.

Rudimentary, but they're committed to their savagery.

Two begin immediately smashing the wares near the door, their leader laughing as he steps nearer to the counter where Takasugi is perched.] I told you you'd messed with the wrong people, old man!

[No sooner does the teen finish his taunt than Takasugi's palm collides with his jaw, clinking teeth together and sending him reeling back. Charged magic soars upwards, coating a small spot on the ceiling in ice. Takasugi catches the boy before he crashes back into nearby shelves, swinging him by the collar face first into the bar.]

[And just like that, a fight breaks out. She's not terribly surprised and when the man makes mention of 'messed with the wrong people', Mai briefly gives him a glance with a quirked brow. So this was the party he'd needed backup with?

None of them focus on her at the moment, given how they've mostly got eyes for Takasugi. When the boy goes into the bar, the thug with blade charges forward to try to take advantage of Takasugi's "distraction".

He barely gets to swing his blade before he jerks into the bar too, thanks to one of Mai's knives catching the fabric of his sleeve and pinning him there. It won't last but it's enough time for the woman herself to rush up and wrest his other unarmed wrist so she can pin his arm behind him. She cocks his wrist upward to make the hold just a little more painfully awkward for him.]

Do you people just walk around looking for fights or something?

Who the hell are these guys!? [One of the unimpeded teens shouts, taking a step back only to bump into a shelf behind him. A single pot of tobacco falls to the ground, spilling but not cracking. The other two look among themselves, eyes darting anywhere for an answer, but finding none.]

Let me go! Augh! [The captive in Mai's grip writhes, twisting his wrist and kicking his feet uselessly against the ground. Takasugi's is quieter, a suspicious lack of fight considering how gung-ho he'd been just a moment ago.

Maybe his jaw hurts. The boy mumbles something, and Takasugi bares down on him, weight grinding ribs into the counter top.

With a clink, the boy with the chain raises his arm, a snarl on his face-] Smash something, and I'll beat his brain in. [The shop owner smirks, satisfied with Takasugi's threat.

And the boy balks, hand hanging in the air.] Now.

Give your supply to my partner. You won't be selling it anymore.

[What, more dealers? The call hadn't been exact in what the Gilded Cage member needed assistance with other than them needing backup.

It's with a raised brow that Mai pokes her free hand out, palm up in a definite "put it here" gesture. She levels that look on the free boy with the chain, gesturing.]

Come on.

[The boy balks, looking to his leader in Takasugi's hold. The other two look just as lost as the boy. Eventually though the kid with the chain turns to one of the two, mumbling to him a moment. And that one produces their stash from his pocket, a look of guilt washing over his face from giving in like this.

Mai sighs some.]

Looking like a hurt kid isn't going to make me not take it from you, you know.

[All their leader can do is grit his teeth; Takasugi leans on him at an angle that forces his jaw to an awkward angle. Talking would be difficult, and ill advised. He feels a sharp breath taken underneath his weight, and immediately increases the pressure. Squeezing that gasp of life from the boy beneath him.

Left directionless, the others produce the supply without much delay.

Handing it over seems to be a chore, however, with the way the boy with the chain drags his hand across his friend's to hold the drugs at his side limply.

His feet drag, until Mai's curt warning startles him into reaching forward and dropping it into her hand.

When he does, Takasugi nods to the side, gesturing for her to hand it to the shopkeeper. Provided she does, the man opens the small bag and dips a finger inside. He swirls it in some powder, then brings it to his mouth to taste. Takasugi had expected some derogatory comment about the quality, but the man's eyes widen.]

Where the hell did you get this!? No way brats like you made this shit yourself. [Apparently, it's good stuff.]

Oh? Go on. Answer him. Or you'll leave one man down. [Is it necessary for him to pull his blade on the boy beneath him? Probably not. But Takasugi does, sliding the cool metal against the boy's reddening neck.]

W-we don't know! I swear we don't! [One nudges another, talking over his companion.] Shut up! This guy's serious!

Don't know his name, but its someone wearing a huge hood. He meets us on the edge of town - maybe he's a shaman. Never really asked. Don't think he sounds much like one, though.

[Interesting. But not quite enough.] Where do you meet, exactly.

I want to buy some for myself, straight from the source.

There's a tree with a branch like a hook. Can't miss it. For some reason, nothing grows on that part. We meet under there. [The information flows freely, much to the muttered arguments of the boy's friends.]

I see.

That's all. Get out of here. [They hesitate, the boy who spoke most watching the one pinned under Takasugi's weight.] Now. [Takasugi looks to Mai to follow through on his demand-]

[Sheesh, Takasugi, scar the poor kid. Then again the moment the kid mentions 'shaman', Mai's grip on the other guy gets none too gentle either. He complains fairly loudly about it, all while Mai trains her gaze on the guy who mentioned it.

She's so stuck for a moment that she doesn't seem to note Takasugi's look until one of the teens speaks up again.]

Lady, you're going to break his arm!

[Mai starts then, blinking as if shaking herself from a daze. She directs her eyes over to Takasugi, her brow wrinkling a bit before she finally turns the teenager in her grasp loose.

He stumbles forward, then curses at her as he rubs his now sore wrist. Mai's eyes narrow at the group before she adds:]

You heard him.

[And then, quite suddenly, a knife in her hand.]

Beat it.

[And beat it they do. They practically stumble over top of one another to make it out and the angry look Mai shot them turns into a deep, icy frown.]

So shaman are still slinking around.

[Takasugi's none too gentle in his release of the captive beneath him, either. But none of the delinquents have the stomach to demand it - all but one of them leave, the one who had divulged information remaining to watch their leader cough and sputter as the weight is finally lifted from his back.

With a foot planted in the small of his back, Takasugi kicks the boy forward. He steadies himself on a set of shelves - the owner would no doubt want to charge him for any broken item to get the 'last word', but the older man isn't so lucky.

Their leader peels himself from the wood, leaving it rattling but steady, and stumbles out the door, his friend helping him along.]

Aa. [He looks to the owner, who is busy squirreling away the small packet of powder. The man gives him a curt nod, a bit perplexed by the pair's discussion. But it's enough to signal that their job here is done.

Takasugi peels himself away from the counter, and heads to leave the shop.] Want to pay them a visit?

We'll bring you back something good, if we find it, old man. [So give him a discount, next time.]

Let's go make a house call.

[She's quite intent on doing so too. With the way she sort of charges out the door without looking back, one wouldn't be surprised if she went with or without Takasugi.

At least she does pause a moment to glance back at him and ask:]

You helping out shopkeepers now or something?

[He's overtaken so quickly by his partner's pace, Takasugi thinks she'd leave him behind if he lingered any longer. Not that he has any issue with that - that she's willing to go her own direction when convenient means they think similarly.

With a final wave to the shopkeeper, Takasugi resumes his way from the shop and onto the street, towards the outskirts of the city.]

We help each other-

But it's what Cree offers that I'm more interested in.

The same for you, right? [Cree's offers so far have been silver, a few baubles of finery, and wry smiles. Takasugi's been paid worse for his efforts...

but he intends to take more from Cree, some day.]

I guess. I'm sure not doing it for the payments anyhow.

[Part truth, part lie. She is doing it for the payments but she's more doing it to climb the rungs of Cree's trust ladder, so to speak.]

[He'd ask just what she's doing this for, but through the throb of humidity in his ears, there's the titter of birds. Takasugi doubts Cree harbors any illusion that either himself or Mai are truly loyal, but this discussion is better left for another time.

Another place. Thesa, if he can manage-

For now, he'll let his mind wander through possibilities. Carving a comfortable place for oneself out in the Gilded Cage isn't a terrible future, but ambition so steady seldom stops at comfort.

Plan or not, she's gathering herself a strong ally, and a position of advantage.

It's the same for him - even without a direction, there's nothing to do but fall into habits from home.]

I'd rather not waste much time interrogating this shaman.

You want to do it? [If not, they can just both drag him to Cree and let the man do his own work.]

. all you have's your axe to grind . closed

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these r so long im sorry

but i love them so

OK GOOD

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