Taro Tachibana's Story

"A cheat and a conman, eh? I think I know just the guy to talk to."

Nao turned to face the room, casting his eyes around for a minute before spotting who he was looking for. "Hey!" he yelled, "Blink! Get over here!"

Across the room, a blonde boy in a white cap with a distinctive pair of curled horns looked up from a conversation with a pair of other guild members, giving Nao a questioning look.

Nao folded his arms. "Did I stutter?" he called.

The boy visibly rolled his eyes, before with a rush of displaced air and a brief shimmer of light, he disappeared, then reappeared not a split second later right next to their table. "What is it, Nao?"

"You're coming on a job with me. You know the underside of this city better than anyone else here - I need to track down a shady character by the name of Jack. He's a guy that cheats people of their valuables when they're desperate for money, then sells them on at ridiculous prices."

Blink raised an eyebrow, "You're going after Mad Ol' Jack? What's the crazy asshole done now?"

"That's on a need-to-know basis. Can you find him for us?" Nao replied.

"If I can't do that, what am I here for?" Blink smirked, before turning to Tugark, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, big guy. I don't know what Mad Jack's done to get you mad at him, but I don't envy him one bit. 'Course, Jack has a lot of friends, you don't last long conning people out of their livelihoods without the connections to back it up." The boy grimaced, "But, if you think you can handle making a few enemies, I can get you to him pretty easily."

Blink glanced at Nao, "We going now, then? I have things to do later in the day, so I don't want to be doing your dirty work too long, much as you know I love dragging my old dirt up for the benefit of others."

Nao looked across at Tugark questioningly, "Are you ready to set off?"

Blink's sudden appearance startled the Avand, causing him to stand up in start. After a moment the beast calmed down, realizing the horned boy was no threat to him. It would seem that Tugark reacted only in instinct from some bygone age. He visibly relaxed, but sheepishly touched his snout in greeting as he had done for Nao before. "Well met, friend Blink." He said. "I am Tugark of the mountains."

His face fell into a frown. "I do not wish to make enemies. But no matter where you come from, you are bound to have one enemy and one friend." He then smiled slightly. "And I do believe I can take care of anything that is thrown at me."

Tugark repositioned his wings against his back and nodded to Nao. "I am ready whenever you two are."

"Then let's get moving," Blink said, turning towards the door, "We'll want to head to the outer city, that's where Jack operates from. More people in abject poverty there to take advantage of with his thugs. Real swell guy, he is."

Naotora shook his head, "I don't think I'm going to have any qualms with taking him out."

"Just try not to start a war with the criminal underworld... again..." Blink rolled his eyes and laughed as they moved towards the door.

The industrial district of Tianshi City was a far cry from its more central areas. The bright colours were replaced with dull greys and browns, and the air was thick with the smell of pollution from the factories. Downtrodden looking men and women in ragged clothes trudged through the muck of the streets on their way to factory shifts or warehouse work, and they were the lucky ones who had work. The homeless were more prominent here as well - they weren't driven off by the police, as they were if they tried to litter the streets closer to the city's heart.

Blink led them down a few side-streets into a particularly dark and unpleasant part of town. Almost everyone here was armed, and they gave the group leering stares as they passed. A combination of Nao's reputation and Tugark's appearance meant they were given a wide berth, however.

"We're heading to an underground bar, in the cellar of an old warehouse." Blink explained as he poked his head around the next turn, "Be ready for a fight. They'll know that a legit guild turning up is nothing but trouble for them. Nobody's supposed to know it's there unless they're part of ... well, a bunch of bad guys I used to run with."

The warehouse in question lay across the street from them - rusted, decrepit and filled with holes, it gave every impression that it was entirely abandoned.

Blink was visibly nervous, shifting on the spot and sweating slightly. "These guys are bad news. They'll kill... no, they'll make me wish they'd killed me if they ever get their hands on me after this."

Nao placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry about that. You're with Golden Phoenix - we look after our own."

"Yeah... I'm sleeping under your bed from now on, Nao." Blink muttered in reply. Clearly, he wasn't entirely reassured.

Tugark followed behind silently. But a change came over him as they traveled further into the darker part of the city, his blue hues growing bright at the condition of the people here. His fur bristled around his neck and he held himself taller than he had in the heart of the city. The beast was not afraid or intimidated. If it were possible, he was angry.

Deep grumbles rumbled out of his mouth as Tugark muttered something incoherently under his breath. "Fear not, friend Blink.." Tugark muttered quietly. "As long as I am alive, no harm will befall upon you because you have assisted in my search." Tugark was glaring at the warehouse. "I will make sure of it." It was no threat. It was a promise.

Blink adjusted his hat, "Yeah, well. I hope so." he murmured, "Let's go, they'll already know we're coming, so we shouldn't waste any time."

He broke from the alleyway onto the street and walked across to the warehouse. Stopping outside, he pressed himself against the wall and peered through a hole inside. It was dark and desolate, and thick layers of dust covered most of the floor and the few ancient shipping containers and crates that were scattered around.

"You sure this is the place?" Nao whispered as he joined Blink at the wall, "It's... deserted."

"That's why people don't find it, duh." Blink replied, "This way."

With the coast clear, he led them inside and across to one of the shipping containers. It was closed, and he knocked on it five times, in a rhythmical pattern. There was a pause, then a voice from inside spoke up.

"Password."

Blink hesitated... "Taurus?" he ventured.

"That's last month's password. Get lost, guildies."

Sighing, Blink turned to them, "Gimme a moment." he said, before closing his eyes, and vanishing in a flash of light. From the cracks in the shipping container, another flash of light was visible, followed by a grunt and a clank as a body hit the side and slid down it to the floor. After a moment, with a grating of metal on metal, the container's door was unbarred and swung open. Blink stood behind it, with the unconscious body of a large black-haired man who looked to be in his thirties lying across from him.

At the far end of the container, there was a staircase descending into the ground. Nao stepped forwards, "I'll take the lead from here, Blink."

"Be my guest." the smaller boy said, stepping aside to let Nao pass, "You'll have to hunch down to get through, 'm afraid." he said to Tugark, "But the bar itself is big enough for you."

Tugark had been prepared to bash through the door before Blink disappeared and reappeared on the opposite side after a few moments later. "I do not think I'll ever get use to someone having that ability.." Tugark admitted, scratching his snout sheepishly. He bent slightly to walk into the shipping container, his claws tapping lightly on the metal.

Tugark shrugged slightly. As he said earlier, he was use accommodating a smaller race. "It can't be worse than living in a dwarf hole for three months.." Tugark commented as he caught up to Blink. He followed behind Nao, gazing down the staircase, pondering. It was defiantly a narrow space and Tugark was going to have difficulties either way. "Then again, I was much younger and more limber than I am now.." He sighed before heading down the stairs, hunching over to fit through.

The staircase led down what felt like two flights, and at the end there was another door - propped open, this time. From within, the sound of music could be heard. Old style rock music, foreign by the sounds of it. Nao was the first in. The bar itself was largely devoid of patrons. Clearly, most of them had bugged out after hearing that there was a guild on the way. There were a few men dotted around the room nursing drinks, all of them very obviously armed. At a glance, he spotted three holding onto shotguns that looked to be Losenyu in make - far less advanced than the firearms of their neighbours. Another two were holding rifles that must have been Terran or Taiyou - going by their sleeker design.

One man stood up from the bar as Blink walked in after Tugark, and turned to look at them. He was a tall man with a thin moustache and a goatee, dressed in a patterned waistcoat. Long hair fell down to the small of his back, neatly combed. "Thought I made it clear what'd happen to anyone who led outsiders to one of our haunts, Blink. You may've ditched on us, but that don't change the rules."

Blink practically quivered in place, but Nao stepped forwards to save him from having to answer. "You will not threaten my guildmates. We're here to see a man called Jack. We don't want trouble, we just want to talk."

The man laughed. "Listen here, boys. He doesn't want trouble." The men laughed raucously on cue, before being quieted with a wave of his gloved hand. "Well, well. It's an honour to welcome such a prestigious guest, Naotora Kato. Golden Phoenix's poster boy. What makes you think Jack wants to talk to you?"

The room quieted somewhat after Tugark arrived, and several of the men's expressions changed from derisive to frightened. "What the fuck is that?" one of them asked.

The man in the silk gloves raised an eyebrow. "Didn't realise you were on good terms with a yeti, Kato. Watch he doesn't break anything." he said with a sneer.

Tugark narrowed his eyes. A grumble escaped his lips at being compared to a yeti.

"Yeti's are the most smelliest things imaginable..." He muttered quietly. He placed himself in front of Blink and behind Nao, refusing to let even one of the others look at him wrong.

Still he turned around to look at Blink before whispering, "I don't smell, do I..?"

"Not at all, big guy." Blink whispered back. "These guys, on the other hand..."

Nao, in the meantime, carefully analysed the situation. The men with guns posed the biggest threat. If this turned hostile, they could easily take him down before he got a chance to bring his power into play. He either needed to avoid this turning into a fight, or catch them off guard.

"We're looking to acquire an item we think that Jack has. We're willing to pay, so there's no need for hostility. We just want to do business." He said finally. It was a bluff. Even if he had the kind of money that the criminal would be expecting, he had no intention of paying scum like him.

"Hm." The man stroked his chin, "Lee. Go tell Jack who's here to see him, let him decide if he wants to do business with this lot or not."

One of the unarmed men nodded and quickly disappeared out a back door.

"Blink," Nao whispered, "If this goes south, I need you to disarm the two with the rifles. I'll deal with the other three. I should be able to jam them."

The gloved man coughed, "You got something to say to the group, pretty boy?"

Nao was saved from answering by Lee's return. "Jack says he'll see them, boss." he said. 'Boss' raised an eyebrow.

"Well, fancy that. Go on then. He's just through that door. My boys will escort you, to see that you don't have any trouble." he said, waving a hand.

Nao nodded, and wordlessly started forwards. Blink hesitated a moment, but followed after him. "Hope this guy has what you're after." he murmured to Tugark, "This lot are bad news. Hoped they wouldn't be here. Got a bad past with them."

Tugark walked along with the group in silence, not having commented at all to the previous exchanges with his small group of friends. He had an air about him that made him seem ancient and young at the same time, his eyes weary and alert, wise and naive all at once.

This warrior of old had never seen these types of weapons, but he knew if they were carried that they were dangerous. And the way Nao had whispered about them earlier, deadlier than he anticipated at first glance of the crafted metal.

But Tugark nodded to Blink as he spoke. "As do I.. I feel as I owe you a great debt now, and Nao as well.. Even if it is not here.." He said. "I do not wish to make trouble for your future.. But your past is just that. You've past by it, and you're alive. I judge those on how they are now. Whatever has happened back then.. I will not have it harm you now. You have a word of an Avand. And we keep our word, until the death." He murmured as quietly as he could. He then grinned a fangy grin that made him look more feral than reassuring.

"Heh. Thanks." Blink said, smiling nervously. If nothing else, he was confident that Tugark could intimidate anyone who wanted to try anything funny.

The back door led out into a wider open space, lined with stacked boxes. A scrawny looking elderly man was seated at a desk near the back of the room, flicking through a ledger. He looked up from it briefly as they walked in, but didn't speak until they began to approach.

"Ah, ah, that's close enough my friends. Be civil, you've got to give a man his personal space, especially a man who can have you shot. Hah!" The old man snorted with amusement. "But that wouldn't be civil in itself, would it? And where are we without our civility? With the animals, that's where! And that's no good!"

He slammed the ledger down on the table and leaned forwards, "Blink! Good to see you, boy! Still horny as ever, I see. Hah!" he snorted a second time, "You see what I did there? Comedy! Take notes, kids. Now listen, I'm a business man and so I'll give it to you straight - I haven't got time to waste, there's important things to be done! Don't have any unimportant things to do, they're all dealt with by my assistant! Isn't that right, Ai?"

A woman who had previously been practically invisible, pressed up against the back wall motionless, spoke up. "Yes sir." she replied in monotone.

"Of course it's right! I said it! And within these walls, everything I say's right! Ai knows it, the boys out there know it, and I certainly know it! You'd do well to remember it yourselves! But look at me! I'm wasting time, you came here for a reason, so spit it out! Come on, what're you waiting for? Speak!"

Nao raised an eyebrow at the man's rant. He certainly talked a lot. "We're here to find an item that you acquired recently." He glanced across at Tugark. He'd mentioned that the weapon would glow blue to those who knew its name, but he couldn't see anything in the room with any such glow. It was likely there was more here than what was on display. "It belonged to my friend here."

Jack leaned back, "Alright, so you're here for a buyback! I can work with that! I get that a lot. So, big guy, what're we looking at here? A giant teapot? A hat? A picture of grandma? Gimme something to go on, here!"

Tugark narrowed his blue eyes at the man. He did not like this man, he could feel it in his bones that this one was not up for the benefit of others. The woman reminded him of a snake; hidden until just upon the creature. "I cannot say what it is, but it has a special marking upon it." Tugark said quietly.

"I can draw the symbol for you. I'm sure you've probably have a good idea of your inventory and wares, and that is all I would need to show you in order to give you an idea of what it is I seek."

"A drawing? What is this, pictionary? Hah! I like that word, Ai, mark that down! Pictionary! We can market that! And for pity's sake, woman, get the man some paper! And a pen! One of those big ones, you know, the novelties - man's got big hands!"

Ai nodded her head, and disappeared behind one of the shelves. After only an instant, she reappeared with a large pen and paper in her hands - spirits knew how she'd managed to find them so quickly in the mess back there. She proffered them to Tugark, and an instant later was dragging a small table over for him to rest the paper on.

"Go on then! But first, you gotta tell me how many syllables are in it, right? Wait! Wrong game, never mind! Categories! That's it! I'm just messing with you, fella, I'm deadly serious about my customers. You draw me that symbol and you'll know in a lickety split whether I ever had anything with it on it! Unless I promised not to tell! In which case I'd lie! Hah! Confidentiality, you understand. I've got a reputation for discretion to protect!"

Nao and Blink exchanged a glance. Blink shrugged apologetically.