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Post by Juni on Feb 29, 2020 0:43:13 GMT -8
Impudence? Hachiko shifted in her cushioned bar stool, wondering if she had been so forward in her manner of speaking that would cause Maxine to immediately ask for a pardon, the level of customer service must have been of the highest caliber to meet the highest expectations. The mention of games being enjoyable whether it was a win or loss did pique her interest at first. It seemed Riku was not familiar with the festivities either. However, before she could voice her opinion in possibly participating in the games in question, she returned her focus on the samurai after Koma declined. Were they here to enjoy the entertainment the cabaret offered? Or was it simply a meeting location since Koma trusted this establishment in particular to keep his private discussions away from family, the grand dukes, and their loyal subjects? Hachiko was previously enjoying the company of the saiyan girls, they were quite attentive, and she understood why this establishment was something her brother Ma-Te indulged in.
“You’re from another time, Riku-san? I am not sure how long androids live for, I am unfamiliar with the science behind people such as yourself, and I fear mysticism does not meld well with reality.” Hachiko paused, “I attempted to heal an android named Savina in West City, after she pained herself to show me her ki signature, so that I can read her chakras. I also, read the chakras of another man, who only possessed two chakras, the root, and sacral-- right before we met for the first time at the tea house. It is perplexing to me entirely, I am yet to discover if my mysticism even applies to mechanical bodies, as most seem quite reserved from the idea of allowing me to do so in the first place.” The man she was talking about was Bryce, who had been looking for Duchess Melody, and left quickly before anyone else arrived at that meeting.
After a beat she turned to face the heir of the White Cat Clan, “Koma-san, what are your plans this evening?”
Hachiko used her chopsticks to eat another soup dumpling, clearing her plate, and saved the azuki bean steam bun pastry for last.
The saiyan women continued to tease Maxine into loosening up, enticing her to drink with the trio while they covered her shift, it was more entertaining to put someone out of their element, and Hachiko was amused by it all with a widening sly smile. The devilish form she was in expressed her demonic features like a work of art unlike her subtle expressions as Juniper.
“A safer business practice?” Hachiko inquired to what the hostess meant by safety, which could mean a myriad of things, perhaps other jobs proved to be more dangerous than this one, or she was an entrepreneur and an investment into a cabaret was a safer financial choice due to its profit margin she was describing before. As the petite woman took a seat at the bar, she seemed nervous of continuing a conversation with them all, and brought up the World Martial Arts Tournament.
“I have heard grand stories of the World Martial arts tournament from my family but I am yet to visit the southern islands. I have only been as far as West City and it has been difficult to be so far from home, into territories that are so vastly different from ours, from buildings to clothing. It makes everything seem rather dated, I am so accustomed to our culture, that I don’t see myself ever letting go of my roots to wear a tshirt.” She reflected for a minute, her crimson eyes looked up in bewilderment, and then smiled. “A swimsuit, now those are quite cute and most importantly liberating. Especially in a place like the southern islands where everyone is dressed in beachwear.”
[640] [2,727]
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Post by Zukkah on Feb 29, 2020 17:17:28 GMT -8
Zukkah was a saiyan warrior who seemed to be confused on what his true purpose in life was, wondering why he had followed orders from such scum that caused him to be sitting in an empty cell. His mind raced the entire time he was sitting there, but deep down Zukkah wanted to redeem himself for his actions in the past. With the saiyan rotting away in the cell, there was no chance that he would be able to do that, unless he was to just do his time and move on. Either way, Zukk looked down at the floor and just slowly shook his head, upset at what he had become, even after leaving his family behind after they begged him not to go.
As time seemed to pass by slowly, Zukkah began to think of the moment he met Romanus and thought of all the lies he was fed, and promises of power and riches beyond their imagination combined. He grunted at the thought, then quickly leaned back against the cold steel bars that kept him trapped inside. Sure the saiyan could just bust out and try to flee, but with everyone that was within the castle walls, it would be impossible for any type of silly attempt at escaping. Not only was Romanus responsible for their acts, but Marjhan had manipulated them both to try and do her dirty work. But Zukkah was responsible for his own actions and that was something he would either live with, or he could let what he did haunt his own thoughts.
The sound of footsteps began to echo throughout the hallway that led into where Zukkah was being held. Just as he turned his attention to the noise, he saw two guards approach his cell and unlock it. The saiyan glanced over and revealed the eyepatch attached to his face, but it didn’t phase them one bit. They have seen far worse in their time, so Zukkah was like a joke to them both. “Get up, saiyan.” The one guard ordered, as the other stood there as backup. Zukkah didn’t want any trouble, so he stood as asked, then approached them and turned around with his hands behind his back. He knew the procedure, so it was easier to do what was asked of him, than to disobey orders and possibly die in the process.
After the guards cuffed the saiyan and moved along, the soldiers kept one hand on each arm of Zukk just in case he were to try and flee from them. This was no problem, as the saiyan remained calm and walked with them until he was led into a much larger room, almost as if he was in the middle of some sort of party. The soldiers stopped and pushed Zukkah down to his knee’s, almost face planting onto the solid flooring. “We’ve fetched this scum as you asked of us, my lords.” The man announced, as he took a bow and stepped back into position with the other guard.
Word Count: 513
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Post by Koma on Feb 29, 2020 20:04:37 GMT -8
The secret of the matter was Koma did know the owner of the Flying Monkey, and that Ma-Te had been friends with the manager closely. The Flying Monkey was more than just a high class cabaret ran by a one eyed Saiyan who was sometimes called 'The Mad Hound of Little Saiya', for the sub-district of Little Vegeta they were in; it was a business which was owned in a three way partnership between Ma-Te, the Yaro Clan Yakuza, and a samurai who a decade before had saved both Ma-Te and the heir to the headship of Yaro Clan, Yao Choy, from being murdered by a rival gang. Not that many of the workers, if any beyond the manager, actually knew that this establishment was partially owned by the likes of Ma-Te and Koma, or that it had been some of Koma's own field recipes that formed the initial offerings in the menu, such as the stew buns and curry buns, as well as traditional onigiri and central lands style chicken and dumplings. Indeed, the dishes which dine-in orders were served on within the Flying Monkey were actually decorated in the middle with a smiling cartoon bear, a smiling cartoon pig, and a smiling cartoon monkey. Koma simply smiled as his friends the pig demon princess hiding as a far different demon princess, and the cyborg samurai from centuries past, began to taste the food. He too tried a few of the dishes he had not eaten before, such as the new samplings of karage, and of course the stew buns and curry buns – the waitresses knew that was Koma's favorite food. “That makes sense, Maxine-san. There's an old proverb that it's easier to control a drunk with a delicious meal and some soft words than it is with a balled fist.” He said in between bites, covertly eyeing both her and Hachiko and reaching out with his spiritual energy to attempt to sense the power level of the android as he also watched her rather nervous mannerisms. The slate eyed samurai in a track suit was silent offering various dishes to his compatriots, including Maxine as she spoke, and then when she asked about the WMAT and Juniper said what she said, he smirked and had a momentary, if very fleeting image, of Juniper and/or her Hachiko form in various bikinis – but he did not show that imagining visibly. “I've never been, myself and only watched it a few times. It's not exactly representative of the realities of actual martial arts and warfare, but it can be fun to watch. Perhaps we can go together to the world martial arts tournament and the southern islands. I can even count it as a business expense, given that it would be representing the Pig Demon Duchies in the WMAT officially...” he stopped, before grinning, almost playfully leering at Maxine and Hachiko – though it was as much an act as anything else, a test to see if she kept her composure or jumped. He doubted that Gongura Mashua would have left someone who could not handle herself in charge of the cabaret, but as part owner he had to be sure the old hound hadn't lost some of his edge – and the night's appointments were moving ahead and a little bit of extra firepower couldn't and wouldn't hurt. “Maxine-san, do you own a bikini? Perhaps we should check out one of the boutique's here in Little Vegeta for one for yourself and Hachiko-san. My treat. Unless you don't think that Eight Nine and Three equaling zero is a valuable chance?”____________ Elsewhere, deep within the arch-ducal plateau's dungeons, Zukkah was lead at that moment towards the two nobles who had claimed plans to interrogate him. When he was led to that place, candles instantly lit up and a quick burst of ki and witchcraft were used, using a teleportation spell to send Zukkah to a matching portal drawn somewhere else. Pots and pans suddenly fell in the kitchen of the Flying Monkey, as the portal that Koma had drawn on a cardboard box and had delivered to the kitchen of the cabaret earlier in the day was activated. There was no need to give Marjhan and her associates a chance to assassinate Zukkah on his way from the Ducal Dungeons, and the more that the average person wondered about the capabilities and secrets of the city had, the less that young toughs would try stupid things. [749] [3,276] Rik Juni Maxine Zukkah
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Post by Rik on Mar 2, 2020 10:01:03 GMT -8
Riku listened as Maxine explained the events to him and grinned at the thought of drunken men trying to keep up with the obviously fit and trained saiyin women. He was imagining trying to do it himself and wondering how fun the losing could be and what that might mean... When Koma invited her to sit with them. He kept his face neutral as he watched the large saiyin waitresses almost bully their manager into sitting down and having a drink with them at Koma's request. He drained the rest of his sake to stop himself from laughing at her flustered state as she settled in. Clearing his throat, he nodded his thanks to Koma as the other man filled his glass back up. He managed to keep a straight face but was unable to keep the humor from coloring his voice as he said, "Thank you for joining us. I hope you'll find we don't bite. At least I don't, I can't speak for Koma or Hachiko. You're probably safe with all of this wonderful food on the table though."
He cocked his head to the side as she mentioned the World Martial Arts Tournament. His eyebrow rose quizzically as he started pulling up a window in his HUD and ran a search.
Subject of Query?: World Martial Arts Tournament Searching.... Searching.... Information Retrieved Successfully! The World Martial Arts Tournament is....
He quickly skimmed the article for the basic pertinent information and saved the rest to read over for later, when he was alone and a bit more sober. He wondered if he should try to enter the tourney himself. He didn't have any real illusions about winning a tournament against the strongest martial artists on the planet... but the things he could learn from such a battle would be invaluable to help him on the road to being able to win it. His reverie was interrupted by Hachiko's inquiry as to his age.
He considered her and decided to give her a straight answer, at least in part spurred on by the warm flush of sake coursing through half of his body. He began his answer, "I was born long ago, Hachiko; almost 1500 years ago. I was born to the third generation of a family that had been raised to the ranks of the samurai; my grandfather earned it by standing over his wounded lord and killing 15 men while defending him, despite taking many wounds himself. I was raised in a family that was samurai while my cousins and other family were still fishermen."
His eyes took on a far off look as he sipped at his sake and then continued, "I will not go into too much detail but I was the general for my daimyo, Jiku, when he decided to rebel against the emperor at the time, the blessed Jianwen Tongzhi. We did well at first, we gathered allies and won battles. Then, the emperor began actually taking us as a threat; he pressed the bulk of his armies towards crushing us. We were outnumbered by several times over; but I was able to manipulate them into mistakes and choose my battlefields to limit their numbers at first. We were killing the emperor's men at a rate of 3 to 1, but that was not enough. The emperor was willing to suffer the attrition to put the rebellion down and so he was successful. My daimyo ordered me to take his wife and child and hide them, and then flee over the mountains to lead the emperor's men away from them."
He paused and finished his drink with a contented sigh before he continued his recitation, "I made sure they were secure in the home of his oldest ally, who was going to adopt the child as his own to spare him being slain by the emperor. I took their horses with me as I fled before the path of the hunters. They caught up to me near the high passes and I was forced to fight. I killed most of them... and wounded the rest badly enough that they weren't able to pursue me as I continued on to the height of the passes. When I stopped to rest at the top, I started a small fire so I would not freeze. I started to doze... and heard a loud rumbling sound. Snow and ice crashed down upon me and I knew nothing more."
"I awoke... sometime much later. Some people were carving me out of the ice that had entrapped me and revived me. I passed out again and when I awoke they had tied me down and I was in what I now know was some kind of operating room. They put me back under... and I woke up in some sort of hibernation tank. I had to bust out and found myself in a long abandoned place... and half machine. That is the short of it, at least, Hachiko."
He quieted himself and poured another shot of sake with a slightly shaky hand. He suppressed the melancholy of being out of place most times, but dragging it out by telling the story was almost inevitable. Still, he supposed he had been lucky, in a fashion. He had escaped the emperor's wrath though it had cost him living out his life in his time with his family... and his fiance. He tuned back into the conversation as Koma was telling Hachiko that they would be representing the Duchy in the WMAT. He smiled and bowed his head to each of them, "Congratulations! I might travel there myself... I don't know if I will qualify to participate, but even watching should be instructive."
Riku's cheeks flushed as Koma asked the women about bikini's and he looked at Maxine and had a briefest flash of imagining her in a bikini before he cleared his throat a looked down at the table. He shot the sake down and then sat the empty glass back on the table with a slightly too loud clack. "Maxine, how did you come to be working in the Flying Monkey?"
[1021/3051]
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Post by Maxine on Mar 3, 2020 7:25:16 GMT -8
Suffice to say, Maxine was endlessly thankful for Hachiko making some conversation and turning the attention away from herself – though the subject made her frown. Indeed, she too didn’t have a noticeable ki signature, and she quite preferred it that way… it was improper to overshadow a client, and it wasn’t good for staying under the radar either. She’d keep her mouth shut as the lady wondered aloud. Usually she’d be open to any job for the demon hierarchy, but… she didn’t like mysticism much. She didn’t have to believe that guns would work – she knew they would. And she would distinctly like to avoid any of those meandering conversations about machines having souls, too. Perhaps other would have some existential questions about that, but as for her – She was just a machine. Riku’s backstory was a very welcome distraction, and she was genuinely grateful for his introduction; regardless of the humour behind it – he was familiar to her. Old-school. She could always deal with that. She wasn’t quite ready for the full story… and she thought she had problems. ”That… is a new one. It did take a long time since my creation to when I was activated, but not quite a millennia… well, there are many long-living races, aren’t there? Maybe you could find someone who remembers your times, somewhere.” It was a little bit dismissive, but she wasn’t sure how to react. Was giving condolences appropriate? He seemed to be handling himself very well so far. A not-so-tiny part of her simply didn’t believe it. ”At the very least, I hope you never find such strife in this era. It sounds like you deserve a long rest – preferably one you’re conscious for, this time. Though, I wonder – for what purpose were you rebuilt…? I guess that’s one question I never have to wrangle with…”On the other hand, she was a lot more comfortable answering questions about business. ”I don’t think it would be responsible to run a cabaret starring Saiyan without having food on hand. And furthermore, the young master’s suggestion is correct too – balled fists are particularly bad for repeat customers. Though, I’m but an amateur in this field.” replied the lady, trying to just keep her cool and focus on her work. In spite of her company’s tastes, she would quietly usher a waitress over and order a mere highball – Fushimi whiskey, of course. She didn’t drink enough to know much better, but her usual yakuza partner had said it was the lightest drink she could get away with. She’d politely pass as Koma offered food platters around the table, though; while she could taste, she didn’t have much of an appreciation for food. Even less so when she was technically on the job. Similarly, Koma's attempt to assess her power level was rather fruitless; though whether it was because she was an android or because she was really that catastrophically low was likely unclear. The truth was probably somewhere in-between...
Originally, she wasn’t planning on weighing in on the subject of the WMAT. She didn’t much care for it, despite its popularity. Sure, she’d been dragged along to screenings of it to serve drinks, but she’d never really watched it. She couldn’t do martial arts even if she wanted to – her body simply couldn’t stand up to them. Weapons were so much more elegant, anyway. Hearing that Koma was keen on being a representative of the Duchies made her frown, but she just assumed he was a young punk trying to brag to his date. So, she just let the conversation cruise by her… she was used to this. The next subject, though… s-she really wanted to avoid being mentioned in that. Alas, no one was feeling so merciful, as her pitiful attempt to steer the conversation to an extremely safe conversation totally backfired. It was very difficult to sink into a bar stool! Even more so when you were a mere 5’ tall. But, Maxine was trying very, very hard to. Maybe she’d discover whatever was the opposite of Giant Form eventually. At first she’d merely cough politely as that particular subject was raised, but it very quickly went downhill. The thought of Hachiko in a swimsuit was – d-d-distracting, b-b-but she wasn’t really a swimsuit type of girl anyway! Type of android. W-Whatever! She was more of a… a-a-anyway, that wasn’t important! Business! Not the time for that sort of thing! Those Saiyan were bad enough for her focus! Alas, the real devil among them, that young man, was quick to jump in. W-What kind of conversation was this, anyway?! She’d need a moment of pause to pull herself together before she proved to be the one who was likely to bite at the table instead. ”I-I do not have the time to go swimming for pleasure!” snapped Maxine, blushing faintly – of course only a demon would request a robot that was made to blush; even overriding her artificial blood’s colour. She barely knew how to swim at all, b-b-but that was also b-beside the point! ”A suit is the only true choice for a professional… w-well, and a maid uniform on special occasions, it seems, but that’s not important. I can offer my services as an escort, but I cannot offer my services as a model. It’s not what I was built for. I lack the – features necessary. Perhaps you should talk to one of the hostesses instead; some are available for after-hours services. I am the floor manager. I am not.”
Maxine totally pouted after that spiel, arms folded and everything; almost completely missing Koma’s final comment in the midst of her huffing – she needed moment to process it, and she needed a moment to cool off before that. And maybe another moment to grit her teeth as well. ”A chance like that – well, I’m not one to lay bets. Oolong’s tables are all rigged; you simply cannot clear all the numbers. But, so long as there’s a payout, I don’t really mind.” replied the lady, giving the young man an appraising glare. She worked with the yakuza, certainly; but they always had their power struggles and backstabbing. Even if they were truly exterminated, she’d just work for the next business with a ruthless streak… the yakuza just had better taste in interior design. She’d need a moment to cool off, but thankfully Riku had a much more grounded question. She wasn’t sure if it was wise for her to answer it; but maybe it’d give this Koma a little more insight… it seemed like the other staff knew him well, so she ought to be considerate towards him. ”How did an android end up working at a Saiyan maid cabaret…?” remarked Maxine, sounding like she was asking the question as well; ”I’ve done… other work for the owner before. Or, should I say, for a group who have a share of this business. They needed an extra staff member here, and believe I had the skills for the job… or, perhaps they were quite desperate. It would be presumptuous for me to assume the answer. But, it is an honour nonetheless.”It wouldn’t take a genius to notice the hint of venom in that final remark. She actually really did like her outfit, and being manager wasn’t a bad role, but… she wasn’t thrilled about going through all this madness without even a pay check to look forward to. This was a reputation she wasn’t sure she was going to greet with open arms. Still, free drink, pretty women, very nice food. May as well try and enjoy it. And maybe that favour would pay off someday. A symbol of solidarity among one-eyed yakuza, or something like that. [1297/3661]
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Post by Juni on Mar 6, 2020 23:46:09 GMT -8
“When one offers a gift, it is only proper to accept it, as a rejection would be rude.” Hachiko smirked at Koma. Even if the gift was a bikini, it was the gift that mattered, it was practical to wear in a tropical climate, in an area where even the locals were constantly dressed to set the fashion; much like the western lands wear traditional robes to suit the culture. When the tea princess was young, she read a novel about a family clan by the name of Sohma supporting an orphan girl with a place to live, and in order to return their kindness she spent all of her savings on Honmei choco 本命チョコ . The Sohma clan then thought of the idea of getting her swimsuit which followed the tradition of sanbai gaeshi 三倍返し, which she outright accepted, and thus Maxine went into detail that she did not swim because she was not built for it. Perhaps Hachiko’s statement of accepting gifts would resonate with the android, assuming she was capable of adapting to traditions, and customs people shared in western land society.
Hachiko listened carefully to what Riku had to say about his past, it was before the Tea clan ruled over the lands, in a time before technology existed even, and that was quite the story to be told. The fact that he was able to recollect his memories was short of a miracle, it went beyond what she was capable of doing as a healer, the type of administered mysticism relied on the natural healing of the patient, and now she understood the benefits of mechanical modifications. It would take a life time to utilize that level of expertise in technology, which would cut into her training, and while it was an interesting subject matter she could not afford to spend the time to learn it.
“Well, Riku-san, it may not be the same era that you remembered, I hope you can still call the Pig Demon Duchies territories your homeland. While the duchies are independent of their villages, deciding the laws for themselves, it has proven to be an effective method to support and protect villagers from the namekian horde from the north. True peace is yet to be achieved, from your time period to the present, but if we work together we can at least find a balance with our very lives.”
The half demon took the glass of her lemon drop, drank it half way but stopped from finishing it, when her pointed ears perked up from the tumbling of pots and pans in the storage room behind the bar. Even the mirror that was behind the displayed glass bottles of spirits trembled from clash behind the wall before her crimson eyes. It was then that she looked at Koma react to the shift in the atmosphere as if he was up to something. Maxine went into detail about her position as the floor manager of this establishment, there was melancholy in her voice, and despite the Tea Princess being unfamiliar with Little Vegeta she knew that all the businesses were operated by the local yakuza; which meant the lilac haired android had connections to these operatives.
“Not to interrupt the current subject but something is amiss with the store room. I detect a ki signature that I have not felt before suddenly appeared.” Crimson irises looked over to the mini-manager as it would be bold for Hachiko to investigate the private area herself.
[581] [3,308]
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Post by Zukkah on Mar 7, 2020 12:19:21 GMT -8
Zukkah didn't think things could get much worse than they were already, but he was magically transported away from his current location and reappearing in an unknown place. There were pots, pans, and boxes around the area. "What the hell?!" He yelled out, unsure of what was going on, or even where he was. The saiyan warrior stood to his feet, still cuffed up and unaware of what was really going on. There was a door in front of him, but he wasn't sure what to do at this point. Was someone breaking him out? He had so much running through his mind at the time, which kept him from making a decision just yet.
There was a voice coming from outside the door in which Zukkah had heard before, or at least that is what he was thinking. He took a few steps closer to the door, pushing his head against the door, trying to listen to the voice once more. Then he heard more than one, which caused him to back away quickly because it was one that he had never heard before. "Damnit, I am surrounded and unsure what to do.." He thought to himself for a short moment, before putting his head back to the door to listen in once again. "Riku-San? Could it be true? Is that Android here too?" He whispered, then continued to listen in on the entire conversation.
The female voice then caught on to the saiyan's ki signature within the store room, so he backed away from the door and waited a moment, while trying to catch his breath. "They know I am here..I can't even defend myself correctly in these cuffs." He muttered to himself. Zukkah seemed to have himself in a pickle and didn't know what to do once again. "Fuck it." He called out, then stepped forward and used his shoulder to push the door open. What he didn't know was that he was now in the presence of four others, unaware of who they were, besides Riku. Zukkah had met him long ago within the streets of Oolong City. "Riku? Is that you? What is going on?" He demanded, even though he was in no position to be making demands.
Word Count: 400 Total Word Count: 913
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Post by Koma on Mar 7, 2020 18:31:04 GMT -8
For a second, Koma was in this very cabaret a decade ago, or at least his memory of that place. For a second his power level suddenly unraveled from its tightly coiled suppressed state, before being wound back in like a fisherman pulling in a line. Ma-Te and Yao Choy were dancing with Saiyan Cabaret hostesses to electronic music that had begun to be popular in Oolong City as Koma slowly sipped a whiskey on the rocks and enjoyed his friends enjoying themselves. This had been his victory party after saving the two of them and they had tried to get him to party with them, but even then Koma was not the type to party. A master of strategy looked six steps ahead. As he listened to RIku’s story and filed away every detail he could, the half-Saiyan Samurai also sat up before calling out to two of the girls who had worked at the establishment for years to guide the cabaret’s new guest to his table. So the two girls, both regal in their bearing and giddy at being told to help ‘Koma-kun!’ strode to guide Zukkah, one on each of his arms as they did. That step taken, it was time for the next piece to be moved. “Maxine, you say you can offer your services as an escort but not a model?” he made it overly licentious sounding when he said it too, though he was only joking. “Shame. Though given you can’t actually step off, give me a moment?” He dug into his pockets before pulling out a beat up, carrot orange decorated phone which looked like it was from two decades before or before. He dialed a series of numbers decisively, before putting it to his ear and wait patiently for a response. “Howdy, Yao Choy! Is there any chance that you could ask the manager if he could head to the Flying Monkey to take over management or we could close up shop early for tonight? I need Maxine-chan’s services, she’s just my type and she makes for a great contrast to this pretty Demon Princess I’ve found.” he said, still trying to play a perv but not actually being that way at all. A chuckle could be heard from the other side of the phone, before a response said ‘Put me on Speaker, Koma-san.’ and Koa did so. “Maxine, Koma really needs your services tonight. He and his demon girlfriend could use your help and you can close up the store or tell the girls to prepare for a storm cellar night.” the voice melodiously said. As Koma held the phone out for Maxine, he looked to Zukkah. “Sorry about the roughness of shipping and handling, but it was necessary to get you here safely. Are you hungry?” he waved over the multitude of dishes in front of him. [477] [3753] Maxine Zukkah Rik Juni
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Post by Rik on Mar 11, 2020 7:51:25 GMT -8
Riku kept a pleasant expression on his face as Maxine's words revealed a deep seated... was it resentment? Perhaps a bit of anger. Maybe she had taken this job as a way to pay a debt she owed; maybe to gain a favor with her boss; or maybe she had even been forced into it. Still, she was doing it and seemed to be trying to the best of her ability, and he could respect that. He decided to let it sit there for the moment; if she needed help he would be happy to assist her, but he would not force his aid where it was not wanted. Besides, the worst danger she was probably in would be a particularly foolish customer getting handsy. He had a feeling that Maxine had tricks up her sleeve to... discourage such things.
Turning back to Hachiko, he gave a seated bow, "My thanks, Hachiko. I do find that this place feels more like home than many places I have been since my awakening. Peace as in ideal is a wonderful thing. In this world, the closest we can hope for is to have the warriors engage in war so that some people might live in peace. It is their calling, and for some their sacrifice. That is the real honor to be found in being a warrior, to allow one's people to live in peace."
He paused in his speech and glanced back towards the store room in time to see a familiar large and scruffy haired saiyan emerging to join the main room of the cabaret. He felt a spike of surprise, he had not realized they would be joined by the subject of their conversation. He waved back and said, "Zukkah! It is good to see you well, despite all that has happened. Yes, it is I. Sit, join us. We were discussing you, though I did not know at the time you would be joining us. Care for some sake? I can flag a waitress down and get you a glass." Riku flagged a waitress down and had her bring a glass for the saiyin man.
Grabbing the bottle and pouring a healthy measure of sake into the glass, he slid it over to the man and told him, "Drink up! Take Koma up on his offer, the food is really good. I am sure, at the least, that it is probably far superior to prison food."
[408/3459]
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Post by Maxine on Mar 11, 2020 9:46:00 GMT -8
The scathing remark that Hachiko mentioned with a smile made Maxine immediately freeze up – ack. These guys really were yakuza… she shouldn’t have been surprised. The lady was old-school, too… her weak spot. Tch, she’d gotten so used to dealing with the enterprising sorts that she’d forgotten her manners; and she’d just assumed it was this boy who was messing with her rather than the two of them working together. T-This was really bad. While Koma called over some new company, Maxine did her best to regain her composure – for an android, she rather blatantly wore her feelings on her face as soon as her defences were cracked. ”T-That is… I… i-it would be unbecoming for an android to have such a gift…” squeaked the poor girl, hopelessly trying to wrangle with the social disaster; ”I-I am just a machine, so… you should save your kindness for more important individuals… people, no doubt, not objects. M-My apologies for my rudeness, all the same; I-I was – it has been – I –”
Koma’s teasing really did not help matters, as Maxine’s face turned a deep shade of red. Well, a deeper shade of red, anyway. Wincing, she seemed to bite her tongue for a moment before trying desperately to come up with a response… it looked like she might need a few minutes. Thankfully, Hachiko was willing to give her a distraction, as Maxine gave her a nod for her glance. This, she could handle. ”A-Allow me to look into this. I assure you it will not affect your evening, ojou-sama. Please excuse –“
She didn’t get more than one foot back on the ground before being met with an entirely new and original crisis. Her earlier hesitation had been her undoing, as it had given Koma plenty of time to make her life even worse. Hearing the boy continue on the phone, Maxine’s train of thought careened down into the oblivion of despair – how were things getting worse so fast?! This was unbelievable! Ugh, she really should have tore out her other eye; then maybe she would have an excuse not to deal with tonight…
”’M-Maxine-chan’…” mumbled the android, her voice a dull murmur as she tried to comprehend what she was hearing. Her head was tilted down, with an expression that was somewhere between disbelief and despair… she hadn’t been programmed for this sort of abuse. But – as Yao spoke to her, she was all business again. Mostly. Kind of. As professional as she could be while still wearing this ludicrous maid outfit. At least she didn’t need to fight in it. However, she had to admit… she’d figured that Hachiko and Koma were an item, but he’d just ‘found’ her? Hrm… she felt kind of…
”…Understood, sir. I will assist in closing things up early, and escort your honoured guests home.” replied the lady, straightening her tie (albeit briefly fumbling with it, having forgotten it was the bow-tie rather than her usual one); ”Please inform the manager that working with his staff has been a pleasure, and the club’s facilities are exceptional. Though – in the future, do warn me if I’m to take over management again. I would like to dress more – appropriately, next time.” Inwardly, Maxine hated herself for adding ‘next time’, but business was business. Of course, personally, she’d like to give such compliments personally, but right now… she was getting the feeling she might not remember them by the next time they met.
Maxine picked up her highball, and daintily chugged the rest of the glass.
After a few seconds of rebooting, the lady regained her composure, and gave a gentle bow to the new arrival – a man, ‘Zukkah’. Tall, with that eye patch and armour; and that unmistakeable hair style… another Saiyan. No maid outfit this time, though. Shame, really. That said, he seemed to be on good terms with Riku, and that cyborg had proven himself the most reliable/safe/sane amongst her company so far, so she had faith in his tastes. Kind of. If nothing else, it explained the mystery of that extra ki signature… err, but from the store room? While she tried to still appear as polite as usual, Maxine’s eyes sharpened… she was well and truly on-guard now. She wasn’t entirely sure if she wanted to try and bounce a Saiyan out of here, but it was her job… her actual job, too. Her original job. Ah, those innocent, happy times; three hours, fourty-three minutes, and twenty-three seconds ago.
”More honoured company of Koma, I see? Allow me to get you the drinks menu while I help things wind down…” she remarked, standing up – freedom, at long last. Temporary, but freedom all the same. Thankfully, things had gotten rather quiet around the rest of the club as time had wound on… though, to her, it seemed like some people were avoiding the bar. Well, Koma was clearly a regular here, but was he that big a deal…? Given that phone call, perhaps so. Everything seemed to be adding up now, but she wasn’t sure what they were adding up to. Damn… there was something she was missing. She hated to admit it, but right now she was getting the distinct feeling this might be a hit…
Still, as she went to take her leave, she noticed Zukkah’s cuffs… she got the feeling she would be doing a lot of cleaning up tonight. ‘Prison food’, too? Oh dear. So much for assuming that she’d just have to walk a drunk couple home.
[929/4590]
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Post by Juni on Mar 11, 2020 19:19:14 GMT -8
As Maxine’s thoughts wondered, unbeknownst to Hachiko, only Koma had been named heir to the White Cat Clan, Duke Yajirobe along with his family was tasked with protecting Korin’s tower, and the Tea Clan was still deliberating on selecting an heir; it was assumed to be Clove on all accounts for being the eldest granddaughter of Oolong, while she remained wandering the world. The android had the foresight, that an arranged marriage would tie both clans together, and given how well they resonated in conversation at the cabaret meant they would get along well in the future when the news became officially public.
Hachiko smiled in response to Riku accepting her grandfather’s domain, the mood lightened up at the arrival of the mysterious ki signature belonging to Zukkah, and Koma called in a favor requiring the owners of the establishment closed down the cabaret in order to host this exclusive private party. While everyone was left grinning from ear to ear, Hachiko noticed that the eye-patched saiyan was still restrained from behind, he must have struggled to open the door of the store room to announce his presence. Without a word, she got up from her bar stool, and reached behind her ear to pull out a hair pin from her platinum white hair and immediately picked the shackles to break the black tailed saiyan free.
“Good evening, my name is Hachiko. It is nice to meet you. I understand that you are undergoing a trial in your life. I hope for the best in your endeavors, it appears Koma-san, and Riku-san are willing to work with you. So please, join us at the bar, we have been discussing your potential. Are you ready to begin a new adventure with us, Zukkah-san?”
The red tipped demon horned grey woman returned to her barstool with the utmost elegance in her stride and movements. With the lemon drop glass in her hand, she drank the remainder of her drink, and ordered another. Crimson red eyes looked over to the former saiyan samurai, heir apparent, and smiled at him, “Koma-san, what is the purpose of closing the cabaret just for us?”
[353] [3,661]
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Post by Zukkah on Mar 13, 2020 12:34:54 GMT -8
Zukkah just stood there with no idea what to do. He blinked several times, before noticing the nice gestures from those around him. The food that Koma had presented Zukk to eat looked absolutely delicious, causing the saiyan's tail to swing back and forth excitedly and his mouth to salivate. "What? But why? Why am I getting treated as if I did nothing?" He demanded answers, even though once again, he was in no position to be making demands.
With Riku the only recognizable face in the room, Zukkah gave the Android a slight nod. "I'll take whatever alcoholic beverage this place has. Riku, do you know what is going on?" The saiyan was truly curious to what had caused Koma and the others to change their minds about him. Could have been his goal to change his ways? Or was it something else altogether? To Zukkah none of that mattered, he was honestly grateful to still be alive and even happier to be around someone he had met before.
As Maxine spoke up, Zukk put his full attention to her and listened to what she had to say. It seemed everyone was offering him drinks and food, so he couldn't say no to them. After sitting in a cell for hours on end, liquor was much needed for the saiyan warrior. He stepped forward with his hands still cuffed and a slight grin upon his face. "Do any of you happen to have a spare smoke? It's been far too long.." He asked, as he looked across the table at each of them. Zukkah may have been a warrior, but he lacked stamina from the obvious tobacco abuse, and that is something they all would witness in the near future.
Just then, Zukkah felt something playing with his cuffs, then the sound of them popping open caused him to turn and see a woman. The tension was now gone, but he was still very confused to why they were so nice to him. "Thank you..I am just confused, that is all." He replied to the woman, but gave her a nod.
Word Count: 369 Total Word Count: 1,282
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Post by Koma on Mar 15, 2020 10:54:06 GMT -8
“The idea that an android of any sort is just a machine is a fallacy to me. You have the same spark of your creator as any well made item does. The spark of creation is in the hands of mortals just the same as it is in the hands of the gods who created them. If it wasn’t, legendary swords wouldn’t exist, and neither would people struggle to find the artifacts of the olden days and great heroes of their past. Items that are cared for can gain some level of sentience,” Koma said matter of factly, but it was part of his schooling as a samurai and as a warrior in general. As a child the monks had made sure that he had been taught that, as it was an intrinsic part of their schooling. He said nothing else beyond that to Maxine, allowing her to excuse herself and escape the embarrassment for a moment as the others talked to Zukkah and the others went back and forth with each other about drinks and the rest.
Koma was silent as they did, enjoying the dumplings and other dishes which were still lined up and thinking to himself. Battering down the storm cellar doors generally was code for keeping all the workers and valued customers in one place for a while, at least back in his dealings with Yao Choy and the rest of Yao Choy’s organization, but thinks did change as times did. Baby faced as he was, the half-saiyan samurai assuredly did not look his age, and he didn’t bother to hint at it at the moment either, simply listening and smirking as a few of the saiyan hostesses flocked over to bring drinks to Zukkah and eye this man.
“I’m afraid that even if we did, this cabaret generally frowns on smoking, though it isn’t strictly barred. It interferes with the taste of the food, and I have seen fights break out between patrons over it. I’ll see to it that you get a carton of the finest cigarettes in Little Vegeta when we’re done though, assuming you accept our proposal.”
The slate gray eyed saiyan then went back to the spread of food, picking up a sizable serving of yakisoba with beef and putting it on a small serving plate before slowly eating it. His posture said that he was not done speaking without his voice actually having to say so, and after he ate the food he nodded.
“I had you brought here, and brought here the way you were, because today we are going to change the political landscape of the criminal world within Little Vegeta. My allies within the Yaro Clan of Yakuza, and Ma-Te’s former subordinates within the Dumpling Street Gang, are both prepared to assist us in this matter, but we aren’t planning to pussy foot around. Tonight, I plan for us to take down the four toughest fighters within the gangs, and their leadership as well. I plan to do so with you at my side to show that this isn’t a police action, but rather something more.”
He then stopped speaking, to take a sip of a spicy cherry soda, popping it open and sipping it slowly as he paused things. “Myself and Hachiko need you to perform a vital task as a figure head to show the other Saiyans of Little Vegeta there’s logic in the words which I am going to give them. I’m not going to imprison the criminal subordinates, and neither am I going to kill them or try to run them out of the city. I want to recruit them, train them, and prepare them to become the bulk of a new samurai army with me at their head. Yourself and Riku would be my subordinates, but valued officers in said army, and the combination of your knowledge of the ways of the undergrounds and little vegeta toughs, of Riku’s knowledge of proper samurai culture, and my knowledge of both - with that we might be able to turn them into a proper army. Saiyans worth the name, really worth the name, not just some guys who are so angry at the world and have no one to take it out on.”
He then piled food on a plate and offered it to Zukkah. “Don’t rush, think on it.” and then turned to Hachiko. “And the purpose is mostly for privacy. I don’t want anyone who might forewarn the big bosses of the oncoming hurricane to get out, no matter their meteorological credits. Further, the Flying Monkey is co-owned by myself, Ma-Te, and the Yaro Clan of Yakuza. I asked them to close it as a precaution the protect the girls, the cooks, the cashiers, the bussers, and all of the other workers who might be harmed otherwise if the streets of Little Vegeta are awash in ki and clashing steel, which they very well likely will be.”
[824] [4,577]
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Post by Rik on Mar 25, 2020 9:53:07 GMT -8
Riku took a glass from the waitress who brought it and then poured a healthy dose for Zukkah and slid it over in front of him. "Some liquid refreshment for you. As far as what is going on, Zukaah, this is a chance to change your life and serve the duchy. We will raise your people up out of the gutters and into a place of honor; with one of their own, namely you, to help set them on the path. I will be lending my strength to this enterprise as well, I am certain that together we can accomplish what Koma has in mind; forming the saiyins into a disciplined army and a credit to their race and the duchy. Who knows, maybe there will be a new class of saiyin nobility that will owe their existence to this moment one day. Take a drink, eat something, and think about it. Ask any questions you have, I would not have you accept this offer without open eyes. You were a worthy opponent and I enjoyed our bout, Zukkah."
Riku lifted his glass and toasted Zukkah before he tossed the glass back and drained it with a pleased sigh. His cheeks were truly starting to flush a bit, he had imbibed quite a bit of liquor this night and he was feeling good. He seized the bottle and topped off both of their glasses again, grinning at the burly saiyin, "Go on then, you've got to catch up with the rest of us. Have some fun tonight!" Riku had run an army before, and one of the go to moves for recruiting was getting people to sign on drunk and have them wondering why as they marched hung over the next morning. He had a feeling that Zukkah might sign on either way, but it never hurt to hedge one's bets. He took another shot and felt his cheeks warm further and a message popped up on his HUD;
WARNING Ethanol levels in the blood stream are reaching detrimental levels. Do you wish to turn on blood scrubbers? Y/N?
Riku flicked no... he might change his mind later, else he might find himself in someone's army marching hung over. He laughed at the thought and grabbed the bottle to top everyone's glasses up.
[384/3843]
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Post by Maxine on Mar 27, 2020 19:38:29 GMT -8
It was true that Maxine was aware that a Koma was the heir of the White Cat Clan, but alas – she was not one for politicking beyond her treasured gokudo. She’d tossed out any possibility that it could mean this Koma by now. And, even then, she hadn’t kept up with the rest of the greater clans’ politics… she preferred to focus on her client’s microcosm. The clans were worth being aware of, but they were less likely to hold a gun to someone’s head than more immediate enemies. Most of the time, anyway…
Unfortunately, she’d only be growing more uncomfortable as the conversation continued, making any chance she might appreciate the chemistry decline even further. Discussion of her humanity was something Maxine always loathed… partly because she felt it was a waste of time, and partly because it raised questions she didn’t want to answer. In this case, Koma’s angle on it cut especially deep – the spark of her creator? She barely even knew who her creator was. From all the information she had so far… she was not sure she wanted to have his particular brand of inspiration. If the later Unid models were built for killing… she didn’t want to think about it. She’d rather be a consumer model. Just a machine.
But, maybe – it was more true to say that the Duchess’ spark was in her, instead.
Still, Maxine was clearly too troubled to give a reply, and Koma didn’t add anything else to the matter. Probably for the best. As her company focussed on Zukkah, the android took her leave with a deep bow and set about closing up the cabaret club; a task far more befitting of her than trying to play hostess. With her maid dress swaying at every stop, the lady organised the remaining staff and addressed the current customers – some took apologies, some took promises, some took merely a bow and a rare smile; but she soon had things fully under control. A lot could be said about Maxine’s social skills (or lack there-of), but it couldn’t be said that she wasn’t a professional as she insisted.
While Zukkah enjoyed the last order of drinks and catering for the evening (at least until Maxine was back to work), the cabaret soon emptied. No one raised an eyebrow at the group who remained, given the owners and region – this was just par for the course. Honestly, the huffy short maid was more of an oddity than such shady dealings. Speaking of which, she wasn’t about to get away without a final hurrah.
”Okay, bye bye~ Don’t be too rough with Miss Manager, Koma! Play nice with Hachiko, too; watch the horns~” ”Stay safe, okay? And tell your new friend he’s got a nice tail~”
In spite of her embarrassment, Maxine still kept her cool and escorted the staff – her staff – to the door politely. ”Your work is always appreciated, Mizuna, and Rugu. Please enjoy the early evening; I will ensure that you are paid for a full night’s work. It was a pleasure working with you.” And, she really did mean it. This had been a bit too much for her, but… they, too, were just doing their job. Professionals of a different stripe. Just definitely not a stripe she considered herself anywhere near adjacent to. Though, maybe on a night off, she might not mind being adjacent to them in one way or another –
Ahem. Recomposing herself with her duty now handled, Maxine settled into a far more familiar role as the last remaining waitress – hopefully Zukkah hadn’t been too excited by the Saiyan staff and didn’t mind a more conventional maid at his beck and call. ”I am Maxine. Please call upon me if you would like any special orders, separate to your company’s. I believe it will be – on the house, for this particular evening.” introduced the lady, with a curtsy that was becoming considerably more natural to her over the course of the night; before offering the Saiyan the (rather imposing) drinks menu. She genuinely would have offered a cigarette if Koma hadn’t shut down the idea; it was part of the gokudo culture after all. She did love the old school crowd. At the very least, she would refill the group’s sake bottle and any drinks she could get her hands on; standing beside the table rather than taking a seat again.
While she listened to all the talk of a second chances, strategies, and ambitions; Maxine kept her mouth firmly shut. This was not a conversation she was a part of. She was merely staff. It would be incredibly unprofessional for her to dare to weigh in, or even consider it in the future. Of course, she had her opinions, internally… but, that wasn’t within her current line of work. She did keep track of the worthwhile notes, though – Riku and Zukkah were fighters, Koma was related to the Yaro Clan and Dumpling Gang, and a show of force was being planned. Such instability… well, at least she’d have some exciting conversations with her usual clients to look forward to.
[858/5448]
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