( OPEN ) FIGHTING CRIME BY MOONLIGHT

[transmit]

WHO: Every Outsider interested!
WHAT: Catch-all log for cleaning up (or making more of a mess of) Neo Tokyo's crime scene! Refer to the OOC post here for details. Neo Tokyo's current social and political climate can be found under the World / Setting section here.
WHERE: Neo Tokyo, Japan.
WHEN: Nov 2024 & onward.
WARNINGS: Violence, drug use, threats and coercion … whatever else that happens where crime and criminal activity are involved. Please mark for other CWs if necessary!


From the month of November and onward, Outsiders can find recruitment posters around the base for a specialised subsection of an anonymous Neo Tokyo security agency! Feel free to assume that's where most of the directives come from.

Current quests relating to this player plot can be found under < STREET FIGHTER > and < RISE AND THRIVE > on the QUEST BOARD.

People are free to use this log or their own for open and closed starters. However, if you'd like to contribute to the quest chain or setting changes, please remember to eventually submit your links and a summary under the associated quests! Otherwise, go wild!

Comments

silco | arcane | brimstone

[zauneyete]

november (open)

[zauneyete]

o1. 'Cause where I live the game to play (strategizing)

[ It's somewhat difficult to tell why the guy is hanging around the space, stinking it up with the wafting of cigar smoke and the occasional scent of dried blood. He isn't there frequently — and if asked, he'll explain that his face is rather well known amongst the gangs, which... to be fair... — but when he does come by, it's always with the kind of sweep of a darkened gaze and a look around the place as if he's looking for changes; or people; or something. A paranoid creature with the eye for trouble.

So while you're here today, he happens to sweep in, his fingers dragging across the back of an empty chair in a way that feels belligerent more than it looks like anything, but it stops when his eyes find... whatever it is that you're working on, and his head tipped, almost curious. Whether it's a file, a profile, or even notes from earlier, his eyes narrow in on it, even from a distance. He slid near, though still keeping his distance, before he says: ]

Now what is that you have? [ It's presumptuous, but he holds out a hand for the file, whether it looks like it's about to be handed over or not. ] Oh now, don't be shy. I'm quite good at this. I'll be able to help.

[ The smile that crossed his lips is... meant to be reassuring. ]

o2. Well, now what can a poor boy do? (street fighter)

[ Gangs are always so... predictable, aren't they? Well, Silco can't say he'd break the mold either, and he's already narrowed things down to a list of locations to check out. Bars, restaurants, to a notable real-estate agency that he suspects is also a front. He knows of one more — the gang he works for uses an investment service, but he's kept that close to his chest for the moment, unwilling to bite that hand that feeds quite yet — but whatever the reason, you've been drug along. Maybe it's because he slid a message over that provided the location, or you drug him — or hell, you're just in the same place — it doesn't matter. There's work to be done, right? Crime to fight, gangs to dismantle... and who better to help than someone who knows this world inside and out?

(A) A lit cigar in hand doesn't seem to dissuade the staff at the restaurant or bar (feel free to make one up, or i can!), where he's already chatting up the staff, though his eyes slide to meet yours, a quirk of his lips, as if he's trying to convey a secret meaning to you. Whatever it is, after a moment, he tipped his head, inviting you over. The people in the said establishment don't seem... wary, necessarily, but they do seem cautious, and their words are hushed tones as they huddle together, talking amongst themselves. ]

I suspect that the back room may be a bit more...welcoming, but getting in will be difficult. Apparently, there's already a group occupying it. Any ideas?

[ His eyes flick to a room with a curtain drawn, where there seems to be a much more lively discussion happening. Not violent (yet) but... boisterous, at best. ] It would be ideal to make it there before anything happens, don't you think?

[(B) Or maybe this is a little bit more sedate of a setting. The real estate agency supposedly helps with cleanup for Kaiju attacks, and helps bring homes to dozens of impoverished families who've suffered losses from the attacks. The walls are plastered with smiling families in front of condos and inside with a pet or two. It's all so... wholesome. The receptionist at the desk has a child's drawing tacked to the cubicle behind her, and she smiles the next client warmly.

The building for Mugen Estate Company seems to be in a nice, quiet section of the district. There's a park nearby, where a family is playing, and even though it's evening, the workers inside are diligent, the store listing long hours, and people mill about on the street like it's just a normal real estate company in a normal part of town. ]

Supposedly, they clean up after attacks, and help build homes quickly for families who need it. [ A sour look on his face. ] As always, handouts are not gifts, but advantages. They do not do this out of altruism, but for other purposes. [ Or is he just delusional? It's hard to tell, but anyone who's spoken with Silco before would probably think the latter. ] I want to know what those are.

[ He looks at you expectantly. To be fair, can he even blend into a crowd? ]

o3. Wildcard!

[ Feel free to toss me something! Anything! You want to go with a different idea, play with one of these and change it, or just work out something else? Feel free! I put my plotting comment down, and I'm happy to work something out on there, plurk, discord, etc! Just hit me up! Or throw me a starter, I'll roll with it! ]

02!!

[uncourteous]

[ crime isn't exactly anything new to him. even in the better territories, there still existed a whole gamut of crimes and their potential to get entirely out of control were they entirely snuffed out from the start. despite his experience in ending a handful of his own, it doesn't necessarily mean he had intentions of it in this place. even at home, he barely returned from war before all these responsibilities were hoisted upon his proverbial shoulders and yet, here he was in the thick of it, even if unintentional on his part.

why, what individual wouldn't be lulled with a sense of curiosity to hear that a bar or restaurant may have been a potential front. he had no desire to find out the hows and whys, and had he known this to be an effort that aligned with a certain feathered individual, he would have been far less helpful. but, it's in this that he locks eyes with a face he's become all too accustomed to as of late.

he doesn't even have room for relief when it seems they've both landed themselves here. ... and maybe, not even here for the same purpose. he releases a sigh, giving nothing away of his intentions. ] Is there anything to deliberate? For situations like these, is there not all but one answer? [ he looks down at the weapon he keeps at his side. ] Or was that your attempt to make a request? If so, I would suggest you learn to offer a word of flattery or two.

[zauneyete]

[ Hunched over the table, with a drink he cannot even drink, Silco closed one of his eyes, a shake of his head when he fixed the other blackened eye on the man, his lips curling into something that was almost a smile. How was it that Callisto so often seemed to say just the right thing to draw the prickliness out of the crimelord?

Well, maybe he understood something that others didn't, perhaps. ]

Ah, blustering your way in is the answer, is it?

[ His lips curled into a smile, and he opened his other eye, to focus the mismatched pair on the man. They dipped to the sword, and then back to his face. ]

Flattery often comes when there is something worth complimenting. Thus far, I've heard little.

[ He gestured to the seat across from him, as if inviting him to sit with him for a moment. At least long enough that he gets a sense of both intention and his plan. ]

When they are armed on the other side with weapons, what is your plan for dealing with it? [ He kept his voice low, as he continued: ] There are better ways.

[uncourteous]

[ honestly, if he hadn't run across silco, he probably would have simply walked in, ready to match blades and leave whatever havoc in his wake. maybe it's better that his hand is stilled before that comes into actual fruition. either way, no matter what the end result was, it isn't like the consequences of his actions wee anything new to him. but, silco is correct in surmising there may have been better techniques for a place as unfamiliar as this with weapons and individuals who were just as much a variable as any.

this was probably only further proven as fact considering even a fellow outsider has shot him once...

at the statement of flattery, however... he gives a huff. clearly dissatisfied with the response, even if was meant entirely in jest. ] Maybe that is a sign for you to clean out those ears of yours, lest they be mere decoration.

[ he points to his ear before giving silco a carefree sort of smile, even in a situation as tense as this.

either way, he settles right into the seat across silco's. his hands carefully draw together as he leans his chin on it, as if he was entirely enraptured by the enthralling line of conversation. ] Then what do you propose? We put on an act? It seems like the people enjoy that here.

2a-ish

[demandsatisfaction]

[As someone who has yet to become truly familiar with the strange new city she’s been brought to, Lilias has little real knowledge of Neo Tokyo’s gang activity—but what she lacks in personal experience, she makes up for in resourcefulness. This is, she assumes, why she’s been tipped off on the location of a certain gang base that is suddenly showing interesting levels of activity, and why she has furthermore been invited to be Silco’s plus-one while he investigates the site. She certainly doesn’t think it’s her charm that won him over.]

I assume there is… surveillance deeper in? Alarms?

[They are seated within a small fast-food restaurant, the upper floors of which are definitely operated by the same group, but almost certainly devoted to things that have nothing at all to do with food. They need a way to get in, but it’s best to be cognizant of all their options before making any potentially tricky decisions.

Especially since Lilias’s grasp of technology is still inconsistent at best. In her own world, many more tricky hide-outs would be warded with magic, which she might be able to detect and even identify. She has markedly less experience with remote cameras and electronic alarm systems.]

[zauneyete]

Most likely, yes.

[ Silco's had a few more months on her to get used to these things. Things like the card readers, the locked entries, the cameras and the ways that systems automatically recognized the staff. He was no better at it than she was, his security relied on alerts from buttons being pushed, which is hardly what they can ask for here.

He sighed, and looked toward the ceiling. Considering.

There was supposedly someone about to crack up there. He'd heard it through the grapevine from his own employer, some whispers about some conflict or another creeping up between rivals that were about to start trying to eat each other alive. One traitor could mean the difference in the both of them falling apart. Supposedly, the information was valuable enough to lead to where the leader of his gang had a safehouse.

Would that not be better in their hands? ]

Your illusions. How useful can you make them?

[ He idly put an arm over the back of his own booth seat, leg crossed over his knee, toe of his boot tapping against the bottom of the table. There was food in front of him, but it reeked, fouler than anything he'd had from a garbage bin as a boy. ]

I've seen a few come in and out. If we can... stop them, could we pose as them?

[ His biggest problem? His face is known. He has to be creative. ]

[demandsatisfaction]

[Lilias has been nursing an extremely un-enjoyable cup of coffee almost since she sat down, and she doesn’t know if she owes this to the standards in this part of town, or if the gang running this establishment just doesn’t care about trying to maintain any appearance of quality with this little front. Either way, she hopes they don’t have to linger too long, because surely no one would believe any customer would willingly enjoy fare of this calibre.]

To mimic people’s identities? I have no magic for that purpose.

[Apparently the illusion magic she has at her disposal has at least some limits, aside from being strictly visual in nature.]

The best I can do is make us appear… more local. [More Japanese, she means.] The spell should disguise your eye, too. But I can’t exert enough control over it to make either of us resemble a specific person.

03!!

[transmit]

[ In the context of fieldwork, it's a little odd to be working alongside someone else again when he'd been doing the brunt of it alone. Not necessarily out of overconfidence, but due to a lack of manpower—most of the people that were involved were better suited for direct confrontations after all, with covert operations and schmoozing far and away from their expertise. It's not particularly surprising, considering how LILITH seemed to prioritise fighters above all else.

Still, even during such missions there was only so much one could do alone, not forgetting to mention the potential for oversights deep into the action. As much as Elysium doesn't mind flying solo, he recognises the value of being able to cover ones' weaknesses just as well, so when an almost unfamiliar username comes up offering to be his handler for the current mission, it is something worth considering—something he tilts and deliberates for a good while.

After rotating what he's seen of "BAD DADDY" on the network in his head: ]

< FROM @ HOTTIE >
I've memorised the layout, but slipping into restricted areas without fuddling with some of the cameras isn't likely. Even if there is yoinking a uniform and going that route, I think it's best if we avoid tipping them off to our presence for as long as possible.

Thoughts?

[ Presumably about to enter the Sapphire Room for his bartending job. Very touch and go, it seems. ]

[zauneyete]

[ Honestly? He's been fairly surprised by the number of people willing to "work" with him in this. He's been fairly up front with who he is — and Silco thinks there's nothing worth hiding, really — but people here seem to think tiny little rackets like this are worth their attention. Silco's happy to start working them down, wheedling them down, maybe eliminating them one by one.

After all, that will lead to power consolidating, and Silco doesn't really quite mind that. It's better for him — better for the rackets as a whole — but he wonders just how the pieces will fall in the end.

At the very least, it's an opportunity to get to know the players, by helping out, too. ]

< from @ BAD DADDY >

I don't recommend swiping it, particularly if they have cameras. Someone is likely fairly familiar with the regulars. Any way you can charm your way back with someone else. "New and being shown the ropes" may be our best option. Never underestimate the power of over-confidence on a group like this. I would recommend concealing any noticeable features. Hence why I am not helping at the moment. I tend to catch attention.

[ The problem was, nobody here could simply be invisible, and nobody was able to just change their shape. They were going to be fairly reduced in terms of options. ]

Your other option, of course, is to shut down the security entirely.

Do you know where it is?

[transmit]

[ Considering the state of their dilapidated office—where every other step elicits a creak of the floorboards—it's not as if they can afford to be picky about their hiring choices at the moment, beyond doing their due diligence to ensure their operations to achieve their objectives remain on track.

That, and Elysium isn't the type to ask for anyone's personal details in the first place, not unless there's a very specific need to, cautious and measuring risks in his own way. But there is that unspoken understanding that constitutes as a card in your hand in its own right if you don't reveal it: how it's less about trust and more about mutual gain. In a way, Elysium would probably appreciate Silco's candor. ]

< FROM @ HOTTIE >
Right. Getting an invitation to start work here as a regular was a pain in the ass in the first place, so if I can slide under the radar for as long as possible that'd be ideal. I should probably preface that my civilian identity's getting to be pretty known around here, mostly because I've had my doubts about certain individuals showing their hand to a complete newcomer. That's the only reason why I've been able to get the information I have.

But yeah, shutting down security seems like a pretty drastic move just to grab some ledgers and files for now. On the other hand… if I were to give you access to a backdoor, how do you feel about toggling dummy footage?

[ … Anyway. Here. A link to a live map, already heavily annotated with notes on a separate layer. His own location pings as a steadily blinking light, while the security room and his objective—an intriguing spot that's outside the scope of the map entirely—are highlighted in a different colour. ]

That's the "layout" of the building made public as per government guidelines, but it obviously doesn't account for hidden rooms and floors. With enough luck, I'll be able to have that information within the next few weeks.

Timing's going to be pretty important.

december (open)

[zauneyete]

o1. Hey Big Spender

[ Gangs like to invest in plenty of illegal activity, but there were some that tried to angle a bit of a different approach. Legal ventures, like bars and restaurants were all well and good, but some went for something a little bit different. Things that were just barely along the line of legality; like some of these little dens filled with bright flashing lights, machines that made plenty of noise and sound, and the people inside either exclaimed in excitement, or slumped over the machines in despair.

And here you were, being led by... one of the meaner, grouchier, and all around unpleasant outsiders to one of these little halls. He spent half the time beforehand debriefing you — something something, you have to get the attention of the management long enough to get taken back — he's here as the "friend" who's been looking for you once you get taken back. It's not foolproof — it requires luck and time, but thankfully, a certain salaryman had invested quite a bit, so it's not even your own money that you're playing with.

All in service of getting to the back, behind the security.

The aim? Mostly to get face time with the management. It isn't about putting them down... yet. It's connecting faces to names, and getting an idea of the organizational structure. Who does what, where, when. Who's the security, who's the muscle. Sure, someone could probably hack that out of their systems, but uh. Silco doesn't work that way and it's less fun so.

We're doing it this way.

He hands whomever is with him a drink, and leans against a machine with a gesture to it. ] Well? Let's see if we can get a little attention.

[ Showtime! ]

o2. When they ignore us, we get petty

[ Sometimes, though, the way to earn respect was less about knowing who the players were, and more about simply eliminating some of the legs the whole structure was built on. That could come in many forms, maybe some were convinced to try to incite a gang war — costly and messy, with plenty of collateral damage — and sometimes some were taken out with a bit more art. That is, subterfuge, tracking, and then straight up just taking care of the guy at the top.

One of these gangs ran a bar — Overhead Line — that had a reputation for selling "Third Rail", a drug supposedly made from Yamadenki parts; and it was a popular offering. People were often found stumbling out looking like they'd been struck by lightning, a sway to their step that had caught the attention of the authorities. Now, far be it from Silco to take care of a drug kingpin, but really... the quicker they were out of the game, the quicker something could take its place. Something weaker? Maybe. Or maybe one of the monsters in the dark (him) that could outdo the lot of them. He needs enrichment, here.

The owner of the bar had turned him away once, so it's a little bit more of a petty thing, that he's decided to take on this bar in particular. And you've come along for the ride with him.

He has a small parcel in hand, a cigar lit, and he's puffing away. He looks... only somewhat out of place, most of the club goers in what could only be called club appropriate attire, while Silco is in blacks and reds, as always. At least it looks cut a little closer to the usual garb here, instead of the large-collared coat he's usually caught wearing.

Still, he always stands out, with that eye of his, and he only nods in acknowledgement, if approached. ]

Fancy something a little bit... excitable?

[ "excitable" "murderous", it's probably going to be closer to the second, if he has his way. Though looking at the club, it's probably hard to tell what he means given that the place is bumping. ]

o3. Wildcard!

[ Want to throw me something? Go for it! Or hit me up if you want something specific! Some other ideas I had were: Getting stuck in a warehouse together and having to negotiate/fight their way out; getting tracked kaiju parts into a gang's shipments to see where they go; and/or getting face time with a gang to help negotiate a "truce" between two groups that can be used later! if any of these sound fun, please lmk and I'll write a starter for you! (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ) ]

one

[fursuit]

[ Tezcatlipoca had at least been easy to recruit. He’s a complicated god, after all, and no one knows it better than Silco. Since he may be a god that looked favorably on humanity and wished them the best… But that best also came through conflict. Only chaos pushes people to change. To overcome their barriers and laziness. Et cetera.

So, a little crime? Yeah, he’s down with that. Hell, it’s much more to his taste than the kind of big, cosmically complicated ethics of whether he should be fighting kaiju or not.

He takes the drink with a toothy grin and downs about half of it showily. It runs hot, so he coughs, but it’s with a laugh as he sidles over like he’s going to give the machine a play. ]

A little? C’mon, still think you should just let me glass a guy.

[ Silco, having heard of what “glass him” means, surely shaking his head because funny as it may be, that’s a little much. They want to make it to the back, not get kicked out.

No one is really paying attention to them, so it also means that Tezcatlipoca makes zero effort to pretend that it’s anything but intentional. He takes a look at the pachinko machine, peering around it with interest, but once he finds the vent for the electronics’ cooling? He smirks before he casually tosses the rest of the contents of his drink into it. There’s immediately a hiss and a pop, and the screen turns off. ]

Whoops.

[ Sure, it’s not getting into a fight off the bat… But they’ll get to that, right? ]

[zauneyete]

[ His eyes roll, when he talks about "glassing" a guy yet again, because the intention was to get to the back, get the management involved. Figure out a way to scare or shock them into complying with what he wanted when it all came down to it, but first they had to get back there.

Getting jumped by a bunch of guards would probably be a quick way to catch LILITH's attention, and Silco didn't want that either.

He was helping, wasn't he? ]

Oh no —

[ He said with a soft chuckle. This was better than glassing a guy. ]

Can you believe the nerve of the poor management here? They can't even keep their machines running. What's to say the rest won't go any moment?

[ A few who were in the row started to back off.

One of the members of staff is starting to notice too, making their way from helping some old woman to speaking out loud — the flash of an implant showing that they were getting someone's attention. ]

I mean really, I take my friend here out for a night on the town and it simply dies? How unlucky.

january (open) (street fighter ii)

[zauneyete]

o1. A Chilly Rendezvous

[ The (club/bar/host(or hostess) club — feel free to name it or just pick one and I'll come up with one) as being listed as a potential target is the most recent in a string that have the potential draw of the Sapphire Room. There's been plenty of digging into the the pieces, but now there's a trail.

Which means that there's a plan.

Perhaps you're meeting up with Silco outside the location — where he's puffing on a cigar in the cold January weather, somehow looking both like he will shiver out of his skin, or like he's perfectly fine. Somehow, both are true, even as he blew thick plumes of smoke into the too-cold air. To be fair, in the evening, he looks a sight from a distance, with that glowing eye standing out against the backdrop of the modern building.

His slight lift of his head, the slightest of nods with a single eyebrow are the indication that he sees you. After all, he probably called you along, or messaged you, or what have you, to encourage you to join in. ]

o2. Me and my Associate saw you from across the bar and...

[ Or maybe you're already inside, enjoying a drink, and sipping away at something nice. Maybe you're enjoying the attentions from the staff, or just eyeing someone else that is. Either way, there's someone hunched over a drink at the bar, looking every bit like he doesn't really want to be there. No matter where it is, he's just, as a whole, not having a good time.

Thankfully, by now, most Outsiders know who he is, and there's a twitch of his lips, and a flash of his orange eye, that indicates his implant is running. It's hard to notice without actually paying attention, given that his eye always glows, but hey. It's there if you stare. ]

Are you the one helping out tonight?

[ So you have two options. Either you were asked by Izou's little agency to come along, or you aren't, and you can either be truthful, or just play along. Dealer's choice! ]

o3. wildcard!

[ just throw me a starter! If you want something specific, just hit me up and I'll write you something a little more tailored! I'm truly down for anything! ]

dante (closed) (this is a real bar and it made me laugh) (Dual purpose questing go)

[zauneyete]

[ The back room of the bar "Deathmatch in Hell" was easy enough to break into. Surprisingly, the place had a physical lock, which was something Silco very easily slipped through after purchasing a large round of drinks for some... celebration at a table, complete with a bartender display and cocktails on fire. It was easy enough, and the cheers and excitement meant that he could slip away, and fiddle the lock open with only a few quick jerks of his hand, getting the thing open, and into the back.

Now, bars had certain structures, and he knew them well. Back rooms, store rooms, an office. This also, oddly enough, and a security room, and a server room — wasn't that unusual? — and though Silco was no techie, he'd been doing a lot of work to read up on what he needed to know, and so it seemed... odd? Unusual? Who knew? He certainly couldn't do much with it, though the hum from he door was curious enough.

He's slipped back to the office, where it's thankfully abandoned — he had his small pistol on him regardless — and he's started to rifle through papers, even while he pulls out a small piece of tech, to try to slip something someplace inconspicuous, but still where it could record.

He's in the middle of that when there's the sound of a door handle turning and —

Silco's already up against the wall, with sliding a knife from where he'd tucked it away in his boot. ] ]

[followyourstar]

[The handle moves slowly, and the door pauses after opening a crack, as if the person on the other side is trying to listen or peek through to see if anyone is inside. Little by little, the crack grows, and when Dante finally takes a step through, they keep as close to the door as possible, using it as a shield between them and whatever might be on the other side.

It's then that they catch a glimpse of Silco at the edge of their vision, and they have to do a double-take, blatantly staring until their shoulders drop and their expression shifts into one of annoyance.]

Really? You're here too?

o2

[likemybooks]

[A high end bar, a gang of shady fellows to gather intelligence on, a request for espionage...this has to become a chapter in Taryon's future autobiography on his time as a kaiju hunter. And this won't involve any combat, he hopes. A safe mission is a good mission.

They did request thay he not bring Doty indoors. As good of a bodyguard he may be, a giant automaton bearing inscribed runes make Taryon a conspicuous figure. Too conspicuous for his plan to work.

So, with his friend left at the building entrance, Taryon enters the bar with his best downloaded outfit: a pair of sleek black dress pants, a silky shirt, and a shimmering vest. A real watch adorns his wrist, two rings (for beauty and for emergency protection) adorn his hand, and he's borrowed an earring for the night. Upon entering, he flashes a smile at nearby patrons and turns on his heel to walk directly towards his teammate.

He hopes his hair did a cool flip as he did so.]

I must be, if I'm here. [The empty bar stool is taken by this shining, grinning man, excited for the night.] I've always wanted to try charming information out of the enemy.

TARYON I LOVE YOU...

[zauneyete]

[ He certainly had a way of getting attention, didn't he? Silco's own figure was stooped and hunched over the bar, looking every bit the sour bar fly. It's an easy role for the man to fall into, especially considering that he didn't exactly look the part like Taryon did. Sure, Silco had his makeup on to cover the worst of his scar, but there was just something about his agitated, terse... everything that was offputting.

His fingers were curled around a glass of whiskey, but his fingers twitched to pull a cigar out. No, he'd wait on that, and use it as a cover, because he was certain the staff would take issue. They always did, even though Silco didn't see the big deal about it. Well, whatever. That was a tool he could use later.

As it was Silco had a little device that he was playing with in his fingers. It looked like a lighter. He flicked it — it was — except for the panel that was a chip to transmit.

He's getting there, with this technology thing. He is no genius, but a radio shack electronics store did seem to have enough to get peepaw by.

He flicked his eyes to Taryon, and then: ]

< @ BAD DADDY >

I would suggest you not say that out loud, unless you wish for this attempt to be stillborn.

There's supposed to be a group of interns with one of the local district-level politicians coming here tonight to [ His hand gestured, automatically, as if he were speaking. ] "relax". We'll want to get some information, and plant something to listen for the rest of the night. Later, if they are particularly foolish.

1

[newphew]

[ how did hunter get roped into pretending to be silco's assistant for this little romp through crime avenue? well, silco has the advantage in that hunter disappeared and is therefore behind on what crime is out there and what the sapphire room's latest plans are. how the tables have turneth. ]

[ and yet, here he is, underdressed for the weather, flapjack safely tucked into the clothing he is wearing.... and once again, scrunching up his face in annoyance and disgust at the cigar smoke ]

Let's get this over with.

[ he's shivering faintly as well, but this does not detract from his general vibe of soggy and angry. ]

[zauneyete]

[ The kid looks fairly cold, doesn't he? It's almost as if he is from a... island that boils, or something?

(haha... 🍅)

Silco blew a plume of smoke up into the air. ]

Since you're on the young side, you're going to need to play at being allowed to be here.

[ He gestured behind him to the bar's entrance. There's only so many reasons that a kid would be at a bar, and unlike Zaun which was a reasonable place, this place had drinking ages. Who ever heard of such a thing? ]

You're going to need to pose as my... [ ugh ] son. So they don't kick you out immediately.

1.

[cosmarchy]

[ Jinwoo's ocular buzzes with an annoying ping. A new message has arrived, and one look at who sent it is enough to cause his mood to nosedive. It doesn't come as a surprise to him that Silco has sought him out— after all, how things left off between them was hardly wrapped up in a pretty red bow. That doesn't mean he's more inclined to play along, however.

Or so he wants to believe, but after reading the man's message, the unease he felt that day crawling right back. There's a taunt mixed in with the words, an arrogant statement that claims the game won't ever wait for him to be ready. That it'll play Jinwoo if he allows it. His jaw tightens as he rereads it. He's never liked feeling cornered, but Silco has a way of turning a refusal into an invitation.

It's tempting to ignore it. He's walked away from plenty others before, but something about Silco's attitude nags at him. The man doesn't seem like the kind to waste his time on people who can't prove useful. THat, more than anything, is enough to make Jinwoo curious. After all, it wouldn't be the first time he's allowed himself to be used when he can take advantage of them in turn. He knows how these things go.

Jinwoo approaches the designated location hours later, just right before the agreed-upon time. He spots Silco from half a block away. Even without the glowing eye, the man is impossible to miss— the faint orange glow illuminates plumes of smoke, curling upward like a beacon in the cold, night air. The club looms behind him, its neon sign flickering with the promise of decadence and danger.

For a moment, Jinwoo considers turning around. He's not sure what bothers him more— Silco's confidence that he'd show up, or the fact that he's here anyway. But he's never been one to run from a challenge, and if this city runs on power plays, then it's time to start learning the rules.

He comes to a stop in front of the man, hands shoved in his pockets. ]

Are you looking to cause an accident here too?

[zauneyete]

[ He expected Jinwoo to show. The boy had been tempted, but the prospect of danger of double-crossing LILITH had stayed his hand, so Silco was happy to see if the prospect of doing something fairly more in-line with what the organization wanted would... draw him in. After all, he could understand any new arrival that wanted to do something that didn't catch too much negative attention.

That's why he's doing what he's doing after all, isn't it? He's playing the crime "fighter" even while he puts the pieces in place, eliminates who he wishes and allows the entire house of cards to topple over on his very command.

His lips curl, when he sees the man approach from the street. The thick plume of smoke drifted from his lips. ]

Oh no, nothing of the sort.

You see, LILITH has spent a great deal of time tracking down leads on a well-known criminal organization, did you know that?

[ Silco's smile looks like the cat that caught the canary. ] I've been assisting. You should be so lucky to participate. It's for the good of the city, after all.

1

[intertwinedfates]

[After their slightly disastrous attempt at tailing the bad guys last time, Yato's decided that for now he's going without Hiyori. Meaning he'll need to team up with someone else, and that someone happens to be Silco. Now that he's gotten a bead on the man somewhat, he doesn't mind the idea of potentially joining forces to gather more intel and proof.

So he arrives at the designated place at just the right time, donning a rather fetching suit and looking the part of a slick, young host hired by the club in question. It's only a temporary job, so they'll have to make their time inside count. But for now he approaches Silco with a subtle wave that's more vague gesture indicating the doorway.

As he passes by Silco to go inside, he pauses long enough to give him a brief rundown.]

Got myself hired for the evening since they're short-staffed. Give me a couple minutes then follow, and I'll serve you up something as a distraction, 'kay?

[zauneyete]

[ He tapped on his cigar, letting the ashes fall to the ground. They landed in a bank of snow, and left the slightest of dark divots against the white. He tipped his head, eyeing Yato up and down, and then nodded. Well, the kid came prepared, at least. Silco had plenty of plans for some of these bars, each one unique and different, but he'd keep these in the back pocket. This was probably better. ]

Good, that will do nicely.

[ A beat, and then: ]

Nothing too outlandish, I hope?

[ He'd at least polish off the last few puffs of his cigar before he went in, which would give Yato enough time to get rolling. Cigars burned slowly, after all. ]