synflux | ( OPEN ) FIGHTING CRIME BY MOONLIGHT

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( OPEN ) FIGHTING CRIME BY MOONLIGHT

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[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.

[ 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.

Edited 2025-01-14 05:20 (UTC)

[With his hands folded tightly on the bar, the flinch in response to the chiding message is mitigated by his fists keeping Taryon steady. His posture his straight, his smile is unwavering, his hair is perfect. And yet someone he's trying to chat up this dour old man.

Considering the variety of patrons at this bar, it's not that unusual of a sight. The others give the ongoing exchange of glances little heed.]

< @ GOLDILOCKS >

Right. Sorry. Let's pretend I didn't start with that.

So what's the plan? I distract them with my wit and charm and plant the bug before we leave? What about you?

[Outwardly, Taryon clears his throat.] It's quiet the cold night, isn't it? Makes places like this so much more appealing. A warm atmosphere, a good drink, and plenty of lively conversation to spend the night, eh?

[He leans towards Silco with a smile. The bartender, feeling a bit sorry for this young man's and his introduction to the night, wanders over to take his order: a red wine, imported from one of the remaining vineyards from France.]

You really should look more personable at a bar. Or is that your plan? Go after the other surly politicians?

It's fine.

[ he says out loud, with a roll of his shoulders. He eyed Taryon up and down, and then finally: ]

< bad DADDY >

Something like that. I'm here to cause the distraction when you need it, to slip the bug into their things. Otherwise, I'm barely here.

[ He tipped his head, more toward Taryon, giving him a glance of his eye. ]

I tend to stand out otherwise. I want to be only memorable enough as a distraction, and nothing more.

[ After all, these corrupt politicians could someday be his, and he doesn't want them to remember him. ]

<@ Goldilocks>

So what are you going to do to distract them? Start a fight?

For now, just chat with me and look like you're having fun. We have to pretend we belong here.

[The bartender arrives with Taryon's wine. He raises it towards Silco's own drink.]

Fine evening, I should agree! Do you often come here?

[His smile is a bit strained. What else are people supposed to say at bars? Taryon understands the flirting part...sports? Should he talk about work? Gossip?]

< @ BAD DADDY >
Oh no, nothing of that sort. Some of them know who I am, and who I work for. It's very easy to scare them a bit, if I just... [ His eyes roll. ]

Decide to intermject my presence. From here, I am merely an observer, potentially meant to watch them. If I approach, it means the people I work for want something. Large difference.

Hence why I don't mind being my usual self.

[ That's said with a tight, smug smile.

Silco was anything But pleasant. Even here. ]

Here? Oh no. Not at all. An associate of mine recommended it to me. Said the view — [ His eyes do slide towards the targets, which draws the attention of one, who looks to be more... jumpy than the rest, notices. He gulped. ] Was quite impressive. I have to say I'm not disappointed.

The jumpy one is watching for trouble. Stay away from him.

< @ Goldilocks >
Fair enough. I'm the charming one, you're the observant one. It's a good mix for the mission.

[Taryon grins at his assessment of the team makeup and raises his folded hands to rest his chin on them.]

I am the same. I was recommended this place, and I came in hopes of finding good company. Alas, I do wish I could find peers of my age...

[He turns to the same jumpy man, who has to admit that Taryon's staring at him is less disturbing than Silco's. At least he's smiling.]

Maybe I should talk to them and see how many friends I can make.

Edited 2025-01-19 03:11 (UTC)

[ Taryon, at the very least, looks friendly. The jumpy guy offers him a shy smile in return, though his eyes do nervously look back to Silco. The know who he is, after all. It's hard for him to hide his identity, after all. He tends to lure looks in.

He smiled, and it isn't a pleasant one. He tipped his glass in the direction of the man, as if mocking him. ]

< @ BAD DADDY >
Precisely. Besides, if I wanted to be pleasant, we would already be losing. Let me handle the unpleasantness, hm?

Oh? [ His laugh was a touch mean. ]

Looking for friends, are you? Looks like there's a few over there that keep looking our way. I can hardly doubt they're looking for me.

[ A roll of his shoulders, as if it were the way of things. As if that was normal. To be fair... Silco... isn't exactly drawing pleasant glances. ]

[Taryon nods after receiving the text message. Best that Taryon has the more dramatic mission: distraction. He must put his good looks to use while he's still young.

He turns his head over his shoulder to smile at the jumpy guy and lets his eyes linger on his expression. It's nice, having a bar flirtation start out this strong.] Thank you for the suggestion, sir. [He takes his wine glass and delicately holds it towards the intern.]

Perhaps I should see if there's space for me. Good evening.

[He slides off the bar stool, stands up tall, and saunters over to the group of interns. It's ridiculous, to most, but the nervous guy sees only a confident, well-dressed man directly walking towards him. Taryon drops himself onto a neighboring seat, leans against the table, and starts asking the basics: what's your name? Are you new here? How's your day?

The attention is well-appreciated by the target.]

[ Silco watched them for a long moment, eyes following Taryon's smooth ease in which he approached the crowd, and they seemed to part for him easy. To be fair, even Silco understood that a handsome individual always had certain advantages in places like this. He'd ran a few scams in his youth that started just like with what Taryon was doing now.

Mind, in Zaun, one could afford to still be rough around the edges.

He looked at the lighter on the bar, already putting the pieces together on what to do, but he waited. Long enough that Taryon would be able to integrate with the group, long enough that they would forget where he came from. Silco, after all, was a looming figure, dangerous. They knew who he was, and they wanted to avoid him at all costs.

He grabbed his highball glass, and the lighter on the bar. The one with the small bug planted in the hole left where the screw would go.

All of the interns faces fell, when he drew near, and he smiled.

It wasn't pleasant. ]

Excuse me, friend. I'm afraid you left your lighter here.

[ he held it out for Taryon to take.

To the lot of them, he smiled, and blinked — only one eye blinked — just for good measure. ]

[It is fortunate that Taryon has found someone who doesn't mind a talkative person hitting on him. Although their discussions do not address work (and Taryon knows not to say anything that would imply he works with LILITH), there are always TV shows and video games. The topic draws the intern out of his shell, and over the course of the conversation, he relaxes as he forgets ever seeing that creepy old man across the bar.

The good mood is soured when Silco returns, face stern, then twisted with a fascimile of a smile. A few interns shift away in their seats and turn away, pretending to be engaged with a nearby friend

Taryon grins and accepts the lighter without changing his expression.] Thank you. [He sets the lighter on the table with his hand covering it, then looks at the intern he was just flirting with. Taryon can't think of a way to politely tell Silco he's good and that he can leave them alone, but sitting in silence gets a few looks of sympathy around the table. They accept this handsome stranger in this "no old men" club.]

Sorry, I was a bit distracted and forgot it. [He says to Silco and shrugs sheepishly.]

[ Silco smiled, looked at the rest of them. ]

Oh, it's the least I could do. Sometimes there's just something about a lucky lighter, hm?

[ Oh, but far be it from him to stay close. He wasn't going to pretend to be nice this long. It might just kill him. ]

Have a good night — oh, and don't do anything I wouldn't do, hm?

[ Don't worry, Taryon, he trusts you to get them talking. The lighter's just the method to get it to the people who want it.

He sauntered back over to the bar, and sat down, went back to nursing his drink with that usual suspicious look on his face.

He very pointedly didn't look at the group. ]

[The targeted intern glanced away and blushed at Silco's comment. Despite his creepy demeanor, he was wise enough to predict where he was hoping this conversation would take him.

Taryon, for his part, nodded and flashed a thumbs up.] Well, now that's mananged - [He said to the man.] we can continue our conversation. Are you out here celebrating something?

[The man, and a few of his friends playing wingman who chime in, explained that there was nothing special that day, just a long morning and afternoon of meetings and putting together information for an important client. They couldn't say who, not when their boss expected them to keep proprietary information a secret.

Taryon called over a waiter and requested that they all get another round of drinks.] Let's toast! To a happier weekend of rest and relaxation! [He held his current glass of wine, and to the table's relief, they toasted their new friend and the hopes that they would find someone of their own for the evening.]

[ Silco was happy to move off, return to his spot at the bar. It's predictable, but Taryon seemed the type that enjoyed the attention — if their prior conversations were anything to go by — and he nursed his drink at the bar, alternating from adopting the look of someone using their implant, to watching the group, to getting a refill from the bartender.

All in all, the act of someone doing a great deal to keep an eye, but not too close of an eye, exactly the part he was supposed to play.

Intimidating, hinting that he was watching, but not breaching it.

He let Taryon play the game, letting it record while he idled his time away. ]

[The lighter stays on the table, seemingly forgotten among the riveting conversation. Taryon, despite his foolhardy beliefs in the inherent good of strangers, is a master in leading conversations along intellectual topics. What a shocker, that the nervous and reserved intern enjoys discussing the stories of recent video games, webcomics, and fantasy series.

More drinks are ordered, and Taryon remains welcomed at the table. With him accepted at the table and the alcohol loosening their tongues, the gatherers complain about aspects of their jobs, which lead to a few names of "clients" being dropped.]

Really? That sounds like an annoying place to work. Which guy is your boss?

[The politician is named — he's just as demanding at the others, and the topic is swiftly changed to sports.]

[ Silco's back at the bar, recording everything, the lighter the best investment he'd made thus far. It's amazing what these little gadgety-types can make. It makes him wonder what Jinx could do with enough practice here. Now that his daughter is here, his thoughts often circle back toward her like water in the drain, trying to figure out how to get her involved in the whole thing.

His eyes draw lazily across the bar, like he's taking it all in. Occasionally, he catches the group, more often than not, he doesn't. He keeps drinking.

They mention the politician. Interesting. ]

< @ BAD DADDY >
The politician. What do they do for him?

[Taryon flinches in hos seat when the message appears, then covers his shock by downing the remainder of his wine. The others sharing the table don't notice.

He sets the empty container upon the white tablecloth and tightens his mouth in thought.] So what do you do? That is — I know what an intern is, but I always wondered what it's like when you're working with important people. Is it like with any other guy from a different company? Or does it feel special...?

[He trails off, and the interns don't answer immediately. It's a terrible way to go about this, he realizes in retrospect.

After several silent seconds, one of them shrugs and comments "It's more work with politicians. They want to be involved in so much, and I don't have much time in one day. You know, just the other day I had to join my boss at a meeting in a literal nightclub, and he said I had to grab coffee! I never been to that neighborhood!"

What follows is a half-drunken retelling of the intern's stressful morning in search for a decent cafe without a long wait time. Taryon doesn't interrupt, partially to track the specifics of where the intern was wandering about, but also he didn't want to anger a source of information by interrupting his story.]

[ Now that was interesting. Silco waved a hand at the bartender for a fresh drink for himself. As an afterthought, he very nearly ordered one for Taryon, but thought the better of it. Keeping his glass full would be a way to garner suspicion. That's not what he wants.

Instead, his eyes flash — it's hard to tell with the man, given that one of his eyes is always glowing, but he tipped it up and away, waiting for the drink while he did so.

Thankfully, most people have implants, and most are receiving constant input from the world around them. It isn't novel to receive a text. ]

< @ BAD DADDY >
Don't ask about the nightclub. Ask about the coffee. Where did he try first? There are a few common ones, such as 'Bean me up' and 'Deja Brew', see if you can get the name of the one he went to.

[ His drink comes, and he engages the bartender in light conversation, asking about something or the rather, eyes only barely sweeping the room. ]

[The intern grabs a greasy snack, pops it in his mouth, and after a long and slow chewing session, lies back in his seat, seemingly done with his part of the story.

Silco knows best, after all. Taryon must trust his advice on this.]

So... [He leans on his elbows, eyes fixed on the other.] How did it go? Did you find the coffee you needed? I would think there are a ton of chain shops in a popular area.

[Taryon gets a shrug in response. Surprisingly, not that many places are open later at night. The nearest Kryptobucks was several blocks away, and the intern thought to hope there was something closer.]

Like what?

[A name is given: a local place called Aki Coffee that was listed as a neighborhood highlight, but it was closed that very day.]

[ Silco made a note of it. Interesting. At least that was something he could use. Silco tapped at his drink with a finger, as if indicating that this was sufficient for him.

At the very least, it was enough that he had a lead. Aki coffee was only close to so many nightclubs, and Silco had already pulled up the closest ones on his implant. ]

< @ BAD DADDY >
Good job. That will get us the name of the nightclub. We don't need to push now, it's only with walking distance of 2 clubs.

[ He sipped at his drink, but was... well, maybe not polite is the word, since this was an operation, but he wouldn't just leave, either.

No loose ends. ]

[Taryon nods in response to Silco's message and smiles. To those at the table, only the smile is odd, and they ask what has Taryon so happy.]

Oh. Well, I'm glad you're not dealing with difficult orders anymore. Working with politicians sounds like a pain and I'm lucky not to deal with it.

[He rolls the stem of his wine glass between his fingers.] Just frustrated customers. Ah, but all careers have their frustrations.

[A decent save, one that no one pursues further, and the interns continue their conversation. Taryon's date is quiet, contemplating his level of drunkenness and whether it would be smart to invite Taryon to a second meeting.

Tary, for his part, does not leave the table. He found good information, and the rest of the evening will be a celebration of that.]

[ Silco waits, and watches. Taryon is good at this, or at least at charming a table full of drunken fools — though Silco is often uncharitable by nature — but he only finished his drink.

The man doesn't leave the table. Silco hadn't expected him to dash, but... He'd also not expected him to linger, either. He offered his wrist to the bartender to pay for his drinks, and started to stand. ]

< @ BAD DADDY >
I'm not staying if you're going to dawdle.

[ Which meant, of course, that Taryon gets to party without the unpleasant buzzkill around, and as he started to leave, he only offered a single look over his shoulder at the rest of the bar, before slipping back out. ]

[As Silco sends his final message and leaves his seat, Taryon turns his head to the sour man and watches him exit the bar.

An intern comments that they're glad this creepy guy is gone, and why was he even here if he wasn't having fun?

Taryon doesn't reply. He might have a date for a few weeks, possibly tonight if all things go smoothly. It helps that the intern he's flirting with isn't that unattractive.

He takes the lighter in his hand and pockets it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( OPEN ) FIGHTING CRIME BY MOONLIGHT

o2

TARYON I LOVE YOU...

save him Silco

he's going to do his best...

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