A Devil's Luck

[bondsofsuffering]

Who: Hizumi Mizushiro, Miyako Hotsuin, and YOU
Where: Various places around Hinoto-Ri, most notably Cancer and Pisces districts. Takes place on April 1st for the general open portion and April 6th for the yakiniku dinner because saving log space saves the world.
Summary: Hizumi has obtained a job at a game arcade and is hunting down alternate versions of people both while on and off the job! And later in the week, he treats a certain lady to yakiniku because this is an important dish to experience in your life.
Warnings: Fierce yakiniku parties.

[APRIL 1ST: CANCER DISTRICT]

It's a smaller arcade than most, but that doesn't make its selection any less good. Indeed, some of the more hardcore gamers prefer it, as it has less of those fake gamers with their mainstream games and more of the classics standing side by side with the latest and greatest.

Hizumi's on clerk duty today, but that doesn't stop him from weaving among the customers and generally being friendly and conversational. He doesn't interrupt people during their play of course, but he's quick to crack a joke with anyone around, or even point out flaws in peoples' strategies in the case of a person failing a stage. If you're standing around, he might just end up chatting with you!

"Hey, how's it going?"

[APRIL 1ST: GENERAL]

Once he gets out of work, he'll be wandering around the city, keeping a sharp eye on all of those around him. With all the time he's spent in Hinoto-Ri, he's gotten quite good at telling Visitors from normal civilians, and thus it is these whom he is on the lookout for. If he spots anyone, you can be sure that he'll be casually walking up and greeting them. "Hey! You're a Visitor, right? Think you could help me out a sec?"

[APRIL 6TH: CLOSED TO MIYAKO]

The food is prepared, with slices of various meats and, after much debate, a selection of vegetables on the side. He hasn't begun cooking them on the small table-sized grill, of course - that would have to begin only when his guest had arrived, so that they could enjoy the food when it was at its peak deliciousness.

Which meant that for now, all he could really do was wait for his poor, deprived honored guest to show up.

Comments

[bondsofsuffering]

His eyes narrow for a moment with his annoyance, but it's then that he suddenly gets a whiff of burning meat. Ah, this might have gone on for too long...

With an air of defeat, he relinquishes the piece to his honored guest. "Fine, fine, I suppose you win! You may have it."

Enjoy your charcoal-flavored bit, Miyako. Meanwhile, he's going to quickly pile up the other now well-cooked bits on his plate, hopefully before she catches on and starts trying to get at them as well.

[capitalbackup]

Oh she noticed how the meat's burnt. With a frown, she quickly placed it on her place and started getting the other well-cooked meat pieces as well.

"Well, thank you."

Somewhat. All while she's watching where her chopsticks was getting the meat, pausing to eat her food from time to time.

[bondsofsuffering]

"No, no, your fighting spirit was just too much for me... There just wasn't any other option." He waves his hand nonchalantly.

Ah, those poor vegetables are getting neglected, aren't they... He reluctantly grabs a couple bits of those as well, if only so they won't burn on the grill. And now that most of the meat has been purged between the two of them, he'll go ahead and put on yet more fresh slices.

[capitalbackup]

"I can refrain myself if you want a chance."

Ah, the vegetables. Well, she need to eat her share of them as well in order to stay healthy. Unlike Hizumi, Miyako's not reluctant at all to get them.

[bondsofsuffering]

He pauses with his chopsticks still held up to his mouth as he watches her picking out the vegetables with apparent glee. Or... at least, with an actual smile of all things.

"You're a really straight laced person, aren't you?"

[capitalbackup]

Ah, she's smiling? It's been a while since Miyako enjoy herself like this. In fact, she doesn't quite recall the last time she have...fun, perhaps, eating with another person.

She blinks at his question. "I supposed I am. I know I'm not very personable."

[bondsofsuffering]

"Well, there's nothing exactly wrong with being straight laced or anything." It's just kind of boring, that's all.

[capitalbackup]

She finished chewing a piece of meat and swallowed it. "If it get things done, I can be 'straight laced' as much as needed."

[bondsofsuffering]

"What kinds of things? I mean, looking at it from the other side, you could be much looser but still get things done."

[capitalbackup]

Hm. "At work, I have to maintain a certain appearance, or else no one will listen to my orders."

[bondsofsuffering]

"And what kind of a job would you have? You can't be that much older than I am."

[capitalbackup]

...Hm. Well, she can give him the basics. "I protect my country from the shadows and help lead an organisation. As far as the public knows, we don't exist."

More so for her own existence within JP's. "As for my age--" Do people always have to point that out? "--I was trained for the job."

That and her parents got killed a long time ago.

[bondsofsuffering]

"Help lead an organization, you say?" That would take quite a bit to achieve. Not that it was, by any means, impossible; he's quite familiar with a story about a certain someone who was able to build his own organization from the ground up by the age of twenty, after all.

"You didn't make it yourself, did you? Is it one that's been around for a while, then?" She did mention being trained for the job. Maybe it's by family, just as a master carpenter might pass on his trade? Even the fact that it's a hidden organization isn't a surprise in itself - he's not stupid enough to think that even he knows all the underground groups and factions in his own version of Japan.

"Ah, my bad, my bad. It's not that I don't think you're capable of it, it's just not so common to hear, that's all."

Once he finishes with what he has to say, he deftly begins picking at the meat again. Haah, this one really hit the spot!

[capitalbackup]

It's impressive to most people. Running an organisation and making sure it run smoothly took a lot of skills, with a dash of luck. Miyako worked hard to ensure her decision making and strategic skills matched her brother's, if not exceed his.

"No, I didn't. It was established many generations ago." Around 800 years ago in her world's timeline, to be exact, and a natural progression after Alcor gave her ancestors their duty.

[bondsofsuffering]

"Interesting... An ancient organization defending Japan from dangers unknown..."

He says this very seriously, but the second the last word leaves his lips he's cracking a grin again. "--It sounds a little like something out of a story, but I guess that kind of thing really does happen, huh?"

[capitalbackup]

"Yes, it does."

Not like Miyako read a lot of stories like that. Unless they're covered in reports for her and Yamato to read.

"With Japan's natural connection to the spiritual world, it's not surprising that we exist."

Many legends about demons and spirits existed, survived long into the public's sight. But as long no one spill even a hint about JP's existence, they can work under the cover of ignorance and government's influence. Or rather, the Hotsuin clan's influence.

[bondsofsuffering]

"Because of all the youkai?" Munch munch munch. "So, in your world, all of those stories are true?"

[capitalbackup]

"Yes. The details vary between locations, but the core stories are true." And she'll be grabbing a few more meat.

[bondsofsuffering]

"Heeeh... so do you normally get demons and that sort of thing walking around? Are they part of the secret that has to be concealed from the public?"

He quickly grabs the last remaining pieces and puts them on his plate, thus silently declaring them his, before replacing the slices with fresh, uncooked ones.

[capitalbackup]

"Correct. If the public knows about the demons, it would bring unnecessary complications to our operations."

She picked up a few pieces from her place and pop them into her mouth, chewing them.

[bondsofsuffering]

"Sounds like a pretty troublesome job. Your world must be lucky to have you around!"

Aaah, looks like with that they'll be all out of meat. Guess he'd better put some more of the veggies on the grill, although Miyako will probably end up being the one who eats most of those.

[capitalbackup]

"Heh...if it weren't for us, the public wouldn't enjoy their ignorant peace."

A cool, humourless smile at that, before she pick up a veggie from the grill.

[bondsofsuffering]

Yes good, eat the veggies so he won't have to.

"Well, there will always be the people who have to shoulder the darkness in the shadows. After all, not everyone is suited for stepping out of the light."

For now he's just waiting patiently on the last of the meat to cook.

[capitalbackup]

"Of course. If they're not suitable for the role, or rendered useless, those people will be left behind."

They don't have the time and leisure to spare for incompetents and indecisive fools.

...Last of the meat, huh?

[bondsofsuffering]

"Looks that way."

Here is where the true contest begins. If either of them moves too quickly, the meat will be undercooked, but move too late and the other will have snatched it up first...

We have now entered the final round of Yakiniku Chicken.