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

[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.

[capitalbackup]

Her eyes briefly looks at Hizumi, before she gaze down at the meat. It's a childish thing to focus on, but Miyako can feel her competitive side getting fired up again.

The meat cooks before their eyes, slowly reaching the stated of being "cooked".

[bondsofsuffering]

Wait for it, wait for it...

Now.

As the meat reaches a certain stage that can only be properly identified by true yakiniku experts, Hizumi begins picking the pieces off and dropping them on his plate at a surprising speed!

[capitalbackup]

It begins.

While Miyako isn't quite a true yakiniku expert, she picked up enough to know how to judge the meat's cooked status. Once the meat reach that sacred threshold, she immediately reach out, grab some pieces off the grill and put them on her plate. With a formidable speed, too!

[bondsofsuffering]

Truly, Miyako is a great student. But can the student surpass the master...?!

Before long, the grill is completely devoid of meat, with only the lonely vegetable pieces still sizzling away. Hizumi looks pretty satisfied with the pieces he was able to claim in the end - there's even some larger bits in there that he had grabbed only at the last moment, having left them be during the initial attack flurry to allow them to cook to their prime level of deliciousness.

[capitalbackup]

Do you really ask that about a Hotsuin? Give them a goal and they will strive to overcome it...!

By the end, only Miyako is picking off the lonely vegetables from the grill. The pieces dropped onto her plate, joining the meat pieces she claimed earlier.

"Not bad."

You are a worthy foe, Hizumi Mizushiro.

[bondsofsuffering]

It was a good attempt!

"You're pretty impressive yourself. You picked up on it quickly!"

He pops another slice into his mouth, chewing away happily. But once he's finished, he points his chopsticks at her, ignoring all taboos associated with the action.

"So? It's great, right?"

[capitalbackup]

With an amused smile, she swallowed the vegetable she was eating and lower her chopsticks. In complete and deliberate contrast with Hizumi's rude gesture. Not like she was offended by it. It just amused her by this point.

"I concede that it is delicious, Mizushiro."

[bondsofsuffering]

And he just looks smug.

"What did I tell you? You're lucky a kind soul like me was around to ensure you could experience the taste for yourself."

Truly, he has done good in this world by this act.

[capitalbackup]

"It seems like I would have to repay you for this."

She won't touch the 'kind soul' part, at this moment. Beside, she now have a debt to repay.