The wind blowing moves the black curtain; sunlight penetrates without a word

[fapstofire]

characters; kamui (yatotribe), abuto (popquiz), and takasugi (fapstofire)
summary; yakuza/triads au.

[ Yatokai. The most powerful of the Hong Kong triads up until the complete disappearance of its leader Umibozu and his family. Well, it was rumoured that he was dead, even though there was no body found and people in their business should know better than to think a man is dead without looking at his corpse or feeling the blood pour out of their veins. Foolish, so foolish. Almost as foolish as the elders setting up an utter incompetent as the leader of the group just so they can hold the true power.

Now the halls have been painted red from the river of blood spilled. Umibozu's son, they said. A boy who was supposedly dead, but who came back to claim his inheritance by blood and force. It's the most interesting news Takasugi has heard from Hong Kong in years. Interesting enough to make him actually want to meet this new supposed 'Night King', this boy who left the quiet life his father tried to give him and instead drenched himself entirely in blood. So Takasugi begins to drop a few hints here and there to his kumichou, knowing that the words will stick to the older man's mind and solidify.

That's why he's here at, smoking at the balcony of the Yatokai's rather impressively expansive mansion (made all the more impressive by how cramped everywhere in Hong Kong seems to be), looking outwards at the guests. He's idly aware that him being invited here to serve as the bodyguard and companion of the main group's leader when he's only the wakagashira of a subgroup is going to raise the ire of the other subgroup leaders; those supposed seniors of his. Old men with rusty fangs. Takasugi hopes that they would attack him the moment he returns; he has been itching to spill their blood ever since he heard about how Kamui earned his new position.

Ah, there Kamui is. And that man beside him, tall for a Chinese man with light hair... Takasugi draws his cigarette to his lips, taking another drag. That's another old man too, but whether his fangs are blunted... well, Takasugi will have to find out, doesn't he?

He tosses his cigarette butt over the railing before walking through the balcony doors. Kamui and Abuto are walking away from each other now. Takasugi considers for a moment before he makes his choice. ]

That's a nice ceremony you had there.

[ ooc; whatever scenario you want goes here! You don't have to follow the start - I'm just setting up the AU 8D. Anyway, Takasugi can be approaching Kamui or Abuto at this point - depends on what you want! ]

Comments

Abuto and Takasugi

[popquiz]

[It was a pleasant evening overall, no troublemakers, no violence of any sort. But then again, you'd have to be plain suicidal to even think of crashing a gathering of triads. Especially not one in celebration of the return of the Yatokai.

Abuto had been informed, of course, that Umibouzu intended on stepping down from his position, that a short, chubby man named Aho was to take his place. If he was honest with himself, he didn't like the idea one bit; he'd seen the kind of man Aho was. Greedy and lacking in ambition. How is such a man supposed to lead, when he can barely see past his own desires?

Thankfully, in time, Umibouzu's own son answered that question for him, disposing of Aho in a shower of blood, and nobody, not even Abuto, not even the former Night King himself, saw fit to question it. Instead, in a surprising turn, Umibouzu gave his son his blessing. Hah. Like father, like son.

He offers Kamui a low bow when he's dismissed, waiting for his new boss to move off first before he returns to attending to the guests. There are several he intends to check up on, mostly the larger names from overseas, and Abuto has a good idea of where to begin. But before he even has a chance to worry about where that certain Japanese man could be lingering, he gets found first.]

We spared no expense. This is a joyous occasion after all. [Takasugi gets a bow too.] On the behalf of the Yatokai, I sincerely hope you are enjoying our hospitality.

[fapstofire]

[ What Abuto would think of as a pleasant evening is something that Takasugi considers to be boring. He hasn't joined the yakuza for simple things like socialising and mingling, after all - he could've simply gone into politics for that; his father had enough money to support that career, and would have been supportive of him because it would be something legitimate. No, Takasugi's idea of a pleasant evening usually consists of far more blood than what has been spilled tonight.

Still, he knows how to restrain himself, and now he only gives Abuto a small, upward quirk of the lips. Something that edges between a smile and a smirk. ]

A joyous occasion? That's rather rude, for all the blood that has been used to usher in this day.

[ He chuckles softly to himself before his feet shifts, and he gives Abuto an equally low bow. ]

It has been a pleasure to attend this gathering, Abuto-san. [ He lifts his gaze slightly, the green glinting under the bright lights of the ballroom. ] I look forward to seeing the Yatokai rise again.

[popquiz]

[Takasugi gets a rather loud snort in response before he can really stop himself. Surely he isn't serious...]

Not quite the words I expected to hear from one such as yourself. We both know the kind of man the former head was. If not Kamui, then someone else would have done it.

[A beat.]

We will soar higher than before. He is still young, and not entirely educated in our ways- [Even though it's clear he knows enough.] -but he is tenacious, and has already instilled fear in the other groups. [A wry smile.] I daresay there is little to halt our progress.

[fapstofire]

[ Takasugi raises his eyebrow, cocking his head to the side. ]

Those are strong promises to make. [ Slowly, he smiles - a shark's grin. ] I look forward to seeing them being fulfilled.

Still, it seems that you have heard of me already. [ He would expect no less from a man as well-known to be capable as Abuto - there's a reason why the Yatokai had survived under Abo's incredibly incompetent 'leadership', after all - but it's still worth noting. ]

Do you always pay so much attention to the small leaders of overseas groups?

[ His words might seem humble, but Takasugi knows better than that: aside from the sons of the leaders and Kamui himself, he's the youngest person in the entire ballroom. Disappointingly, blood and seniority has a stronghold even in the criminal underworld. ]

[popquiz]

[Small? Abuto almost laughs. As much as Kamui's uprising came out of the left field, he's sensing the same sort of ambition in you, Takasugi. Let's just see how things go in a few months, shall we?]

It's my job to pay attention to any possible connections in the future.

[As well as the disposal of the... lesser important ones.]

This might be too early to say, but I think the Boss would like you.

[fapstofire]

Such flattery. [ The words are murmured and half-hidden from his hand as he takes out his cigarette, blowing smoke towards the ceiling. ] You must be a gambling man, Abuto-san, to place such faith on a cripple.

[ The smirk he doesn't bother to hide belies his words. Slowly, Takasugi cocks his head to the side. ]

Will he? I haven't had a chance to speak to him yet, unfortunately. [ He watches as Kamui flit around the room. ] He seems a busy man.

[ This is a useful skill to have in this shadowy world of theirs: perfectly polite words with just a hit of the sardonic that only the most observant can pick out. ]