90BX: Too tired for a title
Sept 30, 2021 8:37:12 GMT
Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2021 8:37:12 GMT
MPC's 90B (IN ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE) and 67B (NEGATIVE MORALITY)
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Being stuck in the middle of the Flatlands, having to making trips tended to be a bit of a pain. And Rustport wasn't exactly known for its bountiful resources, either. So when Azura had set out to "grab some grub" as she put it, it wouldn't be surprising for her to be gone for several days. But Sable's twin sister was anything if not tough, so she wasn't too worried about her getting into any danger. Sadly, Azura's strength was her only positive aspect. Whenever she was lounging around the temple she was essentially useless. For as closely as she resembled Sable, Azura was just a monstrous brute that lacked any semblance of subtlety or elegance. But at least she had her strength. Throw at her a solution that needs the tact of a sledgehammer, and she would be sure to provide an adequate solution.
But the same couldn't be said of the recently appointed head of this small, run-down temple, Sable's younger sister, Ivori. And as usual the Sistermon Blanc had slept in past the morning. And as usual, it was up to Sable to wake her. She took a second to watch her sleeping face. It was so peaceful and innocent, much like the rest of her. However, there was work to be done.
"Ivori, it's time to wake up," Sable commented, gently placing her hand on the Sistermon Blanc's shoulder and rocking her back and forth. "You've some blessings to make, do you not?"
Ivori let out a confused groan, then suddenly shot up so fast her forehead nearly slammed into Sable's own. But the Sistermon Noir had done this enough times to dodge by now.
"That's right, I do!" She proclaimed, letting out a yawn and stretching her arms out. She climbed out of her bed and slowly knelt down on the floor, clasping her hands together. "Just let me begin my prayers first, and then I'll get started!"
"No, Ivori," Sable corrected, furrowing her brow. "After your prayers, you're going down to the kitchen and we're preparing breakfast. I'll not have you be half-starved during your blessings like last week!" The little Sistermon would never remember to eat otherwise if Sable or Azura didn't accompany her.
"Of course, sister!" Ivori looked up to the black-robed Sistermon, responding with a bright smile. She closed her eyes, and focused. And then, a faint trace of white light began to form around her. Whatever power this was, Ivori was capable of using it. Sable wondered, though. If she were to acquire some of her sister's data, or dare she think, ALL of it, would she obtain the same power? Sable glanced over towards the corner of the room, where Ivori kept her sacred trident. Though it might as well just be an oversized fork with how gentle the trident's owner was.
While Ivori had her back turned and offering her prayers up to whatever higher powers that may be, Sable grasped the trident and stood over the kneeling Sistermon Blanc. She was just so vulnerable right now. And perhaps if Sable were a different person, perhaps just a tad more ambitious... There would be nothing stopping her from having her way with her little sister's data and taking her powers for herself. But instead, Sable just waited patiently for her sister to finish praying. It didn't take long until she opened her eyes and gave Sable a warm smile.
"Sister... I have some good news..." Her smile turned to a slightly concerned expression, however. "But... you're probably not going to like it..."
"Wait, why the hell is Sable going off to the human world!?" Azura slammed both hands on the kitchen counter, after having just arrived back from her supply trip just a bit earlier than normal. "If there's anyone that should be going off on a journey, it should be me! Sable will just get herself beaten up before she even gets to Terminus!"
"I'm sorry, sister Azura," Ivori lowered her head in apology while raising her hands up to a jeweled necklace. It wasn't a valuable gem or anything, but it was sparkling enough. And with enough holy energy instilled into it, it became a useful good luck trinket they sold to travelers. And they always had a knack for somehow coming in handy. Sable had always wondered how it worked, and Ivori was never willing to tell. She probably didn't even know herself. Either way, it was how they got a majority of their funds, other than Azura taking up the occasional bounty hunting or guard duty job. "But my visions were clear. You and I must remain at the temple while Sable goes off alone to the other realm. She's bound by destiny to another, it seems."
"Bound by destiny...?" Azura repeated her head jilting towards Sable in surprise. "Wait, she's gonna be like one of those Digimon that travel along with the humans that like to wander around here?" She sighed, leaning back into placing both hands behind her head. "Man... having to hang out with a human all the time... sounds kinda rough. I heard they smell pretty bad!"
"And I'm sure that you're most certainly mistaken," Sable insisted, rather curtly. She still hadn't come to terms with it herself. She had just gotten comfortable with her life here. Why did she have to leave so suddenly? "Ivori, my sister, please tell me, is there anything else you can find out from... whatever it is that you speak with?"
Ivori gave Sable a sad smile, but acquiesced. She closed her eyes, and a faint white aura surrounded her as she focused. And not long after, she awoke form her brief trance. "There is a human child who is surrounded by dangerous beings. This child is still quite young, and it will be your duty to guide her towards the path of light..." She stated, as if she were repeating what someone had just told her. "That's... all I can say on that matter..."
"Man... a human child..." Azura marveled, clapping her hands together and a mocking grin spreading across her face. "Well Sable, I guess you're gonna have to bring diapers with you or something... those are those things that human babies have, right? Humans are always so weird compared to us Digimon..."
Hirano Airi stood in front her friends, putting herself between the well-dressed man with the slicked back hair. "No! Stay away from my friends!" She warned the much larger, much more adult figure who did nothing of the sort. Airi turned back towards her classmates. "Yuki-chan! Mi-chan! You two need to run away while you can!"
"W-we can't leave you behind, Ai-chan...!" One of the little girls protested, frozen with fear. "Maybe if we run away together..."
"All I'm just saying, is that I'll give you little girls a ride home!" The conspicuous man stated in a mock-reassuring tone! "I'm not gonna hurt you girls, I promise!"
"If we run together the scary man will just catch all three of us!" Airi quickly countered, but of course Mi-chan wouldn't have figured that out yet. Airi really didn't know what she expected there. "You two have to get away from here while I hold him off!"
"B-but Ai-chan...!"
"It's okay!" Airi reassured her friends. "I'm the smartest girl in our class, remember? I'll think of a way to escape, easy! So just both of you get home before any more strange men approach you!" She felt the man suddenly place his hand on the top of her head and ruffle her hair a bit.
"But you better not stop to talk to any police officers!" The man told the trembling little girls. "If you do, we'll know, and you'll never see your little 'Ai-chan' again, you understand?" The two other little girls nodded frightfully and practically ran off crying. Then the suspicious man opened the door to his car, and gestured for Airi to get in. Airi complied, climbing into the back seat while the man got into the driver's seat and took off. After some time passed, Airi crossed her arms together, swung leg over the other, and gave her driver an irritated glare.
"Something better be on fire," She stated coldly, the emotions fading from her voice. "Because if you pulled that little stunt in public for no reason, you'd best crash this car into a semi-truck and kill the both of us. At least then you won't be dying alone."
"I'm sorry, boss..." If he weren't driving, and if Airi weren't such a stickler for her drivers keeping their eyes on the road, the man would have buried his face into the steering wheel so hard the airbags would have come out. "But there's been an issue with Yamamoto..."
"He owes us money. We'll collect it or we'll inflict great bodily harm to him and his loved ones," Airi insisted. "Are the bats you use to break kneecaps with too small for you to hold, or are just incapable of handling matters yourself?"
"It's just that... Yamamoto wasn't the only person he owed money to... And... Well... They got to him, first..."
"I see..." Airi let out a sigh. She hated her driver's nervous stammering. If he provided all the information as soon as possible, this unpleasant conversation they would both be having would be over just as quickly.
"It seems like he owed a good deal to the Asumi Clan... and..." God damn. Airi had picked him to be her driver because of his cautious nature, but because of it his conversational skills left a lot to be desired.
"Yamamoto lives in the Asumi Clan's territory, and after going through the proper channels to inform him that we weren't moving in on their turf, they scooped up Yamamoto with us doing all the hard work to find him, correct?" That should progress this conversation. Before her driver could give his conversation, Airi pulled out her "other" phone, going into her contacts. "I'll make some calls. In the meantime, schedule a meeting on their territory. I'll deal with this matter myself."
"Y-yes, boss!"
Airi didn't expect to be stepping into the Asumi estate today, but here she was. She always felt like she had to tread lightly when dealing with the yakuza, but it was only a matter of time until the little fish in the pond met their larger kin. And Airi just hoped that at this moment she could be the larger one. Their estate was fairly modern, though for some reason Airi had just assumed it would have been something more traditional. Well... she supposed it wouldn't make a difference. She was led to a conference room, no companions at her side as she was seated in an empty room. The confused look on the attendant's face was priceless. He most certainly didn't expect such a little girl, and he was likely being tormented on how he was going to inform his boss.
Apparently the attendant just thought it was a good idea to rip the band-aid off, for not long after Airi was seated, she heard a man's angry voice as a distinguished-looking middle-aged gentleman stormed into the room, attendant at his side. He took one look at Airi, turned straight towards his attendant and struck him across the face with the back of his hand. And judging by the rings on his hand... it probably smarted quite a bit. "You idiot! Do you think this is some kind of prank!? Why would to bring her in if she's a mere child!?"
"I can assure you that his is no prank, Asumi Shuichirou," Airi stated with all the self-importance she could muster at this moment. "My organization requested to meet with you, and in respect to your distinguished clan, as the head of my organization I saw fit to see you in person."
Asumi gave Airi a long, intense glare. "No," He simply declared. "I will not speak to some child the same age as my daughter as if we were equals! And a girl, at that!"
Oh. So this was a sexist thing as well on top of the child thing, too. How wonderful. "Actually, I'm only nine years old, Asumi-san. Your daughter..." She paused intentionally as if she had to recall the information. "Kanae, was it? I your daughter is a year older than I am."
"What did you say!?" Asumi marched up to the little girl, grabbing her uniform's tie and jerking her out of her seat. "Was that a threat!?" It was annoying as all hell, and honestly a little painful, but Airi tried not to show any emotion, as if she expected this reaction. So instead she continued on with the conversation.
"Yamamoto Takeshi owes our group a great deal of money due to accrued gambling debts. We took all the proper channels to find him, and were even polite enough to inform you of our operation. And yet mere hours before we were going to make our move, your men came and swept him up first. But Asumi-san, despite the differences in the sizes of our organizations, mine has no fealty towards yours. And yet while our organization was polite and accommodating to your interests, yours was most certainly not. You have offended us, Asumi-san, and we demand proper restitu-"
Before Airi could finish Asumi's hand flew past her face in an instant, receiving the same backhand as the attendant from earlier. A swirl of colors flashed across her eyes as the eyes jerked her head from one direction to another, and it took her brain a second to register the motion. And she was right about the rings making it hurt worse. An throbbing ache, as well as something running down her cheek... one of his rings must have cut her. She was going to have a hell of a time explaining that mark in class tomorrow.
"Don't think you can just enter my home, start talking about my daughter, then compare whatever shithole of an organization that's run by a mere brat to my clan!" He shoved her back into her seat, only to grab the girl by her hair, yank her up once more, and drive his fist into her stomach. Airi lost every ounce of air that her lungs had as she collapsed to the floor, gripping her abdomen as she tried to get some semblance of her breath back.
Well, at least he was taking her seriously at this point. That was a plus, she supposed. Then he bent down, pulling her up by her hair again so he could shove his bloodshot eyes towards Airi's own. "You should count yourself fortunate that I'm willing to let this insult go," He shoved her back in her seat. "Leave my home. You will get no such 'restitution' from our organization. And if we are to ever cross paths again, you will trample you underfoot like the insignificant..." Suddenly, Asumi's attendant, still at the door to the conference room, suddenly slumped over, holding his throat that had unmistakably been irreparably damaged. He gagged and gasped for a few seconds, convulsing until he finally stopped moving or making noise completely.
"Hey..." Airi weakly gasped as she managed to gather just enough air to talk. "Would you like to know how a little child like me got to where I am today?" Asumi turned his head back to the little girl, more confused and concerned than anything.
"My father was a criminal, too. White collar crimes. Skimming money from his company until one day..." Airi burst into a coughing fit as she gasped for more air. "...One day his partner in crime turned on him. You see, my father's partner had found out that my dear daddy had been skimming from him, too. And the second the police began to suspect them, my father's partner cut a deal almost instantly. My father got the harshest penalty, and his partner got off with a reduced sentence. I'll be well into my thirties before I get to see my father again..."
"What the hell are you doing on abo-" But Airi got enough her strength back to raise her voice and interrupt him for a change.
"You see, my father either forgot, or just never bothered to learn an important lesson they teach every primary schooler," She kept on. "That the more people that share what they have, the happier everyone will be as a whole! If my father never screwed over his partner, then the police wouldn't have likely had enough evidence to press charges, and I'd be a much wealthier child! Probably even be going to same elite, private school as your daughter, Asumi-san." She took a deep breath. "So I promised to never be like my dear old, disappointing dad. I like to help people out whenever I can. Give the people down on their luck a fighting chance in life. And before I knew it, those people wanted to pay me back. But instead of helping me with my problems, I had them do favors for other people. And they directed their gratitude back to me. And before I knew it, people just started calling me 'Boss'... Which includes one of the most interesting people that I've ever met..."
"Why are you telling me all of this?" Asumi-san reached into his pocket for his phone, but an invisible force suddenly slapped out of his hand. The yakuza head began to scream, but his legs were kicked out from underneath him and something grabbed his throat.
"Do you know what a 'Digimon' is, Asumi-san?" Airi asked the man. "Neither do I, really. But he was initially just another homeless man that I had helped, until one day he revealed his true self and pledged his loyalty." The unseen force suddenly took shape as a strange, cyborg lizard creature, decked out in blue camouflaged military gear and an M-16 over his shoulder. "He goes by 'Sarge', but he's also called a Commandramon, apparently."
Asumi let out a gargling sound as the Commandramon's claws pressed against his throat, preventing him from speaking.
"I tried to be nice with you, Asumi-san. I tried to play by your rules and share. But you seem like you're making the same mistakes as my father. And I can't possibly see a working relationship with such a person. So I'm very sorry, Asumi-san, but even though I tried being open and honest with you, now you're in a position to compromise me. And I know for a fact that I can't trust you. So I'm afraid that this is where we part ways." Asumi-san started to struggle, but the Commandramon held a sturdy grip. Airi faced the strange cyborg creature. "Make sure to dispose of his rings. They have my blood on him. Also, he grabbed my hair, so make sure you clean up all traces of it in this room. Otherwise, I don't care what you do with the bodies," Sarge didn't say anything first, but simply nodded with a cold, distant stare to match Airi's own. Airi simply turned around and slowly walked out of the estate, pretending not to hear the ensuing violence as she got back to her car.
"So how does it look?" Airi asked, turning her damaged cheek so it would show up in her driver's rear-view mirror.
"It... doesn't look good, but it doesn't look that bad, either," Her driver answered. Very helpful. Well... Airi never wanted to be the girl that came to school wearing too much makeup, but it looked like that was going to have to be the case. Well... she'd have to buy a make-up kit, first. And also learn how to properly apply it, too. But... all the other girls seemed to be able to do it, so it couldn't be that hard to learn, right? Still... a little girl alone in a convenience store with a bruise like this was sure to draw attention. And a little girl alone with a suspicious-looking guy like her driver was even worse. And she sure as hell couldn't trust her driver to get it on her own, so what was she going to...
As they came to a stop, the driver's side door suddenly flew open as a slender hand reached into the vehicle jerked Airi's driver out and casually threw him across the asphalt. Airi was too stunned to even react to the suprising act. Then, the backseat door flew open.
Oddly enough, it didn't take Sable long to find the girl she was looking for. Sure enough, she was in the company of what seemed to be a dangerous and suspicious individual. And her face was all bruised up. Her hair was ruffled. And from the way she was clutching her stomach, she probably had a fair few injuries that weren't visible.
"Oh, you poor, dear child!" Sable proclaimed, reaching into the vehicle to take hold of the little girl, but she suddenly let out a yelp and crawled to the other side of the backseat, terror stricken across her features. "It's okay, dear child!" Sable assured the little girl. "My name is Sister Sable. And as strange as it is for you to hear this, I am not from this world. I am what is known as a 'Digimon', and-"
"A... Digimon?" There was a sense of familiarity in her tone, but then her tone suddenly changed. Into something sweeter. "Sister Sable? What's a 'Digimon'?" The Sistermon Noir gave the girl a serene smile as she slowly reached into the vehicle, this time just extending her hand for the girl to take of her own volition.
"I'll explain in due time, dear child!" Sable told her, but looked around her surroundings. A crowd was starting to form. Apparently Digimon really did make a scene in this world. "But for now, how about we get you someplace safe? Just know that as of today, you're considered a friend to all Digimon, and that soon, with enough effort, you'll have many more comrades like myself at your disposal!" Suddenly, the little girl's face went from terrified, to nervous, to a sudden font of sunshine and smiles. As if all her worries were washing away somehow.
"Do you... really mean that?" She asked, as if in more excitement than disbelief. Sable smiled at the little girl's innocence.
"But of course, dear child! Soon, a world of new possibilities will open up to you! Where even a child can obtain incredibly strength beyond the scope of this world!"
"I'd like that, Sister Sable!" The little girl answered, beginning to chuckle a little. "I'd like that very much!"
WC: 3798/2000 - Man I wish there were another MPC or two I could've squeezed into this scenario.
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Being stuck in the middle of the Flatlands, having to making trips tended to be a bit of a pain. And Rustport wasn't exactly known for its bountiful resources, either. So when Azura had set out to "grab some grub" as she put it, it wouldn't be surprising for her to be gone for several days. But Sable's twin sister was anything if not tough, so she wasn't too worried about her getting into any danger. Sadly, Azura's strength was her only positive aspect. Whenever she was lounging around the temple she was essentially useless. For as closely as she resembled Sable, Azura was just a monstrous brute that lacked any semblance of subtlety or elegance. But at least she had her strength. Throw at her a solution that needs the tact of a sledgehammer, and she would be sure to provide an adequate solution.
But the same couldn't be said of the recently appointed head of this small, run-down temple, Sable's younger sister, Ivori. And as usual the Sistermon Blanc had slept in past the morning. And as usual, it was up to Sable to wake her. She took a second to watch her sleeping face. It was so peaceful and innocent, much like the rest of her. However, there was work to be done.
"Ivori, it's time to wake up," Sable commented, gently placing her hand on the Sistermon Blanc's shoulder and rocking her back and forth. "You've some blessings to make, do you not?"
Ivori let out a confused groan, then suddenly shot up so fast her forehead nearly slammed into Sable's own. But the Sistermon Noir had done this enough times to dodge by now.
"That's right, I do!" She proclaimed, letting out a yawn and stretching her arms out. She climbed out of her bed and slowly knelt down on the floor, clasping her hands together. "Just let me begin my prayers first, and then I'll get started!"
"No, Ivori," Sable corrected, furrowing her brow. "After your prayers, you're going down to the kitchen and we're preparing breakfast. I'll not have you be half-starved during your blessings like last week!" The little Sistermon would never remember to eat otherwise if Sable or Azura didn't accompany her.
"Of course, sister!" Ivori looked up to the black-robed Sistermon, responding with a bright smile. She closed her eyes, and focused. And then, a faint trace of white light began to form around her. Whatever power this was, Ivori was capable of using it. Sable wondered, though. If she were to acquire some of her sister's data, or dare she think, ALL of it, would she obtain the same power? Sable glanced over towards the corner of the room, where Ivori kept her sacred trident. Though it might as well just be an oversized fork with how gentle the trident's owner was.
While Ivori had her back turned and offering her prayers up to whatever higher powers that may be, Sable grasped the trident and stood over the kneeling Sistermon Blanc. She was just so vulnerable right now. And perhaps if Sable were a different person, perhaps just a tad more ambitious... There would be nothing stopping her from having her way with her little sister's data and taking her powers for herself. But instead, Sable just waited patiently for her sister to finish praying. It didn't take long until she opened her eyes and gave Sable a warm smile.
"Sister... I have some good news..." Her smile turned to a slightly concerned expression, however. "But... you're probably not going to like it..."
"Wait, why the hell is Sable going off to the human world!?" Azura slammed both hands on the kitchen counter, after having just arrived back from her supply trip just a bit earlier than normal. "If there's anyone that should be going off on a journey, it should be me! Sable will just get herself beaten up before she even gets to Terminus!"
"I'm sorry, sister Azura," Ivori lowered her head in apology while raising her hands up to a jeweled necklace. It wasn't a valuable gem or anything, but it was sparkling enough. And with enough holy energy instilled into it, it became a useful good luck trinket they sold to travelers. And they always had a knack for somehow coming in handy. Sable had always wondered how it worked, and Ivori was never willing to tell. She probably didn't even know herself. Either way, it was how they got a majority of their funds, other than Azura taking up the occasional bounty hunting or guard duty job. "But my visions were clear. You and I must remain at the temple while Sable goes off alone to the other realm. She's bound by destiny to another, it seems."
"Bound by destiny...?" Azura repeated her head jilting towards Sable in surprise. "Wait, she's gonna be like one of those Digimon that travel along with the humans that like to wander around here?" She sighed, leaning back into placing both hands behind her head. "Man... having to hang out with a human all the time... sounds kinda rough. I heard they smell pretty bad!"
"And I'm sure that you're most certainly mistaken," Sable insisted, rather curtly. She still hadn't come to terms with it herself. She had just gotten comfortable with her life here. Why did she have to leave so suddenly? "Ivori, my sister, please tell me, is there anything else you can find out from... whatever it is that you speak with?"
Ivori gave Sable a sad smile, but acquiesced. She closed her eyes, and a faint white aura surrounded her as she focused. And not long after, she awoke form her brief trance. "There is a human child who is surrounded by dangerous beings. This child is still quite young, and it will be your duty to guide her towards the path of light..." She stated, as if she were repeating what someone had just told her. "That's... all I can say on that matter..."
"Man... a human child..." Azura marveled, clapping her hands together and a mocking grin spreading across her face. "Well Sable, I guess you're gonna have to bring diapers with you or something... those are those things that human babies have, right? Humans are always so weird compared to us Digimon..."
Hirano Airi stood in front her friends, putting herself between the well-dressed man with the slicked back hair. "No! Stay away from my friends!" She warned the much larger, much more adult figure who did nothing of the sort. Airi turned back towards her classmates. "Yuki-chan! Mi-chan! You two need to run away while you can!"
"W-we can't leave you behind, Ai-chan...!" One of the little girls protested, frozen with fear. "Maybe if we run away together..."
"All I'm just saying, is that I'll give you little girls a ride home!" The conspicuous man stated in a mock-reassuring tone! "I'm not gonna hurt you girls, I promise!"
"If we run together the scary man will just catch all three of us!" Airi quickly countered, but of course Mi-chan wouldn't have figured that out yet. Airi really didn't know what she expected there. "You two have to get away from here while I hold him off!"
"B-but Ai-chan...!"
"It's okay!" Airi reassured her friends. "I'm the smartest girl in our class, remember? I'll think of a way to escape, easy! So just both of you get home before any more strange men approach you!" She felt the man suddenly place his hand on the top of her head and ruffle her hair a bit.
"But you better not stop to talk to any police officers!" The man told the trembling little girls. "If you do, we'll know, and you'll never see your little 'Ai-chan' again, you understand?" The two other little girls nodded frightfully and practically ran off crying. Then the suspicious man opened the door to his car, and gestured for Airi to get in. Airi complied, climbing into the back seat while the man got into the driver's seat and took off. After some time passed, Airi crossed her arms together, swung leg over the other, and gave her driver an irritated glare.
"Something better be on fire," She stated coldly, the emotions fading from her voice. "Because if you pulled that little stunt in public for no reason, you'd best crash this car into a semi-truck and kill the both of us. At least then you won't be dying alone."
"I'm sorry, boss..." If he weren't driving, and if Airi weren't such a stickler for her drivers keeping their eyes on the road, the man would have buried his face into the steering wheel so hard the airbags would have come out. "But there's been an issue with Yamamoto..."
"He owes us money. We'll collect it or we'll inflict great bodily harm to him and his loved ones," Airi insisted. "Are the bats you use to break kneecaps with too small for you to hold, or are just incapable of handling matters yourself?"
"It's just that... Yamamoto wasn't the only person he owed money to... And... Well... They got to him, first..."
"I see..." Airi let out a sigh. She hated her driver's nervous stammering. If he provided all the information as soon as possible, this unpleasant conversation they would both be having would be over just as quickly.
"It seems like he owed a good deal to the Asumi Clan... and..." God damn. Airi had picked him to be her driver because of his cautious nature, but because of it his conversational skills left a lot to be desired.
"Yamamoto lives in the Asumi Clan's territory, and after going through the proper channels to inform him that we weren't moving in on their turf, they scooped up Yamamoto with us doing all the hard work to find him, correct?" That should progress this conversation. Before her driver could give his conversation, Airi pulled out her "other" phone, going into her contacts. "I'll make some calls. In the meantime, schedule a meeting on their territory. I'll deal with this matter myself."
"Y-yes, boss!"
Airi didn't expect to be stepping into the Asumi estate today, but here she was. She always felt like she had to tread lightly when dealing with the yakuza, but it was only a matter of time until the little fish in the pond met their larger kin. And Airi just hoped that at this moment she could be the larger one. Their estate was fairly modern, though for some reason Airi had just assumed it would have been something more traditional. Well... she supposed it wouldn't make a difference. She was led to a conference room, no companions at her side as she was seated in an empty room. The confused look on the attendant's face was priceless. He most certainly didn't expect such a little girl, and he was likely being tormented on how he was going to inform his boss.
Apparently the attendant just thought it was a good idea to rip the band-aid off, for not long after Airi was seated, she heard a man's angry voice as a distinguished-looking middle-aged gentleman stormed into the room, attendant at his side. He took one look at Airi, turned straight towards his attendant and struck him across the face with the back of his hand. And judging by the rings on his hand... it probably smarted quite a bit. "You idiot! Do you think this is some kind of prank!? Why would to bring her in if she's a mere child!?"
"I can assure you that his is no prank, Asumi Shuichirou," Airi stated with all the self-importance she could muster at this moment. "My organization requested to meet with you, and in respect to your distinguished clan, as the head of my organization I saw fit to see you in person."
Asumi gave Airi a long, intense glare. "No," He simply declared. "I will not speak to some child the same age as my daughter as if we were equals! And a girl, at that!"
Oh. So this was a sexist thing as well on top of the child thing, too. How wonderful. "Actually, I'm only nine years old, Asumi-san. Your daughter..." She paused intentionally as if she had to recall the information. "Kanae, was it? I your daughter is a year older than I am."
"What did you say!?" Asumi marched up to the little girl, grabbing her uniform's tie and jerking her out of her seat. "Was that a threat!?" It was annoying as all hell, and honestly a little painful, but Airi tried not to show any emotion, as if she expected this reaction. So instead she continued on with the conversation.
"Yamamoto Takeshi owes our group a great deal of money due to accrued gambling debts. We took all the proper channels to find him, and were even polite enough to inform you of our operation. And yet mere hours before we were going to make our move, your men came and swept him up first. But Asumi-san, despite the differences in the sizes of our organizations, mine has no fealty towards yours. And yet while our organization was polite and accommodating to your interests, yours was most certainly not. You have offended us, Asumi-san, and we demand proper restitu-"
Before Airi could finish Asumi's hand flew past her face in an instant, receiving the same backhand as the attendant from earlier. A swirl of colors flashed across her eyes as the eyes jerked her head from one direction to another, and it took her brain a second to register the motion. And she was right about the rings making it hurt worse. An throbbing ache, as well as something running down her cheek... one of his rings must have cut her. She was going to have a hell of a time explaining that mark in class tomorrow.
"Don't think you can just enter my home, start talking about my daughter, then compare whatever shithole of an organization that's run by a mere brat to my clan!" He shoved her back into her seat, only to grab the girl by her hair, yank her up once more, and drive his fist into her stomach. Airi lost every ounce of air that her lungs had as she collapsed to the floor, gripping her abdomen as she tried to get some semblance of her breath back.
Well, at least he was taking her seriously at this point. That was a plus, she supposed. Then he bent down, pulling her up by her hair again so he could shove his bloodshot eyes towards Airi's own. "You should count yourself fortunate that I'm willing to let this insult go," He shoved her back in her seat. "Leave my home. You will get no such 'restitution' from our organization. And if we are to ever cross paths again, you will trample you underfoot like the insignificant..." Suddenly, Asumi's attendant, still at the door to the conference room, suddenly slumped over, holding his throat that had unmistakably been irreparably damaged. He gagged and gasped for a few seconds, convulsing until he finally stopped moving or making noise completely.
"Hey..." Airi weakly gasped as she managed to gather just enough air to talk. "Would you like to know how a little child like me got to where I am today?" Asumi turned his head back to the little girl, more confused and concerned than anything.
"My father was a criminal, too. White collar crimes. Skimming money from his company until one day..." Airi burst into a coughing fit as she gasped for more air. "...One day his partner in crime turned on him. You see, my father's partner had found out that my dear daddy had been skimming from him, too. And the second the police began to suspect them, my father's partner cut a deal almost instantly. My father got the harshest penalty, and his partner got off with a reduced sentence. I'll be well into my thirties before I get to see my father again..."
"What the hell are you doing on abo-" But Airi got enough her strength back to raise her voice and interrupt him for a change.
"You see, my father either forgot, or just never bothered to learn an important lesson they teach every primary schooler," She kept on. "That the more people that share what they have, the happier everyone will be as a whole! If my father never screwed over his partner, then the police wouldn't have likely had enough evidence to press charges, and I'd be a much wealthier child! Probably even be going to same elite, private school as your daughter, Asumi-san." She took a deep breath. "So I promised to never be like my dear old, disappointing dad. I like to help people out whenever I can. Give the people down on their luck a fighting chance in life. And before I knew it, those people wanted to pay me back. But instead of helping me with my problems, I had them do favors for other people. And they directed their gratitude back to me. And before I knew it, people just started calling me 'Boss'... Which includes one of the most interesting people that I've ever met..."
"Why are you telling me all of this?" Asumi-san reached into his pocket for his phone, but an invisible force suddenly slapped out of his hand. The yakuza head began to scream, but his legs were kicked out from underneath him and something grabbed his throat.
"Do you know what a 'Digimon' is, Asumi-san?" Airi asked the man. "Neither do I, really. But he was initially just another homeless man that I had helped, until one day he revealed his true self and pledged his loyalty." The unseen force suddenly took shape as a strange, cyborg lizard creature, decked out in blue camouflaged military gear and an M-16 over his shoulder. "He goes by 'Sarge', but he's also called a Commandramon, apparently."
Asumi let out a gargling sound as the Commandramon's claws pressed against his throat, preventing him from speaking.
"I tried to be nice with you, Asumi-san. I tried to play by your rules and share. But you seem like you're making the same mistakes as my father. And I can't possibly see a working relationship with such a person. So I'm very sorry, Asumi-san, but even though I tried being open and honest with you, now you're in a position to compromise me. And I know for a fact that I can't trust you. So I'm afraid that this is where we part ways." Asumi-san started to struggle, but the Commandramon held a sturdy grip. Airi faced the strange cyborg creature. "Make sure to dispose of his rings. They have my blood on him. Also, he grabbed my hair, so make sure you clean up all traces of it in this room. Otherwise, I don't care what you do with the bodies," Sarge didn't say anything first, but simply nodded with a cold, distant stare to match Airi's own. Airi simply turned around and slowly walked out of the estate, pretending not to hear the ensuing violence as she got back to her car.
"So how does it look?" Airi asked, turning her damaged cheek so it would show up in her driver's rear-view mirror.
"It... doesn't look good, but it doesn't look that bad, either," Her driver answered. Very helpful. Well... Airi never wanted to be the girl that came to school wearing too much makeup, but it looked like that was going to have to be the case. Well... she'd have to buy a make-up kit, first. And also learn how to properly apply it, too. But... all the other girls seemed to be able to do it, so it couldn't be that hard to learn, right? Still... a little girl alone in a convenience store with a bruise like this was sure to draw attention. And a little girl alone with a suspicious-looking guy like her driver was even worse. And she sure as hell couldn't trust her driver to get it on her own, so what was she going to...
As they came to a stop, the driver's side door suddenly flew open as a slender hand reached into the vehicle jerked Airi's driver out and casually threw him across the asphalt. Airi was too stunned to even react to the suprising act. Then, the backseat door flew open.
Oddly enough, it didn't take Sable long to find the girl she was looking for. Sure enough, she was in the company of what seemed to be a dangerous and suspicious individual. And her face was all bruised up. Her hair was ruffled. And from the way she was clutching her stomach, she probably had a fair few injuries that weren't visible.
"Oh, you poor, dear child!" Sable proclaimed, reaching into the vehicle to take hold of the little girl, but she suddenly let out a yelp and crawled to the other side of the backseat, terror stricken across her features. "It's okay, dear child!" Sable assured the little girl. "My name is Sister Sable. And as strange as it is for you to hear this, I am not from this world. I am what is known as a 'Digimon', and-"
"A... Digimon?" There was a sense of familiarity in her tone, but then her tone suddenly changed. Into something sweeter. "Sister Sable? What's a 'Digimon'?" The Sistermon Noir gave the girl a serene smile as she slowly reached into the vehicle, this time just extending her hand for the girl to take of her own volition.
"I'll explain in due time, dear child!" Sable told her, but looked around her surroundings. A crowd was starting to form. Apparently Digimon really did make a scene in this world. "But for now, how about we get you someplace safe? Just know that as of today, you're considered a friend to all Digimon, and that soon, with enough effort, you'll have many more comrades like myself at your disposal!" Suddenly, the little girl's face went from terrified, to nervous, to a sudden font of sunshine and smiles. As if all her worries were washing away somehow.
"Do you... really mean that?" She asked, as if in more excitement than disbelief. Sable smiled at the little girl's innocence.
"But of course, dear child! Soon, a world of new possibilities will open up to you! Where even a child can obtain incredibly strength beyond the scope of this world!"
"I'd like that, Sister Sable!" The little girl answered, beginning to chuckle a little. "I'd like that very much!"
WC: 3798/2000 - Man I wish there were another MPC or two I could've squeezed into this scenario.
