pishirogane | prismatica

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Hmmm, an airbike sounds better, actually...

[He neatly passed off the pencil. The names were mostly foreign to him, but two of them rang a bell. He needed to keep his eyes peeled for when those names come up, so he knew what to be ready for. Looked like he needed to fight without his Persona... pfft. Like he didn't wreck a biker gang on his own, right? Then again, these bikers weren't potentially hopped up on funky space drugs.

But he squinted a bit. Drinks Moon Cycle? Drinks... for moon cycles, maybe?

He looked up. The glasses many of them drank all around them. Another round of cheers erupted as someone chugged down a bright red drink and hiccuped a gout of flame. Naoto's was blue. He'd finished something purple. Hadn't they just shaken off the effects of the dragon flower tea?

Kanji gulped.

Fuck. I drank a purple one.]

Told you. The next purchase can be a car.

[Naoto wasn't sure who among them right now might be a user, supplier, or shipper. Where they are is just the supposed base of the operations so they had to act consciously of their surroundings.]

[Ah, looked like he caught on. She continued writing, talking about the amounts to probably bet and maybe waiting to see how the numbers changed.]

[Iris. Heat does draw attention. Meanwhile, might need hug.]

New season, new ride. Been a while since we took a drive through Level 2 n' 1.

[Amicably, because this was a guy talking to his client, he lay an arm over the smaller figure's shoulders. His ears perked when he heard a gruff voice lifting. The one taking all the bets, according to his sharpened hearing, was just going over the odds. Looks like Barbarus' odds were somehow increasing, like they needed the help. Yet the barker didn't seem to mind, nor did those making the bet...

Definitely fixed. It's like these people don't expect to lose money if they bet on Barb. Usually you'd get pushed to bet on the opponent in case of a surprise and come out filthy rich.]

Yes. Already that sounds appealing...

[Yes, this was fine. They're talking as it is so they could bother being closer. Already, the shivers were dying off... but what should she do with her drink? Besides the side effects, it was good. Humming, her eyes narrowed.]

[Do you still want to sign-up?]

Usual stops, of course. I know of three little worms on the way who ain't been up to date on their monthly dues...

[He hesitated before writing his reply:

Have to. Noticed competitors are getting lots of attention. Might be our best in right now. I'll get to meet Barney.

What the guy was like, he wasn't sure. But he had to find out.]

Oh, that will not do... How many times have they've been told to keep up?

[Her face remains neutral, but she doesn't like this. Just... a bad feeling with all these numbers.]

[Be careful. When you sign-up, I can't go with you for that.]

[He'd be going into territory without her for Moonlacing, and there's no guarantee who else might sign-up too.]

Too many. Maybe they think we went soft, after everything we've done for 'em. But me n' the boys have an idea I think you'll like...

[He leaned closer. Rather than take the pencil back for a message, he briefly lay a hand over hers.]

...

I know. I'll be careful. I got no plans to push up daisies.

Oh, you do? I'd love to hear them...

[Leaning back, she squeezed his hand.]

Even if you did, I would have to interfere.

[That's Naoto for ya. He knew he couldn't fully convince her he'd be fine, and to be honest he wasn't sure himself. He just had to find a way to survive, or even throw the match somehow.

Having you back me up makes me feel more confident. Thanks.

Then, he nodded.]

...And that's just the beginning of what I'll do to 'em. But more after I hit the bathroom.

[He looked out into the crowd again. He needed to make another round and see if he could pick up anything else, or check in with the others.]

[Reading his next words, she gave him a smile and nodded back.]

I'm already liking this plan... Well, go then. I'll wait here.

[She'll watch the crowd while he checked the parameter.]

[He would sneak a kiss to the temple before he rose, fixed his coat, and 'looked for the bathroom'. He needed to see what the others had to say, or maybe plant the rumor that he was entering the Crystal Fist tournament. That'll perk some ears.

Maybe he wasn't so bad at this investigation stuff...]

[It would perk some ears alright, but she doesn't think she likes the look of those now whispering about his entry. Still, she said nothing, waiting patiently for him to return from the 'bathroom'.]

[He settled back in his seat, carrying with him a basket of skewers of various meats, seafood and vegetables. They weren't the fanciest-looking foods, however; they seemed more greasy-spoon levels.

He offered her one.]

Called it. They don't talk to anybody but fighters.

[Looking over at him once he returned, she eyed the plate. Nothing like what they made... and she doesn't know if she wanted to have any of it. Still, her 'bodyguard' was offering and she should have something.]

Makes sense. What did you learn?

[And she'll try one of the seafood skewers...]

[It's pretty uninspired. Just seafood with a little lemon juice kicked on for a little kick. Fortunately, she wasn't going to be suffering any form of food poisoning. Kanji helped himself, naturally, to the crunchier skewers, ones cooked a little too long. He liked a little crust on the steak.]

Barney's on a shitload of Glow. He trains with it, he lives with it, and they pump him full of the shit before every single match. It makes him huge, almost godlike. Nobody knows what he was like before the circuit.

[He lowered his voice.]

Tried askin' who manages him and they got cagey. Nobody will gimme a name, only tellin' me to quit asking if I wanted to be able to walk outta Level 3 in one piece.

[Ugh... They need to cook something after this was over. This practically flavorless junk wouldn't do. Meanwhile, she also scowled over the information on Barbarus, not liking the odds and made a mental note to be present when Kanji faced him.]

... Our main target then.

[He nodded.]

So I'm thinkin', if he gets juiced up before matches, he might need to check in with his boss to approve a dose and oversee the process.

I mean, why have some lackey do it and potentially screw it up, and money goes down the drain, right?

It would. However, at the same time, getting a chance to see this happen isn't likely. I expect his locker or where ever this will be handled is going to be under tight surveillance.

Hmm, damn, you're right. I kinda hoped with whatever they got that bans magic, they'd put it on and maybe there's a bit of shit-talk between me n' Barney before the match.

But that's the movies. This is real.

Yes...

Beside that, Glow sounds like a steroid. If anything, that amplifies physical strength so whatever they use to ban magic will have no effect.

Right... so all I can do now is just wait for the tournament to start and see what goes.

[He nodded, thoughtful. Or maybe to comfort himself. He couldn't help smelling a whole lot of blood emanating from the arena.]

[She doesn't smell what he does, but she does feel a shift. Carefully, she placed a hand on his leg.]

I'll be there, watching...

[His leg was steely, and even trembling a bit as he let his foot bob up and down in his sudden upshift in anxiety. It stilled when her hand settled.]

Right. Okay. Right.

It isn't like you to be unnerved by a challenge like this. What's going on?

I guess a part of me's still a coward.

[He hesitated. He didn't want to note that he'd heard whispers that Barnabus had killed a good number of his opponents, and figured it was a figure of speech.]

Never ignored my gut before, and it's sayin' 'don't do it'. But this is our way in. I gotta do this. Just gotta shake it, that's all.