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Post by Leon on Jun 14, 2020 4:51:45 GMT
It had been some time since Leon had just gone out and just enjoyed the day. Wearing his suit he ditched his driver and went for a casual stroll down the sidewalk watching the world do it's own thing. Sometimes he forgets that the people on the surface of this city have never seen what lays underneath. That the innocent and casual or regular people have no need to wear bullet proof suit jackets because any wannabe in the underworld could just run up and shoot you at any moment to make a name for themselves. A smell hit him as he walked and he followed it to a small food truck that offered burritos and hot chocolate.
Ordering a hot chocolate he would go to sit on a bench near by and take a cautious sip. Allowing the drink to melt the cream on top and add it's sweetness to the drink and cool it enough not to burn him. The drink its self was obviously carefully brewed and every ingredient was thought out... He would give a half smile as thunder in the distance rang out. Clouds rolled in to cover the sun and a somewhat colder breeze rolled through the area.
"Rain..."
He would sigh as he realized he had left his umbrella with the driver and the car. Annoying.
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Post by Shinsuke Baba on Jun 15, 2020 2:18:25 GMT
"The Lightning Dragon," a deep voice from behind Leon rolled out. It was a voice he'd be familiar with, though likely not one too personal. "... scared of a little rain?" The voice turned to laughter, shifting wildly in pitch and tone uncomfortably close to lunacy. Footsteps could be heard from the same direction, before Shinsuke walked around to the front of Leon.
"Ironic," he said with a smile that almost seemed plastered on his face. His single eye was trained down on Leon and, almost absentmindedly, as a couple walked by, he reached out his hand and stole an umbrella from one of the two. Sounds of protest were quickly muffled by knuckles crashing into teeth, before the umbrella was unfurled and held over Leon and his drink.
"All better?"
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Post by Leon on Jun 15, 2020 2:30:23 GMT
At the use of that old title Leon's eyes would narrow. Though when the following bit proceeded his eyes lightened and he sipped one more before the man acquired an umbrella for him. He wouldn't comment on the scared of the rain bit, but once the umbrella was open and over head he would respond.
"As directly confusing as ever, Oni-Baba."
He didn't mean it as an insult, just banter as per the usual. He would close his eyes for a moment and smell the drink in his hands mixing with the air of the coming storm.
"Want some hot chocolate?"
He would offer as he stood up to meet Shinsuke at eye level. This wasn't Leon's office it would be rood not to offer an even standing since he was on a bench before.
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Post by Shinsuke Baba on Jun 15, 2020 2:36:35 GMT
It would be difficult to say whether Shinsuke was even paying much attention at this point, having been wiping some blood off from his gloved knuckles and onto the leg of his pants. Even when Leon met his eyeline, Baba seemed to hardly address it. It wasn't until he offered the hot chocolate that there seemed to be any response from the one-eyed monster at all.
"Don't mind if I do," he spoke with that same smile, reaching to take the cup if no resistance was given. He'd take a quick sip, some of the cream remaining on his upper lip and climbing the hairs above it just slightly.
"All these years spent infiltrating your organization to get to know you, and it turns out all I had to do was catch you out during the rain. Well, preceding it."
He'd hand the chocolate back, and it was hard to read just how serious he was.
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Post by Leon on Jun 15, 2020 2:46:59 GMT
Leon would let Shinsuke take the cup and drink, he'd take it back and a half smile would cross his face. He'd turn to let the one eyed man know his intentions to begin walking before doing so.
"Am I to believe you searched me out specifically? Over the years you have been known to pop up... In odd places unexpectedly. Do you need a new chew toy, or some mission to sniff out? Or, do you just happen to like seeing how far you can go to challenge the status quo?"
Not to get it twisted, Leon himself enjoyed his antics and it kept most the other members of the Raijin Clan on their toes when it came to decorum and real action versus spouting bullshit and never backing up your mouth. You could say Leon viewed him as a necessary balancing piece so that everything didn't fall into bureaucracy.
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Post by Shinsuke Baba on Jun 15, 2020 2:56:37 GMT
"Yes," he nodded, not elaborating on what part exactly he was answering. As Leon turned, so too did Shinsuke, and he followed along. His heels would click against the ground every so often, not out of dragging his feet but from simply create a rhythm to the steps he took.
"I go where there's fun to be had, O Great Dragon. That's all. And a man like you tends to have lots for a wild dog like me to take care of." He grinned, baring uncomfortably large canines. "I suppose the money's nice. But I earn my take. And with that said, I'm tired of sitting at the kid's table."
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Post by Leon on Jun 15, 2020 3:05:08 GMT
Leon would sip from the cup again as he walked listening to the rhythm of the steps and Shinsuke's words. He did handle things in his own way, but the jobs always got done. He took responsibility for fuck ups and even had a bit of a fan club within the organization already... It was something he had already been considering.
"You want a promotion then..."
It had been about two years since the Sudeki Family lost it's Lieutenant Advisor in a fight protecting a Sudeki Family VIP worth quite a bit of money. The spot hadn't been filled, and that would give Shinsuke rights to start his own family. He daydreamed a bit about a whole pack of Oni-Baba's running around.
"What would you do at the big kid's table?"
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Post by Shinsuke Baba on Jun 15, 2020 3:13:03 GMT
"I want a lot of things, and I'll get em one way or another," was his roundabout way of saying yes. But Shinsuke wasn't a leech and he was far from being all talk, not that that was something he felt he needed to prove to anyone - even his boss. Well, one of his bosses. He shrugged, sliding a few feet forward, snapping his fingers in his free hand and spinning on his heel before following along at a regular pace once more.
"I'm hungry. So I'd take what I needed to sate my hunger. Expand where the chickenshits I work under have been too slow to touch. Tap a market we haven't yet. Sky's the limit and it has no limits itself, pops."
Shinsuke's tone remained casual and his rhythm never once halted, though for a while he did moonwalk across the sidewalk to look the other man in the eye.
"I've got an in with construction. And maybe I can throw some leads for competition in the drug game your way. And if you've got something that needs done, I'm the guy to make it happen."
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Post by Leon on Jun 15, 2020 3:24:52 GMT
The guy put on an air of cockiness, but ti wasn't arrogance, it was more like... A drive to do something, to push and push until he couldn't anymore. Ambitious fucker as he is anyways. Leon would mull it over for a few more seconds. Having construction permits/building plans... Hell land ownership was a hell of an income proposal. He'd rather have someone like that feel rewarded and driven to work it than forced to and doing it simply out of honor and obligation. Taking another sip he would nod.
"Shinsuke Oni-Baba... I give you permission to start your own family as Lieutenant Advisor in the Sudeki Family. You have 1 year to pay the dues associated with the promotion to prove your contribution power. Turn a profit and you will have the full backing power of the Raijin Clan at your disposal for future projects."
This meant when he got back to HQ he'd have some paperwork to fill out, and the other Family heads would need to be made aware of the new Baba Family.
"Don't turn on me Shinsuke... A mad dog you may be, but work and attitudes like yours are hard to come by. I don't want your blood on my hands."
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Post by Shinsuke Baba on Jun 15, 2020 3:35:53 GMT
There was no exclamation of glee from Shinsuke, no reaction of any kind that could begin to hint at any excitement or gratitude to what was bestowed upon him. Instead, he simply stopped in his tracks and pulled his free hand behind his back. His coat shifted as he pulled out a long wooden sheathed weapon, and brought it up to his teeth. Clamping down, he pulled the tanto out from the sheathe, before tossing it up and catching it by the blade. The handle would be given over to Leon. Whether or not it was taken, he'd remove the sheath from his mouth.
"If you think such a thing will happen, then I invite you to strike me down now. Believing I may turn on you and still granting me further power is the move of a fool, and we both know you are not."
There was no doubt in his mind that Shinsuke would meet the demands required of him. There was also no doubt in his mind that his true intentions would never be discerned. But he didn't get where he is today by pussyfooting around.
"We can argue either move is a smart one. But it's your call."
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Post by Leon on Jun 15, 2020 3:44:01 GMT
Leon would stop once he noticed Shinsuke had stopped and watch, knowing the meaning behind a tonto and it being handed over like this. He would take the blade in hand and look it over. Instead of using it however he would reach out to hand Shinsuke the hot chocolate once more. Leon would grip the blade in his hand and pull sharply on the handle through his grip to slice his hand on the blade.
"I do not believe you would betray me, Oni-Baba. However, I do not feign to know the future or move into things I can predict easily, so as this blade has tasted my flesh and blood, I expect it to taste yours as well, should the unthinkable happen and you betray me. As with the ceremony that you went through when you joined the family. Your blood is my blood, my family is your family. Brothers, fathers, sons, sisters, mothers, daughters... We are of one large family. This family has known betrayal and hardship before. It is why I am simply cautious."
He would then reach out to hand the bloody tonto back with his good hand and holding out his bleeding hand to take back the hot chocolate.
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Post by Shinsuke Baba on Jun 15, 2020 3:52:50 GMT
As the rain has yet to roll in, the umbrella was put away and held to the side. He took the cup of hot chocolate, then pulled at the fingers of his glove with his teeth. Once it hanged from his mouth and the trade of blade and cup were made, he'd take it and cut through his own palm just as Leon had. He hoped the other man caught the gist of what he was doing and took the cup in his uncut hand.
"Allow me to swear another oath, then," he spoke in a tone more serious than anyone had likely heard from the man in the past. "To true family. We will prosper only together." He held out his hand in impromptu ceremony, blood dripping from the palm to the concrete below.
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Post by Leon on Jun 15, 2020 3:59:33 GMT
Leon watched for a short time and extended his own bloody hand. The thought of the old saying 'The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.' still held true. He'd make sure his grip was firm to show respect at the idea springing forth from a new oath and vow. There wasn't anything else to prove at this point except now Leon wanted to test this officer himself. A smile starting to creep across his face.
"Choose your followers and family well, and follow that ambition of yours wherever it leads you and you will have my support."
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Post by Shinsuke Baba on Jun 15, 2020 4:21:59 GMT
Baba matched the grip, and never broke eye contact the whole time. Only once it was over did he sheathe the tanto and return it behind his coat. He matched the smile from Leon, being hard otherwise to read.
"Well then!" He exclaimed, turning on his heel once more and opening up the umbrella just as the first rain started to fall. "I won't make any empty promises. But you'll see you made the right choice. And this..."
He sighed, spinning around and holding the umbrella over Leon while the rain began to fall over himself.
"... Mmm. I think this calls for a celebration of sorts."
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Post by Leon on Jun 15, 2020 4:28:45 GMT
Leon would release the hold and wait calmly sipping from his luke warm chocolate. When he spun around and brought the umbrella back out as the first droplets began to come down and spoke Leon went to chugging the remnants of the cocoa. Tossing the cup to the side and wiping his arm across his face to wipe it of any remnant liquid.
"I concur."
Was his response to the need for a celebration. There was only one way to celebrate in the Raijin Clan that really left an impact to remember.
"Don't think I can't party either just because of my age."
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