Chou Doku

Every now and then Julian ventured out into the city. While the District certainly had everything they could need, it felt more like an off brand version to everything else. He would never talk badly about the construction and setup — at least, not out loud — but there was only so much of its lukewarmness he could take, and now that the gates were open, he took it upon himself to venture out more.

Already Julian didn’t care for the guy and his speech and his hopes for togetherness, or whatever else bullshit he was spewing. He was pretty sure he zoned out a few times. Keeping to himself, Julian stayed close enough to hear the rest once the park meeting was over and nearly rolled his eyes into the back of his head.

“Talking about your cause or the frilly dresses they get to wear to your gala?” Anyone who paraded around world peace with a party attached to the end of it didn’t seem very genuine.

-

“A necessary evil, I’m afraid.” Chou said with a small shrug, the other man’s less than supportive response not bothering him one bit. “It’s a sad reflection of the world we live in that messages of environmental growth and protection are much more willingly adhered to when presented by powerful, attractive people and glamorous lifestyles.” Such was the shallowness of the general public.

“So long as they’re talking, it’s a start. And with some luck there will be vigilante’s willing to attend who can then make use of the platform to help forge relations between themselves and the city’s inhabitants.” If they were going to make any forward progress on his own causes the city needed to stop going for the throats of its protectors first.

While June still had the lab, full of its incredibly expensive, new equipment, she and her former employer had parted ways. It was no real loss to her, save the interest she’d had in the challenge of the project, but it did leave her with an open window. After some consideration, though not for any lingering or long amount of time, she’d made up her mind. She’d spent years under the radar, changed her face, adopted a new name, but she was tired of it. Almost bored, even. She’d had a freedom before that she’d denied herself and once the idea struck her, she wanted to reclaim it. 

It was time for Toxic Doxie to return. 

June rarely paid attention to the goings on in the city that didn’t directly affect her, but once she started to look, her attention was pulled in the direction of what seemed to be a particularly potent street drug. Djinn, they called it. She wanted the manufacturer. Should they turn out to be incompetent or intolerable, she wanted their formula and would take it. If they weren’t, she was keeping herself open to the idea of a…working relationship. 

She had a genetic sample of a metahuman who happened to be a regular user of Djinn, and the weak, but very much present, psychic link that those genetic samples gave June to their owner allowed her to follow the young woman to a dealer. From there, it was the dealer to someone higher up in the chain, and eventually to a hideout. 

It had been so long since she’d had a good fight. Over the years, she’d amassed a vast number of different abilities that she’d cherry picked for herself. Thermal blasts, containment fields, the ultra-potent neurotoxin laced into her nails…she put them all to good use. The guards protecting the hideout were good. So good. It made it even more satisfying to leave one of them dying on the ground, their body shutting down from toxin rapidly invading their system, and the others in various states between life and death.  

She adjusted her hood, pulling the white cloth up over her hair, situated her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose, and walked up to the door. Behind her, the air was punctuated by the sound of moaning and what she’d come to affectionately know as the death rattle. It was faint, but present. June waited. Someone else would come. 

-

Chou kept a close eye on the docks, his strongest territory now more so than before; Black Mask, despite their peaceful meeting, was a threat who wouldn’t hesitate to take all he’d built here and destroy it. He’d worked hard to build his strength, his income, all for much better causes than that man. He would not lose it. So he’d taken to patrolling himself a few evenings in a simple ninja-yoroi with a white mask decorated with a butterfly motif. He watched an intruder, a woman, take down two members of the hand and narrowed his eyes. She was dangerous, a user of poison from the look of it, but so was he. He reached for a poison kunai at his hip but stalled when the woman waited at the door.

She wanted attention? Well, than she would have it. But he was always a cautious fighter, preferring not to risk himself unless necessary. So he fell back on his usual tactics. A quiet bell sound rang out and a few glowing butterflies appeared as the figure of an old Japanese man, long white hair and a matching beard in traditional robes appeared from nothing in the next alley and began walking towards the woman.

Money, a word that in today’s society would equate to someone’s social standing, their power, and their worth in the eyes of those who truly ran the world. If you were lucky, you’d be born into a family that was well off and wouldn’t have to worry about the plights that about 99% of the world struggled with. Kai sometimes disliked the fact that his family lineage was basically an empire build around the idea of perfection and power. With it all came money

Never knowing what to do with it, he would usually just spoil his friends, or throw it at whatever needed it the most at the time. Right now, he was attending his first charity event and he felt entirely out of place.  

“Please, as if anybody in the audience would complain to see you on the podium a bit more. You should’ve heard the people around me, they couldn’t stop talking about you. About your looks, how generous and kind you are. Clearly they believe you’re the whole package,” kai giggled.

“People have been talking ever since they set foot at this event, but to be honest this is my first time at one of these things. I don’t really know what I should be doing, and I don’t really know anybody here as well.”

-

Chou let out a quiet breath and ducked his head, the perfect, slightly bashful response, “You are far too generous. Though if such things do help people think a little bit more and change their ways to make a better world I would be grateful either way.” And charming people only brought them further onto his side; a win on both counts.

“Ahh yes, it was a somewhat last minute announcement but in these weeks following the awful attack on the city and the repeal of the so-called ‘Hero Ban’ I felt it was important to try and foster good relations between the heroes guarding this city and the civilians living within it.”

“I’m pleased you’ll want to attend but there is no need for nerves. There will be others like yourself who are new to them but in all it’s just a party with food, drink and productive conversation. My only hope is the invitation gets around to said heroes and some are willing to attend, in costume or in disguise.”      

“No?” Roman didn’t get up. He stayed as he was, leaning back in his leather chair behind his desk. “I can be a civil man, Doku, until people give me a reason not to be. Is that what you plan on doing?” He’d not intended to go getting his hands dirty so quick out of the gate, which was why they were talking and not having an exchange of a bloodier nature. 

Since they seemed to be skipping past niceties, which suited him perfectly fine. He had plenty of other things he needed to see to, and there was no reason for their discussion to drag out longer than it needed to. “Let’s be frank with each other, then. We run in the same circles, but not close enough that we need to get in one another’s way. If you now who I am, then you know how i ran things in Gotham. I’ll be doing the same here.” 

-

Chou smiled, though it wasn’t a happy look, nor a smug one, it was all but unreadable. “I see no reason for us to exchange blows when it can be avoided.” Men liked Black Mask though, they desired what all villains did: everything. So soon his space would not be enough. And then, when did they come to blows, he would be ready.

“And that is why I hope this planned charitable event will help to foster relations between vigilantes, heroes and the everyday citizens of this city that has been so welcoming to me and my cause. Thank you.” Chou nodded softly as the assembled crowd applauded. 

He didn’t usually try and book out such large spaces as the city park, but the turnout had been decent and announcing he planned on throwing a charity gala deserved as wide an audience as possible.  

Stepping down from the podium he walked towards the crowd, happy to speak to all. “I do hope you don’t think my adding that small gala announcement to my usual speech was somewhat crass.” he chuckled quietly, “But it does seem to have got people talking.” 

Roman was familiar with the routine required to secure a city for himself. He had to learn all the players currently active, how to eliminate them, and then wipe them off the map. Sometimes it could be an interesting challenge, sometimes it was a pain in the ass. Once in awhile they even did the work for him and took themselves out, but he didn’t bank on that. And since he couldn’t go in guns and bombs blazing just yet, he had to do things the old fashioned way and wear the metaphorical (and literal, in his case) mask that so many people operated with. He’d schmooze. Small talk. Observe. It was irritating, but he’d do it.

Certain names came to him as he learned his way around Star City’s drug and weapons scene. Chou Doku was one of them. Lord Butterfly. What kind of a weak ass name was Lord Butterfly? In the absence of a competent assistant, he’d done his own research and put together a little of who the man was. Some tree hugger from Japan. It was a front he hadn’t seen before. 

He made the first move, inviting Chou to Visage before opening night. The club was fully decorated and equipped, but no one beyond Roman and his crew had set foot in it yet. It was meant to be the location that the public saw, the legitimate front for everything he’d eventually have going behind the scenes, and it didn’t matter to him if one or all of the city’s would-be puppet masters knew they could find him there. That was the fucking point.

“Mr. Doku,” he greeted as he saw his security move away from the door to admit a small, slight looking man, “what a pleasure.”

-

Black Mask. A powerful man. An interesting man. A ruthless man. But, despite his many strengths Chou could see a weakness or two in that most valuable of fields: information. Their operations may have dealt with one another in the past, briefly and forgettably, but to Chou’s knowledge while Roman knew of Lord Butterfly, he was unaware of exactly all that name stood for. And, for how long it had been standing. Still, it would be rude to neglect an invitation, especially to such a lovely venue. He’d dressed in a simply blue suit and white shirt and arrived at the venue in secret some time before.

After all, he didn’t plan on going into the meeting himself. Instead, Chou manifested an illusion of himself and moved that to the door, nodding at the large man standing guide who let him in with no questions and a nod in return. It was an opulent place, the king in his castle. He suspected Roman was a man who didn’t work in the more subtle way he preferred. This would make for an interesting competition between them both.

“Mr. Sionis.” he spoke slowly, moved slowly, everything about him unhurried as he made his way towards the other. “It is most respectful of you to invite me here for a conversation. I do so appreciate respect.” There were few ways to earn his ire faster than to be lacking manors or to give due diligence. “I cannot help but find myself wondering why though.” he continued, expression nothing but friendly.

Evolution. Jason isn’t the most familiar with it as he is with most things he’s learned of the world. He knows that evolution is a process, one that allows certain species to diversify and develop into something better than what it once was. The man in front of him seemed to think that the human race was currently undergoing that. Or perhaps he believed he held the key to man’s next evolution?

Even if he was disconnected with most of the world’s issues growing up, he did notice mankind’s mark on the oceans he spent most of his time in. “That is why you’ve come with your speeches?” He asked, genuinely concerned. “Surely there must be a way to show them all how to respect the land and the seas, as well as the creatures that dwell in them. In my experience, mankind has always seemed more than capable.”

-

“It is.” Chou nodded, “It’s my hope to further spread my message and help those in the world aid in its recovery. I’ve had some success in my homeland and this city, with all its powerful heroic figures seemed like an ideal choice to continue spreading my message.” And to begin spreading his drug throughout America, his hold on the city docks was already very strong; imports were no longer an issue.

The brush of U~otchā’s soft warm fur elicited a small grin on the boy’s face, despite his quiet sniffles. Stray tears fell from the boy’s cheeks, but he outstretched a hand to pet the fox, regardless. Dark brown eyes flickered back to his father, withholding his silence for a moment before speaking. Akihiro gave a small sigh upon feeling his comforting hand on top of his head.

“<Father,>” began the boy, “<will I always feel alone? Why can’t I go to school and make friends with the other boys my age?>” 

His free hand continued to brush the fox’s backside in gentle motions, reflecting on his thoughts. Romulus would never allow such behaviors, citing he was ‘weak’ for subjecting to small acts of affection. 

“<I mean you no disrespect because you are my father, but will there ever be a time when I could try to be like a ‘normal’ human?>”

-

Chou sighed and shook his head at the pair of them. U~otchā, like himself, had been hard and cold before Akihiro entered their lives. Now they both had discovered softer sides they didn’t know had existed before. Him, a father... a decade ago the notion would’ve been laughable. How fate made a fool of them with every passing day.

“Surely you know this already, my son?” he replied, “You are destined for a life above what those children shall live. Thus, you do not learn as they do, you do not play as they do and you do not fail as they do.”    

Romulus had left Akihiro in his care to mold a weapon, teach him how to fight, to protect himself, to hide, move through the world unseen and turn nature to his advantage just as he could with ease. But, along with that came love, the boy was not a soulless remnant, and Chou could not treat him as one.

“I’m sure that could be said about most places in the city,” He says, thinking about the carnage the people just survived. “The area has a lot of heart, including it’s people.” He hasn’t been there long, but he can see it in their interactions. It’s unfortunate that so much crime seems to happen here, but maybe now that he was here he could change it.  

“That’s…incredible,” He admits, not realizing what the other could have possibly been talking about. “I admit I don’t know much about the world’s problems, I grew up on a small island - a bit disconnected from the rest of the world.”

-

Chou chuckled quietly, “I suspect you’re not wrong. This city is chaotic; but that makes it just the place to try and do my work. In places of chaos, evolution and change can happen more freely.” he explained with a small smile, “The people here are strong. Strong enough that, hopefully, they will listen to my words.”

“Ahh, you have been fortunate then.” Chou nodded, “All this,” he gestured around them, “This swift evolution above what we once had has not come without a cost. The natural resources around us are not infinite. We have, and continue, to take too much. Should it continue unchecked, the world will move beyond a point where it can recover. And that will spell a sad end for us all.”  

Flashback: Japan, 1954. Akihiro is eight years old. 

Claws unsheathed, Akihiro staggered to his feet at the first lunge, holding his breath when he noticed the blade of the kunai directed towards his throat. Pursing his lips, he quickly gained his composure, readjusted his stance and attempted his next attack. Unfortunately, he was bested again and by the third time, he felt the defeat heavy in his chest.

He sat up on the floor below them, averting his gaze from Chou. Loud sniffles followed, lips quivering with dejected whimpers. Unsheathing his claws, he raised the back of his hand, rubbing his eyelids vigorously. 

“<I’m sorry for disappointing you again,>” the boy wept, “<I’ll try harder next time.>”

-

Chou sighed and reached back, pulling the small tie from his hair, the thick black strands falling to the top of his shoulders. “You will, my son.” he agreed. U~otchā, his fox, padded out from the trees to side beside the boy, tail brushing against his legs.

“But, before we reach ‘next time’ I should wish to know what is on your mind.” He lightly flipped the kunai in his hands and stowed them in a small pouch at his waist. Walking closer to the boy he elegantly sat cross-legged, hands on his knees and didn’t speak for a few moments.

Jason found it interesting how quickly the humans went back to normal after everything that happened with the mad painted man. He thought there would be a longer period of mourning for those that lost their lives, or even some type of feast or celebration for the heroes that fought so bravely to protect them. Perhaps it was because the painted man had escaped. Some of the heroes he met that night referred to him as The Joker, with discomfort very evident in their voices.

He was walking back home from the docks when he noticed the other man. He gave him a polite smile. “Just passing through from the docks,” He explained, taking in the other’s weariness. “There is nothing to forgive. Although it must have been some speech to have tired you.”

-

“Ahh. I have heard that is not the most safe place in this city.” He’d all but overtaken it for several parts of his operation, and it suited his needs fine. Of course, the instability in the city had given him cause to extend his reach and the ‘customers’ were almost too easy to find. They craved distraction, a way to escape their lives. Something his product could give them and leave them craving more, regardless of whether the escape they received was a dream or a nightmare.

“I have given many in the last few days.” he said with a small smile, “I work to raise awareness and funds for the protection of the planet, it is necessary work. In the last two centuries we’ve ravaged the world for our own gain.” Chou shook his head sadly.  

To the shock of likely no one at all, Elektra didn’t tend to be drive to one thing or another by morality. If she looked upon people or the world with judgement, it’s not because their gooey moral center didn’t align with hers, but because they were foolish or, much more likely, terribly boring. 

Still, that didn’t mean she was incapable of recognizing that certain things needed to be done and that she tended to be in a unique position to contribute. She’d spent much of her life wealthy and had every intention of continuing the rest of it that same way. And money, as people loved to say, did tend to make the world go round. Given how much of the world she’d seen and how much was left to see, she did her part to keep it moving. She funded several charitable efforts. Some of it was for tax purposes. Some of it was merely because it caught her eye. She’d been Chou Doku in the midst of doing the latter.

Having spent a great deal of time in Japan on Chaste-and-Hand related business, it had seemed natural for her to invest in certain things beyond the usual. Rather than simply gather real estate and material things, she’d become a donor for Chou’s environmental efforts. They were undoubtedly noble and necessary, but again…part of it was self interest. As long as she remained on the planet, she may as well be able to enjoy it at its best. 

It was curious to her to find out that he’d relocated to Star City, of all places. As pursuing curiosities was a hobby of hers, of course she’d asked for a meeting. She’d even gone through the proper channels and showed up much the same way they’d met one another in Japan - in an exquisitely tailored suit and pumps. It was fun, once in awhile, to play businesswoman. 

-

The world of business was a bore in comparison to his true aims and goals, but it was necessary. One man could not change the world; but one man with a great deal of wealth could make a strong attempt. So, he’d acquired wealth from those like-minded people willing to do what was needed to make the world a little healthier.

Of course he was under no illusion that many had donated to him out of selfish reasons; to gain favour in the public eye or cause the tax man issues down the line. But he didn’t really care; either way he got the money and put it to good use. There was no need to put such donations into his drug ring, that was paying for itself and with the chaos of the city many were desperate for an escape which his product could so enticingly provide. Sales were up and every new customer eventually came back craving more. NOVA were gone and the heroes were scrambling at the loss of one of their own. Really, it was the perfect attempt to tighten his grip.

He’d chosen one of the more high profile restaurants for their meeting, had arrived early and was seated working through several documents. He had speeches planned at several functions for the rest of the month and was soon hoping to launch a new project in the city that required many proposals to the mayor. He glanced up as a women approached his table and smiled at Elektra, an excellent benefactor.

Not everyone is so interested in the educational conversations Garth wants to have with them. He understands that it wasn’t always everyone’s cup of tea. However, the delight felt when another encourages his ramblings? It’s a happiness unlike any other.  There’s so many little facts to be shared about the ocean from the marine life, plants, and how the different ecosystems thrive. He thinks that it’s important to make everyone know about the misconceptions. He doesn’t even think that sharks are so bad — surface dwellers have it all wrong and have become obsessed with making them out to be these villains in their films. Garth remembers being a kid and traveling through open water with his father when they came across a trio of them stuck in a large net. They helped rip open a hole large enough for the sharks to leave. Arthur and himself are able to communicate with other marine life so an attempt was made to try telling the creatures that they could go, but they were more interested in just observing the hole carved into the netting. He was promised that they’d figure it out eventually.

“Well … I’m not like other people. I hope we can get to know each other better too.” Maybe they both felt that special connection between each other.  He likes that they both appreciate nature and respect the planet in a way that is becoming less popular. Which isn’t right but maybe together they can help encourage the public to take interest in being kind to the forests and oceans. “Our time here is only temporary but we can try educations others in more eco friendly practices.” He smiles from his spot in the water.    

Garth can see Chou looking at him and it makes him blush because it has been quite sometime since anyone let their eyes linger. The question of his tattoos isn’t one received often but occasionally it does get directed toward him. “They’re part of my people’s culture. Many Atlanteans have them. ” He could think of a number of citizens off the top of his head already. “These two over my eye are actually scars though.” He gestures to the two large liens that go from his hairline and extend down over his purple eye and stopping at his cheek. “I used to try concealing them with concealer in my younger years but I’ve stopped hiding.”

-

“And that makes you all the more engaging to me. ‘Normal’ people, to attempt the use of such a nebulous term, have never really grasped my attention for long. Several have told me I’m something of an old soul.” It was as close as he could get to revealing his true age; all his years had taught him much, and it could be fun from time to time to drop his own little hints about it. Though, of course, he never expected people to pick them up. And even if they did, who would possibly believe them? He was very careful to hide his tracks and, as time went by, he could make himself appear older to suit his purposes. Or, should it be in his favour, fake an accident to gain his own ‘powers’ of a sort, it was almost comical how common such events had become in their world; and a great shame they happened to so many people over nature itself. “I was told once that the main biological purpose of humanity was the propagation of the species. I believe that would be correct, were we a more base species, however we’re intelligent enough to understand the ramifications of out actions. So our perspective can change.”

“Humanity shall continue, without doubt. So why not shift perspective to instead ensure those who follow us have something beautiful to live in, and understand they should respect that beautiful thing.” Instead of merely taking all they could and leaving a hollowed out husk for the next generation to attempt to make an existence in. “Someone like myself hasn’t the reach for lofty goals, but you,” he gestured to the other, so at home in the waves, “Perhaps you can.” And, with some encouragement, he could assist Chou in his own goals too.

Things were progressing well. The chaos that damn clown had brought unnecessarily to the city had caused him to flee with his more high ranking subordinates, but once the carnage had been revealed he soon returned, continuing his speeches and discussing the damage such radiation could leave in its wake. Being a morbidly ‘hot topic’ at present he’d had quite the turn out, most even remained till the end when his talk moved into more environmentally facing challenges. 

Once it was finished he quietly spoke to an aid and set them to return to the docks, Akihiro had been present less and less lately and he wouldn’t stand for it. Sadly there wasn’t as much time to devout to the endeavour as he’d like and the thought caused him to sigh as he exited the building. He caught sight of a large man witnessing his brief moment of fatigue and offered them a polite smile as his public persona demanded. 

“Good afternoon, forgive my weariness but recent events have been somewhat tumultuous for us all.” He clasped his hands gently in front of himself and continued, “Did you come for the talk? If so I’m afraid it just ended.” 

There wasn’t many instances where the prince found himself spending an evening on a vessel like this. Garth doesn’t like the larger ships for several reasons. Those tend to dump their waste into the water when traveling vast distances. Which makes them an unpleasant sight — mostly the ones built for fishing or cargo ships. He pushes all of those feelings aside because the boat Chou hired for them is comfortable. He can’t help this feeling, always soft and these kind of gestures do make him feel special. Garth does like having privacy when getting to know someone. You could say that he was a romantic and it’s easy to get close on this small vessel. He likes it very much so accompanying Chou today was an easy decision to make. “The pleasure is all mine. I quite enjoyed our chat when we first met and I’ve been interested in getting to know you better.” He smiles as well, moving around to look out at the ocean.       

While it isn’t easy to see through the water, Garth knows that there’s plenty of life thriving. He has spent time getting to know the local marine life after deciding to split mis time between Star City and Atlantis. He didn’t wear his entire uniform, only the black pants portion but paired it with a white dress shirt that’s unbuttoned a little for comfort. There’s so much of the ocean that Humankind haven’t explored and maybe it’s better off that way.

He doesn’t see anything wrong with going for a quick swim, it’s why Garth wore these particular pants as If he had an inkling that this would happen. “The ocean was here long before any of us and will be here when we’re all gone.” He’s still smiling and taking off the shirt while kicking his shoes to the side. Tattoos are revealed now that wrap around both of his arms, shoulder to his wrists, and also extending over onto his chest. He dives off of the edge, no better feeling than being in his natural homeland so he enjoys it for a moment before emerging to poke his head of the waves. His hair drenched, clinging to his skin while Garth smiles up at Chou. “It’s a lovely day. I’m glad we’re doing this.”

-

“I’m glad, it was highly educational as well as interesting. I don’t often get to speak with people who have such open minds; usually they’re almost fanatical in agreeing with what I have to say or so utterly against it they refuse to engage at all.” he said quietly, leaning over the side of the boat a little and reaching a hand down to trail gently in the salt water. Garth held power and influence over this realm. The Ocean held so much power, so much potential and, like much of their land, was misused by humans. With a little effort he was sure he could twist the other’s nature more to his liking and gain considerable power for his cause at the same time. Chou worked best in the shadows and what better shadow to hide in than that or royalty? But, impatience could lead to failure and Chou had time on his side. He would have his way soon. “I hope to get to know you better too,” he added, his smile shyer than Garth’s open expression.

“Indeed. As are the trees and forests of this planet, really we’re just temporary interlopers but some struggle to even use the world around them properly; instead just taking and taking with no though for what happens after their brief time is ended.” Of course his time was already longer than most and showed no signs of slowing down, it made him all the more suited to ensuring the planet endured.

The truth stung almost as hard as the ice that punctured his body a few months prior. His shoulders stilled, clenching his teeth behind his lips while the other gazed up at him.

“<Give me a break,>” he spat, dropping his hand from his temple. “<Unlike you, I actually have some compassion left in my cold dead heart. You have no idea what it feels like to be hated by the people you care for. I’m actually trying to fix that.>”

He wasted no time turning on his heel, making haste towards the door. The tensions in his wrists encouraged a sneer. Before he reached the wooden panel to his right, he addressed the man, voice seething underneath the slit between his teeth. 

“<I tried to be civil but it’s clear to me that you’ll always be a stubborn old man. You have no right to call me your ‘child’ when I was nothing but a payout to you. Call me when you’ve learned to face reality.>”

-

Chou’s back straightened at the words. Carelessly spoken and cruelly delivered. He stepped forward and aimed to smack the other’s cheek before he got to the door.

“Foolish boy. You know nothing of what you speak.” he spat. As usual Daken faced a problem by going for the jugular and the hypocrisy of his words stung deep and stoked an age old fire within him.

He didn’t reply, knowing it would irritate Daken more if he couldn’t get a further response from him. It wasn’t till after he’d left that Chou sank into his chair, exhausted from it all. “Foolish boy.”  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Flashback: Japan, 1954

It isn’t often that you could get out of a situation such as this without one of the parties being dissatisfied. Compromise often resulted in something lost to make room for both sides to be happy. Gabby didn’t really mind in going through that if it meant making a friend in the end of it all. Always worth any risk based off of how her mind works. Meeting new people is exciting and maybe this mindset is going to get her in trouble one of these days. “I agree with you there!” Although Gabby enjoyed getting any kind of deal. “We sure are very lucky to have such a pleasant outcome. I’m sure not many could say the same as us.” This is turning out to be a good day far as the teenager is concerned … but blissfully unaware of the true intentions underneath it all.

She steps out onto the pavement, leaving the store behind while gazing back at Mayu. “Thank you!” She didn’t think her own life is terribly interesting so that meant being interested to hear all about the man she’s getting to know. If they were going to have tea parties together then they should know each other better! “What do you do for work? If that’s alright for me to be asking! Are you a businessman?” She hasn’t met many of them but it always seemed fun based off of how they’re portrayed on tv since they’re always traveling.

.

“Ahh I suspect luck has little to do with it.” he smiled, “I am a great believer in fate. Somehow the universe decided we were to meet one another and thus is has happened.” he chuckled lightly, “I know others may call it superstitious nonsense but I feel a great comfort in knowing the world has plans for us all.” This sorta of airy talk was all designed to make him see less threatening, less potential to know dangerous things if he seemed happy enough to let the world pass him by. Realistically, Chou did believe in forces beyond their understanding, he had to, he’d seen them, but he also believed in the power of the self to enact change. That was what he was doing here after all, enacting change to ensure Akihiro would remain by his side.