Welcome to Tokyo, Japan. January, 1991. The world has entered the technology era, portable phones, home computers, internet, video games. Japan quickly became the epicenter of the latest and greatest. Companies and factories flourished. Where money was, people followed. And while many rose to live a comfortable, happy, and delightful life from this new found money... Others did not. You see, money has this effect on people that can't be outdone. People will do anything for it. And when it starts slipping into the wrong hands, it's impossible to stop. Benethe the day time laborers and the double-shift workers, a seedy underbelly of syndicates exists. Narctics, black market, organized crime, money laundering, you name it and it's been growing as fast as the upper world economy. While many do it just to stay alive, there's those who make it their posh lifestyle. Either way, there's only one question. What would you do if the money was good enough?
JAN 29 2021: Welcome!! ƎLEMENT has been open for two weeks now and we're so happy to see such a bright beginning! If you're new feel free to drop into the discord and say hi before joining.
Was there anything more satisfying that the sound of a bat colliding with the front windshield of a 1990 Honda NSX? As Sachi continued to hammer away at the expensive little red sports car, she really couldn't think of anything quite as fulfilling. Wild pink locks tucked under a dark baseball cap, similarly-toned workout garb adorning her form, she looked like some expensive little Barbie bashing away at Ken's pride and joy. [break][break] "Maybe he cheated on her..." she heard some nervous passerby murmur before quickly scurrying away as Sachi's emerald gaze fell on them. [break][break] Oh if only it were that simple. [break][break] Mr. Red Sports Car was actually a high-society, snobby-as-hell businessman with far too much free time and far too roaming of hands for Sachi's liking. Just the night prior, at one of those absolutely boorish elitist events her parents dragged her to so often, she'd watched as he got particularly handsy with a seventeen-year-old clothing line heiress... A seventeen-year-old clothing line heiress that seemed particularly upset by the creeps advances. [break][break] "Serves you right asshole," she murmured, spitting on the broken windshield before giving it one more hearty reunion with the business end of her bat. She stepped back, admired her work, flipped the middle finger at the man who was scrambling out of the barbershop, face half-covered in shaving cream, eyes wild with anger. [break][break] Not keen on getting caught--gods, to see her mother's face if she showed up in cuffs--Sachi darted off down a nearby side street, the sounds of police sirens already echoing through the downtown area. Out of sight, she deposited the splintered bat into a trashcan as she ran passed, exhilarated cackles tumbling from her lips. [break][break] Alright! Just gotta skirt the edges a bit and then head back to the apart-- [break][break] "Oof! Fuck!" [break][break] Sachi hadn't even noticed the man ambling up ahead, their bodies colliding in some stumbling mess of limbs. Her hat tumbled away with the force of the contact, pink strands cascading around her shoulders as that emerald gaze wildly tried to refocus. [break][break] "Wh-What the fuck dude? Get out of the way!" she cursed, disentangling herself enough to stumble back a few feet from the guy. Shit! The sounds of quickened footsteps moving through the area--surely the cops--began to grow louder. Glancing around quickly, Sachi spotted a particularly dark little sliver of alleyway. She grabbed at Mr. In-The-Way's wrist, trying to tug him into the small space with her. "Get in here! Can't let them find me!"
Tired. He was so fucking tired. He’d been out of cash for a few days, pickpocketing here and there to get by, but even the humble meals he managed to acquire with the yen scrappings couldn’t stave off the exhaustion. Daylight was the best time to sleep. It was safer, he’d found, and warmer. So he zombied his way down the street in search of a sunny, secluded spot to pass out, not bothering anyone as he considered his option. Maybe in a park where it was more socially acceptable. Or the bathroom in a restaurant. Or the train station. Or-
“Agh-” Leo gasped and hit the pavement. Who the hell? He glared over at the offender. Not in the fucking mood. “What the fuck?” he accused in sync with her.
Before he even made it back to his feet, she had a steel grip on his wrist, yanking him into the nearest hiding spot. He didn’t want to get roped into anything, but when she yelled at him in that tone and sought escape with a darting gaze, his stomach dropped and he felt like he should help her out. He’d been in similar situations, assuming she was running from someone, and despite the rough packaging, Leo was a good kid. If people were after her, he couldn’t (nor did he care to) do much to protect her should they be found but he could at least help her out enough to block her from sight in some obscure alleyway for a second.
“Ugh, let go of me,” Leo ordered and yanked his wrist away, willing to go along with whatever this was but only if it was of his own volition. He was pressed up against her, which he hated, eyes on the wall above her head. She was shorter but only by a few inches. Probably wouldn’t be able to take on whoever was bold enough to come for her in broad daylight.
But then they ran past and… Police? Ah, it was all coming together. Not as innocent as she looked. The cops around there were already starting to get familiar with Leo and he really didn’t need this added to his Things I’ve Done to Piss Them Off list nor his Things That'll Get Me Shipped Back to Dad list, so he pushed away, dusting off his clothes and turning.
“Listen, ugly, I don’t know what you’ve got going on, but I do know you didn’t need to drag me into it like that.” She wouldn’t know what he was saying, he assumed. People around there tended not to understand English. At least, not well enough to translate his annoyed muttering. He was hungry and tired and moody and didn’t need some girl causing problems. He had problems enough. He picked up her hat and handed it back to her but didn't make eye contact. “Use your eyes when you're barreling full speed down the sidewalk. And hide on your own next time. You take up too much space.”
"Ugh, let go of me." [break][break] The English startled her, enough so that her grip loosened easily when he tugged away. Her brows knit in some annoyed expression at the foreigner's attitude, the adrenaline pumping through her veins giving her a plethora of wild ideas, stereotypes of boorish Americans flitting through her mind. Of course it had to be some asshole like this I run into, she silently bemoaned, though he, at the very least, didn't immediately go against her wishes to hide. In fact, for a moment Sachi actually thought the guy was just a bit surprised, maybe a tad scared--all completely viable reasons for him to act a little brutish. [break][break] "Listen, ugly..." [break][break] What the fuck did he just say? [break][break] Immediately, the pink-haired lass bristled, brow creasing in some immediate glare at the insult and flippant tone alike. Who the fuck did this kid think he was? As he spoke, that condescending lilt to his tone, Sachi slowly crossed her arms, looking more and more like some bratty Barbie by the second. When her hat was offered, she quickly snatched it up and returned it to her head, that bitter expression still plastered across her features. [break][break] "...You take up too much space." [break][break] Okay asshole, what's your problem?" she finally snapped back, Japanese accent thick, but her English clear as day. She silently, ironically, sent a little mental thanks to her mother for all of those damnable language lessons growing up. Without thinking, that adrenaline still just spiking through her veins, she reached forward and prodded the guy's shoulder with her hand, glare intensifying. "It's not like that was an entire fucking inconvenience. No need to be a piece of shit about it. Who do you even think you--?" [break][break] Sachi's voice immediately cut off as the sound of footsteps once again grew. Wide emeralds glanced towards the sound, her body pressing against the wall of the alley as if that would hide her, attention momentarily distracted from the pissy bastard standing beside her. When the footsteps receded, though, and no one came a-strolling close to them, her attention once again turned to the American. [break][break] "Like I was saying, who do you--?" [break][break] She stopped again, her hushed growl cut short as she finally let her eyes wander the ragged form before her. What the...? The guy looked like he'd been through hell. Was he a refugee or something? He certainly hadn't had a shower in quite a while, Sachi's nose scrunching in surprised disgust. [break][break] "Dude, are you okay? You look like shit." [break][break] She maybe could have been a bit more tactful, but she was still riding off of that high of property damage, running from the cops, and the shitty tone this stranger had taken with her.
Oh, fuck. Leo froze but didn’t turn to face her. English speaker? What the hell had the odds been? He groaned internally and rolled his eyes as he was reamed out, a damnable trait girls seemed to excel at no matter the country. She was his problem. Was that not blatantly obvious?
He didn’t move to protect her (although he probably would have if it came to it) when footsteps approached and faded again but he did tense up in the backs of his legs, ready to bolt or resist or whatever the situation might’ve called for. Luckily, it was nothing. He relaxed his weight back into his heels and exhaled.
You look like shit.
Now that had just about triggered a whole fight or flight response. One could’ve seen the vein pop out of Leo’s forehead.
“Wow. Ugly on the inside, too? Just like that, I get how you pissed someone off enough to get the cops coming after you.” He wasn’t usually such a prick but the poor girl had found herself right at the end of Leo’s rope. He stuck his hands annoyedly into his pockets, sizing her up when he found it in himself to turn around, and he probably looked more like a pouty kid than the edgy man he seemed to think he was. He quirked a brow. She looked clean, for one, so no way was she a street rat like he supposed he was now. Her hair was glossy, no roots, her makeup fresh, clothes the perfect fit, and that garbage personality… Probably some spoiled rich kids that crawled out of the woodwork to get plastered and fuck shit up when her parents tossed her some extra allowance. He hadn’t been there long, but he’d learned those people weren’t the type he wanted to waste his time on. No one in that fucking city was. He spit to the side and gave her a hard look.
“Look, I’m not really in the mood to deal with...this,” he explained coldly, gesturing to her with a nod of his chin. He was moody as all hell, valid given his circumstances, and wasn’t in the space to be dealing with anything that wasn’t passing out somewhere that wasn’t that alley. The harsh statements about his appearance didn’t help. If he had his way, he would’ve showered about six days ago and sure as hell wouldn’t have been wearing the same shit he got off the plane in.
“Try not to look like you’re about to gag. I’m gonna go find somewhere to sleep before I snap but I think I did you a pretty big fucking favor helping you out after you ran into me, so apologize and I’ll get gone. Fair?”
"Wow. Ugly on the inside, too?" [break][break] There was a distinct increase to the amount of redness in Sachi's cheeks at the comment, her entire body tensing with her anger at the man's words. She tried to look at intimidating as possible, not even attempting to hide that ire-filled glare, but it was more than a little difficult to do that when you were a full head shorter than your adversary. Still, she was pretty sure she could take him if push came to shove... maybe. [break][break] She bristled further at the spit. [break][break] "Look, I'm not really in the mood to deal with...this." [break][break] Fucking asshole... [break][break] "Try not to look like you're about to gag. I’m gonna go find somewhere to sleep before I snap but I think I did you a pretty big fucking favor helping you out after you ran into me, so apologize and I’ll get gone. Fair?” [break][break] Oh. Oh damn it all. Sachi felt the creeping chill of guilt churning in her gut. She wanted to snap back with some snarky remark in the same moment she wanted to apologize; that last comment had been a bit... much. Glancing away from that ragged form, face contorted in a stubborn pout, she grumbled out her response. [break][break] "I'm... sorry... I uh... shouldn't have said it like that..." The faintest, disconcerted murmur slipped from her lips as she mulled over what to do. The guy looked like he was about to keel over dead at any moment, and with a sharp tongue like that--one that she assumed didn't speak the native language--he probably would just get his ass beat the moment he ran into someone even minutely less tolerant than her. Finally, she added, still avoiding eye contact in some attempt to seem as disinterested as possible, "You don't speak Japanese, do you? How the hell do you expect to survive in Tokyo if you don't speak the language?"
Oh, now she was sorry, was she? Well, it wasn’t the apology he wanted but it was an apology enough. He was way too exhausted to deal with any more of her shit and it was probably smart to get out of there before the cops managed to hunt her down. Something told him they wouldn’t - he doubted she would’ve run like that if it had been her first time encountering them - but he couldn’t be too safe right now.
"Ugh, whatever. Sorry for calling you ugly. I shouldn't have said it out loud."
Leo was completely ready to walk away, go back to absently wandering around until he found a decent place to crash, but she spoke up. Too bad, because he really didn’t want to have to keep standing there. He was irritable and weak as hell and he was happy to take it out on her but the good boy deep, deep down didn’t really want to. Especially when her questions made him wonder why she asked them.
You don't speak Japanese, do you? How the hell do you expect to survive in Tokyo if you don't speak the language?
Ugh, couldn’t she just let him leave so he could sleep? This wasn’t going anywhere. They’d part and never see each other again if they were both lucky. They were wasting precious daylight.
“I’ve been here this long,” he pointed out, though it wasn’t doing much for his case. He looked like shit, smelled like shit, felt like shit, and sure was fucking acting like shit. He was alive, though, so he at least had her there. “Why? Like you give a fuck. You speak English, and I’m sure you’re not the only one. I doubt you were gonna offer to lend your services, anyway. You can’t even make eye contact with me.” Leo scoffed and shifted his weight, current position getting tiring, then turned to start walking. He didn’t want anyone’s pity or charity regardless, but it wasn’t like he’d trust her with any help she might’ve been willing to give. She was clearly in some of her own shit. Adding that to his own would’ve been...a lot of shit. “Don’t you have a daddy to run back to, little girl? You should probably get going before he gets worried.”
Gods, could this kid get any more aggravating? That snide little remark tagged to the end of his apology sent Sachi's blood boiling. She managed, at the very least, not to go for a quick punch like her instincts begged her to, justifying the brat's behavior with some bullshit excuse that he was probably some orphan ragamuffin who was just lashing out because he was scared. Or he's just an asshole, her consciousness countered, disgruntled frown finding its way to her features even as she let the insult roll past her. [break][break] And so instead of socking him one, she listened to his explanation, frown becoming some incredulous, almost humored, expression at his attempt to justify his survival chances with his current state. He had to know he looked like shit, right? He certainly was acting like it. [break][break] And that should have been it. He should have kept up that snotty attitude and she should have just let him walk away and headed back home to pop open a bottle of wine and take some celebratory bath after getting away from the cops. She should have just left and not bothered with this piece of shit back-alley rat she'd stumbled upon. [break][break] “Don’t you have a daddy to run back to, little girl? You should probably get going before he gets worried.” [break][break] The shoe was flying from her fingers so quickly you'd have thought it had been in her hand the whole time. It wasn't a particularly hard throw, but it certainly wasn't anything delicate; you don't get pissed enough to tug off your tennis shoe and whip it at someone and then let it gently glide through the air. It managed to hit the guy right between the shoulder blades, pink brows furrowed in some continuation of that annoyed glare at his retreating form. [break][break] "You serious, asshole?" she spit in his direction, not even bothered by the grim getting onto her sock. If he turned, she made damn sure to match her emeralds with his gaze, stubbornness fueling every little twitch in her actions. "Don't assume just because I know how to take a fucking shower that I'm some prissy princess. I was actually considering buying you a fucking meal or something since you helped me out, but clearly Mr. Assumptive-Ass over here thinks he can survive on more greasy dumpster leftovers." [break][break] She paused, fuming, for the briefest of moments telling herself not to go on, to just snatch up her shoe and leave. But of course she didn't; far too easily distracted by that rush of aggression and annoyance. [break][break] "You'd think you'd be smart enough to pick up on someone you could manipulate into supporting you at the very fucking least," she snapped, flipping her middle finger his way as she critiqued his methods. "What homeless idiot bumps into a clearly well-off girl, helps her out, and doesn't try to get something out of it? You didn't even try to get something out of it, idiot!"
Leo jumped at the impact and then froze. What the fuck did she-? He turned over his shoulder to investigate and found her shoe hitting the ground at his feet. Throwing shit? Was she kidding? He looked up at her with a face that asked the same question before it returned back to the scowl that seemed to be his resting expression. He just walked to sleep. He was losing precious daylight and if he had to stay up all night on less than a few sporadic hours of “rest”, he’d hunt her down and she could give him her bed for the night to make up for it. And he wouldn’t be showering first.
You serious, asshole?
Did he look unserious? The real question here was if she was serious. Throwing her shoe at him like they were four? And now standing in the alley in her sock? Idiot. She was probably picking up forty different infections just by standing there. Leo groaned in annoyance and exhaustion and picked the small shoe up, tossing it overhand back at the girl but undershooting it so it’d land in front of her while she was busy going off at him.
He wanted to call her out for that treat you to a meal comment, since it clearly implied that Leo was right and she did have money to throw around, but she just didn’t ever shut up, did she?
“What the fu- Fucking weirdo. God,” Leo shook his head, rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation, “girls are so fucking weird. You want me to take advantage of you? And who’s the one assuming here, creep? Little rude to call someone homeless without really knowing, huh? You don’t know what I do and don’t eat. Get a fuckin’ filter. Why don't you take that money you were gonna pity toss me and put it toward your bail for when they finally catch up with you. Or would your dad buy you out of that, too?"
"What the fu- Fucking weirdo." [break][break] Don't. [break][break] "God, girls are so fucking weird. You want me to take advantage of you?" [break][break] Keep calm. [break][break] "And who's the one assuming here, creep?" [break][break] Stop letting him get to you. [break][break] "Little rude to call someone homeless without really knowing, huh?" [break][break] He's just a stupid punk. [break][break] "You don't know what I do and don't eat." [break][break] He's not worth your time. [break][break] "Get a fuckin' filter." [break][break] Don't. [break][break] "Why don't you take that money you were gonna pity toss me and put it towards your bail for when they finally catch up with you." [break][break] Don't... [break][break] "Or would your dad buy you out of that, too?" [break][break] Fuck it. [break][break] Sachi stalked right up to him, stepping over that tossed shoe, fire in her gaze. She was nose-to-nose with him in a second, quietly seething, that last comment in particular fueling the flames of her ire. For a moment she contemplated just punching him in the face... or maybe just kneeing him in the groin. It would definitely be satisfying, that was for sure. [break][break] But there was still that little voice in the back of her head that felt pity for the guy, that innately good side of the younger Morita that kept that stubborn rage as a dull rumble instead of a roar. And so instead of acting out, instead of violently thrashing at this aggravating-as-hell man, she, in one swift motion, tugged out the wallet in her back pocket and shoved a pair of 10,000 yen notes against his chest. [break][break] "Go to hell, asshole," she grumbled, "and use this to take a fucking shower; maybe if you smell better, it'll overshadow that shitty attitude and you won't end up a fucking corpse in an alley." [break][break] And she spun on her heels, releasing the bills, not giving a shit whether he managed to catch them or let them drop. She stalked in the opposite direction, body tense as she forced herself just to walk the fuck away, slipping back on her shoe as she passed it. [break][break] Not worth my fucking time...
