The first rule of fight club

[yourotherleft]

Who: Zoro yourotherleft & OPEN!
When: IC 5/4-5/5
Where: various places in the Pleasure District
What: In the process of becoming a bounty hunter, Zoro is about to stumble on something even more curious in the "underground" where criminals in the colony play.
Rating/Warning: none but lmk if that changes

[One doesn't have to hang around in the alley outside Novus/Replea to hear about the criminal underground of the Cerealia colony, but it helps. A chance encounter elsewhere has already turned Zoro on to the existence of alien criminal factions and their need to put prices on the heads of their rivals, but this is his first night actively haunting the dark side looking for someone to nab. His luck is unusually good tonight, he's already spotted someone whose photo he scored from a rough customer inside the club, now to trail him and see where he goes just in case he leads the hunter to even more high-priced bounties.

He has no idea where he is at any given time anyway, so tracking his quarry all the way from the entertainment district to the pleasure district doesn't faze him, it only results in a change of scenery. But the deeper he goes, stealthily following his bounty, the more Zoro uncovers.]

Scene I. Pleasure district, bars

[He's not at all interested in company, clothed or unclothed, living or robot, but the sake is pretty damn good down here. The alien with reward money on his head apparently likes the host clubs, though, so Zoro can be found parked on a bar stool in one, waving off the hosts and hostesses while running up a hell of a tab. The more he drinks, the more personable he is if anyone wants to strike up a conversation.

What they don't know is, he has no intention of paying that tab. But can he get out without causing a riot and tipping off his target? You, hey, you there - come here, let him talk to you so he can watch the bounty over your shoulder.[]

Do you work here? Hang on, that's not what I meant! I just wanna know where the back door is.

[what do you mean that is the worst question you can ask in a place like this?!]

Scene II. Pleasure district, brothel

[Well, shit, his target went upstairs, so how is a bounty hunter supposed to pass the time when he himself is entirely uninterested in what this place has to offer? But wait, there's a hell of a lot of noise coming from the next level down...

There isn't a stairwell leading down inside the building, but around back, there's definitely a side door and a set of steps, with two rather hulking thugs standing guard on either side of the door. Zoro isn't at all put off by their presence, but walking straight up to them doesn't seem to make them move to let him through. He can hear what plainly sounds like fighting and cheering, and can sense a lot of strong people down there. But he'll need a hand to get down there to see it for himself. What do you think, can you A, talk their way in, or is it better to B, fight your way in?

Spoilers, there's a fight club downstairs, and if you can get in, you might find yourself joining that club. Zoro's joining it, no matter what.]

Scene III. Pleasure district, spa

[The bounty money is good and all, and most of it is going to go toward food and booze, but as long as he's in the area, Zoro is up for checking out the bathhouse in the spa. Not for shenanigans, for a bath! It's a good place to meet people, they say, so who knows? Maybe he'll make a new friend, or find a potential sparring partner. Or, on the other hand, he might come to realize why bathing with others is not as much fun as it sounds on paper.]

Comments

[yourotherleft]

Oh? Huh. That is pretty weird. Nobody at our place got sick so I have no idea what it could be.

How's Haru holding up?

[adornmental]

He'd doing better now. [An affirmative nod! When Haru's in good shape, the rest of the house does better, too. Mostly because they no longer have to worry about starving...]

I'm kinda surprised no one at your place was sick, though... A bunch of us got sick, so I figured it was like, a certain-percentage-of-a-household thing.

[yourotherleft]

Nope, none of us. [closing his good eye and relaxing in the hot water, totally hiding his thoughts about how their household had dwindled since, there wasn't hardly anyone left to even get sick...]

But if you think it was the ghosts who did it...I dunno. We've seen things like that before, maybe we were immune because we got touched by ghosts once or something.

[adornmental]

Eh? Did you seriously get touched by ghosts before? [...] Do we count as ghosts?

[They're technically spirits, after all?!]

[yourotherleft]

Sorta. [he looks up and then waves a hand, flicking drops of water everywhere] Nah, not you guys. I don't think that counts. Back home, I meant, there's someone with a power like that and...

[ugh wait no this story is embarrassing, he's not going to tell it. Zoro shivers, though, and tries to brush it off.]

Let's just say it wasn't fun.

[adornmental]

[Kashuu will just wipe some of those drops off his face, THANKS PAL...

But oh, that's an interesting reaction! He's been around Nikkari long enough to be able to sort of recognize it, and his expression is entirely curious as he levels Zoro a stare.]

A power like, to summon ghosts or something? Was it spooky?

[yourotherleft]

[damn, too late, opened himself up to it. He's more annoyed by the fact he had to spend two whole years being annoyed by the girl than by the ultimate embarrassment she caused him that one time...]

Nah, more like annoying. Her ghosts could sap a person's strength, so it was really inconvenient in the middle of a fight.

[adornmental]

[His nose wrinkles a little at that, and he tries to imagine how much more difficult his own battles would be if the enemies had that ability...]

Sounds like a real pain. How strong were they...? Those ghosts. I guess if you could take 'em down easy it wouldn't be as annoying, but still.

[yourotherleft]

[harrumphs unhappily] You can't take down something you can't hit. Swords and fists went right through 'em. The only way to stop them was to take down the girl who controlled them.

[he glances to Kashuu, at that] Kinda like the ones we saw here. I don't know about you but I couldn't cut them at all, they weren't physical. Attacking them was useless. I can only guess that someone took out the source, and that's why they're gone.

[adornmental]

Mm, I could kinda hit some of 'em sometimes. [IT'S COMPLICATED, but he'll try to explain, at least--]

Haruji made this body for me with his powers, so it's not really human. It's kinda magic too, see? But it's still more solid than I would be if I was still a spirit, so I can't always touch other spirits the way I used to.

[ie who even knows how tkrb mechanics work.]

It's definitely really hard for humans to fight things like that if they don't have any priests or whatever on their side, though.

[yourotherleft]

[that's rather interesting, Zoro looks at him keenly]

Really? I hadn't even thought of that. No wonder you guys were out there working hard.

[adornmental]

That's our job, anyway! ...Like, kinda literally - back home, anyway.

[Fighting other spirits is kind of their Thing and all. He pauses to lean over and wring some of his hair out, since part of it has slipped from its pins.]

[yourotherleft]

Spirits who fight spirits, huh. [he makes a sort of impressed face] Come to think of it, I never really did ask Haru what sword spirits were supposed to do with their lives.

[adornmental]

Oh. [Oh... WELL. None of them talk about it on their own, usually. Even if it's not top secret here like it is back home, that sort of habit becomes ingrained fast...]

That's what we do! We're here to fight corrupted spirits.

[yourotherleft]

Takes one to stop one, huh?

[he really didn't know! It makes sense, though.]

Sorry, it's just, all this spirit stuff is totally new to me. It's nothing more than legends and superstitions where I come from.

[adornmental]

Something like that!

[Or so he assumes... WHO KNOWS, the inner workings of the organization behind all of them is a total mystery to him.]

That's the way it is in most places, anyway. Even back home, most normal humans just thing we're stories. It's 'cause we can't be seen by many people.

[yourotherleft]

[he looks up to Kashuu for a moment, and then can't help but ask. He's not usually this curious but hell, this is a good chance. He can relate it to Merry, and extend it even to his own swords if they ever became people.]

What's it like, having everybody see you? Getting to know other people and all that.

[adornmental]

[His head cants to the side a little at that, and he's quiet for a second, considering what he wants to say. There are a lot of things to say about one little question, and he's not sure he can do a good job summarizing, but he gives it a go.]

I think it's different for all of us, but I like it a lot. I mean, it's not like we had no one to talk to before since there are other spirits and humans that can see us, but it's way better not having to worry about who's got enough power for that. I like being able to walk up to anyone I want and talk to 'em. It's one of the best parts about having this body, y'know? ...Like, outside of eating and stuff like that. [A SAGE NOD.]

...But I guess it can also be a little weird sometimes. Not bad weird; it's just not something you get used to easy.

[yourotherleft]

Eating is awesome no matter what kind of body you have. [sage nod right back] And drinking. I haven't taken you guys out drinking, yet. You should come by Tenka's bar some night.

[adornmental]

You know that guy, too? He's been taking care of Sayo and Kousetsu for a while, with Sousei. [And while Kashuu is closer to Sousei, he likes Tenka by proxy, more or less.]

I went to his bar once and he gave me a hard time, y'know. But if it's a good place to drink, I guess I don't mind going back.

[yourotherleft]

Yeah, he hired me to be security at his bar. So I kinda owe him a little. [aww, poor Kashuu.] You don't have to hang out with him, though, I'm just saying, if I'm there, it's a good time to drink.

[adornmental]

I don't mind him. [He's just a huffy tsuntsun moron who holds pointless (but also harmless, most of the time) grudges for dumb things.]

But good! Just tell me when you work and I'll stop in. I'll see who I can bring with me, too.

[yourotherleft]

I'm there most nights it's open. If you bring a bunch of the guys down, I bet Tenka'd let us hang out after close and have our own party. [because staying up to 4am drinking is the best thing ever, in Zoro's estimation]

[adornmental]

[Kashuu isn't as heavy a drinker as some of his comrades, but even he would agree with that assessment...]

Nice! I guess I can forgive him for being a pain earlier, if he'd let us do that.

[yourotherleft]

[he grins, and even chuckles a little. Wow, friends to drink with and a plan to do so, he feels so lucky]

I'll see what I can do. Pull some strings with the boss and all.

[Zoro lifts himself out of the water just enough to stretch his arms out along the edge of the bath, to cool off a bit. His bruises are definitely clear now against his tanned skin]