Money doesn't grow on trees

[candothismuch]

Who: Fukushi (Eiji) and anyone
What: Eiji is working at his job so he can earn the money he needs to keep living in his temporary abode.
When: Morning to late afternoon; all week
Where: A little cafe close to a residential area.
Warnings: None at the moment



[When Eiji had gone to work to begin his shift at the usual hours that he had been given there were already some people inside. He smiled at them, said good morning, and went into the back to put on his apron and name tag. At this point he knew the routine well enough. Some regulars would come in, followed by people who wanted their morning coffee, the list went on and on.]

Here you are, ma'am.

[He finishes ringing up a purchase for a coffee cake, handing the pastry over to a woman who tersely thanks him before quickly leaving, continuing to talk to someone over her phone. Once she's gone, the traffic begins to lull little by little as the day goes on.

As he considers going to help one of his other co-workers with cleaning up a little he sees the door open and someone enter. He goes back to the cashier, putting on a smile for the customer.]

Welcome! May I take your order?

Comments

[possessedbygreeed]

[He's moved past regretting that it happened, now it was time to just deal. He huffs a bit.] As far as I know for now, I haven't lost my job at the gates to Virgo yet, but more importantly, I hope I didn't just sabotage anything.

[He reaches a hand out to one side of their table like he was about to grab something, but his hand closes on nothing. He continues on, speaking more quietly.] I was so close. He said he wanted to help his humans.

[candothismuch]

I hope so too.

[Eiji means that sincerely too. He's not mad at Shingo that this happened. That last bit that Shingo says makes him pause.]

He wants to help his humans?

[possessedbygreeed]

That's what he called them. That's the same thing he considered you and Hina. We could have left together that day. But he wanted to bring the others with him. I'm pretty sure he was referring to his band. I think he's gotten attached.

[candothismuch]

[There's the beginning of a fond expression on his face. Ankh really did care for all of his haughty bluster and threats in the past.]

Ah. I met one of them--the girl, Nia--but I haven't seen any of the others. Have you met them?

[possessedbygreeed]

The other one was let go, recently, whatever that means. [It's kind of disconcerting, but they only could help with what was in front of them. They could find out about what happened to the others while they dismantle all this.] But I haven't been able to meet Nia yet.

[He hesitates before he asks this next question.] Eiji, is Ankh's Medal still...? [He doesn't really feel like he needs to finish that question.]

[candothismuch]

[It really is. Eiji recalls Nia's earlier visit and how she'd mentioned someone by the name of Tsuna. Was it the same person? He was going to ask but when Shingo mentions Ankh's Medal it effectively silences him. His eyes are downcast, staring at the edge of the table rather than at the detective across from him and his hand moves to grip his pocket. It had formed into a habit for him, doing this action from time to time.]

Yes... it's still broken.

[possessedbygreeed]

Then there may be a silver lining to this after all. Whatever these people have done to get him in the first place, may be what we need to get him home again.

[It's a pragmatic point of view, but he didn't want Eiji to carry all that weight alone.]

We need to make a plan for when we have an opportunity. I can try to tail them at a distance, but I can't get too close, or this could happen again. [He tapped the newspaper with his finger.]

[candothismuch]

Mm. You may be right.

[It was worth hoping for. He already knew that Ankh would eventually come back courtesy of Miharu's appearance from the future and regaining some of the Cores that had been lost in that last battle.

Eiji nods his head in agreement and his expression becomes thoughtful.]

Do you have an idea of when would be a good time to try and get them out?

[possessedbygreeed]

The bodyguards are the biggest problem. They're probably just as much to keep the public away as they are to keep an eye on the musicians at this point. I told him to look for red and peacock feathers as a signal that it's us.

On the ship, I got an invisibility device. It only works for about half an hour, but if we plan well enough, that should be plenty of time. We just need to find a way to get it to them without arousing suspicion.

[candothismuch]

[Okay. If he's understanding this correctly then what Shingo is saying is that they need to get the invisibility device to Ankh and his band-mates and get them to make use of it somehow. But like Shingo said, getting it to them without coming under scrutiny would be difficult.

They needed to tread very carefully here. Eiji falls into his own head for a bit as he tries to sort through suggestions that could help them with this rescue they were planning to do.]

[possessedbygreeed]

[He thinks quietly for a moment, but then it hits him.] It's just like a sting, right? We set up a situation for them, and that lets them use the device and leave.

I can probably get people I know at work to get a skeleton timeline of the band's activities. Something less public, more intimate, where entrances and exits are defined and controlled.