FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Seven years ago, there was a great flood in Kaijurocho. The heavens burst open and the streets became rivers where creatures dodged between the rain. Some were very comfortable in the water, with kappas trudging through and their heads overflowing to cool themselves down, whilst spiders and mantises huddled together inside doorways. The alleyways filled with narrow trenches of heaping trash, flotsam and jetsam drifting out as the city of Tokyo was swept in a cloak of dismal grey. In the midst of this flood, a young Kiryu staggered with red droplets behind him, his coat sodden and ragged with clawmarks showing bruises.

"H-hhhhrrgh...nnn-NNNGH!"

There was no place that took him in, doors shutting against the flood before he crunched into the wall and stumbled through a narrow passage, grabbing the stone as he rushed forwards to the ground and crumpled with a cold shiver. His eyes blurred as he found a garden of sand that became a swamp of thickening gruel. He staggered along the stone path between the sands, slumping beneath a tower as his fist slammed into the doors.

"Wh-WHAT, what was that?!"

The door opened as he felt fingers on his face.

"Oh my goodness...QUICK, help me bring him in!"

His body did not resist as he was dragged inside with the doors closing behind him. He stared upon the face of an angel, whose eyes shone like the clear blue sky.

"It's alright...you're safe here."

"H-hrrrhkh...a-a-aaarh-"

"Sh-sh-shhhh no, don't say anything, save your strength. You're among friends here."

==============

That day still rang within Kiryu's mind as he stood before the stone steps. Most people ignored the temple in the almost-centre of the city, balanced between the lust of Pink Street and the wealth of Nagamichi Street. It was an old unusual place, flourishing out of the city like a rose from the ruins. In Japan it stuck out even more for the fact it had none of the Shintoist simplicity of wood, not even a gate to approach but a small courtyard of silver pewter.

Instead the temple was a monument of stone that went up eight floors, each turning smaller than the last to resemble a thin ziggurat with beautiful colours of Malay script that one would normally see in Thailand. Statues of multi-armed deities decorated its sides where various insects playing musical instruments and a moth sat above them with a lute cradled in her limbs.

Weathered by the rain and occasional snow, the temple was resplendent within as Kiryu pushed open its doors to be greeted by wondrous mosaics lathered in jewels. Gods and warriors canvassed the place with magnificent battles and passionate lovemaking, as creatures danced and fought in the struggle between good and evil through burning sunsets, radiant dawns and deep purple nights.

"Welcome sir!"

A pair of young girls approached with small brown heads and stubby snouts. Their clothes resembled Indian saris, shades of mandarin orange creating the impression of a flower with vibrant petals and pale pollens. Both were identical down to the wide buggy eyes as they bowed in unison.

"Can we help you sir?" said the girl on the left.

"I'm here to pray," Kiryu replied. "Is Shoji-sama in?"

"Yes," said the girl on the right, "please come in, may the goddess bless you!"

They copied each other exactly, bowing with curtsy and extending their arms towards the interior shrine that only further added to the otherworldly aspect of this ancient temple. Kiryu found others praying, desperate wolves and struggling lizards turning to their last hopes of fortune to recognise them. But there were a few devoted members, with dots on their heads and flowing robes that swept the ground wherever they walked.

Through the central foyer he walked, a large room with stone pillars and decorated walls to find the inner shrine up a flight of steps. A small panorama sat within a recess, carved in bronze and filled with magnificent figures from lions to dragons to butterflies. Candles were lit all around to give the place a spiritual resonance, the smell of incense drifting past Kiryu's nostrils when he saw the food laid out before it.

Rice, fruits and the freshest of vegetables were sprawled beneath the diorama as Kiryu knelt and clasped his hands. Silence deafened his thoughts, his eyes closing deep in the one place that peace would reign for any spirit passing through. He felt a presence behind him. She smelled like lavender as she stood beside him, and knelt in prayer, with a song came haunting through the air to stir his heart.

"Dongaaan kasaaaaakuyan indo muuuuuu

Rusoh rinaaaaa, hanba hanbaaaaamuyan, randa banuuuunradan, tounjukanraaaaa

Kasaku yaaaaaaanmu..."

She would repeat this prayer twice more as Kiryu slowed his breathing, focusing his thoughts to the fallen and taking the incense in through his nostrils. Once she stopped, he felt her hand on his shoulder as he pulled out a bag of red beans to place onto the altar, before they walked out back to the flight of inner stairs.

"Good to see you, Kiryu-san." She began as she closed the shrine.

"Is it ever bad to see me?" he smirked. "How are you?"

"Ohhh, a little sad that summer is ending, but I think I'll live."

Standing at his side was a beautiful moth dressed in a flowing sari of black, yellow and orange that seemed to creep and shimmer like fires in the forest. Her body was crowned by a white head with insect feelers at its top, eyes of purest compound blue that formed dozens of little mirrors. Her mouth was a black void of tiny incisors that gaped in her version of a smile, her fuzzy yellow fingers from four arms brushing the front of her gown. This was Mosurakoto Shoji, Head Priestess of the Airenas Temple.

"Would you like some tea?" she offered.

"Sure, thank you."

The high priestess led him up to her private home. Whilst the first two floors were public access for those praying and mourning, her staff along with her lived on the upper floors as Kiryu noticed rooms with simple belongings, creatures tying their robes and having lunch with small bento boxes. On the sixth floor, Shoji made her home with carpet rugs on the stone floor that resembled tatami mats, a bedroom through one doorway, a living space through another, and a kitchen further beyond. Kiryu sat himself at a low table whilst she brought him a tray with some meat cutlets, along with two cups and a kettle.

"I remembered your favourite," she sat opposite him, "how is business?"

"You don't wanna hear about that," he shook his head.

"It's up to you what you tell me," she poured some tea, "you could just make something up."

"Well...things are good, no real problems, just the usual punks on the street."

"Nothing TOO terrible I hope."

"If it was I'd be covered in bruises," he took his first sip, "you've seen that before."

"Mmmm indeed I have," she took up a pair of chopsticks, "nothing new with me, I hear there's a new gelato shop on Tenkaiju Street."

"Haven't been," Kiryu started eating.

"But you work nearby," Shoji nibbled on her meat.

"Not had the chance," he scarfed a whole cutlet between his chopsticks, "mmmhhh, this is really good."

"I added turmeric, the twins were eating too fast and getting awful stomach problems so it helps."

"How's that work?"

"It's an anti-inflammant," said the moth between bites, "it stops swellings in your stomach from when you eat too much spice."

"I thought it WAS a spice," Kiryu muttered, "doesn't that make more problems?"

"Well I can tell you once I put turmeric in their food they all stopped groaning at night."

"Maybe you-"

He stopped himself when he felt her gaze into his mind., chewing thoroughly as she tightened her grin with a piercing stare.

"Maybeeee you added something else that wasn't a spice?"

"Hmhmhm..." Shoji nodded finishing her first cutlet, "all I can tell you is that it is a tried and true ingredient of Indian cooking."

"Well, it is delicious, but then your food always is."

"Ohohhhhh thank you Kiryu-san," she tried to wink but her eyes stayed open, "you're learning well."

"Learning what?" he smirked cleaning his plate. "Thanks again for lunch."

"Not a problem, what else is going on?"

"Well, Tsuchi-chan's daughter's having her birthday in a couple days."

"Oh that's lovely!" she nibbled on her second meat.

"I had to help out a little," he sipped down his tea, "she wanted one of those kelpie toys so I had to go all over the city to find one."

"Ohohohhh that's adorable, did you manage?"

"Yep. Weirdest place too, there was this Korean kid from Little Asia, he lost his ball to some bullies and well-"

"You taught them a lesson?" she went back to her cup.

"Yep, and as a thank-you he got the exact toy that I needed."

"Well that's lucky, but then I'd call that karma."

"I thought I was too lucky, also got it cheaper than I would in a store and Tsuchi-chan was really happy."

"I hope her daughter likes it too." She took the plates, the kettle and cups back on the tray. "Would you like to stay for a bit of TV, unless you have any pressing business?"

"Mmmm," the saurian rubbed his neck, "if you're alright with me hanging around then sure."

"Don't be silly Kiryu-san, of course I enjoy having you...in any room I want you in."

"Heh, I'm the only guy you allow up here anyway."

"For a good reason." She rubbed a hand on his cheek with two holding the tray. "There's not much in this city I enjoy looking at."

"Hmhmhm...alright, let me help you wash up at least."

"No need," she walked to the kitchen, "I have it all good-"

"I'd like to earn my keep Shoji-sama, please."

She nodded as they went to the sink, a long steel counter that soon bubbled up with hot water as she handed Kiryu a cloth and they washed up together, with one arm from Shoji scrubbing, one dunking and another cleaning whilst Kiryu dried the dishes with both his own.

"I forgot to mention," he stacked the plates, "one of your priestesses was being harassed by a couple of punks two days back."

"Oh, yes I heard about that," she scoured a bowl, "thank you for stepping in."

"I didn't recognise what gang they were, but if you see anyone in red jackets with a crown on their backs, you should call me."

"You think they're dangerous?" she dried the rim.

"I don't like to take chances," he wiped it clean, "best to pull out the weed before it flowers, that's how we dealt with gangs before."

"Yeeees..." she stared at her reflection on a plate, "it's fascinating how your clan work, most criminal groups would only care about themselves, but not yours."

"The Toho Clan's always looked out for creatures, we help where the government can't, against their rules."

"I do not think I ever asked this but," she handed him the plate, "how did the Toho Clan come to be?"

"Really, you've never asked?"

"Not that I recall no, unless it's secret."

"Nah, I can tell you." He dried and stacked the plate. "Back in the uh, 1800s I think, Shisa-sama's grandfather was a shogun in the Satsuma clan, working under his daimyo Ichizo Komaiyashi."

"I vaguely recall the name," she nodded scrubbing a pot, "did he not help form an alliance with the English government?"

"Yep, and they took down the Omukawa Shogunate back in-"

"1868!" said Shoji banging her pot. "I answered that on Street Smart last night."

"Wait, you were on TV?" Kiryu snorted.

"Noooo I was watching it you dolt," she bonked his head, "that was when we invaded Korea yes, the Seikanron?"

"Mmhmm." He took the pot and cleaned it through. "After that the government put down the law to ban all kaiju from having weapons, except for the daimyos."

"The swords and guns, that is, not our natural weapons obviously."

"Right, so Komaiyashi fought back against the law, gave up his sword saying the law robbed the common creatures without any natural weapons to defend themselves."

"Ahhh I see," Shoji nodded pulling the plug from the sink, "and his clan was exiled as punishment?"

"Yep," Kiryu dried the last plate, "sent to Okinawa, the Satsuma Clan disbanded and Shisa-sama's grandfather set up the Toho Clan straight after."

"So you're essentially an anarchist group in very nice suits?"

"Hm." He shrugged folding the dishtowel. "I guess, I don't really do labels, we just stand against the government but support the community."

"By criminal means." She smiled turning to him. "And yet you've never had a moment in your clan's history, where some unscrupulous chair or head of a family has taken advantage?"

"There have been," Kiryu nodded as they walked to the living room, "but anytime that happens Shisa-sama always pulls them back on course. His family's the soul of our group, and as long as we have him, the Toho Clan will always help those around us."

"Hmmm, I can relate with that." She grabbed his arm with two of hers. "Now come on, Kamen Spider's almost starting!"

"Oh is that what we're watching?"

"Well yes it's my favourite show."

"Nnnngh," he rolled his eyes, "I get enough of that with Varan-san."

"Oh is he a fan?!" she clapped two of her hands. "He has good taste!"

"That's debatable."

"Are you implying I don't?" She squeezed her other hands on his arm.

"Not at all, he just has bad taste in general."

"Hmhmhmhm, nice save."

They walked into the TV room of her personal quarters, a comfy set-up with soft cushions as they watched a half-hour of costumed rangers fighting alien invaders around quarries and city blocks, the odd supersized battle between giants breaking up the action with flashy bolts of post-edit lightning. Shoji was normally well-reserved but when the daring red ranger Arachi arrived, she visibly swooned against Kiryu's side with a flutter through her robe.

After the serial ended, they calmed themselves to a quiz show testing each other's knowledge before Kiryu left saying his goodbyes, and headed out north beneath the Millennium Tower. Under the skyscraper and its looming shadow, he walked along a narrow street filled with bars and diners before he heard a commotion.

"GIVE A HOOT, CLEAN YER CHUTE!"

"Huh?"

"GIVE A HOOT, CLEAN YER CHUTE!"

Under the tower's overhang close to the parking garage, where East Millennium Street intersected with East Shachifuku, a large black-haired creature with haunting eyes like an owl was dressed in a cleaner's uniform, trying to hand out pamphlets to a passing pair of slender dogs.

"Scuse me, ma'am, give a hoot clean yer chute!"

"Ex-CUSE ME?!" she gasped.

"The fuck's your problem!?" the boyfriend snapped.

"I-i'm just offering pamphlets," said the cleaner, "please read!"

"UGH!" he reeled back clutching his snout. "Fuck dude you STINK!"

"I-i, I apologise sir, I have a condition!"

"Your face is a damn condition get outta here!"

"Yeah go crawl back in the sewer!" the girlfriend snapped.

"I can't, I'm off-duty!" the worker shook his gooey head. "Please, take this pamphlet and change your toilet ways-"

"NO, get outta here you weirdo!"

"I-i'm not a weirdo, I'm a concerned citizen!"

The couple hurried across the road as other kaiju took a wide berth away from him.

What's he selling? Kiryu pondered. He must work for the city with those clothes but that slogan he's shouting is really off-putting.

As he stepped forwards he thought the creature was ragged and unshaven but not the worst he had seen. Then he caught the smell, and immediately regretted coming close when the cleaner turned to him.

"OH SIR, S-SIR!"

"N-NNRGH!" he cringed with a tear in his eye. "Can I...hhhelp you?"

"Yes you can, please sir take this!"

The pamphlet he offered was clean despite the stench, showing a large toilet bowl wrapped round the Earth with the phrase "GIVE A HOOT, CLEAN YOUR CHUTE".

"What is...this?" Kiryu clenched his nostrils.

"I'm glad you asked!" the slug clapped his gloves. "My name's Hideo Royama, I'm the chief manager of Kaijurocho Waste Management."

"Oh...that explains the smell."

"No, actually I just have B.O, I've had that all my life but that's unrelated. I'm trying to raise awareness for better measures to improve the sewage treatment of our city."

"Why, what's wrong with it?"

"Well," Hideo rubbed his shaggy neck, "long story short, our sewage system's gone to shit, we're struggling to process all the non-degradable waste that this city throws away every day and by my estimates, if we don't clean our chutes and cut down at least forty-percent of that, we might be facing a cackastrophe!"

"A what?!" Kiryu shook his head.

"A poopocalypse!" he waved his arms. "The dark ages, a fecal tragedy that will strike upon our fair city!"

"That...sounds a bit exaggerated."

"IT'S NO JOKE! I'm not taking the piss, at least not now I'm off-duty, but if we don't close the lid on this then buddy, you're in trouble!"

"Ah...huh." Gojirama opened his throat trying to keep his nostrils closed. "Can't you get some help from the mayor's office?"

"We've been trying!" Hideo clapped his gloves. "But apparently waste management's not a 'high priority' compared to crime or real estate, but EVERYONE uses the bathroom! All I ask is that every kaiju just be more responsible keeping their shit together!"

"Alright," Kiryu struggled not to sigh, "so uh...nnngh, what's the problem you're having here?"

"Well, nobody wants to talk to me." Royama rubbed his arm. "You're the first kaiju to stand here longer than five seconds."

"I can't imagine why."

"Oh I'm pretty sure it's the B.O., you don't have to be polite sir. Honestly the reason I got into waste management was it's the only place creatures are used to it."

"You don't say."

"Mmmhmm, crazy huh?!" the waste worker spread his arms. "So, that's my shituation, I need to change this city's thinking about their ones and twos, or else we're up a creek without a paddle!"

"Hm...well," Kiryu rubbed his chin turning his head to take a deep breath, "I remember back when I was a kid, you ever heard that song 'Give Back the Sun'?"

"OH, yes, I remember that in school!"

"Well it really spoke to me, it had this strong melody and a gentle backing."

"Shame I can't sing," Hideo rubbed his head which shifted like goo.

"But that's the thing," said Kiryu slitting his eyes, "you can't just hand out pamphlets, you need to entertain kaiju as well. What can you do to make this more fun? You want to educate kaiju, but anyone will tell you that if you make it fun, it'll get in their heads easier."

"But it's...not fun, it's crap, and I know it's gross but it's important."

"You know who really love gross stuff? Kids." Gojirama clenched his nostrils and breathed through his throat. "How about you find a way to appeal to kids, they're the future after all, if you get the idea in their heads to change how they see the bathroom-"

"Then I can plant the seeds to fertilise the future!" the sewer worker clapped his hands with a wet thud. "Yes, YES, you're right, that's a great idea thank you! I didn't catch your name."

"Kiryu." He bowed.

"Well, thank you very much Kiryu-san!" Hideo grabbed his hand and shook it damp. "I'll be sure to think something up, something for the kids that's easy as ones, twos, threes!"

"What's threes?" he muttered. "Wait, actually I don't wanna know-"

"Oho you soon will! Thank you again!"

Walking away with thick damp boots trudging up the street, the foul-smelling slug parted the waves of kaiju that came close as Kiryu looked at his moist hand. He went to the nearest bathroom to wash it immediately, taking a swift detour inside the Kaijuro Mall west of the Millennium Tower to find the public toilets, and scour his hands within the well-lit stalls.

Clean your chute, he snarled to himself, ugh...should have told him to change that, sounds like he's offering a colonoscopy. That said...

He looked down at the pamphlet and briefly read it. It was predictably dry, and a little too on-the-nose about where one's waste went and what happened to products that were non-degradable which caused further strain on the sewage system, as well as more time for workers such as Hideo. The art however was surprisingly charming, reminding Kiryu of a daytime cartoon.

I guess he means well, can't fault him for that. I hope he figures out his toilet troubles.

Heading out along Shachifuku Street, he wandered west taking a slow circle round the Millennium Tower, the shadow of the skyscraper looming across the entire street until it reached the Hotel District to the north, including the old baseball centre. It was then that he heard a song playing from the Theater Square to the south.

A crowd was filling the main plaza in front of the Stega arcade, mammals, reptiles and insects all praying towards the large picture of a white wolf, her face shining towards a cold winter's moon as throngs of citygoers moved around them.

"What are they doing?" asked one.

"No idea," shrugged another, "some kinda cult thing."

"No dude come on they're just honouring that nice lady who died."

"Exactly, a cult."

"See this is why no one likes you Hikari, you always gotta crowbar cults into everything-"

"I'm just saying-"

"Shut up let's just get some steak."

Kiryu stood watching in mild fascination, a soft K-pop melody playing from the square as he took out a cigarette in pondering what to do. His hands became itchy for the batting centre, his go-to nowadays to pass the time before a voice called out from the east.

"EY, BOY!"

"Hmm? Oh, Varan-san!"

Strolling along was Obakimura, wearing a tropical blue shirt and a pair of shorts that made him look like he came from the beach. It was not a good look for the patriarch in showing off his hunched figure and haggard wings that made him look like a scaly bat.

"What are you doing outside?" Kiryu asked.

"Whut I ain't sum kinda hermit, I get outside enough."

"It's the first time I've seen you walk down the street in a month."

"Well normally I got Tsuchi-chan to do all that fer me," he rubbed his neck, "cept she ain't been in all morning."

"It's her daughter's birthday," Kiryu rolled the cig in his teeth.

"I reckoned that, but she didn't leave a message, she would call if she weren't coming in."

"Maybe it was an emergency, her daughter's sick too."

"Mmmm thas true," Sanjin nodded holding up his bag, "I'm just grabbin' a few things, whut's goin' on over there?"

"That singer who died," Kiryu thumbed back to the square, "holding a vigil it seems."

"Damn...shame whut happened to her, she seemed like-hey." The boss walked forwards squinting. "Issat...Obara-kun over there?"

"Where?" He followed Varan's finger towards a youngster flapping his ears to the beat. "Huh, of course he'd be here."

"You doin' anythin' right now?"

"Nope," Kiryu stubbed his cigarette in a bin, "was just thinking on what to do, you have any jobs for me?"

"Fraid not," Sanjin shrugged, "everything's collected, every business paid up good thanks to tourist season."

"Ahh, that's good."

They watched the congregation sway to the song as it filled the square with a haunting melody. Some of the kaiju started to clap, resonating through their hearts as bystanders stopped to stare for a few moments then moved on just as quick. The crowd soon dispersed with farewells and thank-yous, as Obara saw his superiors and walked over.

"Hello sirs," he waved tenderly."

"Hey there kid," Varan patted his shoulder, "sorry about that singer ya liked."

"Oh I wasn't really a fan, just showing solidarity cuz, yanno, I would hate that to happen to one of my faves."

"Good for you," Kiryu nodded, "it's important to show empathy in these times."

"I think so too!" Obara grinned flapping his ears. "Creatures think this stuff isn't important, but I think we should be able to like, try to understand each other and how important some creatures are to others, like KayJee did a lotta good work for the Ainu and for the Koreans and I respect that."

"I dunno much on it myself," the patriarch rubbed his chin, "but I'm glad yer bein' a good kid stayin' outta trouble."

"Thank you, Obakimura-san," he bowed.

"Hey-ey come on I'm not Shisa-han don't get all serious on me."

"Well, you're still my boss."

"Heheh, ehhhh...I guess." He wrapped his arm around the youth. "How 'bout sum vidyagames, sumthin' to shake off thuh blues."

"Sure, alright, you coming Kiryu-san?"

"Sure," Kiryu shrugged, "I'll tag in if one of you loses."

Heading to the arcade, Obara picked an old classic titled Ninja Assault, a first-person shooter from the 90s where two gun-wielding assassins faced down hordes of demons from the Omukawa period. Things went relatively smooth until the snowy mountain stage, facing a boss that constantly obscured their vision with blinding white fog leaving Varan on the backfoot when he couldn't react quick enough.

They died on the stage after, not wanting to put more coins in for a casual play as they switched over to Beast Fighter 7, with Varan taking Shachura the tiger-fish high school student, and Obara taking Rochid the princely bird from Dubai. Kiryu took Ryu, twice, until they were done with their matchups after Varan surprised the younger kaiju with a devastating uppercut almost immediately after the elder had been knocked down.

"HOO!" Sanjin rolled his arm and wiped his head. "Still got it, my girl ain't never let me down since Gamma days tell you whut."

"How did you DO that?!" Obara snorted throwing his hands. "I didn't know she could DP on wakeup!"

"Kid it's a shoryuken, of course she can."

"Well that was fun," he bowed to both his elders, "thank you Varan-san, and you too Kiryu-san."

"Even if you picked goddamn Ryu of all creatures," Varan rolled his eyes.

"What's wrong with him?" Kiryu shrugged.

"Nuthin', that's thuh problem, he's like a riceball without the sauce!"

"He's not complicated, I don't have to memorise half-a-dozen inputs."

"Heh, alrigh', speakin' of riceballs shit I'm gettin' hungry."

"OOOH, I know a place!" Gonkuro raised his arm. "There's an awesome cafe that serves this real good rice European style."

"Fer real, they have rice in Europe?"

"Yeah course they do come on Varan-san!"

"Alrigh', lead on kid."

Heading southwest into the alley of West Taihei Street, they followed the junior into a small nook that was more like a hallway with tables, a cafe that made rice bowls with European spices and filled with beef or chicken. After chowing down half their bowls and savouring the steam from the kitchen Obara asked his senior:

"So how did you get into gaming anyway Varan-san?"

"Well," he poured himself some sake, "started out playin' pinball in my youth, racked up sum crazy high scores."

"Pinball, really?!"

"Yeah that shit was hot back in Okinawa, this bar I used to go to had one based on Nemesis, you ever seen that film?"

"I did," Kiryu shook his head, "when I was a kid, that Torquemarra really frightened me."

"YOU?!" Gonkuro gasped.

"I was twelve, Obara-kun."

"Anyways," Varan clicked his fingers, "when I made friends with uhh Shisa-han, he had this PC-Twingine an' well, this pinball vidyagame on it called Devil's Crush...hooo, that shit wuz like crack cocaine to me, I played that damn thing fer eight hours straight."

"You...played pinball for eight hours?" the youth squinted.

"Yep, an thuh best thing wuz I couldn't get thrown out thuh bar fer hoggin' thuh machine! Even if Shisa-han got mad at me fer hoggin' his."

"I can't believe there are pinball videogames, I mean what's the point?"

"Weren't you playin' a game about managin' yer own island?"

"Th-that's different, that's fun!"

"You were doing ACCOUNTS fer infrastructure!"

"Yeah but, i-it was kinda fun!"

"I can see that," Kiryu leaned back with a smile, "running your own island sounds pretty nice."

"You damn kids," Varan shook his head, "back in my day vidyagames were about shootin' vashers, blowin' up ships an-"

"Playing pinball, yeah sounds riveting."

"Don' smart-mouth me boy!" he made a motion to clip his head. "Anyways, point is I went from pinball to the arcade an' then Beast Fighter II came out maybe a year after."

"Was there even a first one?" asked Kiryu.

"Yeah back in the seventies," Obara stirred his rice, "it was a major hit, but then the second came and it kickstarted the home console scene!"

"Everybody wanted a Super-NK just fer that," Varan tapped his head, "playin' thuh biggest latest arcade fighter of all time, at home? Shit yeah."

"My first console was the Stega Dural," the youth flapped his ears, "it was awwwesome, first console with broadband connectivity, and my first game was the Golden Axe RPG: The Jaws of Death!"

"Damn I never played that, heard it wuz pretty good."

"It was AMAZING, and the music was incredible, the wilderness theme still gives me shivers, I still have it if you want me to bring it over and you try it out?"

"Hell yeah, always wanted to try thuh Dural, bring it up next time you in!"

After finishing their food they headed back towards the office, the red Shinto gate at the southern edge of Tenkaiju Street looking as lustrous as ever even in the daytime. Passing an alley nearby, they heard someone whimpering as all three stopped to look in.

"Hey-ey listen listen-"

"N-NO, please let me go!"

"Sh-SHUT UP, alright?! Look, all we want is a little money to play the slots, that's it!"

"H-how, how much?"

"Well, how much you got?!"

"Hey."

Three long-bodied crabs in baseball jerseys turned towards Obakimura, a short timid baboon in a black skirt cowering against the wall. Their mandibles parted in snickering fits at the tropical shirt and loose-fitting shorts Sanjin wore with one crab spreading his pincer-arms.

"You lost dude? You're a long way from the beach."

"Yeah you'd know where that is wouldntcha?" he crossed his arms. "Now how 'bout you step away from the nice lady and be on your way?"

"Uhh, how about you step the fuck back, and take a hike down to Yokohama before I take interest from your wallet?"

"...you wanna run that by me again?" he stuffed a finger in his ear. "Gettin' old startin' to lose my hearing."

"I...SAID." The crab walked up jabbing his pincer at Sanjin's chest. "Take...a fucking hi-A-AA-AAAARGH!"

Varan twisted the crab's arm behind his shell and bent his elbow up between the shoulderblades.

"Alright, here's whut you gonna do," he looked to the other thugs, "you all gonna sidewalk outta here an' leave this lady alone, or else your pal here's gonna get a new job in a casino, as a one-armed bandit! Hah, hah! That was a joke, you should laugh."

He pulled the arm up harder as the punk screamed.

"A-AAAGH AAAAAAAGH!"

"LAUGH YOU FUCKS!"

They started laughing uncomfortably, the one with his arm trapped whimpering out a small chuckle of despair as Varan nodded.

"Now you all gonna think on how funny that was, when I let you go and you don't come down this street ever again, are we clear?"

"Y-YES, s-sorry sir!"

"Good, now go on git."

Kicking the punk down and away, he watched the crustaceans tumble out of the alley as Sanjin walked over to the baboon still against the wall.

"You alrigh' ma'am?"

"Um, y-yes, thank you," she sighed with relief.

"Sorry fer thuh trouble, you need any help?"

"No, no thank you I'll just...thank you."

She bowed and quickly hurried off to the taxi ranks, Kiryu soon joining his patriarch with Obara taking a deep breath.

"That was close," the junior muttered.

"Close?" Varan smirked back at him. "I didn't even hafta raise my fist."

"I mean for her, just...ugh, I hate this crap." He clutched his arms. "You ever think how, if we had come back here sooner, or later, we wouldn't have come to her aid?"

"I try not to," Kiryu looked up, "then we start talking about fate, or destiny and I don't believe in that."

"But still, just...this city's still full of thugs I-i just wish there was a way for someone to like, yelp for help!"

"They got us, or the police."

"But we can't be everywhere, and neither the police, they're off solving murders or bribes or arson! Just, maybe if creatures could help each other-"

"Why not do sumthin' about it kid?" said Varan patting his arm. "You got tech skills dontcha, you oughta figure out sumthin' good to fix things."

"What, no I," Obara stuttered drooping his ears, "I dunno what I could do, that's a big problem it-"

"You're our tech specialist aren't you?" Kiryu nudged him. "You're a smart kid, you see a problem with this city, think about how to fix it."

"You really...think I could?"

"You can do anything you put yer mind to, Obara-kun," the patriarch rubbed his shoulder, "now c'mon, we got work to do."

"Yes, sir!"

He gave a salute as they walked into their office, setting themselves down to work as without Tsuchimura's help they had to all pile in together on filing accounts, making calls and checking deliveries. Kiryu crunched the numbers, Sanjin wrote letters, and Obara collated it all on his computer.

"Where's that Sano boy at?" their boss snarled.

"No idea," Kiryu pulled out his phone, "I texted him an hour ago but he hasn't replied."

"If he's off pissin' at another arcade I'm gonna clip his horn."

"It's not like him though," said Gonkuro, "normally he's texting you first."

"I'll call him then." Kiryu dialed the number leaning back in his seat. "Sano, where are you?"

"How's our website going?" Varan asked turning to Gonkuro.

"Looking good!" Obara grinned looking up. "I've got all the links up, and I put down the opportunities like Shisa-san asked."

"I dunno why he'd ask fer a damn website, we are technically criminals."

"You'd be surprised! It's still business after all, and as long as you're not advertising anything actually illegal, you can put anything you want online, especially since we're using our business names!"

"Nope," Kiryu put down his phone, "Sano's still busy."

"Gotdamn it where thuh hell is he?!" snorted Varan. "Soon as he comes down I'm puttin' him on cleaning duty."

Half an hour before Kiryu called him, Sano was currently occupied with his arms round two ladies in a shimmering pair of silk dresses, sitting down together in a hostess club with a hot fuchsia table and cool sapphire seats. The ambience was light and easy, a soft techno beat playing over to lull customers into an easy stupor.

Ghostly foxes and lean mantises walked past with trays and platters, scurrying between tables to replace ashtrays, fill up drinks or remind customers their time was almost up. The hostesses themselves were at every table entertaining guests such as Anguirou Sano, his good suit on and his Toho pin shining proud in the light as he swept his hand as if painting the scene. To his left was a sultry hen in flaming red dress, while on his right was a silky otter in monochrome.

"So there I was, me versus five dudes staring me down the back alley. First guy comes at me with a pipe, I duck and headbutt him hard and scrape my spikes down his face!"

"OOOH!"

"Second comes at me, I grab the pipe, hurl it at his legs, he trips up hard and comes straight to my foot in his head!"

"OOF, that musta hurt!"

"Two of them come at me the same time, no fair right?!" he shrugged leaning back. "But that's when they unleashed the rolling rage, so I ball myself up, and go SHOOTING like a pinball, crushed one guy against the wall, bounced off him to hit the other in the back and then I LEAP out unrolling in the air and grab the fifth dude's neck!"

"W-WOW, that sounds so cool!"

"And I pull him right up to my face and said 'next time you start picking on girls, you best find a new suit cuz I'm gonna fill you full of holes'. Never seen a kaiju run that fast lemme tell ya."

"Gosh," the hen clucked softly clutching her beak, "such a brave hero you are Sano-san!"

"And yanno what heroes do?" said the otter raising her hand. "They buy pretty ladies more champagne!"

"They certainly DO, WAITER!

Flagging one down Sano ordered another bottle, the girls on either side of him turning giddy with alcohol as Sano took the biggest glass and tried to down it in one shot. The hostesses managed to only drink half each of what the spikebacked kaiju was chugging as they clapped and pumped their fists.

"GO, GO, GO, GO!"

"WHOOO SANO-SAAAAN!"

"BUUUH!" he gasped emptying the pint glass. "DAMN I love this place, where do you get this champagne?!"

"Ohohhh that would be telling!" the chicken waved her wing. "Don't want you buying it all for yourself, then we'd never see you again!"

"Awhaww come on Basu-chan, you know you and Kawa are my fave girls I'd come here even if the champagne was bad!"

"Hahahaha, awww you don't mean that Sano-san!" the otter stroked his arm. "But you're so sweet saying that, isn't he Basu-chan?"

"Sure is Kawa-chan!" the hen pecked his cheek. "Like a diamond in the rough, uncut but polishes up real good."

"Oh I can polish up real good," said Anguirou with a wink.

"OH, you're such a PERV!"

"Hahahaaaa sorry, sorry, I couldn't resist!"

The girls playfully bapped at his shoulders, the gangster drinking up another round and finishing off the champagne after Kawa and Basu took their second drink with his eyes slightly roaming to see the other ladies entertaining their guests, from long-haired kappas to slender bears.

"Hooo," Sano grinned standing up, "I need to head to the bathroom, drank a lotta champagne, you mind if I leave you girls for a bit?"

"Sure, just hurry back!" Basu waved.

Stepping out of his seat he headed away, the two hostesses leaning back with a sigh as the otter lit up a cigarette.

"What do you think of him?"

"What you mean?" asked the hen.

"I mean, Toho or not he's still a meathead."

"Don't say that I think he's sweet!"

"You can drop the act Basu," said Kawa offering a smoke, "you can't give your heart to everyone."

"What matters is they believe I do," she took the cig and smoked with her, "but Sano-san's nice, also you know those Toho folks do the best for everyone."

"Still a buncha thugs, don't get too attached."

"Excuse me sir," a kitsune waiter stepped to the table, "your extended time is almost up-oh, where is he?"

"He's in the bathroom," the otter pointed, "his time ran out?"

"Yes," he brought forth a large gift basket, "I was just bringing this."

"Awww that's so sweet of you!" the hen clapped her wings. "He'll love it, thank you."

"Well he did pay for three bottles so, he hit the mark for it."

"It's still a nice gift, can we for once like not treat it as a business?"

"What'd I tell you about getting attached?" Kawa rolled her eyes with a snort.

"I'll just leave this then," the fox put it on the table, "just call me over when he comes back."

"Alrighty."

They looked over the basket curiously as he left, Kawa tonguing her cheek as she nodded at the white ribbon wrapped round an assortment of savoury goods in clingfilm to hold it together.

"Nice," the otter grinned, "they even got a mini-bottle of the champagne, he's gonna love that."

"I love how Sato-kun ties the ribbon," said Basu turning the basket, "he's such an artist it looks so beautiful, I'd hate to see it unwrapped."

"Gods, you are such a princess," the otter clapped her head, "you really wanna keep doing this job, you gotta pull back a little."

"I just like making creatures happy, and listening to them see, I used to work in a care home and-"

"No no, save that patter for the clients, I get it though. But, you do need to close your heart sometimes, or else you'll bleed yourself dry."

"Hmmm...I don't think it works like that."

"Trust me it does," Kawa took a deep breath from her cig, "it's called empathic fatigue, you musta felt that at the care home when you had days too tired to care about someone's problems, lawyers get that in their job."

"I never do," said Basu shaking her head, "I always feel if someone is willing to open their heart, you should do the same."

"So why did you take this job?"

"The care home I worked for got closed down so..." she looked down seeing a card poking out in the basket. "That's weird. Does this say forty-nine to you?"

"What?!" Kawa leaned in. "Oh my gods it does, oh what the fuck who thought that was a good idea?!"

"That's really bad to put on a-OH, NO, what if Sano-san sees that we have to pull it out!"

"HEY, Nogi-san!"

The otter tried to flag down the waiter as Basu tried to carefully open the clingfilm to try and pull the card out. Her eyes widened when she saw red dripping off the paper.

In the bathroom Sano was relieving himself, humming a small ditty before he zipped up and washed his hands. Staring at himself in the mirror, he pulled out a small bottle from his suit and daubed his palms in a glossy liquid.

"Mmmhmm," he lathered up his horn and the spikes of his scalp, "thaaat's it my dude, give the ladies something flash to remember you by. Oh, shit better check my messages."

He pulled out his phone by habit to see Kiryu had left him a text forty minutes ago.

"Awww you worried about me bro?" He tapped the phone to his snout. "Naw I shouldn't tease him, he's not had a date in forever...but then this isn't really a date right, he could come any time if he just bothered to...not sure why he's kinda stingy about coming to clubs, there's plenty guys he could talk to as well. Nah."

He put the phone back in his pocket.

"I'll just tell him all the good stuff when I get back, maybe Basu-chan knows any clubs that might have someone for-"

" AAAAAIIIIIIIAAAAAAAGH!"

Sano immediately burst out of the bathroom the moment he heard her scream. The room was in an uproar as guests stumbled out of their seats, and he quickly scanned the tables to find the hen fallen on the floor clutching her face.

"_O-OH, OHHH MY GODS! _"

"WH-WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

"B-BASU-CHAN, KAWA-CHAN?!"

Hurrying over to his table he grabbed Basu's shoulders and quickly checked her over whilst Kawa pulled back in her seat as if desperately trying to crawl away to safety.

"D-d-don't...don't look."

"H-hoh, hohhh shit, oh, I-i'm gonna be sick!"

"What, what the fuck happened?!"

"Sir, p-please," the kitsune tried to pull him back, "this...something very serious has happened, I must call the police-"

"Why, wha-...is that a gift basket?"

"SIR, please do not-"

"Hey." He put a hand on the fox's shoulder. "I'm Toho, alright, let me look."

The waiter tried to argue but found his spirit wilting. He stepped back as Anguirou looked inside the gift basket, seeing the card daubed in crimson showing 4-9 in a machine-type script. But then he saw who was underneath.

"N-no...oh f-fuck no."

Inside he found the head of a serpent. His face turned white, his knees suddenly crumpled and the moment he realised who it was, he started to weep with a sudden howl. Tsuchimura stared back at him, her blood filling the basket as he sobbed with wretched scream.