FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

As the sun went down over Kaijurocho, the chime of 7 o'clock ringing out over the city, Gordon McCartin stood outside the Poppo convenience store in a pale striped jacket as he looked above to the singing lights of neon starting to blink with a heavenly chorus. Beneath gold and pink hues, a few kaiju would pass him by with curious looks, but he was used to that by now as he kept his eyes down the street for his date. His ears twitched with little fins, clenching his feet against his half-covered sandals when he got a text on his phone in English.

Rhep-T - hey dude, you alright?

Gordo - Hi! I'm fine, just waiting on my date.

Rhep-T - awesome. if things go bad, call me ok?

Gordo - I will, thanks pal!

Two minutes after, he finally saw that familiar white suit as Kiryu approached. Gordon rocked on his heels trying not to look too eager as he waved to the approaching kaiju.

"Hello Kiryu-san! How are you?"

"Good," Kiryu nodded, "sorry I'm a bit late, had to close up a couple last things."

"Is okay!" they started walking north. "Where, you want to go?"

"Well you asked me first so, is there any favourite places you like?"

"Yes! You like bowling?!"

"I do," Goji grinned, "haven't played in a while though."

"I love bowling, is very fun!" Gordon grinned even wider. "Hope you still good."

"Hmhmhm, I think I still have it," the kaiju ruffled his wrists, "so you said you're learning ocean stuff at the university?"

"Yes, ocean conservation."

"What's it about exactly, why are you studying it?"

"Very important!" the beast thumped his chest. "Ocean cover most of Earth, we must protect it! Overfishing, pollution, excess radiation, all bad!"

"Doesn't every creature in this world live off radiation?" Kiryu scratched his head.

"Not every. Children not take as much radiation as adults, if sea get too irradiated, children in danger!"

"Oh, right. Same reason why kids can't have cigarettes or energy drinks."

"Right!"

Stepping up before the bowling alley next to Theater Square, the doors slid open as they walked inside to hear the clattering cacophony of pins being knocked aside by heavy balls, thundering shudders along the grease-slick runways of polished faux-wood. The smell of varnish scrubbed out their nostrils with a powerful pine resin that assaulted their senses, dogs fondling orbs and insects cradling them in two right arms before rolling them down the lanes to hear another strike.

The long bowling alley had cloistered seats before every lane on their right, with metal rails for the balls to return through an underground pipeway, each one of which had only two holes to slot fingers inside of. The counter to their left stood beside lockers, where a thin hammerhead shark stood waiting to take their shoes and offer them special comfortable models that kept their claws inside.

"Alright, how many frames you want?" Kiryu asked.

"Mmmm, twelve!" he put up all eight fingers.

"Wow a whole game? Alright!"

Sitting down at a free lane, they put down their names with a three-character limit. Kiryu put down his name as "Go-ji-ra", whilst Gordon took a second to make "Go-don" out of the hiragana. At the end of the lane were ten pins arranged in a perfect triangle as Kiryu went first, getting a feel for the twelve-pound ball and lining himself up for a solid roll down the lane.

He hit the central pin exact, but two pins refused to fall down beside their siblings and staunchly defy him in a pair, until his second ball knocked them down to get a spare on his score.

"Great start!" Gordon clapped. "Okay, my turn!"

"Heh, all yours."

The younger beast grabbed an eight-pound ball, smaller and lighter as he stepped to the lane and took a slower roll with his orb. He almost managed a strike, but one irascible pin at the back somehow dodged every one of its fallen brethren without even trying, much to Gordon's quiet frustration when he took another ball and made his own spare. Everntually both of them managed to get a strike their own particular way.

Kiryu had his ball go at an angle from the far side of the lane, and hurled it with crushing force to annihilate the pins and have them explode onto each other. Gordon however took a practiced shot and curved the ball slowly, making the ball swing further left to careen slowly through the horde of pins and plow them completely. In the end however, Gordon won by at least 20 points, a close call but one that surprised his partner.

"Wow," Kiryu clapped smiling, "you're pretty damn good!"

"Hehee, thank you!" Gordon bowed. "You're very strong, that bowl so fast!"

"Hmhmhm, sometimes a punch is all you need."

"I never ask," the beast sat down beside him, "what you do for work?"

"Really?" The kaiju blinked tapping his lapel. "You don't know what this is?"

"No, that company badge?"

"Yes." Kiryu nodded. "It is, I was just...surprised, we're pretty well-known, it's the one right down the road from your store."

"OH!" McCartin gasped. "Yes, I know it now, what you do there?"

"I work in finance, balancing the books. I also double as security, keeping thugs away from the grounds."

"Aaah yes, you very strong," Gordon giggled, "how long you work there?"

"Ten years," Kiryu leaned towards the console by the seats, "you want another game?"

"Yes, twelve again?"

"Sure."

They reset the pins and took their turns once more with a relaxed pace. They weren't playing this time to win, but instead just to get a feel for their techniques and mess around with some daring tricks. A few times their balls went into the gutters on either side of the lane, but more often than not they ended up with strikes by just fooling around.

"How are you faring, living in Japan?" Kiryu asked between games. "You made any friends?"

"Yes!" McCartin nodded. "Friends in university, my roommate too, and you!"

"Hah, I'm already a friend?"

"Yes! I like you Kiryu-san, we are friends, yes?"

"Of course." Goji nodded back. "I'm glad to be your friend, even if I'm pretty recent. Weird we haven't talked much until now, even though I've seen you plenty times in the Poppo."

"Is okay," Gordon took up his ball, "I happy we friends now, even when you buy buildings from me."

"Uhh, Buildings?"

"GUH, beer, haha, you buy beer!"

"Hmhm, right, buildings I buy in my job, not at the store."

"Hhhahahaha!"

Kiryu watched his date take a long stride back, before a daring tippy-tap rush and a firm underarm that rolled the ball faster than he ever rolled tonight, striking down the entire field of pins in a crushing burst that made Gojirama whistle with applause.

"Damn that was good! You're a mean player on the lane, McCartin-san."

"Heehee," Gordon blushed rubbing his neck, "I-i won this too?"

"Sure did, but I don't mind. I'm just glad to be back here, my friend Sano-san doesn't like bowling and my boss hates the smell of this place."

"Aww no," he sat back down beside Kiryu, "no friends you have who like bowling?"

"Well, only one." Kiryu looked up to the ceiling. "But he's off in America so."

"I'll play bowling with you, when you want, Kiryu-san."

"Thank you, McCartin-san."

"FUCKING COME ON!"

"Huh?!"

They both turned their heads to the far lane where a commotion had erupted. A small crowd was gathering around one incredibly irate customer, whose stomping squawks rang out through the bowling alley, much to the frustration of the hammerhead clerk turning his long eye towards the scene.

"Sir, for the last time PLEASE stop slamming the balls or you'll dent the lane!"

"THIS LANE'S FUCKED ALREADY, I CAN'T HIT ANY OF THE FUCKING PINS!"

"If you keep acting like this I'm throwing you out!"

"I GOT TWO SHOTS LEFT I FUCKIN' PAID FOR 'EM!"

"KEEP, your language, DOWN, this is a family entertainment centre!"

Curiosity beckoned Gordon and Kiryu close as they saw a silver-scaled chicken from which two antennae and a blunted periscope-length sprouted from his forehead.

"Hey," Kiryu squinted, "I know that guy."

"What?" Gordon shook his head. "How?"

"At the batting cages, I go there a lot and this guy had a real bad time."

"Oh, sh-should we do something?"

"Nah, but if he starts throwing fists, you let me handle it."

They kept their distance as they watched the belligerent rooster try to focus all his might upon the fresh set of pins before him. The crowd held their breath as the bowler shook with fury through his arm, burning his gaze deep into the offending pins as if willing to make them fall through a psychic rage that maybe one day he would awaken to annihilate all who stood in his path. But not today. Not here. Instead he had to deal with those taunting pinheads, mocking him with their slender shapes.

He took several steps back, clenched his feet and with a running start came thundering down the lane swinging the ball of iron like he was throwing a haymaker. It flew from his hand and shot like a cannon, straight towards the pins and not even touching the lane, the force of a bullet hurtling with such ferocity, that it completely missed every single one of the pins who gently wobbled in the face of adversity. The bowling ball crashed into the depths of darkness behind as everyone struggled not to laugh behind him.

"_GODS, FUCKING DAMMIIIIT! _"

The chicken grabbed another ball and came running down the lane as the shark tried to stop him, the crowd pulling out their phones agasp for what would happen with a shameful excitement.

"SIR, S-SIR THAT'S ENOUGH!"

"I'M GONNA FUCKING CRUSH YOU FUCKING PINHEADS!"

"THAT'S IT, YOU'RE BANNED FROM THIS PLACE, GET OUT!"

"I DON'T GIVE A _FUCK, ALL I WANNA DO NOW, IS BREAK THEIR FUCKING NECKS! _"

With every stomping march he made the pins shook a little faster off their base. Standing inches in front of the head pin, he reared his arm back with bowling ball in hand and lifted his front foot ready to obliterate. He did not notice the first pin finally teeter, rolling onto its side directly under his claws. When he slammed his foot down to deliver the crushing strike, he slipped on top of the rolling pin as the bowling ball swung hard in his grip, causing him to suddenly twist his body when the force of the heavy iron pulled his arm upwards and craned his head back too far to stop himself.

With a panicking shriek he fell on top of the pins, the bowling ball slipping from his hand to fly above for a brief second, then fall on his head with a crunching clatter and knock him out completely. Out of the darkness of the lane's end, the harness for retrieving the pins grabbed the chicken's antennae, and slowly pulled his head into the dark as the hammerhead clerk grabbed the rooster's legs in a frantic effort to untangle him, much to the nervous growing laughter of the audience watching.

"Woah," Kiryu shook his head, "hell of a way to strike out."

"PFFFT!" McCartin snorted. "N-no, that is bad!"

"You're laughing though, don't lie."

"I-i know, it's bad, he's hu-hu-hurt, hu-hurrrhuhuhahaHAHAAAH!"

"Hmhmhaha," the kaiju rubbed his shoulder and walked him out, "come on, I think we've had enough fun here."

"I-is he, h-hoh, hohohbe okay?!" Gordon clutched his chest.

"Yeaaah the staff here know what to do," Kiryu looked back with a mutter, "tripping yourself up when about to go for the big swing though, that's quite the move."

"The what?"

"Oh, sorry," he turned back to Gordon, "I was just thinking to myself."

I want to call that guy unlucky, Kiryu pondered, but it's his own fault for acting out, again. That said...it would make a hell of a counter if someone had a weapon that heavy.

As they left the bowling alley, they felt their stomachs rumbling to which Kiryu let McCartin choose where to eat. The Irish student's response was to lead him across Theater Square, and head all the way south to Nagamichi Street.

"What's this place you're taking me to?" Kiryu asked.

"I...forget name," Gordon blushed at his side, "it, yo...yurei, um-"

"Yureinotaki?"

"YES! They have GREAT seafood!"

"Really?" the kaiju sneered. "You like seafood, even though you're doing your ocean studies?"

"I still eat seafood!" said the beast. "I want protect ocean, but still good to eat food from it. I want us not eat too much though."

"Ahhh," Kiryu nodded, "right, overfishing like you said."

"My roommate like Geiger King more," Gordon rolled his eyes, "he love junk food."

"Hmhm, my boss is like that too...hey, McCartin-san?"

"Yes Kiryu-san?" they stopped briefly in the street.

"Do you know anything about the Toho Clan?"

"Mmmm, no?" the beast twitched his earfins. "Who are they?"

"A yakuza clan, they operate around Kaijurocho."

"OH, criminals?!"

"Basically, I just wondered if-"

"Don't worry." McCartin tapped his head. "I stay away from yakuza, don't follow crime unless you want crime too, my mother said."

"Ah." Kiryu forced a smile. "That's good, I just wanted to make sure."

"Yes! Okay, food time!"

Heading down to the end of Nagamichi, they walked along West Showa Street and found two traditional restaurants, one of which was down a small set of stairs to a charming underground place of solid-crafted wood from the walls to the furniture, a tall pale-looking hare welcoming them to take the two to their seats.

Kiryu ordered himself a plate of edamame soybeans, a juicy black mince cutlet, and salted yakisoba with rich chili oil and scallions with an oolong tea to wash it all down. Gordon had a 5-piece platter of sashimi, stir-fried bean sprouts laced with pepper, and a cocktail that mixed beer with whisky.

"You no drink alcohol?" asked Gordon.

"Oh I do," Kiryu nodded drinking his tea, "I just prefer this to wind down, how about you?"

"I like it yes," the beast scarfed up a quarter of his sashimi, "mmm, drink here is very good!"

"I'll admit, I wasn't expecting you to order the bakuhai."

"I love whisky, mother said I got taste for it when young."

"When you were...young?"

"When I...um, my teeth growing in, when I was baby, mother rubbed whisky on them to stop them hurting."

"Wait, seriously?" the kaiju smirked chomping through his cutlet. "Weren't you like, a hatchling back then?"

"Is good Irish cure!" McCartin trailed a finger across his gums. "Zhee naht mayke meh drink, juzhh rhub zhem on mah gumzh!"

"Aaah, you mean like a salve to numb the pain, that's...pretty clever actually. So your mother's still back home?"

"Yes," the beast kept gulping down his sushi, "mmmph, is just her, but she have friends so she not alone."

"That's good, she must miss you though."

"I email her! Well, my old teacher back home I email, she friend of my mother."

"That must've made school a problem," Kiryu chuckled finishing his meat.

"Oh, everyone knew teacher, she also midwife!"

"Wow, really?!"

"Mmhmm, only one-hundred-fifty beasts on Nara Island."

"Nara, island?" the kaiju drank up his tea. "Huh, there's a prefecture here called Nara."

"Oh yes!" Gordon quaffed more of his beer-whisky. "Mother said I should go there, but it not have McNess."

"It's a beautiful place, I went there once with the family."

"Your...family?"

"Uhh, the boss' family," Kiryu stiffened his cheeks, "we're friends so, we went together, even went to all eight temples."

"Wow, sounds a big place!"

"It's very important, used to be the capital of Japan before we moved to Kyoto."

"Interesting!" The beast finished up his plate. "Maybe I go sometime."

"You should. But I'm glad you came here, McCartin-san."

"I do too...Kiryu-san. OH, bill."

"Hey, let me buy this," Kiryu pulled out his wallet.

"NO, no no I pay!"

He grabbed for the kaiju's hand as they saw the waiter coming over. McCartin blushed suddenly pulling back and sinking in his seat as Kiryu chuckled.

"You pay me so much at work," Gordon bowed, "is only fair, I pay now."

"That's true." Gojirama bowed in turn. "Thank you."

After paying the bill, they went further west back to the Kaijuro Gate, the scarlet hue of its gaudy lights guiding them to Kiryu's office.

"I had a great time tonight," the saurian smiled, "thank you for the date McCartin-san."

"Thank you for coming!" said the younger beast bouncing on his feet. "I-i, really liked being with you, Kiryu-san. Would you...want to date, again?"

"Sure, if you want to! Next time I show you my favourite places."

"Yes! Okay, goodnight Kiryu-san."

"Goodnight McCartin-san."

Waving him off Goji watched the student head up the street, whilst the kaiju stepped into the family office with a swish of his sleeves seeing the bat-eared junior and the spikebacked senior at their desks.

"Heeey," Sano waved, "how was your daaaate?"

"Pretty good," Kiryu smiled, "nothing new since I left?"

"I fixed the traffic problems on the site!" said Obara flapping his ears. "Things should be working better."

"Good good...so, can I ask you guys something?"

"Sure, Kiryu-san!"

"The guy I'm dating," Goji walked over to the sofa, "he's only been living here for three years but he's never heard of us."

"Wait, what?"

"Woah woah woah, you serious?!" Sano snorted lifting his head. "This is the guy from the store right, the one just up the road?"

"Yep," Kiryu shrugged, "asked him if he heard of Toho Clan, said no."

"But, you're Toho, you got the pin and everything!"

"Oh really?" the lieutenant snorted sitting on the couch. "Thanks I totally forgot why I'm here, but anyways, I thought that was weird."

"Nah, I mean what he's from...Scotland?"

"Ireland."

"That's still surprising," Obara rubbed his horn, "did you tell him you're in the clan?"

"No." Kiryu shook his head. "I wasn't sure how he'd react."

"So what if he finds out?"

"Then he finds out and I tell him. Then we stop dating and we say goodbye if I scare him off."

"Aww Kiryu c'mon," Sano turned in his seat, "don't be like that you should tell him!"

"No."

"C'moooon Kiryu he might be cool with it, he's lived here long enough right?"

"We'll see," Gojirama sighed leaning back, "I had a good time tonight and that's what I'm focusing on."

"That's good." Obara grinned checking his phone. "Oh, time for me to head off."

"Alright take it easy," Anguirou waved, "seriously, Kiryu don't worry about it, just enjoy what you got!"

"I am," his friend nodded, "goodnight Obara-kun."

"Night Kiryu-san, night Sano-san!"

The junior waved as he left his seat and stepped out the office. Kiryu rubbed his knees letting himself relax before he went to his desk, finishing off a few last reports whilst Sano tapped away on his phone putting his feet up on the desk.

"Put them down," Kiryu ordered.

"Come on dude," Anguirou snarled.

"I'm not asking again."

"Good cuz I won't-"

Gojirama snapped his fingers with a darkened look and pointed towards the little shrine cabinet in the corner. Sano gulped with a sinking heart and slipped his feet back down.

"Soooo what else did you and your date talk about?" he asked politely.

"Just about him living here," Kiryu shrugged, "what he wanted to do, he's studying ocean conservation."

"Oh that sounds pretty neat.

"Yeah, get this, back in Ireland, he comes from a place called Nara Island."

"HAH, for real?! Like that place with all the temples?!"

"Wait who's come from Nara?"

The voice of Sanjin Obakimura came down the stairs as the patriarch stumbled with a finger in his ear, and wearing only a pair of shorts.

"Kiryu had a date," Sano thumbed to him, "dude from Ireland, but this little place place he came from is called Nara, like that prefecture."

"Huh, ain' that sumthin-a-aaah, AAAHCHOO!" the boss suddenly sneezed in his arm. "Uuugh, fuckin' pollen season."

"It's that time already?" Kiryu looked to the clock. "Thought it came later."

"Ehhh it changes dependin' on thuh winds, so uh, this date you had?"

"It went pretty well, he's really nice."

"Buuuut?" Varan raised his brow.

"Well..." Goji clenched his hands, "he didn't know about the Toho Clan, and when I asked how he felt about yakuza, he said he would stay away from them."

"I still think you should tell him," said Sano scritching his horn, "it's not good to hide that kinda stuff, he's gonna find out."

"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it-"

"Tell him." Varan snorted a thick glob of phlegm. "Any relationship that starts hidin' that stuff at thuh beginning, it ain't gonna get easier...ugh, thuh day I run outta gotdamn antihistamines."

"I can grab some for you," said Gojirama.

"Awww Kiryu wouldya, that'd be great."

"I just came in to rest my legs anyway," the lieutenant lurched off his seat, "I'll just get to the pharmacy before they close."

"I'll come too," Sano rose from his seat, "I need to check some-"

"Nawwww ya don't," Varan shoved him back down, "you're behind on your reports, now git to it Virtua boy."

"UGH, Varan-san come oooon!"

"You want time off, you keep up yer work, now git!"

Smiling to himself like a schoolboy, Kiryu strolled back out into the streets and made a beeline for the pharmacy, the long walk down to East Taihei Boulevard filled with burning lights that swarmed over the back of his suit like a melting disco floor. He arrived twenty minutes before it closed, grabbing a bottle of antihistamines and thanking the red-faced oni chemist as he made his way back. Until he heard the sounds of pummelling fists from the east.

"F-FUCK OFF DUDE, GET OUTTA HERE!"

"DANGSIN-EUL JUG-YEO!"

"Wait," Kiryu stopped and turned, "that...I know that voice."

"JJOKBARIIIIII!"

With a heavy sigh he knew exactly who it was as he marched towards the parking lot at the far end of East Taihei. Four dogs wearing office suits, were stuck in a brawl against one Yong-ga Sa-Rhee, his purple hoodie ruffling with every swing of his fist as his opponents tried to back off.

"What's this guy's deal?!"

"RAAAAAARGH!"

"HEY, STOP IT!"

"NEON TTONG EOLGUL!"

One canine grabbed Yong-ga's arm from behind but he immediately countered with a hard elbow from his other arm and knocked the dog backwards, rushing forwards to deliver a savage side kick like a torpedo into another dog's face to send him rolling. A third one tried to run, but Yong-ga flagged him down and grabbed the back of his suit to drive his knee into his spine.

The fourth one however decided to fight back, grabbing a pipe from the ground and whacking Sa-Rhee in the back of his skull with such force he went straight into the side of a parked car, causing its alarm to go off with a shrill beep that deafened him as he clutched his head and groaned.

"THERE, YOU LIKE THAT?!" the wolf in his suit brandished his pipe. "YOU WANT MORE, HUH, DO YA?!"

"GUH...d-deoleoun WAE-GU!" Sa-Rhee shouted.

"You want me to call the cops, punk?!"

"Alright that's enough."

Kiryu stepped in waving the dogs back.

"I'll handle this," he bowed to them, "I'm very sorry about this, he's a...son, of a business associate of mine."

"What kind of friend raises a brat like this?!"

"Wanamura, look."

The wolf with the pipe stepped back when his friend pointed to Kiryu's lapel.

"Sh-shit!" he dropped his weapon and bowed. "I am, SO sorry s-sir I-i didn't realise you were-"

"Hey, it's fine." Kiryu put up his hands. "You defended yourselves, my friend here's clearly in the wrong, and he will be punished appropriately. You guys need anything?"

"No no, no! W-we know about your group, they've been very good to us in the past."

"The past? What company are you with?"

"Here," one of the business dogs offered his card, "again, so very sorry."

"It's fine,"the yakuza took it, "you're not at fault."

"FUCK THAT!" Yong-ga snapped pushing up on his feet. "YOU, BLOODSUCKER!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Gojirama shouted thrusting his finger at him. "I don't know what your problem is, but I'm taking you home before you cause anymore trouble."

"DON'T FUCKIN' TOUCH ME!"

The moment Kiryu stepped forwards the stegosaur pushed away, barging past as the four dogs rubbed their arms with a stinging bruise.

"What's his problem?" muttered one.

"I'm sorry, again," Kiryu bowed, "you sure you don't need anything?"

"Um, n-no, thank you, you should head off after him, goodnight sir."

They hurried off north, walking just short of a run in single file as Kiryu went after Yong-ga who was heading back to Little Asia. The twisting labyrinth of apartments between North Zennyo and the Millennium Tower was still an unfamiliar sight to Kiryu, as Yong-ga barged past the goat guard at the entrance who then blocked the way for Kiryu..

"Jeoliga," the caprine put her hand up.

"Your friend was fighting office workers," Goji pointed, "I need to talk to Sa-Rhee-san."

"Jeoliga." The goat crossed her arms with venomous look.

"Look, I know you don't want Japanese creatures here, but if one of you starts fighting civilians for no reason, it will affect all of you, do you understand?"

"JEOLIGA!"

"...fine." Kiryu pinched his snout. "Geum, yoilkkaji...oli ne mali."

She was about to push him when she heard the secret phrase, stepping aside with a groan as Kiryu bowed in gratitude and walked through, taking a slow careful pace through the narrow passage between cramped overbuilt apartments. The snarling hum of air conditioners filled the air as everyone gave him a wide berth with shifty eyes, as he walked up to the Sa-Rhee restaurant.

He stopped at the al fresco balcony, sitting down and waiting calmly to look as civil as he could. It didn't take long for Byul-ga to arrive, along with Yong-ga in tow who groaned with disgust at Kiryu's presence.

"I heard my boy was giving some kaiju trouble," said the minotaur in yellow shirt, "said you got involved, you mind telling me what happened?"

"Of course," said Goji nodding, "I saw him beating up four office workers, they were trying to get away, not even throwing punches. One of them managed to run, he grabbed him back and beat him, before one picked up a pipe and whacked your nephew in self-defence."

"//SEE?!//" shouted Yong-ga in Korean. "//I told you what happened!//"

"//Shut, the fuck, UP. //"

Byul-ga pressed a finger to the stego's snout before turning back to Kiryu.

"You know why they were fighting?"

"No," Kiryu shook his head, "one gave me his business card though if that helps."

"Lemme see."

Offering the card, they saw " PLECTRUM DEVELOPMENTS" emboldened with several numbers to call as Byul-ga took it and showed it to his nephew.

"//You mind telling me why you're fighting office workers?//" he asked softly in Korean.

"//They were talking shit about us!//" Yong-ga stomped his foot. "//Bitching about projects in Kankoran, and how hard it was, like they fucking own us!//"

"//...that's it?//"

"//What you mean 'that's it', they're fucking digging their fucking cloven hooves in OUR HOME!//"

"//Did they even backtalk you?//" his uncle raised his brow. "//Did they say any racist shit to you, directly?//"

"//N-no, not AT me but they, th-they work for this fucking company you know what they do?!//"

Byul-ga took a moment to close his eyes and ponder this. Kiryu however felt something dangerous in the air, a few seconds before the bull suddenly punched Yong-ga in the face. His nephew stumbled back falling over a chair, grabbed by the hoodie as Sa-Rhee the elder drove his fist even harder to send the young stegosaur reeling back.

Yong-ga was terrified, visibly shaking with fear as his uncle walked forwards with unflinching pace. The youth stumbled over a table behind him, grabbing another chair to throw at him but Byul-ga smacked it away with a backfist without ever stopping in his tracks. Kiryu tried to get up, but he suddenly faced a withering stare from Byul-ga, an aura of violence quietly fuming from within causing Goji to sit back down again.

Looking to his nephew, Sa-Rhee kept walking as Yong-ga grabbed anything he could within reach, forks, other chairs and plates before he reached the edge of the balcony. He saw one of the security bars in the window was loose as he wrenched it hard and with a panicked scream he closed his eyes and took a wild swing towards his uncle. The iron bar hit with a solid ring through his fingers.

"Hm."

Yong-ga opened his eyes with a timid look. Byul-ga's mouth was wide open, catching the bar of steel in his teeth as a gentle creak could be heard in his jaws. The pipe shook in Yong-ga's hands with a growing tension grew before the sudden crunch of Byul-ga's teeth, cracking the bar in half like porcelain with shards of metal flying across his face. The bull started to eat, crunching the iron in his blunted teeth until half the pipe was gone and turned to gristle between his fangs.

"//Fucking. Imbecile.//"

He swallowed deep licking the shards off his snout.

"//Not so big now when fighting your uncle huh? You little fucking BITCH!//"

Lunging with a sudden charge he surprised Yong-ga who shrieked with a turning kick, the elder blocking with one hand against the knee and the other grabbing his nephew's throat before he sweeped the younger's leg and threw him hard to the floor with hand still on his neck. The balcony shook from his slam before Byul-ga sat on top of him, and started to savagely beat him to a pulp. The sounds of Yong-ga screaming filled the air as everyone tensed up in the alley, Kiryu clenching his hands with Byul-ga's face set in stone as his fist came down again, and again, and again for a solid minute. He got up off his nephew once he was done, who curled up on the floor clutching his face.

"//Get up.//"

The younger Sa-Rhee shuddered as he forced himself on his feet, his eyes blackened with blood streaming from his nostrils.

"//You think, I taught you to fight, just so you could beat up fucking pencil-pushers, a buncha little bitch-ass cogs in a machine?//"

"//B-but...U-u-uncle, I-i-//"

"//Go to your room. NOW!//"

The roar of the bull echoed across Little Asia, frightening his nephew who scurried off inside the restaurant before Byul-ga rubbed his head with a sigh.

"I'm sorry about that," he said in Japanese, "thank you for getting involved and telling me what happened."

"It's fine," Kiryu nodded, "but you shouldn't-"

"Now get out."

Gojirama blinked surprised before Byul-ga turned his head.

"Did I fucking stutter, Toho boy?"

"No." Kiryu got up. "My apologies, Sa-Rhee-san."

Taking his leave from the same entrance he arrived in, Kiryu headed back along Taihei Boulevard, skirting past the old Airenas Temple and beneath the new Millennium Tower, before returning to his office on Tenkaiju Street.

"I'm back," he handed the medicine to his patriarch, "sorry I took a while, had to break up a fight."

"S'all good," said Varan taking the pills, "whut happen?"

"You guys ever heard of Plectrum Developments, company that used to be with us?"

"Uhhh it rings a bell, Sano-kun you mind lookin' it up?"

The spikeback tapped on his computer with a tedious sigh and looked up the company name.

"Yeaaaah they left us in January, says they're part of King Financial now."

"Oh. Shit." Varan rubbed his neck. "That's uh, that's awkward."

"There was a punk fighting four of them," Kiryu said sitting back down at his desk, "just some random thug but when I stepped in they thanked me and said that we had been good to them."

"Whut kinda company wuz it?"

"I think they do overseas development, I heard something about Kankoran."

"Huh...wonder why they switched to King Financial?"

"Hey what's going on?" Sano looked up at them. "You guys never told me the deal about King Financial."

"Kiryu had a run-in with sumbody," said Varan sitting on the couch, "this asswipe called Gihei Ighorashi threatened him to back off from Jinuchu Clan business or else"

"And he's the brother of the guy who runs King Financial," added Kiryu pointing upwards, "so I'm just keeping an eye on things."

"How bad are they?" Sano leaned back. "I never heard of Jinuchu before."

"They were the ones who tried to kidnap Aosukawa, from the temple."

"Shit, THAT'S the guys?! Wait, hold up, is he giving you shit cuz you got involved."

"Among other things, but yes. So if you see anyone with red jackets and crown logos, you keep us posted."

"Got it."

Anguirou gave a soldier's salute before they kept on working over the next few hours. Once they were all finished, Kiryu and Sano left the office to head back home their separate ways, the lieutenant losing himself in his thoughts as he went to the taxi ranks.

No wonder Yong-ga's like that, considering his uncle. I don't know what the fuss was about, but that's no way to treat your own family.

Taking a ride home under the deep night sky, Kiryu lumbered up the stairs to his apartment on the quiet suburban street, curling up into bed with a smile on his face from remembering his date. He hadn't had one in a while, and for a moment he hoped there might be a second one. He drifted off as the night rolled on, the stars hidden by the oppressive light of the city as slowly the hours passed, and the dark imperial blue of the sky would return to a rose-tinted gleam.

Waking to the cawing of a landlord from her perch, Gojirama dragged himself into the shower and washed himself fully. He had forgotten to buy toothpaste, but managed to squeeze out the last from the tube to brush his teeth as he took it with him in his pocket for a reminder. With an early start and a clear day with few clouds, he walked all the way to Kaijurocho and entered via the Hotel District, down through Theater Square and towards Tenkaiju Street where he went straight to the Poppo store.

"OH, good morning Kiryu-san!"

McCartin was there to greet him as they waved to each other.

"Good morning," said the kaiju, "sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you!"

"I just came to buy toothpaste," he walked up and brought out the wrinkled tube, "do you have this brand?"

"Yes, by the papers."

"Thanks." Kiryu walked to the news section beside the door.

"You sleep well?" Gordon nodded.

"I did, was a quiet night more than usual." He bent down scanning over the toothpastes. "I wanted to ask, would you be up for another date?"

"Y-yes!" McCartin squeezed his hands. "I want to, yes, I loved our date!"

"I did too. I'll let you know when I'm free, but this time, I treat you, alright?"

"Okay, thank you!"

Gordon gave a thumbs up as Kiryu found his favourite brand, turning to look up before his eye caught one of the local newspapers concerning a deceased body. Then he saw the photograph of the victim when they were still alive, a sharp-eyed looking mantis, and he grabbed the paper immediately.

"I'll uh, I'll take this too."

"Oh, yes," Gordon tallied the price on the register, "local papers best."

"Ehh depends," Kiryu handed the money, "was there a local newspaper on your island?"

"No," he shook his head, "always national, mother never bought them, said they were always lies."

"Heh, she don't trust the media?"

"No. Have a good day Kiryu-san!"

"You too McCartin-san."

The kaiju bowed as he left, rushing down to his office quick as he could clutching the paper under his arm and almost marching through the hall before he sat at his desk, and read the story in full that confirmed his fears.

A missing creature was found dead two weeks ago, according to Kaijuro Police. Kama Kurasawa (43), a sports journalist for K-O Sports, is suspected to have been murdered around early June whilst returning from Yokohama. Police are currently searching for any and all details relating to him and his movements, and are asking those with information to come forward.

"Mornin'."

He heard Sanjin's heavy feet come down the stairs.

"Morning Varan-san," Kiryu nodded, "you're up early."

"This gotdamn pollen season fucks wi' my sleep." The old kaiju snorted leaning against the wall. "Why you readin' thuh paper?"

"Remember that body I found in the sewers?" He showed the article to him. "Got a name and where he worked."

"You shittin' me." He took the paper off Kiryu and read through it briefly. "A...a sports journalist?"

"Yeah, the one Gihei told me I was sticking my nose in."

"Thuh fuck? But, why'd he give a damn about sum sports journalist, he fixin' thuh Tokyo Giants or sumthin'?"

"No idea," Kiryu shrugged, "but that's definitely the body I saw."

"You wanna follow up on this dontcha?" Varan smirked putting the paper down. "Yanno he did warn ya, if you go stickin' yer snout in, it's gonna be bad."

"I know, but he's already started it by messing with the temple."

"Don't make this a personal vendetta Kiryu. Let your mind lead yer fists, not your heart, I need you to be in top form."

"Yes Varan-san," the lieutenant bowed, "is there anything you want me to do today?"

"Just sum o' these accounts, Showa Street's a li'l behind so, could ya check on Tenko Holdings fer me?"

"Sure."

Gojirama stood up with a full stretch as he made his way out and down to Showa Street. The taxis were bustling with early workers as the brief gaggle of bugs and mammals swept past him before he entered Tenko Holdings, a familiar little office of several desks spread out across the room where reptilian workers shifted slightly nervous.

"A-AH, K-kiryu-s-s-san!" the gecko bowed almost hitting his head on a desk. "Hah-how, hoooow are you?"

"Morning Yamamori-san," the saurian smiled bowing in turn, "don't worry, I'm not here to collect, I just needed to check your accounts because, for some reason we don't have them updated."

"Oh, i-is that so? Alright, hoo, well, let me just get them."

"How are you doing, you sleep well?"

"UHH, g-g-good!" The junior manager shuffled to his office. "It's all good, well, pollen season so I try my best."

"My boss has the same problem, I could grab you some antihistamines if you want."

"I-i have some, thank you."

In his personal office with a small desk and no windows, Yamamori brought out a folder and flipped them open to this month's accounts, taking out the page and putting it in the photocopier which he turned on with a few beeps before it trundled and shuddered with a heave.

"It...t-takes a while," the gecko blushed, "kinda old, i-it's like ten years out of date."

"That's really loud," Kiryu stared at the rumbling machine, "is that a problem?"

"No no it's fine, it''ll straighten itself ou-oh, no, OH, NO, MICHIKO, THE TONER!"

Something started pouring out the machine as another lizard came rushing in with a bucket to quickly catch the oily liquid, as well as some paper towels to clean up the spill. The copier started to scream, trembling like a bomb as Kiryu stepped back.

"Don't worry!" Yamamori cried. "I-i-it's just booting up!"

"Uhhh, I don't like the sound it makes!"

"NO NO IT'S FINE, JUST GIVE IT A MINUTE!"

A high-pitched roar filled the room as the kaiju covered their ears, two lights blinked rapidly back and forth while it still vomited out its juices. Then it stopped at last, and out came a sheet of the copied accounts.

"Haaaah." The gecko took the paper from the machine. "Here, there you go."

"Do you..." Kiryu looked past him as he took it, "do you want me to get you a new copier?"

"No, no it's fine we're saving up for a renovation."

"You know being part of the Toho Clan means that we can do that for you, reduced costs and all that? I mean, you already pay us, that's part of the benefits."

"I-i haven't, gotten to that yet, Ushigawa-san left me in charge for the interim because we're trying to set up a new branch elsewhere."

"Well." Kiryu stepped forwards and offered his hand. "I'm here to help. I know you've had bad experience with yakuza in the past, and I'm sorry about that. But we're not like other yakuza, I assure you."

"I know, I'm sorry." The gecko sighed leaning on the desk. "I've heard good things about you, but I thought it was just, well, propaganda, that happens right?"

"I understand, PR is easy to pay for, but if you let me help, I promise I will."

"Hah...a-alright, sorry." They walked back out of the office together. "It's somewhat hard to internalise that, what with Yokohama and everything."

"Which clan was over there?" asked Gojirama.

"Juh...n-n-no, I don't-"

"Jinuchu?"

The junior manager made a sharp gasp that made him suffocate, choking with a heavy cough and a trembling sputter.

"D-d-d-don't, don't...d-don't say their name."

"Sorry," Kiryu patted his back.

"P-please, don't tell me you know those h-HORRIBLE thugs."

"Not personally," he shook his head, "but I'm aware of them, I know they own a company out there with some illicit connections."

"So you understand, wh-wh-why, I'm really nervous about your group."

"I do." Kiryu folded the sheet of accounts in his pocket. "How about I buy you a new photocopier?"

"Oh, K-kiryu-san please I-i wouldn't-"

"No. I insist." He bowed to the gecko. "If your company can't work well, it affects us too, this helps all of us. I'll tell my boss and we'll arrange something, you can pick the copier you want too."

"R-really?!" Yamamori gasped clutching his hands. "W-well, I-i-i have been wanting something actually, c-can I show you?!"

"Sure."

The manager walked over to a bulletin board and pointed towards an advertisement for a hi-tech photocopier with several exciting features.

"It's not only a copier, but also a fax machine AND an internal modem, it's got 7G meaning I can get faxes from literally anywhere in the world like THAT!"

He snapped his fingers with glee as Kiryu chuckled.

"That's a pricey-looking thing, but...if it helps your company, that sounds good, I know you thought long and hard over the choice Yamamori-san."

"O-oh absolutely, I'm not a frivolous creature by any means."

"I'll see what we can allocate," he put a hand on the gecko's shoulder, "but I promise, by the next quarter, I will get you a new copier."

"Thank you, Kiryu-san!" the gecko bowed eagerly. "I appreciate that, a lot."

"Alright. Could I ask you one thing, before I leave?"

"Um...wh-what?"

"Do you...know where exactly Crown Industries is in Yokohama?"

Yamamori clenched visibly until his eyes bulged out of his head.

"If that's too much to ask," Kiryu bowed, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to upset you-"

"Wh-wha, what...what would you do with this information?"

"There's been some small incidents in the city, involving a branch of theirs."

"O-OH GODS!" The gecko stumbled against the wall and fell on his back. "N-NO, NOOO PLEASE D-DON'T TELL ME THEY'RE HERE!"

"HEY, hey it's fine!" Kiryu gently pulled him back up. "You're under Toho protection, they won't come for you, I promise. But if you know anything about them that could help us stop them before they dig their hooks into this city."

"I...I-i'm not sure." The manager stepped back. "I'm, I'm sorry Kiryu-san it's...I don't want to think about them."

"I understand." Gojirama headed to the door. "You'll still get your new copier either way, don't worry this isn't some kind of deal, I don't turn promises into deals. But if you do remember anything, even the smallest thing about them that you're comfortable sharing, please let me know, it would help the city a lot."

"Right. Th-thank you again."

Back out on the street, Kiryu headed back to his office and put the account sheet into his reports, Sanjin having gone upstairs to lie down as the lieutenant lit up a cigarette and took a moment to breathe. The clock ticking away soothed his spirit, smoke filling the air above his head as he clarified the last of the Showa Street accounts.

Jinuchu must have an iron grip, Kiryu pondered, Yamamori seemed really scared everytime he talked about Yokohama. I feel bad having to ask him, but he's the only creature I know who'd have any information we don't have from down there.

His phone suddenly rang pulling him free from his thoughts as he flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"KIRYU!" The voice of Shoji screamed from the phone. "It, it's Aosu-chan, they took her!"

"What?!" he shot up.

"They came to our gates, they just grabbed her, please I need your help!"

"I'm coming now, hold on!"

Racing out the door he went full-sprint through the district, tearing through Tenkaiju Alley and onto Nagamichi Street before reaching Nagamichi Alley in turn to reach the temple within a minute of hard running. Skidding hard with his feet at the gate, he saw two of the priests with bloodied heads on the ground, the High Priestess tending to their wounds.

"Where are they?!" he cried.

"They ran that way!" she pointed north. "They came up in a rickshaw and assaulted my acolytes!"

"Alright, wait here I'll hunt them down!"

"Be careful!"

Taking off to the northern streets, Kiryu pounded his feet through the asphalt as creatures dodged out the way, the kaiju focusing his ears for the sound of a rumbling pillbug and a set of wheels. Charging up North Zennyo Avenue, he saw something turn sharp onto Shachifuku Street and head up towards Park Boulevard, an idea striking Kiryu as he grabbed a bicycle from one of the racks.

"HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" A tiger shouted from the street.

"SOMEONE'S BEEN KIDNAPPED!" Kiryu roared. "IF I DON'T BRING THIS BACK IN THIRTY MINUTES, THEN CALL THE COPS!"

"UHH, K-KAY?!"

With a furious pedalling he went tearing across Shachifuku, clenching his eyes against the wind as he pumped his feet hard as he could whilst looking up the northern streets. There he saw it, a four-seater rickshaw being pulled on a pair of large wheels and an even bigger pillbug rolling in front. Kiryu raced ahead of it, having the advantage of an open street compared to the rickshaw's tighter path in the boulevard when it had to slow down to make turns.

Turning sharp, Goji locked the pedals of his bike and screeched its wheels in a full tearing slide at an intersection as he faced towards the batting centre. Keeping his momentum, he pedalled hard towards the Hotel District until his feet were throbbing, his thighs burning with a hard clench as he braced his hands and saw the shadow of the pillbug come rushing from the east. With one last screaming turn, Kiryu leapt off his bike and swung it like a hammer with both hands straight into the rickshaw's wheel.

"HNNNRAAAAAARGH!"

A mighty crash came rumbling through the street, the rickshaw bouncing hard when its wheel caught against the bicycle frame and forced it to collide against with the wall. The pillbug in front staggered out of his rolling form to grab the lamppost on the street corner, desperately trying to correct himself before it was too late.

The bike crumpled under the wheels as the rickshaw overturned, causing several kaiju to fall out when it slammed into the other side of the street as the vehicle formed a roadblock between a hotel and the batting centre. Out of the wreckage came a gangly lobster, a pale squid, and clutched in his tentacles was Aosukawa still in her robes. But the fourth passenger who came out was the first to address Kiryu.

"You...fucking asshole."

A tortoise pulled himself up with thick cragged bumps on his shell resembling a mountain, his arms and legs wrapped in a red jacket with three gold crowns that the lobster and squid also wore.

"You are REALLY starting to piss me off," snarled the tortoise.

"The same to you," Kiryu cracked his knuckles, "I warned you about messing with the temple."

"And I warn YOU about messing with Jinuchu," said Kamoebara straightening his neck. "Shame you don't have your little moth friend to back you up now."

"I don't need backup." Goji walked forth gritting his teeth. "Aosukawa, are you alright?!"

"H-HELP!" the heron cried. "K-KIRYU PLEASE, TH-THEY-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" the lobster slapped her with his claw. "The less you talk, the more of your beak I'll let you keep!"

"Get her to the road!" shouted the turtle. "Soon as the van's here, get in, don't wait for me!"

"Yes sir!" the squid saluted. "C'mon Ganimura let's go!"

"N-NO, NOOOO!" the priestess screamed trying to pull away. "KIRYU, KIRYU HELP MEEEE!"

"AOSUKAWA!"

Trying to rush past, the Toho member went for the hostage who was dragged up to the motorway on the north end of the Hotel District. Kamoebara took a fierce swing and grabbed Kiryu's arm, wrenching him back to throw him against the overturned rickshaw, the large pillbug sitting out to the side with a stunning headache as he pushed himself away from the battle about to commence.

"If Gihei-sama's warning didn't scare you off," Kamoebara snarled, "then putting you in a FUCKING COMA WILL!"

With a savage swipe he came for Kiryu's head, the saurian dodging fast to jab at the turtle's head who took the hit to suddenly turn with a vicious gutblow that Goji blocked with his arm. Kamoebara grabbed his shoulder, slamming his stone head hard into Kiryu's skull who staggered back with a blinding pain through his senses. The thug followed up with a thrusting kick into Kiryu's stomach, sending him rolling across the street before the Toho yakuza pushed himself up with a heavy breath.

Thundering down the lane, Kamoebara went for a ruthless haymaker, Gojirama swerving at the last minute to try and slam his face before the tortoise turned his body sharp to let his hard rocky shell take the hit. Kiryu winced when his knuckles crunched against the tough carapace, stepping back with a throbbing fist as Kamoebara slammed his shoulder into the saurian. The jagged stone flesh scarred Kiryu's chest as he was slammed against the wall next to a series of trash cans.

"AAAAARGH!"

The tortoise came for his head with a devastating punch, Kiryu dodging as the hard fist landed into the wall and he grabbed a garbage can lid to whack Kamoebara across his face. The thug barely reacted and punched against the lid, Kiryu blocking with his thin metal shield before the turtle stretched out his claws and wrenched the lid from Kiryu's hand, crumpling it in half with a hard twist before his other fist came straight to Kiryu's jaw and knocked him back.

"WHAT'S THE MATTER?!" the Jinuchu thug cackled. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE FUCKIN' TOUGH!"

"KIRYU PLEASE!" Aosukawa screamed from the road. "D-DON'T LET THEM TAKE ME, KIRYU PLEASE!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU WHORE!"

Ganimura punched the back of her head as she fell to the dirt. Kiryu tried to make a run for them, but Kamoebara grabbed his arm and swung Goji in a giant circle to throw him towards the wall. Kiryu found his footing mid-run and wallkicked hard to leap and turn, slamming his foot straight across the turtle's head to stun him briefly enough to come in close with a one-two uppercut, before he sweeped the the tortoise's legs to send him falling on his back.

Crunching into the asphalt, Kamoebara suffered a second indignity when Kiryu stomped his head hard, then jumped on his soft belly to crush even harder with a scream from the Jinuchu thug. Rolling himself back up, the tortoise threw his fists in a vicious five-punch combo, Kiryu dodging back and around before he saw the turtle dig into his jacket for something sharp, and jumped back harder to avoid the swing of a long Tanto blade, superheated especially for cutting kaiju.

"ALRIGHT, FUCK THE HOSPITAL, YOU'RE GOING IN A FUCKING DITCH!"

Lunging with his blade the tortoise went for Kiryu's throat who backed off much harder from the wicked knife. Taking an aggressive stance, Kamoebara turned much quicker on his feet and made several teasing jabs like a fencer before he swerved and slashed Kiryu's arm, cutting the sleeve and the scales underneath to leave a ribbon of red down his limb. Slightly shocked, the Toho lieutenant almost suffered a stab to the kidney when Kamoebara roared with a brutal two-handed thrust, Kiryu dodging sharp to one side and grabbing the turtle's wrist to keep the knife away.

In a bold move Kamoebara threw his entire body against, crushing Kiryu between himself and the wall with a hard groan from the yakuza as his spine crunched against the hard brick, his chest almost pierced by the ragged rippling scutes of the tortoise shell. With the wind knocked out of him, Kiryu looked to the trashcan beside him as Kamoebara grinned with murderous glee.

"DIIIIE YOU TOHO FUCK!"

Grabbing the can itself, Kiryu swung it towards the turtle throwing off his aim in the showering heap of garbage that filled his vision. Staggering with the foul taste and sinuous creep of greasy wrappers across his face, he watched Kiryu grab a long wooden pole that had once been a part of the rickshaw.

"Ohoh, oh that's cute," Kamoebara flipped the knife between his hands, "you fucking think you some kinda shaolin prick?!"

"You want a fight with weapons I'll give you one," said Gojirama wagging the pole towards him, "now let's finish this, Kamoebara!"

"RRRAAAAAAARRGH!"

The tortoise came charging with blade out and ready, slashing for Kiryu's head as the Toho lieutenant quickly parried him by the wrist to sweep the knife past him. Kamoebara turned his grip on the blade to slash the other way and scar past Kiryu's abdomen, a thin red line kissing against his flesh. Sucking his breath from the sharp sting, Goji swung his staff under the turtle's chin and whacked him upwards to slightly stagger him.

Spinning his body round, Kiryu made a second swing for the turtle's leg to try and trip him, but Kamoebara pushed against the pain and tightened his foot muscles to make a vicious forwards stab that the saurian leapt aside to avoid, taking another upwards strike to keep whacking the turtle's jaw. Roaring with fury, the tortoise made a wild cleaving strike towards Kiryu's chest, followed by two more in shrieking diagonal cuts as if trying to sever his body in half.

One vile slash came too close for Kiryu's comfort and he was forced to block against, the knife carving through the wooden pole with a single chop of its superheated blade leaving Gojirama with two sticks. Gripping them tight, he started bashing Kamoebara's face, whalloping him from the sides and underneath to any part that wasn't covered by his hard stony carapace.

The thug came swinging with a triple-slash, Kiryu slapping him away twice with the crack of the wooden sticks against Kamoebara's wrist before his knife went for one of Kiryu's weapons, chopping a piece off the top as Gojirama quickly parried the sudden stab with a deft swerve and another whack to the side of the turtle's head. The punk from Jinuchu suddenly turned with a backhand slash, cutting half of the wooden stick to be rendered useless as Kiryu quickly backed up, seeing the batting centre behind Kamoebara as an idea sparked in him.

"SAY YER FUCKIN' PRAYERS TOHO BOOOOY!"

As the tortoise came barreling towards him, Kiryu hurled his one remaining stick towards the ground as hard as he could, the block of lumber bouncing sharply upwards with a direct hit to Kamoebara's chin. The tortoise staggered hard, rearing his head back and stumbling in his charge before Kiryu launched his fist directly into Kamoebara's eye with the force of a bullet.

Kiryu's entire arm thrust through Kamoebara's head with a blinding shock through the turtle's skull, the punk gasping with stars exploding in his vision before he fell onto the street. Goji sighed with a burning pain in his shoulder, blood trickling slightly out of his shirt and down his arm as he kicked the knife away from Kamoebara.

"KIRYUUUU!"

He turned to see Aosukawa being dragged away, a black van having come down the road and parking quickly at the Hotel District's exit for Ganimura and Gezorage to shove her inside. The moment they were inside, the van shot off down the road as Kiryu ran as fast as he could, but it was too late as he staggered towards the motorway.

"No...DAMMIT, AOSUKAWAAAA!"

The van picked up speed as the driver looked at his side mirror, another pale squid similar to Gezorage before his eyes looked to the rearview with his passengers in the back.

"Nice one bro, finally got the bitch back."

"Heheh, yeah," said the other octopus tightening his arms round the weeping heron, "that fuckin' Toho thought he could mess with us!?"

"Damn right!" Gainmura waved his heavy claw. "Gihei-sama's gonna give us the GOOD shit tonight!"

"Hell yeah," the driver nodded his long squid head, "fuck happened to Piru-san?"

"He got stopped by that Toho shit, boss is with him too but it's fine, we can buy a new rickshaw What matters is we got the girl."

"Yeah...just hope boss ain't too mad about me...ditching...the fuck is that?"

The last thing Gezorage's brother would remember before falling unconscious, was a giant pair of velvet wings hurtling from the sky and shooting towards his van. Then he saw a black shoe come crashing through the windshield and crush his face, bending like a catcher's mitt as he slumped hard on the steering causing the van to sharp-skid.

"WH-WHA, WHAT THE FUUUUUUUAAAAAAH!"

The passengers in the back collided together as the van turned harder with its wheels lifting. The driver was unconscious, his tentacles pulling the wheel with his suckers as the van kept turning and turning in one wide dangerous circle, causing other oncoming vehicles to dodge out of its path with frantic beeps.

Watching all of this, Kiryu saw what appeared to be a pteranodon come crashing down with a karate kick through the windshield, then backflip on top of the vehicle with a flap of his wings before wrenching the side door of the van open to swing himself in.

"HURRY, GRAB ON!"

Aosukawa did not question her saviour, wrapping her arms round his neck as the winged kaiju jumped backwards out of the van and flapped high into the sky with the heron's sari fluttering in the breeze. The sounds of panicked screams came rattling from within the van when it finally overturned, crunching against the barrierr between the lanes before it rolled with a crunching shiver. Slowly it would skid on its side across the road, sparks bursting under the wheel until it came to a complete halt, with smoke from its engine..

"Who..." Kiryu shook his head, "who was...no...no, it can't be."

But it was, much to his smiling joy. Looking up towards the sky, Kiryu saw wings of a dark lustrous copper flying down to the Hotel District, belonging to a slender pterodactyl that Aosukawa hugged and wept and bowed to with blubbering tears on her rescuer's suit.

"TH-THANK, THANK YOU OHHHHH THANK YOU S-SO MUCH!"

"Hey-ey, hey, de nada," the newcomer patted her, "you want a tissue instead of my suit senora?"

"O-OH, S-SORRY I-"

"Hahaha it's fine it's easy-wash anyway. YO, Goji-chan!"

"It...it's you." Kiryu gasped. "You're back...Danzaki."

"Pffft, really?" The pteranodon swaggered over to him. "First time you see me in months and you still call me Danzaki, that's so you."

"And you always know how to make an entrance, so what's new?"

"Hahah, got me there, mi carnal!"

Roberto Danzaki, Patriarch of the Danzaki Family, stood out from the crowd no matter where he was by his lithe body wrapped in a maroon suit with a dappled blue-and-purple shirt underneath that struck him as a fancy kaiju, with black polished loafers shaped in the mould of his talons. His face was a long hooking beak with sharp yellow eyes and two cresting protrusions like devil horns from the back of his head.

His grand leathery wings of golden-brown swept out of his suit's sleeves, which had zippers on the back to allow the sleeves to fully open and slide his wings through, before locking the silk fabric in place for a comfortable, fashionable flight within city limits. With an arm he reached out to Aosukawa, wrapping her in his wing as he looked back towards the defeated Kamoebara and the wounded pillbug driver.

"First day I get back," said Roberto smiling, "and you smash up a bike, a rickshaw, and somebody's face."

"You took out a van," Kiryu thumbed back to the road.

"Yeah, means either I'm getting sloppy, or you're getting better at causing trouble."

"Hah...I missed you Danzaki."

"I did too Goji-chan. Now," he looked towards the heron still shaking beside him, "what say we drop you off back to the temple and you get a lie-down huh senorita?"

"Y-yes, please," she shuddered looking at Kamoebara, "th-thank you but...what about him?"

"I'll deal with him." Kiryu walked over to the thug. "You take her back to Shoji-sama, I need to pay for someone's bike and make sure this thug doesn't leave before the cops come."

"Bueno," Danzaki winked clicking his fingers, "hang on tight ma'am!"

"Wha-AAAH, AAAAHAHAHAAAH!"

With a scream of delight and joy overwhelming, the former hostage was flown back to the temple, whilst Kiryu rummaged in the trash to find some old cables to tie up Kamoebara's dazed and confused body. Taking the long walk back to the east, he found the tiger once again whom he had taken the bike from and offered compensation, before making his way back to the Airenas Temple next to the Millennium Tower.

Praise and adulation came from the monks as Danzaki was showered with gratitudes, along with Kiryu whilst Aosukawa returned to their company with Mosurakoto hugging her tight.

"OH thank the gods you're safe!"

"I'm sorry," the heron whimpered, "I'm so sorry I-i've been so much trouble I can't-"

"No no, no, it's fine, it's not your fault, don't ever blame yourself for what those villains are up to. I should be sorry, I failed to protect you."

"Eyyy now Mosu-chan," Roberto rubbed her shoulder, "you didn't fail anyone, come on, just be glad she got back safe."

"Thanks to you and Kiryu-san," Shoji waved him over, "thank you again for chasing them down."

"It's fine," Kiryu sighed, "but really Danzaki-san saved her, they almost got away if it wasn't for him."

"It was incredible," gasped Aosukawa, "it was like something out of a movie, I-i...I was so frightened, but I can't stop thinking about it."

"Why not get some rest?" the moth patted her. "You've had a rough time, take the day off."

"O-okay," the heron bowed, "thank you Shoji-sama."

"As for you," the high priestess took Roberto's hand, "I thank you deeply for your help."

"Well you know me," he winked to her, "petals on the breeze, remember chica?"

"OH, R-rob-chan!" she blushed and pushed him away. "But yes, thank you both again."

"Glad to help," said Kiryu bowing, "we'll hang around to give statements to the police, her kidnapper's still knocked out on Park Boulevard."

"I would appreciate that yes. Would you like some tea?"

"Si!" Roberto nodded. "I was planning to drop by either way so I'll just swoop in."

"You would," said Shoji with a sly grin, "I'll make some cutlets for you both, you mind waiting a bit?"

"No problem," Kiryu nodded, "I've got a lot to catch up with Danzaki-san here."

"Still Danzaki," sighed the pterosaur crossing his arms, "you always gotta be so formal Goji-chan."

"You're a patriarch, I'm a lieutenant, it's only right to show respect."

"Hhhahahaha...gods I missed you."

They hugged each other tight as the monks went back into the temple, nursing their wounds and welcoming their sister back into the fold as Kiryu and Roberto sat on the stone steps to wait for the police.

"How was America?" asked Gojirama first.

"Still too big," Danzaki shrugged, "we set up a nice trading company in Monsterey, it's a beautiful place, right next to wine country."

"Wine and silk suits," Kiryu shook his head, "Obara-kun's going to pester you all about living over there."

"How's he doing anyways, still the ol' pendejo?"

"Hmhmhm, yeah. A lot's happened the past few weeks, I'll need to catch you up but...it was really lucky you came through to save Aosukawa."

"I actually saw you on the flyby," said Danzaki stretching his wings, "I was coming down the highway, saw the rickshaw and you having a bronca, so I kept myself on the thermal and waited to see if you needed help. Then I saw the van take off and well, I know a kidnapping when I see one."

"Won't you be in trouble?" Kiryu looked up. "You've been away for six months didn't you get your flight licence renewed?"

"Mi guey, that was the first thing I did when I landed, come on." He punched Kiryu's arm. "What you think I'd live so long in America I forget how Japan works?"

"No, course not." The landwalker smiled. "I'm really happy to see you again."

"Why, are things that boring without me?"

"It's not that, just...things were a little less without you."

"Mmmm, ni modo. SO!"

Roberto slapped Kiryu's knee with a firm rub.

"What have I been missing in Kaijurocho, carnal?"