FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The next morning Kiryu woke up with a few soft bruises and a slight sting in his belly, as he got up and showered to check over the vague bumps and knuckle impressions that Obakimura had left on him. Scale polisher with a fresh eucalyptus scent he lathered upon his thick dark muscles and soaped his back spikes to a polished sheen before drying off. Putting on his red shirt and white suit, it was a slightly cloudy day in Tokyo, with kids still on their bikes or thumping the arcade cabinets outside small traditional-looking shops with hanging kanji flags, as he walked the rest of the way on his usual route to reach the Hotel District of Kaijurocho.

No messages, Kiryu blinked looking at his phone. Maybe I beat Varan-san too hard and he slept longer.

He tapped on Sano's name and started typing.

Goji - Morning. Anything going on?

Angy - nah got biz in shibuya b out for the day

Goji - Really, doing what?

Angy - VF tourney! O.^.O told boss, he cool with it later!

With question answered, he took the long walk down Theater Avenue to the family headquarters on Tenkaiju Street, the blood-red gate a welcome sight as it was every morning. He much preferred it in the daytime without its lights whoring itself to the movers and shakers of the undercity, the rank of taxis in the form of both cars and rickshaws lined up awaiting their next customer beyond it. Entering the family base, he reached the back room office where a very flustered voice came ringing through the walls.

"Alright, alright let's see, Junko's medicine, then her toy, Koiichi's shoes ohh and MM-mmnnyayaya, um, oh it had to all come at once today the ONE time I want things to spread out a bit more, gods help me-"

"Uhhh, hello?"

"AAH! HOH, Kiryu-san." Tsuchimura clutched her chest leaning against her seat. "Sorry, sorry I'm just all a-tizzy today!"

"You alright?" he stepped in closing the door.

"Oh n-no it's fine it's fiiiine don't worry about it."

"Your suit's lopsided."

"Wh-what?!"

He walked up and straightened the shoulders so the V-neck of her blouse went vertical.

"Nnnnnngh," the snake clapped her head, "Gods, sorry, it was just such a rush today and I had EVERYTHING working against me."

"What happened?" he sat on the couch.

"Well, firstly," she joined him with a deep breath, "the pharmacy ran out of medicine that I need for Junko's throat, so now I have go to the one ALL the way out here, also her birthday is coming up and she really wants a My Kutie Kelpie, the only one she doesn't have in her collection and I really do not want to disappoint her after the rough week she's had."

"That sounds tough," Kiryu nodded.

"And THEN!" she shouted throwing her hands. "My husband Koiichi, bless his heart, just had to tell me TODAY he needs new shoes for a wedding at the company he works for!"

"I thought he worked in a call centre."

"Yes but they're inviting EVERYONE, apparently the CEO's daughter's getting married and he has to come too because it's one of THOSE things!"

"He can't get shoes in your area?"

"Not the ones he's needing, this isn't a sandals-event Kiryu-san, I mean look!"

She pointed down at their feet, Kiryu in his pale loafers whilst Tsuchimura wore sandals covering most of her scaled feet apart from her claws at the end.

"I'm surprised Varan-san let you wear those," he muttered.

"Well I never need to go to HQ do I?" she rolled her eyes. "In fact I appreciate Varan-san for letting me dress down a bit, considering no one important comes through and, well, when I mean important I mean-"

"I know what you meant," Kiryu nodded with a smile, "you got a full day ahead of you then."

"Just the worst," she groaned palming her face, "hhhaaaah and I still have the taxes to file."

"Hey, why don't I help you?"

"Wh-what?"

"I mean, I have nothing to do today." Kiryu held up his phone showing no messages. "I could do some of the running around for you."

"Oh, Kiryu-san no you shouldn't have to-"

"Why not? If I can make your job easier then it's good for the clan."

"That...that's true but," Tsuchimura sighed rubbing her head, "I don't know, it feels so silly asking you to do my errands, I mean I'm not your boss."

"No but you're my coworker." He shrugged pocketing his phone. "I wouldn't be offering if I didn't want to help."

"Well...if you are sure you have nothing else to do today-"

"Sano-san's off to some game tournament and I know Obara-kun's coming in later."

"Oh! Well, alright then!" She stood up clapping her hands. "Thank you Kiryu-san, I truly appreciate it!"

"You can thank me when I'm done," he smiled stepping over to the door, "you got a list?"

"I do yes." She handed him the list and a set of banknotes. "Just need all of these before I get back home tonight, this should cover enough."

"Alright, plenty of time I'll be back soon."

"Good luck, thank you again!"

Waving as he left, Gojirama stepped onto the street and peered down the list of only three items to note.

"Huh, not as much as I thought," he pocketed the note, "alright, medicine's most important so I should check the drugstore."

Heading northeast towards East Taihei Boulevard, he walked the length of the road that cut through Kaijurocho's centre in front of the Millennium Tower, that peerless obelisk shining upon all to his left with the great Hindu-style temple that rose half its height over on his right. He waved to the priestesses tending the front garden in passing as he reached the corner of Pink Alley, where a drugstore shone its green cross above the door. Inside was a tight corridor where a wall of pills and boxes stared back at him, behind a red-faced ogre in a white coat with scowling eyes and long twisted teeth.

"Excuse me," Kiryu asked, "do you have anything for strep throat?"

"I do yes," the oni demon bowed, "how old's the patient?"

"About, seven, and no aspirin please."

"How long have they had it for?"

"At least two days?"

The ogre scanned the back wall of his pharmacy, his pale coat swishing behind with his deep black hair neatly-tied against his crimson neck.

"Here we are," he offered a small box of antibiotics, "this should do, instructions are inside as well."

"Thank you."

With cash on the counter he took the meds and headed west back to the Millennium Tower, walking south from it to the grand wealth of stores on Nagamichi Street. His first port of call was to try the Don Quijote megastore for a chance to find the elusive kelpie, toy stores not being a common sight in Kaijurocho as the district largely attuned itself to adult-oriented entertainment. The end of the wide-open street near the taxi ranks offered him the megastore, shining purest fool's gold with its curious penguin mascot waving to its onlookers.

The store inside was a labyrinth of plastic, blinding yellow and blue with the sounds of a pop theme song playing over Kiryu's head as he bumped his way past plushies and toys and rows upon rows of ready-made noodles before sidling up to the counter.

"Good morning sir!" a cheerful rabbit welcomed him. "How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for a..." he pulled up his list, "My Kutie Kelpie, Misery Mire doll."

"Alrighty, I'll just check for you now."

She walked into the back as he waited, scanning his mind for the city's layout to find other potential places should the worst come to worst.

"I'm so sorry sir," said the rabbit bowing five minutes later, "we don't have any Misery Mire in stock."

"That's a shame, is it rare?"

"I'm not sure why, we have plenty of Brindlebogs and Sticky Swamps, just seems like one of those things in distribution."

"Do you know if you'll get anymore this week?"

"I'm really sorry again, I don't know."

"Hmm." Kiryu rubbed his chin. "Alright, thank you for checking, do you know any other stores that sell these?"

"Well..." she tapped her cheek, "I THINK there was a store on Shachifuku Street, PuppetMaster I think it's called?"

"Thank you."

Buying some bottled tea so as not to leave without buying, Kiryu headed back up Theater Avenue and onto the north strait of Shachifuku, the second line that cut horizontal through the district as he discovered the PuppetMaster store the clerk had mentioned, but much to his dismay, they also had no Misery Mires in stock.

Two other stores he found on the way also did not possess any of the mysterious kelpie as he sighed, eventually finding a shoe store to at least find the third item on the list. The shop was a fancy-looking place with cream and brown walls and mirrors between aisles where a variety of footwear was found for all shapes and sizes.

"Welcome sir," a blue lobster greeted him in tailor's waistcoat, "can I help you?"

"I'm looking for a size-twenty-four webbed, business, something that would look nice for a CEO's daughter's wedding."

"Very good sir, let me show you our collection aquatique."

The range of shoes they had, from thin insectoid feet to wide flat flippers, could be separated into three types. Sandals that left the foot fully exposed as the most casual wear; open-toed shoes that allowed one's claws to poke out the front and back comfortably for distinguished comfort; and fully-enclosed shoes for the most prestigious creatures that kept toes inside.

Eventually he grabbed an acceptable pair of black leather shoes that more resembled flippers, paying half of Tsuchimura's money before heading out with a bag in tow to carry. For some creatures the city was like a hive of activity that tore down their minds and pulled their hearts into a sea of fatigue. Kiryu however was the opposite. Something made him thrive amongst the streets even when on a mission to pursue the forsaken Kelpie, roaming between mantises meeting up at restaurants, bears nattering to each other about their humdrum lives and young gangly dogs trading fictional warriors through handheld consoles.

Pulling out a Fat Man cigarette, he lit up and took a walk down the west end of Shachifuku Street, the taste of radioactive smoke filtering into his cells slightly healing this annoying bruise he had in his ribs. Varan always punched a little harder than he wanted to, as he ruminated on which other stores he could have missed in his lonesome quest. His pondering however was interrupted by the sounds of whimpering, a small dragon-like child with teeny bumps on his head sitting on the damp pavement.

Hmm? Kiryu looked around briefly. Is he lost?

He stubbed out his cigarette on a nearby bin before approaching the lad, his green anorak making him stand out from the street as he wept into his claws.

"Hey, you alright?"

He didn't respond at first, too lost in himself as the kaiju bent down on one knee with softened eyes.

"What happened? Are you lost?"

"H-h-he...he...m-m-my b-ball!"

"Your ball?"

"Th-they, the-they took it from me an', they pushed me, a-a-an, and, R-R-RRRAAAAAAAAAAIIIH!"

The boy started shrieking in misery, tears pouring from out his fingers which began to shake with unmitigated grief.

"Wait, who took your ball?" asked Kiryu.

"A-a bully, h-he called me names, an' he, h-he, he-"

"Where is he? Can you take me to him?"

"A-at the park, there!"

"Take me there. I'll get your ball back."

"Y-y-you...you...really?"

He looked up for the first time, his eyes shining wet like street puddles as soft black pools from a pudgy equine snout covered in scales.

"I don't like bullies," said Gojirama with a sneer, "if they won't give you your ball back, then I'll make them."

"Uhm...o-okay."

The boy was nervous, but he was desperate as he headed towards the west end of the street with Kiryu following. The park was a dismal little place, a sad square of several feet with swings, two benches and a public toilet. Sitting on a swing was a green pebble-skinned teenager in jeans and a black T-shirt with no sleeves saying "GET FUCK, GO OUT" in English, his feline nostrils flared on his scaled face with short brown hair cresting his head and no tail on his back. In his hand was a football he tossed into the air, catching it deftly between claws showing off its white skin and gold-painted whorls.

"Awww look," said the punk, "little kimchi bitch brought a patsy."

"Give back his ball," snarled Kiryu, "or else."

"The fuck are you, the secret police?"

"A concerned citizen. Concerned that meat-headed thugs like you think they get to push around children like cowards."

"Hah, coward huh?"

The thug clicked his fingers as he stood up from the swing, calling two of his friends that emerged from the public bathroom with fists at the ready. A mantis wearing denim shirt and jeans with four arms, two scythed and two fisted, alongside a condor in the same clothes with brown furry-feathered arms and a cragged grey beak. The child hid behind Kiryu with fear seeing the other two emerge despite Kiryu simply sighing.

"I'll give ya this ball back," said the green thug, "if you hand over your wallet."

"What?" said Kiryu.

"All your money...and I give the ball back. Or we can just take it from you, the kid gets no ball, and you get a one-way trip to the hospital."

"...alright."

"Huh?!"

"I'll give you your money."

Kiryu walked forwards, surprising the punk who started giggling at this eagerness.

"Wow, shit this is easier than I thought, I told you guys!"

"Alrigh' dude," shrugged the mantis, "you were right, the plan worked."

"What plan?" asked Kiryu.

"You fuckin' dense?" replied the condor. "Nobody's gonna ignore a kid that needs help, even some sad li'l Kankoran bitch an' the first guy that comes round we shake down fer money-"

"Hey." Kiryu raised a finger. "Don't use that kind of talk towards a kid, what the hell is wrong with you? Also, is this wise to tell me your scam BEFORE you get my money?"

"Does it matter?" said the green lizard. "Cuz you're not leaving 'til we get our money, unless it's on a stretcher."

"First, give the ball back to the kid."

"What?!"

"You have me surrounded." The yakuza crossed his arms. "I'm not going to be able to leave without a fight, so give him the ball, and I'll give you what you need."

"Heh...alright."

His confidence brimming high, the thug tossed the ball over to the child who grabbed it and hid himself next to the benches. Too frightened and guilty to leave the nice adult on his own, he waited and watched to see what would unfold as he clutched his precious orb.

"So?" the punk offered his hand. "Come on, gimme what I want."

"Alright." He turned to the young boy with his ball. "Hold this please."

"H-huh?!"

He gave a soft wink as he gave him the bag containing the shoes and medicine, the youngster taking it with his ball as Kiryu looked back to the punks and reached into his suit to presumably get his wallet. He walked forwards a little closer, the thug expecting to get his cash until he felt a hand grab his shirt and Kiryu slam his stony forehead straight into the punk's skull. He staggered with blinding headache, seeing stars before falling back against the swings.

"HEY, WHAT THE FUCK?!" the mantis shrieked.

"YER GONNA PAY FOR THAT ASSWIPE!" roared the condor.

"Oh, somebody's gonna pay," said Kiryu turning to them, "for upsetting a boy, acting like bigoted vashers and trying to extort creatures out of their money...you're going to wish you were in the hospital when I'm done with you."

"UHH, FUCK YOU!"

The giant insect swung first, whirling his scythe and fist from the left together into Kiryu's face as he ducked beneath both of them, grabbing the mantis' slender throat and punching him in the abdomen. Wheezing from the gutblow, the bug felt the reptile's hand squeeze round his neck to choke him suddenly into a gasping cry and sap his strength before Kiryu slammed his thick foot into the mantis' chest. He fell against the brick wall of the public bathroom, whilst the condor came at him with a whirling haymaker from his clawed fist.

Dodging twice, Gojirama thrust-jabbed into the condor's hard head briefly stunning him, an uppercut straight beneath his beak sending him staggering back as his beak throbbed with a blistering red mist in his mind when he groped wincing at the fence. His mantis cohort stumbled back up and grabbed a rock to toss between his hands and hurl at the reptile, winging him on the shoulder with a hard pointed thud.

Kiryu grabbed it tumbling down his arm and hurled it straight back at the mantis, who deflected it with shining scythe sending it shrieking towards the child hiding by the benches. Kiryu spun his body to swing his tail between and block the shot from hitting the boy, but it was enough a distraction for the insect thug to leap upon him and start hammering on him with dull fists and duller blades.

Trapped beneath the chitinous denim-clad bug, he felt blows raining down upon his face in a savage attack, the mantis crying out in rage to punch thrice and slash twice across Kiryu's snarling face. But the fourth punch was blocked by Kiryu's fist, twisting the arm violently to make the wrist spasm in brief agony before Gojirama scooped dirt with his other hand and sprayed it across the mantis' thick saucer-lid eyes.

"A-AAAAGH SHIT, F-FUCK, FUCK FUCK!"

Covering his face frantically with his other three arms, he felt the pulling tug of his wounded fourth limb as Kiryu grabbed the side of his neck and forced him to roll hard so he laid on top of him. Pulling himself up along with the mantis thug, the reptile spun him by the arm in a painful waltz and released him so as to send him flying towards the toilet, smacking his spine against the sharp stone corner of its entrance with a shriek of anguish.

"YOU FUCKING DICK!"

The shout from the condor came moments before Kiryu felt a shattering thud of glass against the back of his head, sending him forwards with a spark in his skull as he turned towards the bird now wielding a broken bottle. Shaking off the blow from his noggin, he waited for the bird to come forwards almost thrusting his glass like a knife before Kiryu swerved to the right and grabbed the feathered wrist. His elbow went driving into the punk's eyes with a sharp punch, but nowhere near as painful as when Gojirama slammed his knee upwards into the condor's outstretched arm. He almost thought it was broken, a horrifying spasm through his muscles as he screeched almost to the point of tears as his fingers turned limp to drop the bottle's fragment. Kiryu ended things with a hard backfist across the bird's beak, knocking him to the ground in a half-spin to leave him clutching his arm in foetal position.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Turning fast, he saw the cat-lizard punk now holding the child hostage, wrapping his arm tightly round the struggling boy frantically trying to hold both his ball and the bag of shoes.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU MISTER FUCKIN' DO-GOODER NOW GIMME YOUR MONEY, OR ELSE I CHOKE THIS LITTLE KANKORAN BITCH!"

The boy was petrified, whimpering with eyes still red from his tears as he dropped his ball which went rolling towards Kiryu. An idea struck him there and then as he smirked.

"You want it? Alright. You can have it."

He honed his focus and lifted his right leg behind him halfway with careful aim. The ball kept rolling closer and closer as he swung with all his might to shoot it straight towards the lizard's face. The hardened football crushed his snout with devastating force, blood bursting from his nostrils like a fountain as he screeched with burning agony.

"_G-GRRRRAAAAAAAGH! FUCK, FACE MY FUCKING FAAAAACE! _"

He dropped the child from his grip and clutched his bloodied snout with bubbling sobs of fury and pain blistering from his cheeks, the ball bouncing off his head and though the air towards Kiryu who finished him with a ferocious header. The top of his head slammed into the hard leather orb propelling it back into the bully's skull, sending him down fully with explosive force that blackened his forehead. The boy grabbed his ball with bag in tow and ran back to Kiryu's side as the adult straightened his collar looking at the results of his victory.

The condor was clutching his wounded arm; the mantis was trying to stand up against a wall whilst hunched over with his bent back; and the feline-reptile teen had stumbled back against the bench dripping red down his shirt whilst rocking back and forth. The yakuza approached him with a casual strut, grabbing him by his shirt with bleeding stains and dragged him over to where his friends now laid.

"Wh-wh-wha, wha, wh-what are ya gonna do?!" quibbled the thug.

"I'm teaching you a lesson," replied Kiryu calmly. "If you want money, get a job. Bullying kids around and using them to lure creatures in to rob them is disgusting, and so is your bigoted language because both are a quick way to get a beating when someone like me comes round and gives you what you deserve."

"Y-you, y-yer gonna, k-kill us?!"

"No. You're just stupid teenage trash so let me give you some advice."

He shoved the punk against the bathroom wall, breathing onto his bloodied face and watching the fear rise in his eyes.

"What's your name?" he ordered.

"G-g-g...Gabo! Gabo Raiyama!"

Kiryu leaned in closer, pressing his snout against his earhole with a darkened voice and one hand grabbing the punk's crotch. He pushed his hand upwards with a cupping motion, flattening the bulge to become a vice in his claws that almost crushed the teenager's sheath, lifting his feet off the ground.

"If I see you around here threatening ANYONE again-"

"HN-NNNNGGH!"

"I'll take these balls instead...understand?"

"Y-YES, YES PLEASE I-I'M SORRY I'M SORRY!"

"What?"

"I'M SORRY PLEASE, I-I-I'M SO-O-ORRY PLEASE DON'T TAKE 'EM PLEAAASE!"

"Good. Now you know how it feels."

Kiryu dropped him back onto his feet, leaving the punk to stagger off clutching his face and taking his cohorts with him who limped and hobbled out on the street. The little boy crawled out from the slide and walked up to Kiryu with a face full of relief and awe.

"Th-tha...th-thank youuu, mister!"

"It's fine," Kiryu nodded. "Are you alright?"

"A-ah huh! Th-thank you, fer, gettin' mah ball back!"

"It's fine, I told you I don't like bullies. Oh, wait."

He knelt down noticing some red spots on the ball, brushing the front of it with his suit sleeve before taking back his bag.

"There, now it's clean. You heading home soon?"

"U-uhm, yeah, y-yeah I'm going home."

"Do you want me to make sure you get home alright?"

"......c-can you, mister?"

The boy scrunched his toes with a bashful look as Kiryu offered his hand. The young foal with scaled snout kept hold of his ball underneath his arm as his stubby little claws were consumed by Gojirama's large fingers, much to the confusion of passersby.

"What's your name?" he asked the boy.

"My...m-my name's Jeon Keun-Rin."

"I'm Kiryu, Gojirama, nice to meet you Jeon-kun."

"You um...y-you like, soccer?" asked Jeon.

"I used to play it, back ten years ago," replied Kiryu.

"Y-you kicked it SO HARD th-that was...so COOL!"

"Hmhmhm, I was a good striker back in my day."

"Really, why'd you stop?!"

"I had other things to do. Life got in the way."

"Awwww...but yer good!" he pumped his other fist. "You hit that bully HARD h-he was all like OWWW JEEZ an' then you, you...you're cool."

He smiled nodding as the boy fidgeted in his walk before trying to ask:

"You wanna, maybe, play some soccer sometime?"

"Sure, if I have time," Kiryu grinned. "I'm a busy adult though, so it might take a while."

"Whuh, whut you doing now?"

"Well." He bent down to ask. "You know any good toy stores around?"

"Ummmm, why?" Jeon tilted his head.

"I'm looking for something, do you know what My Kutie Kelpie is?"

His face widened with a starstruck glee as he clutched his ball tighter.

"EEEEEEEEH YEYEYEAH, YEAH, AH LUVS 'EM, they're so COOL!"

"Heh, that's good."

"Who's yer fave, m-mine's Fire Fluke!"

"I uh, I don't actually watch them," Kiryu rubbed his neck, "there's a friend of mine looking for a Misery Mire. Her daughter's sick and it's her so she wanted to get something nice."

"Awwww...th-that," the boy stiffened his lip, "she should get sumfin' nice."

"Do you know where I can find one? I've looked all over the city but no one has Misery Mire-"

"OOOH, YAH!" Jeon grabbed Kiryu's hand and pulled him fast. "I-i know, at home, maybe Tan-san's got one!"

"Really?" his heart twitched a little hopeful.

"Yah, c'mon this way!"

They stopped in front of a rather dismal-looking alley, trapped between buildings just opposite of Kanrai that led into the fortress of apartments where a surly-looking goat kept guard with gleaming horns whilst wearing a purple jacket. It looked like the worst place for any child to go through as Kiryu asked:

"This...is your home?"

"Ah huh!" Jeon walked up and waved to the guard. "Annyeong Hae-joon ssi!"

"Doum-i pil-yohada Jeon jjang?" the goat looked to the boy then Kiryu.

"Ani, i meosjin kaiju naleul dowa jwoss-eo!"

"Ne?" she cocked her head.

"Geulae!" He raised his ball up with pride. "Nae gong-eul dollyeo jwoss-eo!"

"Huh...geulsseyo."

She stepped aside to let the boy through but not before he had her bend down and whisper something in her ear. She muttered something back as he turned to wave at him.

"Wait here, okay Kiryu-san?!"

"Alright, Jeon-kun," he nodded back.

The boy ran down the dark alleyway without a hint of fear on his bright cheerisome face, leaving Kiryu perplexed as the goat stood back on guard and nodded politely as he did the same. Minutes would pass, the kaiju tempted to pull out another cigarette but not wanting to look distrustful in front of the stern Korean goat who kept up her eternal gaze. Instead he tried to offer one to her in a small peace gesture, but she refused shaking her head as he shrugged slipping it back in the pack. Twenty minutes was a long time to wait, and it made Kiryu all the more worried in thinking the boy had forgotten.

"KIRYU-SAAAN!"

He sighed with relief as the kid slipped past the guard.

"LOOK, I found one!"

"Wh-what? Really?!"

Sure enough, in his hands was a My Kutie Kelpie doll in mint condition, a small Misery Mire still in her box with accessories for her ragged oil-black hair and trembling body where bone could be seen through her legs. Her eyes glowed in the dark, according to the box, representing the souls she kept company inside her wretched heart who would one day reconcile when she found true friendship.

"Jeon-kun...thank you so much." Kiryu knelt down to offer his hand. "Can I have it?"

"Uhhh..." the boy blushed suddenly, "s-sorry, you...y-you have to pay."

"Oh, right of course." He smiled understanding and opened his wallet. "How much?"

"He...said, eight-thousand yen?"

"Really?"

That's...awfully cheap, thought Kiryu, considering they sell for 12,000 in the stores I went to. Is it a fake? No, no don't think that, this kid's helping you, it DOES look authentic, the box alone looks exact like the stores had.

"Here you go," he handed the money as Jeon gave him the kelpie, "thank you again, my friend's daughter'll be very happy."

"Thank you too!" the little one bowed.

"Where did you even get this?"

"Tan-san, he has LOOOTSA things in his shop that creatures want but no one else has!"

"Tell him I said thank you, he's really helped me out."

"Okay, bye Kiryu-san!"

"Take care, Jeon-kun."

The boy departed back into the depths of the old apartments, the guard still standing with horns firm as Kiryu gave a nod and went on his way to turn southeast, after putting his newly-acquired magical horse of the dark into his bag. Taking a deep breath of relief, he headed back down to Tenkaiju Street to the family office where he tried to hide his grin upon entering.

"Kiryu-san!" Tsuchimura looked up shuffling papers into a stack. "How did it go?! Please, tell me you got everything."

"Why not see for yourself?"

He opened the bag to reveal the meds, the shoes and the kelpie with Tsuchimura's face increasing in levels of joy.

"A-AAH, AAAAAH KIRYU OHH thank you SO MUCH!" She clutched her face on the edge of tears. "How did you even...wait, you DID buy this legit right?"

"I did, yes."

"S-sorry." The secretary grabbed the kelpie box and rotated it in her hands. "I just can't believe you actually got one of these, I heard they were difficult to find!"

"Sure was," Kiryu sat on the couch, "I got lucky honestly, just glad I got it."

"Thank you again," she put it back in the bag, "today has gotten so much better I can't WAIT to see the look on Junko's face."

"I'm sure she'll love it, how's your paperwork?"

"Good!" Tsuchimura clicked her heels. "Surprisingly quick, I've already managed half of this and the back end of these reports is just needing some stamp-and-file and then we're done! Now I just have to worry about what to do for the rest of the day, I was storming through these because I wanted to have enough time to get out there and scour the shops, but now-"

"Well, take some time off." Gojirama shrugged. "You earned it, you've always done good work for us Tsuchi-chan."

"Thank you but...gods, I don't know what I could do."

"I got nothing to do either..." he laid down fully on the sofa, "maybe I can give you ideas?"

"Well, what do you normally do on a day off?"

"Take a walk, see what's biting, who's needing a hand. If I have nothing else, there's always the batting centre-"

"OOH, actually!" The serpent clapped her hands. "I've never been to the batting centre, can you believe that?"

"Really?" Kiryu raised his head. "Never?"

"Nope, just never quite took my fancy."

"Well...you want to, after this?"

"Mmmmm, sure!" She flicked her forked tongue with a grin. "We don't do much stuff with each other so I think it's time to fix that after I finish."

"Yeah, agreed, we'll make it a day out."

Two hours passed as Tsuchimura indexed all of today's work, pounding her stamper and clipping papers together before foldering them in the current week's holdings as Kiryu napped on the couch. Once her work was done the serpent stretched her neck with a groan and shifted herself off from her seat.

"Nnnnnngh OHH! Finally over."

"That so?" The voice of Varan came from the stairs as he lumbered into view. "All good Tsuchi-chan?"

"Yep!" She stood up grabbing her coat. "Now I'm off to the ballgame."

"The whut now?"

"Kiryu-san!"

"Mmm?" He blinked up at the ceiling. "Oh, alright I'm coming."

"Kiryu's taking me to the batting centre," said Tsuchimura, "ready to serve me up on the plate."

"It's, step up TO the plate."

"Hahahaha, alrighty then," Sanjin waved them off, "just wanted to check in on y'all but seems like you got yer day full."

"Need anything while we're out sir?" Kiryu straightened his sleeves.

"Naw I'm good, damn it's hard to find things to do nowadays."

"Don't you have your videogame?" the snake walked to the door. "I would have thought that would keep you busy for weeks."

"Ehh," he shrugged, "some days you just don't got the fire, know whut I mean?"

"Well, try not to get in trouble."

"No promises!"

Heading out onto the street, Kiryu and Tsuchimura headed north to the batting centre that stood within the Hotel District. Surrounded by fancy inns and lovers' hidey-holes, the Yoshida Batting Centre was one of the oldest institutions of Kaijurocho with its signature sign of a neon ball being shot through the sign, cracked by a bat that was currently turned off until later in the evening.

Inside the sounds of balls ringing against bats went for a dime-a-dozen, clonking clangs and an echoing from every direction as ten gates stood before them to each batter's plate, where one would stare down upon a serving machine to try and whack one out of the park. The giant green net broke the illusion somewhat, but Tsuchimura didn't mind as she stepped up to the desk looking rather out of place in her tan blazer and black office skirt.

"Helloooo, I'd like to play some baseball please."

"You done this before?" asked the kitsune behind the desk.

"No, this is my first time."

"Beginner's course over there, three hundred yen for ten balls."

"Oh wow that's awfully cheap!" She handed over a few coins. "I thought it was much more than that."

"It's a pretty accessible place," Kiryu shrugged, "one reason why I like it so much."

"Well then let's go!"

Given a bat, a helmet and gloves she walked over to the batting cage and stood on the plate, facing a holographic projection of a reptilian pitcher ready to throw a fastball at her beneath a giant net covering the roof. Above said pitcher were a series of very large targets indicating a home run should one of the balls hit.

"Now, how do I-"

"Stand left of the plate." Kiryu helped move her into position with careful hands. "Stand straight, aim your bat like this."

"Oh you don't stand on the plate?" she said.

"No, the plate's a marker, normally in baseball you run around four plates like positions."

"Ohhhh I see," she tried a few swings, "not as heavy as I thought, when does it sta-OHH!"

The ball came flying with a shot to the cage whipping past her as she staggered.

"H-heyyyy I wasn't ready!"

"It's fine, you've got nine more shots."

"Hmph."

She tightened her grip and took aim at the pitcher whilst Kiryu stayed to the side. The ball hurtled towards the plate and she swung with a miss.

"HWUMPH, oh damn!"

"It's fine," Kiryu waved his hand, "don't think about it, just focus on the next ball."

"I knew this wasn't going to be easy but..."

The serpent tried to bend into a position thinking she could hit better. The third ball she whiffed, and the fourth she didn't even try to hit with a stutter.

"O-oh, damn it!"

"You alright?"

"Hmmmm...would be nice to hit the ball at least once."

"You'll get the hang of it."

"And this is beginner?" she looked back. "I was expecting them a little slower-"

"Ball!"

"WHA-OHH!" The fifth ball skimmed past her bat. "Well, that's just rude!"

"Don't get frustrated," Gojirama shook his head, "just think about the next ball."

"Why do you come here Kiryu?"

"Hmmm?"

"You're not a baseball fan, I know that." She swung for ball number six and it chipped.

"Sometimes for fun," he shrugged, "sometimes to vent some issues, get some anger out."

"I can definitely see the appeal of that."

"Then use it." He swept his hand to the pitcher. "Get that frustration out of you, focus all that anger you have into the bat."

Realising this, Tsuchimura nodded and pinched her snout. She took a long firm breath, flicking out her tongue to taste the air, nostrils flaring as she tensed her legs and slitted her eyes down towards the pitcher ready to go. The ball shot free as she swung with her entire body in a single sweep.

"HNNNRAAARGH!"

The clang of the ball trembled through her fingers as she felt something hit. Then she felt herself almost topple when her wild spin nearly threw her off-balance as Kiryu rushed to grab her.

"A-AAAH, HAAAH!"

"Woah, you alright?!" he steadied her on her feet.

"Y-yes, yes I, did I hit it?!"

"You sure did," he clapped her shoulder, "not a home run but definitely not a foul."

"OHO, YES! YES, oh that felt GOOD!"

"Two more balls left, go get 'em champ."

With fire in her belly she resumed her stance and came swinging for the eighth ball, striking it high but not hitting any targets. Ball number nine was a foul, but it punched into the side wall with such force that she cackled with a giddy jump to herself. Last ball however was the true shot, almost hitting the targets but just underneath their sticks.

"WHOOOO, HAHAAAAA!"

"Very good!" Kiryu clapped. "Howsit feel?"

"Ohoh YES, ohhh that felt...shit, my arms hurt."

"Hhha ha ha." He patted her shoulder and led her out the cage. "You know, the Toho clan have a baseball tournament between families."

"Oh yes, I remember printing the leaflets!"

"If you want we could sign you on."

"What, ME?!" she giggled swishing her tail.

"I mean, if you wanna practice more I won't stop you-"

"Let me try another ten." She slapped down 300 yen on the counter. "I think I've got the hang of this now."

"Yeah?" the dark saurian grinned. "Think you can step it up?"

"Ohoh you know it, I would love to be your winch hitter!"

"It's uh, pinch hitter."

"OH, don't mind if I do!" she pinched his back.

"H-HEY!"

"HAHAHA!"

The office tsuchinoko faced another ten shots, managing to hit six of the balls and even once managing a home run that had her whooping the house down. Kiryu took his turn after she was done and showed his skill with the bat, twirling it in his large fingers as he struck eight out of ten with three home runs altogether much to Tsuchimura's excitement. Once he had finished they left the building, taking a few prizes given to them in the form of two bottles of water, and a plush figure of a sparrow with a red-and-white smokestack on its head.

"Aaaaah that was so much FUN!" she swung her arms with a huge grin. "Thank you Kiryu-san."

"No problem," he drank from his bottle, "when the tournament's on, I'll ask to put you on our team."

"Ohoh you can count on it, but I worry about those Danzaki boys considering their boss."

"Well, he's still in America."

"Yes but, don't they all play baseball in America?" Tsuchimura winked. "He'd probably eat home runs for breakfast!"

"Danzaki-san's more of a basketball player, because of the wings," Kiryu flapped them slightly, "so if he played baseball, I bet you could kick his ass."

"Mmmhmhmhm, now that is a challenge I like."

"Surprised you picked that little guy," he pointed to the plush bird, "you like Cherno-bun?"

"Yes!" she smiled cuddling the sparrow. "I loved him when I was little, I thought for old times' sake to revisit him a bit."

"Heh, I think I remember him too."

"...you know, when I was young," Tsuchimura stared up to the darkening eve, "I always liked the rogues of society. Something excites me about those like your clan."

"Our clan," he patted her shoulder, "you're a part of us too."

"I know Kiryu, but...I mean...well, it's strange how my life ended up."

The serpent looked down at the beady-eyed sparrow.

"Sometimes the things you want, aren't always the things you need. What I wanted when I was young was to be riding on some gangster's bike, or being taken over the shoulder by a pirate getting to be part of their thrilling adventure. Then I met Koiichi. And I never loved anyone more than I loved him."

"What brought you two together?" Kiryu asked slowing his walk.

"He made me laugh." She kissed the bird's head. "He made me happy, when I was at a low point in my life during the first year of college. I wanted to break things. I wanted to smash, I wanted to spit on the face of society for all of its sickening genteel ways that it and my parents were forcing me to do, as well as trying to make me follow their business in car dealership. And I told Koiichi all of this, and then he said 'that sounds a terrible business...for starters it takes months to snort a car up your nose, do you just drive it inside or what?'."

"...hhhheh!" Kiryu smiled with a shameful look. "That's the worst joke I've ever heard."

"Yes. Yes it is." Tsuchimura smiled clutching Cherno-bun to her breast. "But I laughed. And he's always been there to make me laugh. BUT, I work for your clan, so that helps keep my anti-society curls in check, so all I truly need now, are my Junko and Koiichi."

Kiryu nodded with a smile as they walked back to the family base. The dark evening sky painted a soft rosy hue upon the streets, the lights of Kaijurocho not yet woken to the sunset, but the puddles across the gravel produced an oily technicolour show of their own between gum and cigarette butts. They watched the sunset come slowly over the roofs, the night awakening as workers left and players arrived to the underbelly as they reached the office where a news broadcast could be heard.

"-been taken off the real estate market, following an investigation into a string of possible assaults on potential buyers of the property."

"Hey Kiryu-san!" Obara waved from his seat. "Tsuchi-chan how are ya?"

"Much better thank you," she smiled walking to her desk, "haven't seen you all day, where did you go?"

"Varan-san asked me to get him supplies, the fridge was empty, you guys hear about this?"

He turned his phone showing a praying mantis delivering the news.

"Police suspect that foul play was involved, but Enko Property Holdings made a statement saying that they would fully co-operate with the authorities."

"What happened?" Gojirama looked to him.

"Some property was on the market, but then it got taken off in like two days cuz buyers were being threatened with all sortsa crazy stuff."

"Really?" Tsuchimura leaned over to look. "Well that's very strange, who was threatening them?"

"No one knows," Gonkuro shrugged, "it's all super hush-hush, I got one or two friends on Grumblr who said it was the government that shut it down because something's hiding under the surf-"

"Oh honestly Obara-kun, you can't just believe everything on the internet."

"She's right," Kiryu nodded, "you should at least fact-check that yourself."

"Bu-...well...yeah I guess," he rubbed his cheek embarrassed.

"I find it quite scary how easy it is to lie on the internet," the serpent puffed up her coat, "I fear for my Junko when she gets older I really do."

"The internet's not that bad," Obara smirked flapping his ears, "just put safesearch on and don't ever let her go near social media, she'll be fine."

"Thank you," she scowled rolling her eyes, "that means half of the internet is unsafe is what you're saying."

"Not...haaaaalf there's so much more out there than that, it's...just a very loud part of the internet, anyways what you all been up to?"

"Kiryu-san ran all over town to find a My Kutie Kelpie-"

"Wha-...whaaaaaaaa?!" He thrust his head over the desk. "You're a kelper?!"

"What?" Kiryu sneered.

"A fan of the show, you're a kelper?!"

"I'm not, I was buying it for her daughter."

"Awww okay, which one was it?"

"A Misery Mire."

"WHUUUUUUUHHH?!" Obara sucked the air into his lungs. "You, y-y-you FOUND a Misery Mire oh my GODS!"

"Why is this thing so hard to find?!"

"Cuz there was a problem with distribution and the company well-"

"That was rhetorical, Obara-kun."

"O-oh, sorry." The junior blushed rubbing his neck. "That's still amazing you found one though!"

"It certainly was!" said Tsuchimura hugging Kiryu. "But miracles do happen, especially with Kiryu-san around!"

"Seriously, it was nothing." Gojirama smiled hugging her back. "Just doing what I can."

Taking a moment to stretch out before he went to his desk, Kiryu listened to the sound of Obara-kun's fingers tapping on his phone through the night. Tsuchimura kept working away on the last of her daily papers, sending out emails and filing accounts with Kiryu assisting when he brought documents for her to refer to. When it was time for her to clock off, she stretched her arms and neck then grabbed her bag.

"Aaaand, done. Thank you again for all your help Kiryu-san."

"No problem," the saurian nodded, "you off home now?"

"Oh absolutely, I can't wait to see the look on Junko's face when she sees her new Kelpie."

"She's really lucky," Obara smiled from his desk, "Misery's really rare, I still can't believe you found one!"

"I feel terrible not being able to credit you," said the serpent gathering her things, "I'll tell Koiichi of course but-OH!"

"I GOT IT!"

Obara leapt round his desk and grabbed something shiny that bounced across the floor.

"Hoo, you almost lost your badge!"

"Not that I ever wear it," she slipped it back in her bag.

"Why not? Actually you're right I never realised you don't wear it."

"I'm just a secretary, plus I don't want to make Koiichi worry about me working for yakuza."

"But, we're not like other yakuza, are we Kiryu-san?"

"Not at all," Gojirama crossed his arms, "but I understand, you're not obligated to wear it Tsuchi-chan, even though you're a valuable part of our team-"

"Ohoh don't give me that team-building talk," she waved her finger, "but I know, I appreciate it thank you. Anyways, I'll call you tomorrow how things go."

"G'night Tsuchi-chan!" Gonkuro waved as Kiryu opened the door. "Take care, say happy birthday to Junko-chan for us!"

"I certainly will, goodnight boys!"

"Goodnight Tsuchi-chan."

Kiryu bowed as she walked to the taxis. Under the glowing red gate of the city district, she stood waiting for a cab when the first spot of rain came down on her head.

"Oh, that is just typical. Why do I keep forgetting my umbrella?"

She moved towards an alley, hoping the tenement buildings would shelter her from the rain as she watched and waited for the taxis to open. Her tail slipped into the darkness, oblivious to the shadow behind her.