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October 24th

Starting his day fresh, Gordon McCartin had breakfast in the university lunch hall with his roommate Tuilleksen, a large room with pentagonal tables that sat before a grand stage where announcements would be made amongst the babbling of monsters and kaiju and beasts. With autumn turning colder, McCartin now wore a thick sweater reminiscent of fishing villages, whilst Rhett sported a long-sleeved shirt covered in binary code.

"//You figure out that last page yet?//" asked Tuilleksen.

"//Aye it was a bastard,//" Gordon sighed rubbing his head, "//tripped me up with the frequency number.//"

"//Hahaha yeaaah I hate those things.//" The sea serpent fiddled with his chopsticks. "//These fucking things I swear.//"

"//Takes a while don't it? Remember we kept trying to stab things with them and got the dirtiest looks?//"

"//Ugh, don't remind me, it's bad enough we get looks for not being kaiju. Speaking of, how's things with your gangster boy-//"

"//SHHH!//" Gordon clapped his friend's mouth. "//D-don't talk about him here!//"

"//Why not, no one cares.//"

"//I just, I don't want to get a bad reputation!//"

"//Date already knows!//" Rhett shrugged shovelling more rice in his gullet. "//You're too nervous Gordo, Japan's not as uptight as you think.//"

"//We JUST talked about how we got looks from using chopsticks wrong.//"

"//Yeah but that's not about who you date, that's just weird food rituals, like England does with their tea.//"

"//Oh gods,//" McCartin rubbed his fins, "//reminds me of the cafe I went to in Lambton Keyes, mum put milk in her tea and the looks we got, you'd think we pissed on the rug!//"

"//HHhhahahaha, aaaah, creatures are weird about food. Anyways, your boyfriend whose occupation I won't mention, how's that going?//"

"//It's great! He's so nice, every day I get to hang out with him, he always surprises me with a little gift, or just helps me pass the time at the shop just chatting.//"

"//Yeah he's a great guy,//" Rhett sipped his orange juice, "//weird you don't hear anything bad about him, other than you know, the fights.//"

"//But he never starts them, right?//"

"//That's what I've heard locals say yeah, he never starts fights but he finishes them.//"

"//He actually got me a gift the other day, wanna see?//"

"//Sure!//"

Reaching into his sweater, the Irish student pulled out a necklace with a three-leafed clover as his friend snorted cackling.

"//Oh my fuck did he actually get you a shamrock?!//"

"//Aye,//" Gordon blushed, "//I thought it was cute, even if a bit...obvious.//"

"//That is pretty adorable,//" Rhett nodded fingering the necklace, "//is that real emerald?//"

"//Yeah it is, I thought it was way too expensive but he said it was fine, he just wanted to get me something nice, I-i couldn't say no!//"

"//It is really nice...hah, you told your mother yet?//"

"//Oh Thyos no, I don't want her worrying about me!//"

Lunch was soon over as they headed back to their room, Gordon finishing up the last of his essay whilst Tuilleksen took a nap. With the last few sentences and some proofreading done, McCartin headed out to Manobu Date's classroom, passing various creatures in the corridor who were trading Pokerai cards in the corner. Gordon briefly caught the sight of flaming lizards wielding katanas, against foxes that shot water from their spears.

"Date-san?" Gordon knocked on the door. "Date-san, I have my paper!"

The door was unlocked, and he heard no one inside as he opened up to find the room empty. The small ampitheatre with several levels of semi-circled seats rose up before him, frozen white waves as he put his paper on the teacher's desk. As he went to turn and leave, he saw something on the ground next to the door.

"//Huh?//"

A small envelope addressed to Date, with no return address and the phrase "URGENT" printed in kanji.

"//Oh, this looks important! He's probably in his office I can deliver this and my paper there.//"

Pocketing the letter, he grabbed his essay and walked through the campus halls then across the open gardens. It was a cold day at the end of October, the chill starting to settle in from the open sea that made Gordon feel nostalgic. The damp wind pushing against his sweater, the salts whistling through his nostrils brought his mind back to the Irish sea with a strength in his heart.

In one of the illustrious buildings, he found the teachers' private offices, away from the dorms as he searched and asked for Manobu Date's room. The lecturers' quarters were somewhat more lavish with gorgeous stone pillars and fine mahogany doors as he found his teacher's room.

"And my appointment is set?"

The voice of Date came from inside as Gordon crept closer.

"Wonderful! It'll be good to be back at R.O.S.E again, this time with the authority I long deserve for my services. Have you found it yet?"

McCartin cocked his head hearing the name.

"So until you find it my appointment is delayed? ...of course, I have my friends out on the streets if you require additional help, but you understand I cannot be seen with them. They don't have the best reputation, at least nowadays thanks to those liberals...hmhm, yes yes, I will keep you posted if I hear anything my end. Take care."

As soon as the call was over, Gordon knocked the door gently as Manobu Date took a few moments to open, the turquoise dragon looming over him in a tan suit.

"AH, McCartin! I wasn't expecting you."

"Hello Date-san!" Gordon bowed deeply. "I have my essay, is done!"

"Well that's wonderful but, you should have waited until next class."

"Yes, but your door was unlocked. Also!" He brought out the letter from his pocket. "You have mail, wanted to give you it-"

"OH!" He snatched the letter a little too fast. "Ahh haha, thank you, my door was unlocked you say? I must have forgotten, thinking too much about other things, thank you McCartin I very much appreciate it. Come in, sit down for a spell."

"Thank you sir!"

Date's office was just as rich and full of knowledge as Gordon expected from his mentor. A sizeable desk of smooth heartwood with a lamp, a long silver letter opener that resembled a small dagger, and several writing tools. Volumes of books decorated one wall, the other occupied by various models of submarines that fascinated McCartin. Each one was egg-shaped, but all of them had different designs and intrinsic patterns.

"You like them?" Date grinned slitting the letter with his opener.

"They are...amazing!" Gordon gasped peering close. "Are they, for conservation?"

"Some of them yes." The turquoise dragon pointed to one. "That one is the first fully-working submersible in history, the Mohan developed in 1852 by Colombians."

"Oh! Wow, that old?!"

"Indeed, note the colouring in the Meso-American style, very elaborate with its hair-like coverings and yet styled in a way to blend with the sea environment."

"All these, different continents?" asked Gordon roving his finger above them.

"Correct," Date gestured to each one, "that is the first African one, the Nommos with its charming little tapers to resemble fins. That is the first European one, the Laume, you can tell from the rivets. It's strange with so many aquatic creatures in the world that no one decided until the 19th century to devise a submarine."

"Why not?" McCartin turned to him.

"For exploration." The dragon read through the letter then put it in the drawer. "How deep have you travelled, by yourself without gear?"

"Uh...s-six hundred meters?"

"Hmmm, impressive!"

"I have very good lungs," the student grinned proudly, "my mother swim a thousand meters!"

"Hmhmhm, well, beyond that, the ocean is vast and mysterious," Manobu spread his hands, "the world above has been conquered by every creature, but not the ocean despite our familiarity with it, despite having creatures like you that can traverse the depths."

"What's that one?"

Gordon pointed to a red-and-black sub with a drill on its front.

"Aaah yes," Date pulled at his white moustache, "that one is my favourite, a special one that was never made for a battleship."

"Battleship? For the World War?"

"Not quite, a bit more recent than that."

"Looks scary," McCartin nodded, "war, is biggest...motivation for new tech."

"Very true," the teacher grinned, "how apt for you, McCartin. Anyways, your essay please while you're here."

The student handed it over as Date put it aside on his desk, inviting himto sit down as the dragon clasped his hands.

"How are you faring with your studies?"

"Good!" Gordon nodded. "Very happy with class!"

"You certainly have a new spring in your step, I take it your personal relationships are good too?"

"Yes, I have boyfriend now."

"Ahhh, the Toho lad?" Date tented his fingers. "Well, all I ask is you be careful, the Toho have a sincere reputation but they are still reprobates."

"Yes Date-san," McCartin bowed, "but he very nice, always makes time for me, we only date when my time off."

"It is good to see you're acclimatising well to our country. Still working at the Poppo?"

"Yes!" the student flapped his earfins proud. "Kaiju so polite, so nice to me, even when my Japanese a bit...I, still learning."

"But you are learning," the dragon tapped his desk, "that's what's important, you have travelled half the world to learn from us, that is a great privilege you have."

"I want to help the oceans...I love the sea. Japan best research for it, your country learn from many mistakes in the past-"

"What mistakes?" Date grinned a little tight.

"Overfishing, not deal with tsunamis, putting money elsewhere and not helping creatures with flood protec-"

"Yes yes yes but I think you'll find it's more complicated than that, of course you're not studying our history so it's understandable you have it more simplified. Anyways."

Manobu leaned back on his chair.

"Thank you again, for delivering the letter, I shall be checking your essay come next class."

"Yes Date-san," Gordon bowed, "can I ask, why you start to teach ocean studies?"

"Hmmm well, I believe in the future of conservation, which was important back home."

"Oh, back home?"

"Yes, I come from Okinawa."

"Ohhh, so beautiful!" gasped the beast clutching his chest. "I always want to go to Okinawa."

"I'm sure you would," Date clenched his fingers, "creatures like you love to come to Okinawa, it is a very...common place for tourism."

"So, why you leave?"

"To expand my horizons. I already had a degree in chemistry so I went to work in a laboratory that could improve the world with eco-friendly designs."

"OH, very good! Now you teach?"

"Yes, though not strictly by choice. Change of management, much too dull to explain, but I still wanted to educate young folks such as you, hence I took on a degree in teaching here."

"I very glad you did," McCartin stood up to bow again, "you a great teacher, Date-san. I learn so much more than back home!"

"Of course you do," the dragon nodded, "you're in Japan now after all, but thank you. I shall see you in class, have a good day."

"Yes, you too Date-san!"

Heading back to the dorms, Gordon spent the rest of his day relaxing with Rhett, as they booted up the NeoGeo to play Quiz Daisaosasen: The Third Last Count Down. A quiz game compiling various pieces of trivia, they practiced their Japanese until their brains started to cook from too much kanji and they switched over to Neo Turf Masters: Fore-In-One.

A relaxing golf game they both found immensely soothing, a bet was soon made as to who could get the best score under par, the loser having to buy drinks. Gordon won by a single point, Rhett immediately regretting as the afternoon rolled in and Gordon left for the bus stop. Today was a rather special day for the beast, as Kiryu had a rare off-day that he planned to spend as much as he could with McCartin.

Clouds were gathering over with the threat of rain, Gordon silently praying that it wouldn't as he rode the bus to central Kaijurocho, getting off at the Hotel District and making his way south to Tenkaiju Street. Shachifuku Street had a massive hole sealed off its centre, cones and barriers in place for creatures to avoid. But even more strange was a small police detail at Tenkaiju's entrance, a tarp covering the grand crimson gate with its lights turned off.

"//Huh...that's weird,//" Gordon pondered, "//never seen it like that before. Must be under repairs.//"

Texting Kiryu that he was outside, five minutes would pass before he saw the familiar kaiju in his white suit exiting the office.

"Hello!" Gordon hugged him. "How are you?!"

"I'm good," Kiryu hugged him back, "how's things?"

"Great! I with you until night, what you want to do?"

"Well, my friends want to meet you, we're having a meet-up at Pronto."

"OH, your friends in Toho?" gasped McCartin. "Everything okay?"

"It's fine, don't worry they just want to say hi, I told them a lot about you."

"Okay, yes, let's go!"

Taking Kiryu's hand, they walked together to Nagamichi Street and entered the café Pronto with its charming teal banner and healthy-looking sun. Inside was a spikebacked kaiju with a horned snout in a red jacket, sitting beside a pterodactyl in a purple silk waistcoat.

"YO, Goji-chan!" Danzaki waved them over. "I ordered some pizza."

"Make that TWO!" Sano raised his hand. "I'm starving like hell."

"Mi guey you do not need more food in that belly."

"Oh come on you eat as much as I do!"

"Yeah but I get out and exercise."

"HEY, I do my rolls every morning!"

"Don't worry," Kiryu patted Gordon, "they're always like this."

McCartin blushed stepping up to the table as Kiryu sat down opposite his friends.

"Hello," the beast bowed, "I am...Gordon McCartin, very nice to meet you."

"Nice to meetcha," Sano offered his hand to shake, "I'm Anguirou Sano, this jackoff's Roberto Danzaki."

"So you're the guy who won Goji-chan's heart," Roberto also shook his hand, "glad he's finally found someone good."

"Th-thank you," Gordon sat down next to Kiryu, "I not know much, about Toho, so forgive me if I a little sweets."

"Uhhh, sweets?"

"W-weird, sorry, I meant weird."

"Hmhmhmhm," Kiryu rubbed Gordon's back, "you are sweet though, no denying that."

"GUH, a-aaah!" Gordon blushed a deep red.

"Snrrkhehehehee!" Danzaki cackled. "Damn Goji, real smooth just like I taught ya."

"How long you been working here?" Sano asked leaning forwards.

"Three years," the beast nodded, "I study at McNess Uni."

"Oh nice, you uh study ocean stuff, Kiryu said."

"Yes, is very fun learning!"

Gordon explained as best he could what the class entailed, taking questions with simple answers until the pizzas would arrive, Roman-style margherita with some drinks for each of them. Gordon and Kiryu shared one pizza, whilst Sano hogged most of the second with Danzaki taking a few slices.

"So what IS Ireland like?" asked Sano chomping away.

"Very lovely," Gordon sighed drinking hot cocoa, "very green, quiet, very Icthyan."

"Oh is it a pretty religious place?"

"Yes, lots of beasts go to church."

"We have the temple here but it's Hindu," Roberto nibbled his slice, "you ever been?"

"No, it look very nice!"

"You should go see Mosu-chan, she always loves to say hi to a new face."

"That's not a bad idea," Kiryu sipped his chai tea, "Shoji-sama would love to meet you."

"But, I not Hindu," McCartin rubbed his arm.

"That doesn't matter, Shoji-sama welcomes all visitors, I'm not Hindu either."

"Yeah neither am I," the pterosaur shrugged, "and I visit her most days, it's just an historical landmark, maybe the first thing to ever be here in what would become Tokyo."

"Wow, really?!" the student gasped taking a pizza slice. "How old is it?"

"Fourteen-hundred years," Kiryu nodded.

"Wow look at you nerds," Sano rolled his eyes, "the High Priestess pay you for advertising or what?"

"What's wrong with taking an interest in the city?"

"Nothing, if you're a big nerd, which you two are."

"Whereas you're just big," Danzaki poked him in the gut.

"Sh-shut up dude I been working out!"

"Yeah, working out how to eat two pizzas at once like a huevon."

"I WAS HUNGRY!" Sano slammed his fist. "I just put down a gang that coulda threatened our streets, I lost a buncha spikes and a tooth, I deserved more pizza!"

"You put two entire pizzas together like a sandwich," Kiryu crossed his arms, "and then you got sick, and you whined the whole afternoon about a bellyache that you deserved, and complained to Varan-san who just had a stroke."

"A stroke?!" Gordon almost choked on his slice. "Is he okay?!"

"He's fine, Varan-san's my boss by the way, he's an old-timer but pretty laid back."

"He sounds nice! Thank you for having me for lunch Sano-san, Danzaki-san!"

"De nada," Roberto ate his share and left the crust, "I'm surprised Obara-kun isn't here, thought he'd love to talk with someone his age-"

"Dude, what the hell?" Sano gestured to the crust.

"What, I don't like crusts."

"You are WASTING good pizza!"

"You have most of your own pizza, who's wasting?!"

"Screw that!"

The spikeback grabbed the crust and ate it, much to Roberto's horror who pulled back.

"Auuuugh gacho, no mames!"

"What?!" Sano chewed it down. "You're wasting food!"

"You don't EAT someone else's crusts, curelo!"

"Oh I'm sorry, mister Fancy American too good for pizza now?!"

"Monsters in America don't eat other's crusts!" Roberto snapped leaning in.

"But they finish their crusts, DON'T THEY?!"

"HEY!"

Kiryu slammed his palm on the desk causing a shudder through the table and the drinks to wobble.

"Sano, drop it. It's rude to take other creatures' food, even if they're not eating. Next time, you ask first."

"Yes...Kiryu-san."

Gordon felt a shudder through him hearing Kiryu's voice with such authority, partly frightened, but also excited at such dominance in his tone before they finished eating. Roberto paid for the meal and they went out for dessert at the ice cream shop, that stood on the corner of Taihei and Tenkaiju.

"You like sports McCartin-san?" Anguirou grinned eating strawberry.

"Mmmm, a little," Gordon shrugged with caramel scoop, "I played soccer."

"Oh no way, Kiryu and Danzaki used to play that!"

"Really?!"

"Si si," Roberto scarfed his coffee ice cream, "we used to have a team back at the orphanage, took on local teams, both me and mi carnal were unstoppable."

"I played local too! Nara FC!"

"Hah, not too far off from Nara Club at Nara Prefecture, imagine your island played against them!"

"That would be really confusing," Kiryu shook his head.

"like Cork City and Cork FC!" Gordon giggled. "So you and Danzaki played soccer?!"

"Sure did," Kiryu bumped fists with the pterosaur, "we've always been a team, though we do have a softball tournament in the Toho clan, Sano-san makes a mean pitcher."

"Damn right," the spikeback whirled his arm, "nothing beats my Unshakeaball!"

"Except that time Shisa-sama shot it to the moon."

"Okay, THAT was sick, I know he's the Fourth Chair, but damn that was cool as shit."

"I haven't played baseball," Gordon slurped more caramel, "Kiryu-san took me to batting centre, was very fun!"

"Ugh, really mi guey?" Roberto rolled his eyes. "You take everyone you like to the batting centre!"

"No I don't," Kiryu shrugged.

"Yeah you do," Anguirou snorted, "you're like the most vanilla dude out there."

"What does that even mean?"

Sano pointed to Kiryu holding his vanilla ice cream. The saurian looked slightly offended as Roberto cackled at his expression.

"Hey now, I'm sure mi carnal's got some fun ideas for a date, right McCartin?"

"Yes!" Gordon beamed. "We go bowling too!"

"Oh my gods, really?! Goji, come on, this is your novio, not us."

"What?!" Kiryu threw his arms. "I like bowling, I like batting, McCartin likes it too!"

"Is very fun!" the student flapped his earfins. "We go see a movie later too!"

"Okay, HOO!" the pteranodon patted his chest. "Glad to see romance isn't dead in this city, oh yeah that reminds me, Goji-chan. I got my builders in for Little Asia, we're starting up tomorrow."

"Great!" Kiryu spooned his vanilla. "I'm glad we're making it work, we'll talk to Sa-Rhee-san when it's underway."

"OH!" McCartin felt something beep in his pocket. "My phone, pardon me sirs."

"No problem, we'll be here."

Stepping away for a moment, Gordon looked increasingly worried at the name of the caller as Kiryu looked to his friends.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"He's really nice!" Sano grinned finishing his strawberry. "Mmmmph, damn this ice cream's good, yeah he seems cool I like him."

"He seemed a little nervous," Danzaki nudged him, "scared of the big bad yakuza?"

"He was worried," Kiryu nodded, "he's still not sure how all this works, and how different we are from regular yakuza."

"It'll take some time, we'll try not to get too rowdy, unlike SOME kaiju."

"What, what'd I do?!" Anguirou shrugged.

"We're trying to make Goji's boyfriend feel at home, and you're acting like a damn chavo."

"I AM making him feel at home, I'm being my usual self, make him feel like he's one of us!"

"I appreciate the thought," Kiryu patted Sano's shoulder, "even if you're an idiot."

"Oh fuck you dude!"

They laughed giving each other punches in the arm, until Gordon returned with his face turned pale and his hands shivering.

"McCartin?" Kiryu stepped close with an arm round him. "Is...something wrong?"

"...mother."

The kaiju clenched fearing the worst as Gordon licked his lips.

"M-...mother."

"What happened?" Gojirama pulled him close. "Is she alright?"

"She...she coming. To Japan."

A sigh of relief came through them, before they suddenly clenched again as Anguirou cried:

"Wait, your MOM'S coming?!"

"Want to see me," Gordon whimpered with fins drooping, "sh-she, she want to see, how I doing."

"Well hey, that's fine," Kiryu patted his back, "what's the problem, you're doing alright, you got a job, you're at university-"

"SHE COMING TOMORROW!"

McCartin suddenly screamed, clutching his heart with a whimper and hyperventilating as kaiju passing by gave him a weird look. Kiryu clutched him tight and put a hand to the student's chest, rubbing him softly with a gentle murmur in his ear.

"Calm down...caaaalm down. Look around you, where are you?"

"H-HHH, HHHH, HHHHH!"

"McCartin, stay with me, where are you?"

"I-i, I...T-taihei...Kaijurocho."

"What do you see?"

"Th-the...ice cream shop...beef bowl...Poppo, where I work."

"Alright, walk with me, keep telling me what you see."

They headed down the street towards the Millennium Tower, walking over to a bench for Gordon to sit down with Goji.

"What's he doing?" muttered Anguirou.

"Grounding," said Danzaki, "helps for panic attacks, Mosu-chan taught me that, probably taught Kiryu too."

"Uhhh, kay, I don't get the deal, it's just his mom."

"Mi guey, don't ask about family unless they offer, trust me."

"Damn...I haven't seen my family in ages," the spikeback rubbed his frills.

"You still talk to them?"

"Yeah a couple times, they retired so there's not much to talk about, they're just chilling."

"Ahh, that's good," Roberto tapped him, "so I heard you got in a fight with some street gang?"

"Ehh just some drug dealers, you know, business."

"Claro. Hey thanks for keeping Goji-chan company while I was away."

"What?" Sano snorted looking at him. "Dude he's my friend, of course I'm gonna keep him company."

"I know, just saying I appreciate you being here, even if we butt heads over pizza crusts. Goji-chan picked you and I trust his judgment, and he wasn't wrong, cuz you deliver the goods."

"Hah...thanks, Danzaki-san."

"Ni modo, Sano-san."

They both fistbumped then looked back to Gordon and Kiryu still on the bench, the student hugging his boyfriend tight with a little shiver.

"Th-thank you, sorry."

"It's fine," Gojirama grinned, "your mother's coming tomorrow?"

"Yes...I not told her about you."

"Alright, what do you want to do? Be upfront and honest, or just have me as a friend?"

"No, I...I want her to know," Gordon took Kiryu's hand, "but I don't want her to know you yakuza."

"Wait hold up," Sano waved his hands, "did your mom like, spring this on you, she didn't tell you she was coming?"

"Yes," McCartin nodded, "I told her I'm good, doing well...I not think she come here on her own but, if she want something, nothing stop her."

"Well hey, if you need any help," Roberto bent down to him, "we can make her trip easier and big you up, without mentioning the yakuza stuff."

"Really?" Kiryu blinked at him. "You don't have to, I know you're-"

"Nah nah I got time if you need a spare wing, and if his mom speaks English I can help with that too."

"//OH, you speak English?!//" the student slipped into such.

"//I picked up a lot of it in the States,//" Danzaki grinned, "//so if you need someone to take over talking to her, I'm all ears.//"

"//Thank you so much, but I wouldn't want to hassle you-//"

"//Naaah nah nah hey, hey, I know how to handle a lady.//"

"I assume he's telling you he knows how to handle a lady," said Kiryu leaning in.

"Was it that obvious?" Roberto shrugged.

"You always have that look when you're talking about ladies."

"Damn I wish I spoke English," Sano rubbed his neck, "maybe Basu-chan'll think I'm cool."

"She already thinks you're cool," Kiryu snorted, "anyways, thank you for the lunch and offering to help."

"De nada," the pterodactyl pulled Gordon up, "I'll be flying around Kaijurocho all week so just text me and I'll zoop in."

"And I got...nothing," The spikeback rolled his arms, "I guess if you need a bodyguard I can do that?"

"I'll keep that in mind," Gojirama patted his friends, "alright, McCartin-san, how about I take you to the temple? Shoji-sama can help you calm your nerves for tomorrow."

"Yes, thank you," Gordon bowed once again to the Toho friends, "goodbye Sano-san, Danzaki-san, it was very good to meet you!"

"Same to you," Anguirou gave a thumbs up, "later dude."

"Hasta luego," Danzaki waved.

Taking Gordon to the temple, Kiryu led him through the sand-patterned front garden as the monks greeted them in passing. Stepping through the oaken doors, they took off their shoes at the entrance hall and passed various acolytes in separate rooms, where ancient tapestries and stone pillars weaved elaborate tales that fascinated Gordon.

"Wow," he whispered, "is amazing!"

"You are standing in history," Kiryu nodded, "no other place in Tokyo is more important than this."

"You said it, not me."

A firm but gentle female voice approached them. The High Priestess bowed to them with shining compound eyes of purest sapphire from her fuzzy white head, her mandibles widened in a soft smile as her sari made of wings fluttered round her body.

"Hello there, are you a friend of Kiryu's?"

"Shoji-sama," the saurian bowed, "this is Gordon McCartin...he's my boyfriend."

"Oh!" she clapped her four arms to her face. "Ohoho Kiryu, that's, that's wonderful, I'm so glad you found someone! I am Mosurakoto Shoji, it is very lovely to meet you."

"Thank you," Gordon bowed in turn, "your temple is lovely, so beautiful and...ancient."

"Thank you dear. Would you like some lunch?"

"We already ate," Kiryu waved his hand, "Sano and Danzaki treated us."

"Well you should come up for tea at least, you MUST tell me all about yourself McCartin-san, I insist."

He knew better than to argue with her, the High Priestess taking Gordon up to her personal quarters. The blend of Hindu stone halls with Japanese tatami mats was strange to the Irish student, but the smell of herbal tea soothed him as they entered the living room with its TV in the corner, and a low-seated table with cushions.

Shoji brought three cups and a kettle, Gordon trying to calm himself with shaking fingers that became steady once he drank some of her special tea. He couldn't tell what herbs they were, but it soothed him immensely with a cool flavour on his tongue, and a wondrous heat in the back of his throat.

"Did you add more polonium to this?" Kiryu smacked his lips. "Tastes different than usual."

"I would NEVER add B-rads to my tea," she scoffed, "this is one-hundred-percent natural."

"I know I'm just pulling your leg," he chuckled, "it is different though, it's really nice."

"I'm working on a new recipe, wanted to mix it up."

"It's so nice," Gordon sipped gently, "like a warm hug in my belly."

"Awhaww, aren't you presh?" Shoji pinched his cheek. "So, I'm sure you're wondering how Kiryu is friends with the High Priestess."

"No, I know Kiryu very nice. Knows many friends, and all his friends are nice too."

"So how did you two meet?"

"I work at the Poppo, Tenkaiju Street. Kiryu come in a lot, we talk, then he help me stop vashers."

"To be fair," Kiryu leaned forwards, "McCartin-san was handling himself well with a bat, I just stepped in to deal with one extra."

"Vashers?" The priestess gasped with hands on knees. "I heard about the big fight over at Children's Park."

"That was on our date."

"HAH! Sorry, I shouldn't laugh, of course trouble always finds you Kiryu. Normally when you take someone out you go to the cinema, not a punch-up."

"I don't PLAN these things Shoji-sama," said Goji shaking his head.

"He save a homeless kaiju!" Gordon gripped Kiryu's arm. "I told you, Kiryu very nice."

"You didn't slouch either, you could have walked away-"

"No! I no leave you, or anyone who need help!"

"Still, I felt really bad about dragging you into that."

"Is okay!" McCartin sipped more of his tea. "How long you been priestess, Shoji-sama?"

"Oh well," the moth tapped her mandibles, "must be about six years ago since I made Brahmana, four years after I first met Kiryu."

"How did you meet?"

"She found me beaten up," said Kiryu rubbing his cup, "nursed me back to health, since then I lend a hand to the temple whenever she needs it."

"I should stress the temple is not under Toho control," Shoji nodded taking a drink, "Kiryu-san is a friend, the temple operates strictly independent."

"I understand," Gordon smiled finishing his mug, "thank you for the tea!"

"My pleasure McCartin-san, thank you for coming. You did seem a little stressed out so I hope it helps."

"Oh, um, s-sorry. My mother, she coming tomorrow."

"Ohohohhh, really?!" Shoji grinned towards Goji. "Kiryu, you sly boy, already meeting the parents, I hope you bought the ring."

"What?!" Kiryu snorted reeling back. "Come on I've only been dating for a month, this wasn't planned!"

"AHAHAHAHA sorry sorry I couldn't resist, does your mother live here, McCartin-san?"

"No," Gordon stiffened his back, "she from Ireland, my home."

"Ohhh...goodness that's a long way to travel."

"We only just learned today," Kiryu tapped his hands, "she doesn't know about me yet."

"Ahhh, I'm sure it'll be fine." The moth sat up and took their mugs. "Are you sure you don't want anything for a snack?"

"We're fine thank you, I just wanted to show McCartin-san the temple and check up on you."

"I'm honoured. It was very lovely to meet you, McCartin-san. May I take your hand?"

"I-...what?" Gordon cocked his ear. "Sorry, I not understand."

"Allow me, please."

She sat down beside him, taking his hand and rubbing it softly. McCartin blushed at her eyes staring him down, trying his best not to fidget as she peered into his mind and froze him on the spot. Her antennae twitched for a few seconds, before she smiled and let him go.

"I have one piece of advice for you. Never be afraid to fight, even in a strange land."

"What...what you mean?"

"What you were doing before, was always the right thing. No matter who it may be, no matter what the cost, you must always stand against the unjust."

"I...I will." He nodded.

"Are you doing that thing again?" Kiryu smirked looking between them. "You had flowers when you did that with me."

"Well you're special," Shoji grinned at him, "anyways, I must get back to my duties, could only spare you a short break."

"Thank you for seeing us," he stood up with Gordon as he bowed, "take care Shoji-sama."

"Thank you again!" McCartin bowed in turn. "Goodbye, Shoji-sama."

"You too dears," the moth clasped her hands, "I shall see you out, you both have a pleasant day and may the gods bless you."

After departing the temple, Gordon and Kiryu went to the cinema to lose themselves in a grand fantastical epic of an underground world where magic reigned free, and a conspiracy involving illegal weapons that threatened the stability of three kingdoms. It was somewhat slow to start with, but come the halfway point it never stopped riding hard and with one massive shocking twist, threw the audience for a loop that they would never forget.

It helped Gordon forget about his mother's visit for a while, cuddling against Kiryu in the dark of the theatre sharing popcorn and a soda. Once the movie was over, the sky turning dark with a fading pink, they went back to their separate homes, a smile on Gordon's face and a warmth in his heart from remembering Kiryu's touch.

The next day, under a clear blue sky on a crisp afternoon, McCartin and Kiryu arrived at the Tokyo Airport, a dizzying complex where creatures from around the world shuffled through a labyrinth of desks and platforms. With wide open floors and queuing lanes, passengers rolled up with luggage, were checked at detectors, and given suppressants to stifle their energy abilities during the flights.

Some complained of course, a few even ranted about their rights, but all of them took it eventually as they felt strangely exhausted when they would slump onto the plane and take their seats. Even winged creatures went onboard due to supposedly the distance between continents being too immense, but the actual reason being it was much easier to track creatures through customs.

"Which flight is she on?" Kiryu asked.

"Mmmm, B-1961," Gordon squinted at the flightboard.

"It should be over that way." They started walking through the crowds. "Anything I should know, does she have allergies or?"

"No," the beast wringed his hands, "she love fish, she love sushi, it's fine, it's FINE!"

"Hey," the kaiju gripped his shoulder, "she's just here for a week, she's just going to see the sights, then your university and then leave."

"Yes, okay, good." Gordon hugged his arm. "Thank you for the car."

"No problem," Kiryu grinned, "Hakura-san's a good friend."

They found the gate and stood in wait, Gordon pulling out a sign saying "SOGRA McCARTIN" next to a few other kaiju with their own placards. An hour would pass of the most agonising boredom, the sound of heaving planes rumbling past and causing the walls to vibrate from their furious engines. Resting on benches, they took holding the sign as the flight processed its passengers. Then they saw her.

Lumbering through the hall was an older, meaner-looking Gordon with dark crimson eyes and warty skin beneath a lumpy sweater, a woollen shawl and bare-leathered feet. She waddled into the airport with a foul thunderous look, the beasts giving her a wide berth when she scanned her surroundings with a giant bag of luggage dragging behind.

"//MUM, MUUUM!//"

She swivelled her head immediately to Gordon who rushed straight for her in a hug. Her scowl briefly faded with a smile and a kiss to her son's cheek, Kiryu walking over as the two babbled to each other in Irish Gaeilge, her voice thicker and grating compared to Gordon's cheerful lilt.

"//Ugh, the feckin' flight wuz a nightmare, would you believe they wouldn't let me feckin' smoke?//"

"//Um, aye?//" Gordon smirked. "//That's been a thing on flights for about five years.//"

"//Ach Thyos wept, how'm I s'posed to know whut feckin' rules there are I haven't been on a flight in twenty years the miserable bastards-//"

"//I'm so happy to see you mum.//"

He kissed her with another hug as she grumbled happily. A moment of quiet between them in the midst of passing creatures, as she rocked him gently.

"//Yer lookin' thin.//"

"//Agh mum, come on!//"

"//Have you been eatin' right?//" She pulled back looking at him. "//It's all seafood here, you got no reason not to eat!//"

"//I'm fine mum!//" he rolled his eyes. "//I just work out more often, doing more walks!//"

"//You did plenty walking back home an' didn't look this thin! I told you, you shoulda gone closer to the sea, you're a boy of the sea Gordo, it's not right being in a city!//"

"//Is this about London again!?//" Gordon huffed crossing his arms. "//Mum, I swear, it was one time-//"

"//You almost got bloody kidnapped by a circus!//" she jabbed his snout. "//I don't trust them lot down in London, never have, NEVER trust anyone whose face you can see in their shoes, that's how the sassenachs getcha!//"

"//Ohhh Thyos, mum, I was doing a gap year, I was helping a friend!//"

"/NEVER TRUST THE CIRCUS GORDO THEY KILLED YER FATHER!//"

More of the passengers coming off the plane stepped even wider away, Kiryu waiting for the moment to step in when Gordon spread his arm towards the kaiju in the pale suit.

"//Mum, this is Gojirama Kiryu. He...my boyfriend.//"

"//Ehh?!//"

"McCartin-san," Kiryu bowed deeply, "it's an honour to meet you."

"//Thyos wept, since when'd you get a lad?!//" she snorted at him. "//You plannin' to mention this anytime soon or were you gonna invite me to the wedding?!//"

"//MUM!//" Gordon blushed putting up his hands. "//We've only gotten serious the past month, he's a lovely kaiju, we've been dating a while, I was going to call you but then I heard you were flying over!//"

"//So my instincts were right,//" she tapped her snout, "//soon as someone wuz puttin' a move on my wee lad here I am.//"

"//He's not putting a move on me, we're in a relationship!//"

"Excuse me." Kiryu put up a hand to pause. "We have a limo waiting for you, McCartin-san, would you like to go to your hotel?"

"//Oh you do, do ya?//" the mother leered when her son translated. "//Alright let's go, me feet are feckin' knackered, also it's SOH-RA, not Sog-rah, the G is silent.//"

"//Mum I told him already,//" Gordon rolled his eyes.

"//Plenty sassenachs make that mistake, might as well get it out now.//"

"Yes," Kiryu bowed again, "Soh-ra, McCartin-san.//"

They walked out of the airport with Sogra marching faster than either of them despite her sore feet, the boys struggling to keep up until they reached the taxi tanks. Goji led them to a black limousine where a yak stood in a green suit, bowing with smooth-haired locks as he opened the door for his new passengers.

"//Ohohh, lookit you fancy lad!//" Sogra lumbered in the back. "//How much you save up on yer wages?!//"

"//This is Kiryu's company car,//" said Gordon sitting beside her, "//wanted to give you the best service in Tokyo.//"

"//Well this is feckin' comfy,//" she grinded her ass in the seats, "//feels like I'm meeting the Taoiseach with this shite.//"

The car drove off when Kiryu motioned the driver, Gordon sitting between him and his mother as they headed down the motorway. Sogra never looked out the window, the skyscrapers and marvelling architecture of Japan a blur as the dead silence filled their ears.

"So," Kiryu looked towards her as Gordon translated, "how was your flight, McCartin-san?"

"//Terrible,//" she snarled back, "//ya hear they don't let you smoke on flights nowadays?!//"

"I did, that was five years back."

"//Oh feckin' hell, am I the only one in thuh world who never heard of it, whut did everyone go behind me back just to prank me?!//"

"What brand do you smoke?"

"//Balor's Crown.//"

"Huh, never heard of it. I smoke Fat Mans myself...you want to trade?"

"//Hah, sure.//"

She brought out a pack showing a muscular beast with a piercing eye beneath a crown. Kiryu brought out his Fat Man cigarettes showing a mushroom cloud, offering one of them to Sogra. She smiled and handed him one of her Balors, the driver slipping down the windows when he heard the click of lighters.

Gordon was thankful, watching the smoke disappear into the breeze as his mother and boyfriend took a drag each and savoured the different tastes. Kiryu was surprised at the woody taste of the Balor cig, like a campfire in his throat compared to the strong fission burst that Sogra was tasting.

"//HOO!//" she gasped with a grin. "//Aww feck this is the dog's bollocks!//"

"//MUM!//" Gordon gasped. "//Don't say that!//"

"//What, there's no dogs round here!//"

"//You can't just say that nowadays.//"

"//Well don't tell 'em whut I said, MMMPH! Ohhh, now that's the good shit that.//"

"She loves the cigarette you gave her," Gordon said to Kiryu.

"Glad to hear," the kaiju grinned taking a puff, "the one she gave me tastes good too, does she want the rest of mine?"

"//Aye if yer offering.//"

She cackled as they traded packs, her Balors for his Fat Mans with Gordon coughing slightly when a faint vapour drifted by his nostrils.

"//So, you got a boyfriend now?//" Mrs. McCartin looked over. "//What sorta job you do to get a fancy limo?//"

"I work in finance," Kiryu nodded, "I manage accounts for various smaller companies."

"//Sure yer boss won't mind using the company car?//"

"Not at all, I'm a lieuten-...senior manager of the company."

"//Hmmm,//" she slit her eyes taking a puff, "//and how'd you meet my boy Gordo?//"

"I'm a regular at the store he works at," Gojirama smoked his, "I buy all my cigarettes from him."

"//Ahh, good on you lad,//" Sogra nudged her son, "//any chance I can see this wee shop?//"

"//Oh yeah sure!//" Gordon patted his knees. "//If you're not too tired we can show you round Kaijurocho!//"

"//I thought we were going to Tokyo.//"

"//Kaijurocho's part of Tokyo, it's a district.//"

"//Well, hate to say I'm jet-lagged to shite so, I'll just sleep off at thuh hotel.//"

"//No problem! Gives me time to set up an itinerary an-//"

"//Gordo.//" She patted his cheek. "//I'm yer mum, not a business partner, just come get me when you have time.//"

"//O-okay.//"

He blushed sweetly at her touch as they arrived at the Hotel District, Hakura helping McCartin with the luggage as she checked herself in with help from Gordon. He also gave her a few flashcards that he wrote with basic Japanese phrases, to help her when he wasn't around, after they lugged up her suitcase to her room and gave her time to settle in.

After they hugged, Kiryu and McCartin went their separate ways to manage their work and free up some time for the rest of the week. Gojirama stepped into his office, the sky still shining blue as he noted the great Tenkaiju gate still covered in a cloth tarp with the odd police officer about.

"Ey, Kiryu."

He heard the voice of Sanjin Obakimura, waving to him from the couch with a bandage still wrapped round his head. Obara was also at the office, staring deep into his phone with a ravenous glint in his eyes.

"Have the police finished asking?" Kiryu began.

"Yeah it's all cleared," the patriarch nodded, "they give you any trouble?"

"I told them about the fight with Kamoebara, his attack on the temple, the kidnapping and all that."

"Whut they say?"

"That I should let them handle this, if I cross paths with that family again I call the police, the usual stuff."

"Alright then," Varan rubbed his head, "how wuz yer date?"

"Good," Kiryu nodded, "McCartin-san's mother came to town, thank you again for letting me borrow Hakura-san."

"Naw it's nuthin', she make it alright?"

"Yeah, she's hanging around for a week then she'll be off again, but I won't waste too much time-"

"Ey, Kiryu." Sanjin beckoned him to come closer. "You done more than enough work, yer allowed to have sum time off."

"I just don't want to shirk my duties," said Goji shrugging, "any word back from HQ?"

"Shisa-han's away on business sortin' out a strike over in uhhh Ittangaya, it'll be a while 'til we get down to brass tacks. Still, whut kinda bastard like Gihei would kill his own subordinate just as a warning?"

"A psychopath," Kiryu crossed his arms, "one we should not underestimate when he's got blood out for me."

"HOHOOOO YES!"

Obara shot up out his seat and clenched his fists with a little dance.

"I can't believe it, AAAAAH!"

"Woa-woah whutsup now?!" Varan looked towards him. "They got another NeoGeo out or whut?"

"No, even BETTER! I got new servers for my Paw Patrol and they're SICK as hell!"

"Wait, servers?" Kiryu shook his head. "I thought it was an app on a phone, why do you need servers?"

"Because it's still data," Gonkuro smirked, "it's gotta go somewhere, everything online needs servers to manage and transfer data, and I just got mine!"

"So what does that mean?"

"It means that my app can grow! There's this guy I'm talking to, his name's Kevin, we met in a tech forum a few weeks back, and he said he had some server space needing to be used and he really liked my app!"

"Kevin?" Varan squinted with a sneer. "Issat Russian or-"

"I dunno, I don't ask, his name's Zero-Key but I just call him Kev, anyways THIS IS REALLY EXCITING AAAAAH!"

"Hahahaha, I'm glad to hear," the old kaiju watched him dance and shake. "It makes ya happy, that's all that matters."

"Well it's not just that," the junior rushed over to him, "it means we can make Kaijurocho safer, now I can expand the platform!"

"How do we do that?" Kiryu stretched his arms sitting down.

"Well, I was thinking we advertise at our properties, now that I'm more confident I can take the new increase in users. It's been pretty successful so far, I mean how many crimes you seen since I put out Paw Patrol?"

"I have to admit," Goji rubbed his chin, "I've not been fighting as much as usual the past few weeks, been a nice change of pace."

"Guess how many crimes this shut down on average?" Gonkuro showed his phone. "Four, per day, I got the stats right here!"

"Wait, FOUR crimes per day?!" Varan snorted tapping his belly. "Damn son, you turn to a real cyber-vigilante!"

"Well it's like thefts and vandalism, petty stuff but still important to stop! I even found out the most dangerous place in all the city was Zennyo Avenue."

"I always thought it was Champion Distirct," Kiryu looked up at the ceiling, "all those drunks and tight alleys, that's just begging for trouble."

"That's actually the third most dangerous, second is West Shachifuku!"

"That Children's Park does attract a lot of trouble. Anyways, I'm glad your app is doing well, it's been very useful finding thugs and delinquents around the place, along with saving Sa-Rhee-kun from a beating."

"How is he by the way?!" Obara sat down next to him.

"He's good!" Kiryu nodded. "He was asking for you, you should meet up again sometime."

"Aren't you fixin' up Little Asia?" said Sanjin rubbing his scalp. "Why not take Obara wit' you?"

"Really?!" Gonkuro flapped his ears. "Can I, can I Kiryu-san?!"

"Sure, no problem," Goji nodded, "I can't take you into Little Asia, but Sa-Rhee-kun can come out and see you."

"Alright, thank you!" the youth bowed and headed out the door. "I'm gonna grab lunch, you want anything?"

"Geiger Set!" Obakimura shouted. "With extra fries!"

"No you don't," Kiryu blocked him, "doctor told you, no more greasy foods."

"Whut?! Come on it wuz a mini-stroke, that ain't shit!"

"You're almost sixty, you need to consider your health."

"Dammit Kiryu why you gotta be such a killjoy?!"

"Because someone needs to stop you killing yourself."

"He's right Varan-san," Obara bowed respectful, "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Obara-kun," Sanjin rolled his eyes, "come on you know I'm a tough ol' coot."

"But I-i really thought you'd died when you collapsed, I was so scared I-i...I...I didn't know what to do! Please...don't leave me, Varan-san."

The look in the young kaiju's eyes stirred something in Sanjin, those fretful words and soft drooping ears made his heart twitch with a heavy sigh.

"Alright," he nodded rubbing his spikes, "alright I'll uh...just grab me a bento lunch."

"I'll have the same," Kiryu nodded.

"Okay doke!" the junior grinned. "Gotta keep your strength up for the new Dragon Quest, right Varan-san?!"

"Heh, you know it kid."

The elder gave a thumbs up and a smile, watching Obara leave as he laid down with a grumbling stomach and a sore head whilst Kiryu filed their taxes. Or rather, the company's taxes to keep up the illusion, his mind drifting back towards McCartin with a soft grin on his features.

As the day would pass and night soon descended, the Millennium Tower lit up like a stairway to heaven, bright and brilliant with its glass facade staring out across the sea of lights. At the 107th floor, Doi was sitting at the desk in the central hall, the grand circular room with its three carpets, golden pillars and black marbled floor.

"Go-Six returned two-hundred percent," said the kappa in front of him, "Andromeda's returning seventy, and Resco at four-hundred-nine."

"Aaaah Resco," Doi sighed reading the broadsheets, "my little golden goose, of course you're doing the best."

"Our sub-contractor Whitelake has reduced our taxes by three-hundred-and-forty percent, by our earmarked allowances."

"How many MUCs do we have?"

"Twenty in Sri Lanka, thirty-eight in Kankoran, twelve in Australia and eight in England."

"Good good...hmm, speaking of, the English pound's hitting a plateau, methinks it's time for a shorting session."

"Yes Doi-san."

The kappa pulled out his binder, his hair scraped back to expose the spots on his forehead beneath the crowning lilypad full of water. Searching the names of various companies, the assistant read them all off with Doi deciding the fate of each as he never took eyes off his paper.

"Harbex?"

"Short."

"TenTen?"

"Short."

"ExPlane?"

"Mmmmm no they're actually doing quite well."

"AccelForce?"

"Oh absolutely short," Doi scoffed, "they've had a year to make new waves with their wind pylons and I'm tired of waiting."

"They suffered a fire at their warehouse," the kappa tapped the company name.

"That's no excuse they should have had two, now short them."

The assistant struck off the name and tallied the rest, putting the binder down and pulling out his phone to play the stocks on Doi's behalf. The dragon in the purple suit kept reading through the Financial Times, taking a pen and circling companies of interest.

"Anything else today?" he asked.

"Yes, there was a whistleblower."

Doi flipped down the paper to stare at his assistant.

"Have they been dealt with?"

"Not as of yet," the kappa bowed, "we managed to suppress enough posts of it online-"

"Have they contacted authorities?"

"No, it appears to be a pre-emptive measure in case we learned before they could-"

"Imbeciles." Doi rolled his eyes. "Do we know who they are?"

"No, Doi-san," the kappa shook his head.

"What department are they in?"

"We have determined they are in Four-F, Kankoran division."

"Fire them, everyone."

"...that, that's six-thousand employees-"

"Did I stutter?" The dragon put down his paper. "The department is tainted by an irascible worm, fire EVERYONE."

"But, Doi-san," the kappa blinked, "we need them to operate our funds in Kankoran, I-GRRHK!"

A hand suddenly gripped his throat, as Doi stood up from his seat to lift the assistant high with his gloved fingers.

"I do not hire you for your opinions."

"HR-RRRKH!"

"Fire everyone on Four-F. If I have to do it myself, I shall fire you off the top floor, is that understood?"

"Y-yes...Doi-san."

The kappa nodded when he felt the crackling of lightning through Doi's glove, the boss putting him back down before shooing him out his office. Taking up his newspaper again, he finished reading then went back to his private quarters. A luxurious desk sat upon a Persian carpet of dancing demons, soothing his spirits with its lustrous fervour.

Gliding his hand across the bookshelf that filled the back wall, he brought out a first edition titled "Thanatosphenes: A Compendium of Works" and started reading from his bookmark. A few sensible chuckles came from him as the lights of the city filtered in from the large window beside him, painting his reclined body in silhouette. An hour would pass as he lost himself in the ancient Greek epic, before he heard the sounds of his brothers arguing.

"Fuckin' BULLSHIT!" roared Gihei.

"It was out by two centimetres," said Rai.

"FUCK YOUR CENTIMETRES YOU BRAINLESS FUCK!"

"I can offer some advice to better your ball control-"

"OH, YOU WANT ME TO SHOW CONTROL?! DO YA!?"

"I know it is difficult to start, but if you will allow me I can help-"

A shattering KRAKK could be heard as Doi bookmarked his place, putting the book back and walking out his room to find Gihei snarling at Rai, who currently wore a tennis racket smashed round his neck. The furious brother in red shorts and vest, stormed off to another room as the calmer sibling wore the same in green.

"Good game?" Doi smirked.

"I won five matches," Rai pulled the racket off his neck, "Gihei won three."

"He always did lack control, as you said. Well since he's off getting a drink, shall we join him?"

"Yes."

In a separate room jutting out the side of the central hall, a cool blue-lit backdrop shone behind a bar with black walls that resembled an underground club. From Scottish whisky to Russian vodka, the bottles formed a bleak rainbow with dark colours that helped their eyes relax, with Gihei behind the bar.

"Oh, you think I'm gonna serve you?" he snarled at Rai.

"I will serve myself if you prefer," Rai sat down on a stool.

"I'm serving, so tell me the fuck you want."

"Daiquiri, please."

"I'm in the mood for a mint julep," Doi suggested sitting beside.

"Of course you are, you fancy bitch."

Turning his back to them, Gihei pulled bottles from the shelves and started to mix them fast with a rapacious force. A shot of bourbon, some sugar water and fresh mint in first, before moving to the next drink with white rum, maraschino liqueur and a slice of lime.

"There," he slammed them down, "choke on 'em."

"Lovely," Doi let it swish around softly, "it surprises me how knowledgeable you are with these."

"Well," Gihei shrugged, "had to learn something in the clubs down on the streets."

"I admire the way you can rough it through the underbelly." He took a soft sip. "Mmmm...oh, quite a sting there!"

"I got some stronger bourbon, thought you might like."

"I certainly do, dear brother."

Rai took his drink in turn and drank half of it straight, watching Doi look over the bottle Gihei handed him.

"Copperhead Road?" asked the purple suit. "I never heard of this."

"It's from Tennessee," Gihei leaned on the bar, "most whisky from there's good shit, something in the water I guess."

"Am I reading this right? 1988?!"

"That was the year I first unveiled Moguera," said Rai nodding, "a good year that was."

"Yeah," the red-suited dragon smirked, "recent I know but, tasted it down at the auction in Sha-Wujing and MMMPH, my tongue fucking jizzed right there."

"Well I would love a small drop in mine," Doi offered his glass, "give it a little kick."

"Fuck yeaaaah get in bitch!" he dropped a few shots in. "Normally you don't go for the hard stuff!"

"I can appreciate a small bite or two," he gulped down the rest of his drink, "mmm-MMMMHHH, OOOH! Ooooh that's feisty!"

"You want some too bonsai-boy?"

"Yes please," Rai held up his glass, "you have good taste in alcohol."

"I hope so," Gihei poured him the next, "be a fucking shit bartender if I didn't."

"Many perform their jobs without talent, experience replaces that."

"I don't need experience."

Gihei stirred up his own drink with drambuie and Scotch, forming a rusty nail that he downed in one gulp with a belching wheeze.

"HNNNGH! Hooo! See that?! Want a rusty nail?"

"Yes please, brother."

The red-vested dragon made another drink of the same, tossing it to his brother in green who gulped his glass down without a single twitch.

"Mmm. Very good, more please."

"HAH, shit!" the bartender shook his head pouring more. "I forgot how good you can hold your liquor."

"Is it not one of the few things you like about me?"

"It is, that's why I forget."

"Well I would certainly like to ask for more at the next shareholders' meet," Doi snickered wagging his head, "would certainly cause a few tongues to turn loose."

"That secretary of yours made my tongue loose."

"Gihei, please." The brother in the purple suit furrowed his brow. "I'd rather not think about that settlement."

"Not my fault she had a big ass and a tail that rode up her back."

"I am not one to judge-"

"You cannot," Rai leaned from the side, "your lack of morals prevent that."

"Better than your lack of a face if you keep talking," Gihei snarled clenching his fist.

"Why don't we go outside for a moment?" Doi patted his arm. "Get some fresh air and admire our work."

"Heh...fine."

They walked from the bar after Gihei refilled their drinks, stepping out to the balcony beyond Doi's room to watch over the city. The sky was a clear moonlit night, as all three of the dragons stood in a row and sipped from their glasses, gazing upon the model city in front of the actual city. The Tokyo replica stood sprawling across a converted platform, on the outer reach of the Millennium Tower.

"Coming along nicely," said Doi stroking his chin, "your servant did a marvellous job caretaking."

"Ojha-san did well," Rai nodded stroking his own, "a shame he did not do better negotiating with the temple."

"Give it time, you know those religious types, or rather he does."

"Buncha beadsucking pricks," snarled Gihei, "I dunno what's more pathetic, that bitch hanging on to it, or your loser who failed to bargain."

"We have plenty of time to negotiate," Doi sipped his julep, "at least we have this lovely model to plan things with, a blueprint of our new home."

Walking around the outside of the model city, Gihei wandered over to Kaijurocho and stared at the offending temple that reached up to his knee, the Tower's own replica beside it nearly touching his thigh.

"Why do you want this piece of shit?"

"The temple itself is not important," Rai pulled out his phone, "but should we install Ojha-san as the new Brahmana, he can convince the acolytes to consent to our progress, and the district shall follow suit."

"The fuck do we care about a buncha hippies?! This is the future, we don't need fucking temples stinking up the damn place when we could take this, then Little Asia, clear all of that shit out and put down something better, like an office for my company!"

"I already have some locations planned," Doi wagged his finger, "be patient brother, good things come to those who-WHAT are you doing?!"

"Some renovation." He bent down to grab the temple. "Every time I come to this tower, I can't fucking stand the sight of this shit pile sitting right there next to us. So if I can't get rid of it out there...might as well do it here."

"GIHEI, STOP!"

The moment he tried to crush it in his golden claws, someone held his arm with a brutal grip. Looking up he saw Rai, a phone in one hand with his other pulling Gihei back as it shook with fury, his claws slowly pulled free from the model.

The dragon in red tore his hand from his brother's grip before smashing his glass across Rai's face. Cold whisky dripped off his golden snout that never changed its cool expression, calm and collected against his brother's twisted face.

"Touch me again, and I fucking bury you like we did before."

"Now now," Doi stepped closer towards them, "you had your fun already, that stunt of yours with Kamoebara was most egregious."

"I'M the only one doing ground work!" Gihei stomped. "I don't fuck around, unlike YOU with your bitchass numbers!"

"You are the most sexually-promiscuous of us," said Rai wiping his snout, "if anything, you are most likely to 'fuck around'."

"YOU WANT I THROW YOU OFF THE FUCKING ROOF?!"

Before he could react, a spark of violent gold shot across the model city and burned between the brothers' faces. A hand of shining silver swept past their vision, suspended on a long cable that burst an orb of lightning forcing the two back.

"If one Toho thug can upset you so easily," said Doi with arm outstretched, "perhaps you should let US deal with him."

They watched the metal hand retract to his wrist, fitting beneath the indigo sleeve as Doi checked his tie with steel fingers.

"Perhaps I should call our oldest friend to meet Kiryu and put him out of our misery."

"No need", Gihei scoffed waving his hand, "I got my best kaiju for that, he's just finishing work in Kankoran."

"Why not both?" Doi slipped the glove back on his metal hand. "We must deal with the Toho regardless, let's have one of them kill Kiryu, and one kill the Toho's Fourth Chair."

"Heh, sure," the red suit shrugged, "I need another fucking drink, oh yeah, Rai, you mind if I borrow Ojha for something?"

"As you wish," Rai followed him inside, "my company has just called, Project Emperor is now complete and it shall arrive within the week."

"Excellent," Doi tented his fingers, "see Gihei, something to cheer about."

"Yeaaah I guess," Gihei rolled his eyes, "didn't expect you of all creatures to think up something so batshit."

"I must have learned from you," Doi grinned with simpering look, "a little insurance should any reprobates come marching up to our throne demanding tribute for their meagre existence."

"I like the sound of that...can't wait to try it once armageddon hits. What about you bonsai-boy, you joining us for that?"

He looked back towards Rai who was tapping on his phone, the dragon in jade clothes looking up with a silent nod as Gihei snorted.

"I got one request," he added to Doi, "if we're gonna rub out Kiryu...I want to be the one to kill him."

"Brother," the purple suit warned, "we have greater things to consider than a personal-"

"Shut up. That Toho prick's fucked with us too often, first for finding that body, then stopping Kamoebara, he's MY problem now."

He put a hand to his jaw and breathed bolts of lightning across his fingers.

"I'll make sure he won't be a problem...he'll never see daylight again."