--Gangs--

[felyney]

[Lyney, as a rule, does not like going to people outside of the Family for help. He just doesn't know that he can trust them, and trust is tantamount for him.

But Shio was Family, once, before he managed to leave and maybe that's what Lyney needs right now. At least, he knows Shio won't report him to the Family for coming back injured.

He knocks on the employee entrance of Gen's, pressing his jacket to the wound on his arm.]

Comments

[threebetrayals]

Leaving me to handle the even-less-savory informants?

[He's good at that, after all. And has more magic.]

[reignitions]

[He nods.]

And I suspect Nagisa's already planning on looking into things on his own.

[He doesn't even have to look to know the youngest of their part-timers has been listening.]

... Eheh. Guilty as charged.

Just don't get in over your head. I know Moze's been training you, but...

[threebetrayals]

[Yeah, Kuni didn't even have to look either. It's Nagisa.]

We find the Knave, we kill the replacement. Is that about it?

[reignitions]

We also kill anyone who enabled this, if we can manage to smoke them out.

[threebetrayals]

Good. Go tend to the cat, Shio, I'll handle the lunch rush.

[reignitions]

Alright. Thanks.

[Time to take these noodles and the sake to Lyney.]

[felyney]

[Lyney has not moved from the bench. He's too tired. He's been running on fumes since Father was deposed, after all.]

[reignitions]

[Yeah, that's not a surprise.

He sets down a couple of plates of seafood yakisoba, the heated flask of sake, and two cups.

After a few moments, he reaches over to gently shake Lyney's shoulder.]

Hey.

[felyney]

[He starts to sit up, slowly and carefully.]

Hey. Is that seafood?

[His ears are showing. He's too tired to keep them hidden.]

[reignitions]

Yeah. Shrimp and calamari.

[A lot of fish doesn't play well with the stir-frying.

It's said as he reaches out to help Lyney sit up. After a moment or two, he sits down next to Lyney so the other can lean against him.]

[felyney]

[And he does with a sigh, reaching for the noodles first. He knows better than to drink on an empty stomach.]

I'm sorry about this, Shio.

[reignitions]

[He reaches for his own plate and shakes his head.]

Don't apologize. You know I'm more than happy to help you whenever you need it.

[felyney]

Still, you left the Family and here I am...

[reignitions]

I may have left, but I already knew doing so that I was going to keep helping you all however I could. You, Lynette, and Freminet especially.

[felyney]

Oh? Why us, especially?

[God, the food here is always so good.]

[reignitions]

You three are important to me. As important to me as Kazuma was.

[Lyney especially.]

[felyney]

...really? I know how much he meant to you.

[reignitions]

Yes, really. Kazuma meant a lot to me... but so do you.

[And so Lynette and Freminet being important to him are a natural consequence of that, too.]

[felyney]

[He smiles, leaning against Shio a little more.]

You mean a lot to me, too. When you left, I nearly took Lynette and Fremi and followed.

[reignitions]

[...!]

... Really?

[felyney]

Mhm. Father knew, though, and sat me down to talk about being her successor.

[And he couldn't let Father down, not like that. Not without giving it a shot.]

And now...

[reignitions]

And now this has happened.

[He can't blame Father for it, but there's a part of him that's angry with her for this.

... That doesn't matter right now. They'll have to find her, and restore her to her rightful position.]

[felyney]

And now this has happened.

[He sighs.]

So, is the former Balladeer planning a murder?

[reignitions]

Yes. And he's not the only one.

[He can't claim to know what goes through Nagisa's head but he knows necessary murder is a not insigificant part of what does.]

[felyney]

Am I allowed to help, or should I just focus on healing and laying low?