Post by Fukushu on Sept 11, 2022 15:31:07 GMT -5
~25 years ago~
It was a cold night in the slums of Hera, but Fukushu was used to that by now. It had been five or so years since he last his parents to some foreign war he had no notion of, and without any other family was forced onto the streets to raise himself. Things were hard at first, with the first few nights being stuck out in the rain without anything to eat or drink. Turning to crime was only a matter of time given his circumstances, though it didn't come naturally to the boy.
He was eight years old when he committed his first mugging. A group of teenagers they must have been; Fukushu ran in between them, acting as though he had fallen. In the chaos he grabbed a pouch and made off as quick as he could. By then he had become smart enough to realize he wouldn't survive without shelter, and had made his home in one of the many abandoned buildings of his district. He burst through a broken window, hide under some old boxes and waited forty minutes for them to finally leave. He ate well that night, and many nights after as he perfected his skill in thievery. By the time of his twelfth birthday he had made quite the name for himself, but in his line of work that was a bad thing.
Being hunted day and night was no fun for the boy, and thus he decided to leave his ancestral land and move. Eventually he settled south, where the region was much warmer and rain less of an issue, using the money he had 'saved up' to purchase a small shack on the beach. Of course crime was still rife in these parts, which was exactly what he was looking for.
He knew that if he wanted to continue his operations he was going to have to expand things, and the best way to do that was to get help. Crime was everywhere on Hera, with many of the top gangs exerting influence over officials to stay in power. As a ten year old he never expected to be able to get that kind of push, but he wasn't looking for either. As long as he could keep the local force off of him he'd be happy. He wasn't foolish enough to go prowling into any of the main gang territory though; there's not a single one of them that was looking to take orders from a ten year old after all, and instead decided to look for others in the same situation as himself.
The life of the Heran typically ended in war and death for some reason. This produced many orphans which in turn produced many who followed the same path as Fukushu; it wasn't hard to spot them if you knew what to look for. Some used their adorable faces to panhandle on the streets, while the less blessed lurked in the shadows as Fukushu had. On one occasion while Fukushu had been roaming the streets he even found a hand in his own pocket, and that was when he knew he had one.
He slammed the young boy to the ground and pulled off the thin, black linen which he used to cover his face. He was probably seven years old, the same age as Fukushu had been when he first found the lifestyle, though this one carried a more innocent face. At least he was smart enough to hide it, unlike Fukushu. He picked the boy up off the ground and examined him a bit more.
He was much skinny than Fukushu was; frail might be a good way to describe him. That wasn't always a bad thing though, as the boy was clearly quick and coordinated. The boy wore a frightened expression on his face, as though he was expecting harsh punishment, but today was his lucky day. "Don't worry, boy; I'm not going to hurt you. Steal from anyone else and you'd probably be regretting it, but I'm not interested in making new enemies. I'm in the need of friends, you understand?"
The boy said nothing in return, and the look on his face shifted from being scared to a blank expression, as though he didn't understand what Fukushu had told him. "You dumb or something? You got rocks in your head? Look, you and I know both know that being on your own is no way to survive. You might pick up a few nice targets here and there, but eventually you piss off the wrong person. Maybe they're connected, maybe they're the gang leader themselves. We need allies, the both of us. I know I may not look like much but one friend is better than none, don't you agree?"
"You're w-with them, aren't you? I k-know exactly what you want!" The boy stomped on Fukushu's foot and quickly made a break to escape, but he wasn't going to get away that easily. Fukushu grabbed his collar and threw him back to the ground, this time placing his foot on the boy's chest so that he couldn't wriggle away. "What do you mean I'm with them? Explain yourself before you make me any angrier than you already have!"
"I've already told your boss once before I'm not interested!" Boss? Once before?... It didn't take long for the gears to churn inside his head. There was somebody else out there who already had the same idea as he had. The question was who could it be? Whoever they were they were a rival to his goals, and they needed to be eliminated. The boy was his only lead, so Fukushu wasn't done with him yet. He picked the boy back up off the ground and dusted him off. "I don't have any idea what you're talking about. If there's somebody else out there recruiting then tell me about them."
Clearly the boy still didn't trust him, but in this circumstance he had little choice but to cooperate with Fukushu. "They call themselves the Shadow Cats. Their leader is a person called Niku. I've never meet the man but I know his reputation. He's cruel, and runs his boys hard. They're out on the streets 18 hours a day snatching purses only to receive scraps!" He spat on the ground before continuing. "I work hard for what I earn; I'm not giving it up to anyone!"
Niku was a name he had heard himself, though only stories he didn't believe. Some say he was an intergalactic smuggler who had ties to both the Saiyan and Arcosian monarchy, while others believed him to be one of Hera's most powerful politicians in disguise. Obviously both answers were complete crap, else why would he be concerned with a street level gang like the boy was describing? Best as Fukushu could tell he was just another average fighter ordering around many of the gutter rats to do his bidding. He knew the kind from back home, and had done well to steer clear of them.
But that was then, and this was now. He had grown stronger since then, though probably not enough to take on a full grown adult by himself. That was just another reason why he needed to recruit, and it started with the boy. "I don't want to take away from you anything you've earned; I want to help you earn more. Imagine what you could do with your own crew working for you."
"Maybe what you say is true. Maybe it's all a lie. If you can kill Niku then I suppose I might be inclined to help you." Obviously he wouldn't be able to win the boy over in just one conversation, but at least the boy didn't try and stomp on him this time around. Fukushu took the boy back to his shack and offered him a meal, which he quickly devoured. Clearly the small frame wasn't entirely by choice, though Fukushu had enough food by now that he didn't mind.
"Why don't you tell me more about this organization; the Shadow Cats? I've heard the name before, but nothing more than that. They're members must be very secretive." The boy quickly swallowed his meal and responded. "Very scared, you mean. Niku doesn't like it when his secrets get out. He's ruthless in his control of them, but I guess that's what makes them so effective. He uses children mainly to try and take advantage of people. I prefer to stay in the dark, but he likes them out in the light, starving and innocent looking; people let their guard down and next thing you know they're gone forever."
Not to mention they're easier to control. This Niku was no idiot, and somehow a twelve year old boy was supposed to take him out? Perhaps he should simply move away again before encroaching on his territory, but then what would he do? These types existed everywhere; if he wanted to expand then sooner or later he'd have to deal with one. Better to get it down young so the next one is easier.
"And you've never met him before? Could you at least tell me where his main hide out is?" The boy placed his hand on his chin and thought for a moment before responding. "There's an abandoned blaster factory located about forty miles north of where he are. I once chased a mark around there, which is when his gang first spotted me. There was a four year old kid outside that stuck their leg out and tripped me up. Before I knew what had happened another three of four were on my back and tying me up. They carried me off inside and there I meet with someone called Kutsu."
And who could this be? "Kutsu? You haven't mentioned their name before." He continued. "Kutsu is his second in command. He runs everything through Kutsu, including recruitment. He told me that I was now apart of the Shadow Cats whether I liked it or not. He gave me a map of the town with my allocated working grounds, and told me who I'd be partnering with. He told that I had a minimum of twenty thousand credits a week else they'd 'cut their losses' with me. Twenty thousand a week! I don't even make that in a month. As soon as they sent me on my way I was out of there."
The way he put that it almost sounded easy to escape Niku, and yet it seemed no one else did. It's true he must have quite the intimidation factor about him, yet the boy was brave; that'd be useful. From what he described getting to Niku directly would be almost impossible; they were obviously going to have to go through this Kutsu first. Take care of him and it should drag Niku into things whether he likes it or not. "What can you tell me about this factory? If Niku is smart then he must have chosen that location for a reason, and what about their numbers? How many threats am I looking at here?"
"Well, the factory isn't in use if that's what you mean. When I was in there some of machinery was operating, but I never saw them ever pack or sell anything, so I'm not sure what they're using it for. Maybe they just like the loud noise it makes, to cover things up. In terms of numbers... I recall seeing about fifty or so, but that was what they had inside. They had another ten outside at least, but this was in the midday when most of their footpads were out. I was told they had something like three hundred or so in total."
Three hundred? This... sounded a little out of his league. Maybe moving away wasn't such a bad idea?... though if he could eliminate those at the top and take over... well, that'd be three hundred of his men in the field. Of course three hundred for a Heran gang was still rather small time, but it was a nice start.
Of course the most difficult part was the planning of how to take them out. Like always Fukushu preferred a direct approach, suggesting that they should use the boy as bait to lure Kutsu out alone, then Fukushu could take him out. He was quickly cautioned against that, being told that Kutsu would never fall for that kind of trick, and even if he did he believed that Kutsu was more powerful than Fukushu. The Heran didn't like to hear that, but he kept him mouth shut and went back to planning.
Trying to think back to everything he had been told, Fukushu came to realize that it would probably be best to somehow involve the other children. Assuming all that he heard was true then the children likely despised working there, as the young boy had, which means they were likely to turn on their leadership if given the right opportunity. The most he could get on his side, the easier his takeover would be, though that meant he'd have to earn their trust, which meant he'd have to join them.
That was the part of the plan that he didn't like, as it put him at a great risk. From the sound of things Kutsu and Niku liked cute and docile and Fukushu was anything but. He was rowdy, ugly and roughed up from his years in the worst parts of Hera. This was still gang work though; no matter how they operated there were always spots open for muscle, and that he could do better than anyone else in their organization; he was sure of that.
So... he'd join up, run with them for a while and earn the trust of the underlings. Then when he had the numbers he'd overthrown Kutsu and take that position himself. That'd be enough to draw Niku out, which when taken out would allow him to assume control over most of the crime in this section.
But what about his new companion? He didn't trust him enough to leave him alone in his house; after all he was still a thief. On top of that he knew he'd need help on this operation, even if he would end up being rather reluctant. "Alright then, boy; I've got the plan. You and I both are going to sign up with the Shadow Cats. Since you've already upset them you'll need to provide them with some kind of peace offering... which will be me. You'll present me as a new catch for them; they'll (hopefully) forgive you, and take us both on. From there we'll both sow dissent among the workers until we're ready to take over. You get all that?"
He could tell by the look on his companions face that he wasn't excited about this plan. In fact, as soon as he had finished speaking the boy tried to make a dash for the door. Luckily Fukushu had been able to extend out his arm and snatch him by the collar, and once again he forced his foot down onto the boy's chest to pin him down.
"I'm getting real sick of you trying that! I know how you feel, to be afraid. But you really want to be afraid your whole life? You don't close to the resources you need to leave, and sooner or later they're going to find you. I may not seem like much on my own, but I'm offering you the chance to be free of that fear. I can take them down; I know it, but I'm going to need your help to do so. You know where they are, you know who's involved and you know how they operate, and two minds are always better than one. So, you ready?"
He had that same nervous look on his face, but eventually he relented. Fukushu could tell quite easily how scared he was, but he also knew the truth in his words. Sooner or later this gang was going to find him, and they were likely to be upset over being spurred the first time. Fukushu offered him a way out of that, even if it was a long shot. He had no idea how they would react to him turning up; they might go ahead and do away with them on the spot, but no empire was built without risk.
"I would say we could leave on the morning but... well, I don't trust you not to escape while I sleep, so I say we get ourselves locked in right away. Since you're the one who knows where the building is you can lead the way... though before we do go I feel rather like an idiot by calling you boy over and over again; what is your name?" He hesitated a few moments before responding. "Wakita." He'd try hard to remember that; Wakita would be the first cog to the grand machine he was building.
Wakita walked slowly, obviously trying to delay the inevitable as much as possible. The city they lived in was an industrial labyrinth; Fukushu himself tried to stay out of the city center as much as possible, for fear that he may never be able to find his way back home. Wakita clearly had great knowledge of the region though; everything looked exactly the same to Fukushu, but not to the boy. He never got lost, not even confused as they made their way through the winding streets and back alleys.
Perhaps that was just him trying to avoid going where they needed to go; that though did cross his mind more than once. Come the first light of dawn however he laid on eyes on the complex that Wakita had described to him earlier. Outside a few small beggar children who had the exact look of what he'd expect. When they laid eyes on Wakita they wasted no time running inside to inform their masters.
It wasn't long after that they were on the two of them. Fukushu had thought they'd at least have a little time to scope things out first, but these guys were organized. About thirty seconds after coming into view was when he first noticed a shadow behind them. He didn't say anything for risk of frightening Wakita, but by the time the second zipped by them it was clear that the boy already knew what was happening. Fukushu looked around for other entrance options, but found himself instead falling face first into the pavement.
A rope had managed to coil itself around his feet, and soon after Wakita came tumbling down as well, landing right on top of Fukushu. He would have let out a grunt, if he weren't trying to hide his pain in front of his enemies. A tough lesson he had learnt while on the streets: never let them know you're afraid, or in pain. As soon as they had touched the ground a dozen others sprang from every nook and cranny you could see, quickly throwing themselves on top of the two.
"Hey! What the Hell is this?" He didn't get a response. Eight children hoisted up Fukushu onto their shoulders while another five picked up Wakita. They group carried them into the old blaster manufactory where the inside revealed something that Fukushu had not expected. Though the outside of the building was decrepit and abandoned, the inside looked pristine. He would have asked Wakita why this wasn't brought up had he not been gagged.
They were thrown down at the feet of who Fukushu could only assume was Kutsu. The boy was clearly older than the rest; probably in his teens by now. His face was rough and scarred up though, so clearly he had a similar upbringing to Fukushu. His clothes were finely kept though, so at least someone here was getting paid well; the others told quite a different story. Most of them looks rather frail, as though they hadn't eaten in weeks, and combine that with their tattered clothes and they certainly paint quite the sympathetic story. The question is how much is a story and how much is reality?
There certainly looked to be quite a few discontent faces in the crowd, though right now they were not more than scared children too. His observations were interrupted by a swift kick to the gut. "What's we want with this one? Too old, too ugly; rich folk will run as soon as they see this one coming. And Wakita is that? I already told you what to do if you sees him again; you daft?"
Kutsu inspired great fear among his underlings; just those few words and they were trembling. It was something that Fukushu hoped to replicate one day, but for now he was his enemy. Wakita wailed and snorted until finally Kutsu ripped his gag out so that he could speak. "I've come to say sorry! Please, I never meant to insult you... I was scared, so I ran. But now I'm back, and I brought this one too! I captured him for you. I know he doesn't look to good, but he's strong!"
Kutsu gave Fukushu another look up and down before spitting. "Suppose... suppose we could use some muscle; got nothing but runts around here. But Wakita... we don't often give second chances. The big man upstairs likes to be able to trust his underlings, and you've already ran from us once, so what's to stop you from running again? If I were to take that chance and screw up it'd be my head rolling, so why shouldn't I save myself the trouble and take yours?"
The whole room fell silent. Wakita looked as though he was going to cry, but he managed to hold it in. Kutsu held his stare on the boy for what felt like an eternity before finally letting out a laugh. "There is one thing you could do for us, in fact I think the both of you could do for us. You see the boys and girls around here and quite good at snatching purses from old ladies, but when it comes to the big jobs... well, they sooner piss themselves that do what I'm about to tell you about."
Kutsu waved his hand and two small boys ran over to the two of them and removed their restraints. Kutsu himself tore out Fukushu's gag after he had managed to climb to his knees. "There's something big coming up; an opportunity we don't often get, and not something that can be trusted with children. Our leader... he wants to ingratiate himself with a much bigger organization, and he's looking to steal a certain item which can help him do so. The problem is that this item is being held under very high security; the kind that our boys don't have a pray of getting into."
He ushered the two of them into a room, before slamming the door behind them before anyone but the three of them could enter. "I was instructed that I must find a way to get this item and get out alive, but there aint a god damn individual under my control that can do that, and if I fail then I'm very much screwed. But you two? Well, if you fail then I can go ahead and claim that you don't work for me, seeing as yous don't. This item will get moved and the opportunity gone, but I can hardly be blamed for that when it'll be your fault. And if you succeed? Well, then you'll find a place here."
So, the two of them were expendable. It was no less than he was expecting come into this place though; he wasn't a trustworthy person, and so now he was going to earn that trust. The job sounded rough, and as Kutsu expanded on the details it only got rougher. They were going to be stealing an very old emblem belonging to some long dead military organization; all Kutsu would say was that it was a red phoenix on a black steel pendant.
The pendant was currently being housed by a man called Netami, who himself had times to crime as most powerful Herans did. Kutsu refused to reveal who was commissioning the job or why they were going after the pendant, only that it was very important their leader get their hands on it. Given that they had no say in the matter it was very easy to accept the job.
Kutsu wasted no time getting them on the job, kicking them out of the building with a map of where to find this hidden pendant. Netami's home was around a forty five minute walk from where the factory was, though it felt much shorter than that. Despite the situation Fukushu actually found himself in a rather cheery mood as in his mind the he had an obvious path to move forward, which wasn't something he'd always had in his life. As soon as they job was complete he'd be one step closer to achieving his goals.
The first guard was easy to take out: Wakita busied him with nonsense questions while Fukushu knelt down behind him. Once in position Wakita gave him a hard push to knock him over... though he wasn't actually strong enough to get him down. Before the guard could smack Wakita Fukushu was up off his knees and had his arms wrapped around his neck. Wakita stabbed at his knees until finally the man went down unconscious.
The next guard they didn't waste time with around routine: Fukushu rushed them from behind while Wakita took out their legs. Each guard went down easier than the last until the courtyard was littered with bodies. Wakita thought they should spend some time hiding them, but Fukushu wasn't looking to spend any time they didn't need to, so he took Wakita by the arm and dragged him up onto the porch. Once there he tried to think about all of the elaborate ways he could enter without triggering any alarms, though nothing good actually came to mind.
He had to go ahead with the lamest of all ideas he had: through the front door. Of course that likely wouldn't work on his own, and so he walked back over to the many bodies and grabbed a can of unidentified aerosols and told Wakita to knock on the door. Fukushu stood at the ready to his right while Wakita threw his fist three times into the old oak door. A few moments later they heard someone walking down the stairs. The door flung open and revealed the oldest looking Heran that Fukushu had ever seen.
Herans don't often get old, as their love of violence has many consequences. If he had to guessed he'd say that this man must have been over a hundred. His eyesight must have been terrible, as he made no note of the many bodies littered across his yard, and instead he simply asked what it was that Wakita wanted in a kind, sweet voice. Before the lad could say anything to mess this situation up Fukushu sprayed his can right in those old, useless eyes.
The old man fell backwards and cried out in pain, though by now no one was left to hear. A second later and a white foam was leaking from the man's mouth, and a second after that he was dead. Fukushu paid no respects to the man as he stepped over his lifeless body and ransacked his home. Given the fact that the sun was now out they had very little time to find what they were looking for; maybe Wakita was right about hiding the bodies.
Thankfully the pendant wasn't actually hidden very well. In the old man's room there was a display case where Fukushu found the pendant handing right in the middle. Fukushu slammed his fist through the glass and snatched his prize, quickly rushing down the stairs and grabbing Wakita along the way. He dragged him away from the corpse littered home and pulled him into a nearby alleyway where he showed off the pendant.
"Wow. I can't believe you actually did it! Kutsu will take us in for sure now!" Fukushu scoffed. "Screw that. This is our new plan. This is what holds the power. This pendant; I've seen this mark before on a book once owned by my father. It was the mark of an old military clan called the Yuutsu. The clan is very old though; probably died out in fact. This thing must be worth a fortune though, which is why they were after it. I say we advertise this little baby on the black market. Niku will eventually hear about it and then we can deal directly with them."
It was a big change, and he could tell by the look on Wakitia's face that he didn't like going off script, but Fukushu had made up his mind. Why deal with that ass Kutsu when they can instead go around him? Take this to the black market and eventually Niku will get word of it. He can force him out that way, and then he'll leverage it into replace Kutsu. Or better yet he can use it to expose Niku and kill him, taking over everything for himself. Or better even yet the original buyer will make contact with them. That way they can use their army to take out Niku, and they won't even have to risk themselves.
The whole thing sounded perfect to Fukushu, and so on the next day he put up an add advertising the pendant, making sure to take a picture off it next to the old man's corpse to prove that it was really taken from him. He set the meet up location to be his own home, though he and Wakita actually waited in a building nearby so that they could watch and make sure whoever showed up was actually someone they wanted to talk to.
It didn't take long for the buyer to show up, and they showed up in force. By seven am there were three dozen vehicles stationed outside his home, leaving both Fukushu and Wakita very confused about the whole situation. With no sign of Kutsu or his little birds Fukushu decided to go and greet the long procession, though he quickly came to regret that. As he approached the group of vehicles an elderly gentleman who looked quite similar to the owner of the pendant stepped forward and ordered his men to grab a hold of Fukushu. They dragged the boy into his own home and aimed a dozen blasters in his face.
"Are you the fool that killed my brother?" Fukushu was speechless. The man wasn't quite as old as the other way, but the resemblance was strong. "Well? Speak up fool, else your death will be most painful." Finally Fukushu managed to find his voice in time to save himself. "No s-sir, I'm was working with Kutsu and..." He spat. "Kutsu? Is that Niku's boy? I told you fools just to steal the pendant; I specially ordered that my brother remain unharmed! And then you mock him with that image? I should have your head."
Several men stepped forward to grab Fukushu, but he backed away and continued. "No! You don't understand! It was Kutsu that killed him. I'm a nobody to them; just a weak underling. When I saw the pendant... well, I heard them talking about selling it to someone else. I thought that with the trouble they put you through... you ought to at least get what is owed to you."
The old man raised his arms, and his men stopped. These guys may have been well equipped, but they were still clearly thugs. Whatever this guy was involved with was dirty, Fukushu could tell, but he wasn't going to mention that now. The old man ordered his men out of the room before continuing. "Well... I suppose I owe you an apology. I knew that entrusting this sort of job to Niku and his lot was a bad idea, but I had though that they'd be able to find a pacifist solution to this thing; my own men are good at violence, but that's all they know."
Clearly he was pained as he spoke. "That damned fool Niku. If he really thinks he could play me like this... I will tear him limb from limb!" The old man still had strength despite his age, and Fukushu quickly found another opportunity for himself. "Sir... if you don't mind me saying, I believe I can aid you in this. You men are clearly quite good at violence, but even then you will lose a great deal of them in an assault. A good business man always takes the best deal, and I think I have one for you."
The old man laughed, but he could see the interest in his eyes. "Well boy, what sort of deal do you have for me?" Fuksuhu sat down next to him now. "Let me led you there. If you try and assault them opening it'll be a siege, and with their numbers it'll be great death on every side, but they know me and they expect me back. I can open the doors for your men, and then you'll be able to take over much easier."
The man pondered the thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose that would be useful. I'd like to leave this town as soon as possible, and a protracted siege is the last thing I need. I suppose you'll want something in return though?" This was his chance. "Put me in charge. Like you said, Niku and Kutsu betrayed you; killed your brother and tried to find another bidder for your property. But if you put me in control of things then I can run things the way you want things ran."
A smile emerged across the old man's face, and that's when he knew he had him. "Well, expansion was exactly what I was looking for around here. Obviously Niku has to go... and, well, known of my own men I would trust to know how to effectively run things either. I suppose it's best to have one of their own in charge. I don't know you very well, but returning this to me, not matter how it came to be is something I won't soon forget."
Fukushu took the old man to where the building was, and as predicted the children outside let them in. Kutsu came rushing over to ask Fukushu what had happened, though as he did he realized the old man beside him. "Huh? Who's this?" That's when three dozen men came rushing through the front door. Most children ran, though they were quickly rounded up. Kutsu's fate was much less kind than the others, but Fukushu paid him no mind any more. Things had more or less gone off without a hitch.
By the next day the operations were back, except Fukushu was in charge this time. He made sure to give the kids a bit more time off than old management, as well as a little more of the spoils to keep them happy, though he wasn't a push over either. Management didn't come easy to Fukushu; he had ran by himself most his life, and now he was dealing with work place issues he had no experience with. He relished the challenge though, and made sure to learn from every mistake. One day his empire would be spread through the stars, so he needed as much experience as he could get.
WC: 5975
He was eight years old when he committed his first mugging. A group of teenagers they must have been; Fukushu ran in between them, acting as though he had fallen. In the chaos he grabbed a pouch and made off as quick as he could. By then he had become smart enough to realize he wouldn't survive without shelter, and had made his home in one of the many abandoned buildings of his district. He burst through a broken window, hide under some old boxes and waited forty minutes for them to finally leave. He ate well that night, and many nights after as he perfected his skill in thievery. By the time of his twelfth birthday he had made quite the name for himself, but in his line of work that was a bad thing.
Being hunted day and night was no fun for the boy, and thus he decided to leave his ancestral land and move. Eventually he settled south, where the region was much warmer and rain less of an issue, using the money he had 'saved up' to purchase a small shack on the beach. Of course crime was still rife in these parts, which was exactly what he was looking for.
He knew that if he wanted to continue his operations he was going to have to expand things, and the best way to do that was to get help. Crime was everywhere on Hera, with many of the top gangs exerting influence over officials to stay in power. As a ten year old he never expected to be able to get that kind of push, but he wasn't looking for either. As long as he could keep the local force off of him he'd be happy. He wasn't foolish enough to go prowling into any of the main gang territory though; there's not a single one of them that was looking to take orders from a ten year old after all, and instead decided to look for others in the same situation as himself.
The life of the Heran typically ended in war and death for some reason. This produced many orphans which in turn produced many who followed the same path as Fukushu; it wasn't hard to spot them if you knew what to look for. Some used their adorable faces to panhandle on the streets, while the less blessed lurked in the shadows as Fukushu had. On one occasion while Fukushu had been roaming the streets he even found a hand in his own pocket, and that was when he knew he had one.
He slammed the young boy to the ground and pulled off the thin, black linen which he used to cover his face. He was probably seven years old, the same age as Fukushu had been when he first found the lifestyle, though this one carried a more innocent face. At least he was smart enough to hide it, unlike Fukushu. He picked the boy up off the ground and examined him a bit more.
He was much skinny than Fukushu was; frail might be a good way to describe him. That wasn't always a bad thing though, as the boy was clearly quick and coordinated. The boy wore a frightened expression on his face, as though he was expecting harsh punishment, but today was his lucky day. "Don't worry, boy; I'm not going to hurt you. Steal from anyone else and you'd probably be regretting it, but I'm not interested in making new enemies. I'm in the need of friends, you understand?"
The boy said nothing in return, and the look on his face shifted from being scared to a blank expression, as though he didn't understand what Fukushu had told him. "You dumb or something? You got rocks in your head? Look, you and I know both know that being on your own is no way to survive. You might pick up a few nice targets here and there, but eventually you piss off the wrong person. Maybe they're connected, maybe they're the gang leader themselves. We need allies, the both of us. I know I may not look like much but one friend is better than none, don't you agree?"
"You're w-with them, aren't you? I k-know exactly what you want!" The boy stomped on Fukushu's foot and quickly made a break to escape, but he wasn't going to get away that easily. Fukushu grabbed his collar and threw him back to the ground, this time placing his foot on the boy's chest so that he couldn't wriggle away. "What do you mean I'm with them? Explain yourself before you make me any angrier than you already have!"
"I've already told your boss once before I'm not interested!" Boss? Once before?... It didn't take long for the gears to churn inside his head. There was somebody else out there who already had the same idea as he had. The question was who could it be? Whoever they were they were a rival to his goals, and they needed to be eliminated. The boy was his only lead, so Fukushu wasn't done with him yet. He picked the boy back up off the ground and dusted him off. "I don't have any idea what you're talking about. If there's somebody else out there recruiting then tell me about them."
Clearly the boy still didn't trust him, but in this circumstance he had little choice but to cooperate with Fukushu. "They call themselves the Shadow Cats. Their leader is a person called Niku. I've never meet the man but I know his reputation. He's cruel, and runs his boys hard. They're out on the streets 18 hours a day snatching purses only to receive scraps!" He spat on the ground before continuing. "I work hard for what I earn; I'm not giving it up to anyone!"
Niku was a name he had heard himself, though only stories he didn't believe. Some say he was an intergalactic smuggler who had ties to both the Saiyan and Arcosian monarchy, while others believed him to be one of Hera's most powerful politicians in disguise. Obviously both answers were complete crap, else why would he be concerned with a street level gang like the boy was describing? Best as Fukushu could tell he was just another average fighter ordering around many of the gutter rats to do his bidding. He knew the kind from back home, and had done well to steer clear of them.
But that was then, and this was now. He had grown stronger since then, though probably not enough to take on a full grown adult by himself. That was just another reason why he needed to recruit, and it started with the boy. "I don't want to take away from you anything you've earned; I want to help you earn more. Imagine what you could do with your own crew working for you."
"Maybe what you say is true. Maybe it's all a lie. If you can kill Niku then I suppose I might be inclined to help you." Obviously he wouldn't be able to win the boy over in just one conversation, but at least the boy didn't try and stomp on him this time around. Fukushu took the boy back to his shack and offered him a meal, which he quickly devoured. Clearly the small frame wasn't entirely by choice, though Fukushu had enough food by now that he didn't mind.
"Why don't you tell me more about this organization; the Shadow Cats? I've heard the name before, but nothing more than that. They're members must be very secretive." The boy quickly swallowed his meal and responded. "Very scared, you mean. Niku doesn't like it when his secrets get out. He's ruthless in his control of them, but I guess that's what makes them so effective. He uses children mainly to try and take advantage of people. I prefer to stay in the dark, but he likes them out in the light, starving and innocent looking; people let their guard down and next thing you know they're gone forever."
Not to mention they're easier to control. This Niku was no idiot, and somehow a twelve year old boy was supposed to take him out? Perhaps he should simply move away again before encroaching on his territory, but then what would he do? These types existed everywhere; if he wanted to expand then sooner or later he'd have to deal with one. Better to get it down young so the next one is easier.
"And you've never met him before? Could you at least tell me where his main hide out is?" The boy placed his hand on his chin and thought for a moment before responding. "There's an abandoned blaster factory located about forty miles north of where he are. I once chased a mark around there, which is when his gang first spotted me. There was a four year old kid outside that stuck their leg out and tripped me up. Before I knew what had happened another three of four were on my back and tying me up. They carried me off inside and there I meet with someone called Kutsu."
And who could this be? "Kutsu? You haven't mentioned their name before." He continued. "Kutsu is his second in command. He runs everything through Kutsu, including recruitment. He told me that I was now apart of the Shadow Cats whether I liked it or not. He gave me a map of the town with my allocated working grounds, and told me who I'd be partnering with. He told that I had a minimum of twenty thousand credits a week else they'd 'cut their losses' with me. Twenty thousand a week! I don't even make that in a month. As soon as they sent me on my way I was out of there."
The way he put that it almost sounded easy to escape Niku, and yet it seemed no one else did. It's true he must have quite the intimidation factor about him, yet the boy was brave; that'd be useful. From what he described getting to Niku directly would be almost impossible; they were obviously going to have to go through this Kutsu first. Take care of him and it should drag Niku into things whether he likes it or not. "What can you tell me about this factory? If Niku is smart then he must have chosen that location for a reason, and what about their numbers? How many threats am I looking at here?"
"Well, the factory isn't in use if that's what you mean. When I was in there some of machinery was operating, but I never saw them ever pack or sell anything, so I'm not sure what they're using it for. Maybe they just like the loud noise it makes, to cover things up. In terms of numbers... I recall seeing about fifty or so, but that was what they had inside. They had another ten outside at least, but this was in the midday when most of their footpads were out. I was told they had something like three hundred or so in total."
Three hundred? This... sounded a little out of his league. Maybe moving away wasn't such a bad idea?... though if he could eliminate those at the top and take over... well, that'd be three hundred of his men in the field. Of course three hundred for a Heran gang was still rather small time, but it was a nice start.
Of course the most difficult part was the planning of how to take them out. Like always Fukushu preferred a direct approach, suggesting that they should use the boy as bait to lure Kutsu out alone, then Fukushu could take him out. He was quickly cautioned against that, being told that Kutsu would never fall for that kind of trick, and even if he did he believed that Kutsu was more powerful than Fukushu. The Heran didn't like to hear that, but he kept him mouth shut and went back to planning.
Trying to think back to everything he had been told, Fukushu came to realize that it would probably be best to somehow involve the other children. Assuming all that he heard was true then the children likely despised working there, as the young boy had, which means they were likely to turn on their leadership if given the right opportunity. The most he could get on his side, the easier his takeover would be, though that meant he'd have to earn their trust, which meant he'd have to join them.
That was the part of the plan that he didn't like, as it put him at a great risk. From the sound of things Kutsu and Niku liked cute and docile and Fukushu was anything but. He was rowdy, ugly and roughed up from his years in the worst parts of Hera. This was still gang work though; no matter how they operated there were always spots open for muscle, and that he could do better than anyone else in their organization; he was sure of that.
So... he'd join up, run with them for a while and earn the trust of the underlings. Then when he had the numbers he'd overthrown Kutsu and take that position himself. That'd be enough to draw Niku out, which when taken out would allow him to assume control over most of the crime in this section.
But what about his new companion? He didn't trust him enough to leave him alone in his house; after all he was still a thief. On top of that he knew he'd need help on this operation, even if he would end up being rather reluctant. "Alright then, boy; I've got the plan. You and I both are going to sign up with the Shadow Cats. Since you've already upset them you'll need to provide them with some kind of peace offering... which will be me. You'll present me as a new catch for them; they'll (hopefully) forgive you, and take us both on. From there we'll both sow dissent among the workers until we're ready to take over. You get all that?"
He could tell by the look on his companions face that he wasn't excited about this plan. In fact, as soon as he had finished speaking the boy tried to make a dash for the door. Luckily Fukushu had been able to extend out his arm and snatch him by the collar, and once again he forced his foot down onto the boy's chest to pin him down.
"I'm getting real sick of you trying that! I know how you feel, to be afraid. But you really want to be afraid your whole life? You don't close to the resources you need to leave, and sooner or later they're going to find you. I may not seem like much on my own, but I'm offering you the chance to be free of that fear. I can take them down; I know it, but I'm going to need your help to do so. You know where they are, you know who's involved and you know how they operate, and two minds are always better than one. So, you ready?"
He had that same nervous look on his face, but eventually he relented. Fukushu could tell quite easily how scared he was, but he also knew the truth in his words. Sooner or later this gang was going to find him, and they were likely to be upset over being spurred the first time. Fukushu offered him a way out of that, even if it was a long shot. He had no idea how they would react to him turning up; they might go ahead and do away with them on the spot, but no empire was built without risk.
"I would say we could leave on the morning but... well, I don't trust you not to escape while I sleep, so I say we get ourselves locked in right away. Since you're the one who knows where the building is you can lead the way... though before we do go I feel rather like an idiot by calling you boy over and over again; what is your name?" He hesitated a few moments before responding. "Wakita." He'd try hard to remember that; Wakita would be the first cog to the grand machine he was building.
Wakita walked slowly, obviously trying to delay the inevitable as much as possible. The city they lived in was an industrial labyrinth; Fukushu himself tried to stay out of the city center as much as possible, for fear that he may never be able to find his way back home. Wakita clearly had great knowledge of the region though; everything looked exactly the same to Fukushu, but not to the boy. He never got lost, not even confused as they made their way through the winding streets and back alleys.
Perhaps that was just him trying to avoid going where they needed to go; that though did cross his mind more than once. Come the first light of dawn however he laid on eyes on the complex that Wakita had described to him earlier. Outside a few small beggar children who had the exact look of what he'd expect. When they laid eyes on Wakita they wasted no time running inside to inform their masters.
It wasn't long after that they were on the two of them. Fukushu had thought they'd at least have a little time to scope things out first, but these guys were organized. About thirty seconds after coming into view was when he first noticed a shadow behind them. He didn't say anything for risk of frightening Wakita, but by the time the second zipped by them it was clear that the boy already knew what was happening. Fukushu looked around for other entrance options, but found himself instead falling face first into the pavement.
A rope had managed to coil itself around his feet, and soon after Wakita came tumbling down as well, landing right on top of Fukushu. He would have let out a grunt, if he weren't trying to hide his pain in front of his enemies. A tough lesson he had learnt while on the streets: never let them know you're afraid, or in pain. As soon as they had touched the ground a dozen others sprang from every nook and cranny you could see, quickly throwing themselves on top of the two.
"Hey! What the Hell is this?" He didn't get a response. Eight children hoisted up Fukushu onto their shoulders while another five picked up Wakita. They group carried them into the old blaster manufactory where the inside revealed something that Fukushu had not expected. Though the outside of the building was decrepit and abandoned, the inside looked pristine. He would have asked Wakita why this wasn't brought up had he not been gagged.
They were thrown down at the feet of who Fukushu could only assume was Kutsu. The boy was clearly older than the rest; probably in his teens by now. His face was rough and scarred up though, so clearly he had a similar upbringing to Fukushu. His clothes were finely kept though, so at least someone here was getting paid well; the others told quite a different story. Most of them looks rather frail, as though they hadn't eaten in weeks, and combine that with their tattered clothes and they certainly paint quite the sympathetic story. The question is how much is a story and how much is reality?
There certainly looked to be quite a few discontent faces in the crowd, though right now they were not more than scared children too. His observations were interrupted by a swift kick to the gut. "What's we want with this one? Too old, too ugly; rich folk will run as soon as they see this one coming. And Wakita is that? I already told you what to do if you sees him again; you daft?"
Kutsu inspired great fear among his underlings; just those few words and they were trembling. It was something that Fukushu hoped to replicate one day, but for now he was his enemy. Wakita wailed and snorted until finally Kutsu ripped his gag out so that he could speak. "I've come to say sorry! Please, I never meant to insult you... I was scared, so I ran. But now I'm back, and I brought this one too! I captured him for you. I know he doesn't look to good, but he's strong!"
Kutsu gave Fukushu another look up and down before spitting. "Suppose... suppose we could use some muscle; got nothing but runts around here. But Wakita... we don't often give second chances. The big man upstairs likes to be able to trust his underlings, and you've already ran from us once, so what's to stop you from running again? If I were to take that chance and screw up it'd be my head rolling, so why shouldn't I save myself the trouble and take yours?"
The whole room fell silent. Wakita looked as though he was going to cry, but he managed to hold it in. Kutsu held his stare on the boy for what felt like an eternity before finally letting out a laugh. "There is one thing you could do for us, in fact I think the both of you could do for us. You see the boys and girls around here and quite good at snatching purses from old ladies, but when it comes to the big jobs... well, they sooner piss themselves that do what I'm about to tell you about."
Kutsu waved his hand and two small boys ran over to the two of them and removed their restraints. Kutsu himself tore out Fukushu's gag after he had managed to climb to his knees. "There's something big coming up; an opportunity we don't often get, and not something that can be trusted with children. Our leader... he wants to ingratiate himself with a much bigger organization, and he's looking to steal a certain item which can help him do so. The problem is that this item is being held under very high security; the kind that our boys don't have a pray of getting into."
He ushered the two of them into a room, before slamming the door behind them before anyone but the three of them could enter. "I was instructed that I must find a way to get this item and get out alive, but there aint a god damn individual under my control that can do that, and if I fail then I'm very much screwed. But you two? Well, if you fail then I can go ahead and claim that you don't work for me, seeing as yous don't. This item will get moved and the opportunity gone, but I can hardly be blamed for that when it'll be your fault. And if you succeed? Well, then you'll find a place here."
So, the two of them were expendable. It was no less than he was expecting come into this place though; he wasn't a trustworthy person, and so now he was going to earn that trust. The job sounded rough, and as Kutsu expanded on the details it only got rougher. They were going to be stealing an very old emblem belonging to some long dead military organization; all Kutsu would say was that it was a red phoenix on a black steel pendant.
The pendant was currently being housed by a man called Netami, who himself had times to crime as most powerful Herans did. Kutsu refused to reveal who was commissioning the job or why they were going after the pendant, only that it was very important their leader get their hands on it. Given that they had no say in the matter it was very easy to accept the job.
Kutsu wasted no time getting them on the job, kicking them out of the building with a map of where to find this hidden pendant. Netami's home was around a forty five minute walk from where the factory was, though it felt much shorter than that. Despite the situation Fukushu actually found himself in a rather cheery mood as in his mind the he had an obvious path to move forward, which wasn't something he'd always had in his life. As soon as they job was complete he'd be one step closer to achieving his goals.
The first guard was easy to take out: Wakita busied him with nonsense questions while Fukushu knelt down behind him. Once in position Wakita gave him a hard push to knock him over... though he wasn't actually strong enough to get him down. Before the guard could smack Wakita Fukushu was up off his knees and had his arms wrapped around his neck. Wakita stabbed at his knees until finally the man went down unconscious.
The next guard they didn't waste time with around routine: Fukushu rushed them from behind while Wakita took out their legs. Each guard went down easier than the last until the courtyard was littered with bodies. Wakita thought they should spend some time hiding them, but Fukushu wasn't looking to spend any time they didn't need to, so he took Wakita by the arm and dragged him up onto the porch. Once there he tried to think about all of the elaborate ways he could enter without triggering any alarms, though nothing good actually came to mind.
He had to go ahead with the lamest of all ideas he had: through the front door. Of course that likely wouldn't work on his own, and so he walked back over to the many bodies and grabbed a can of unidentified aerosols and told Wakita to knock on the door. Fukushu stood at the ready to his right while Wakita threw his fist three times into the old oak door. A few moments later they heard someone walking down the stairs. The door flung open and revealed the oldest looking Heran that Fukushu had ever seen.
Herans don't often get old, as their love of violence has many consequences. If he had to guessed he'd say that this man must have been over a hundred. His eyesight must have been terrible, as he made no note of the many bodies littered across his yard, and instead he simply asked what it was that Wakita wanted in a kind, sweet voice. Before the lad could say anything to mess this situation up Fukushu sprayed his can right in those old, useless eyes.
The old man fell backwards and cried out in pain, though by now no one was left to hear. A second later and a white foam was leaking from the man's mouth, and a second after that he was dead. Fukushu paid no respects to the man as he stepped over his lifeless body and ransacked his home. Given the fact that the sun was now out they had very little time to find what they were looking for; maybe Wakita was right about hiding the bodies.
Thankfully the pendant wasn't actually hidden very well. In the old man's room there was a display case where Fukushu found the pendant handing right in the middle. Fukushu slammed his fist through the glass and snatched his prize, quickly rushing down the stairs and grabbing Wakita along the way. He dragged him away from the corpse littered home and pulled him into a nearby alleyway where he showed off the pendant.
"Wow. I can't believe you actually did it! Kutsu will take us in for sure now!" Fukushu scoffed. "Screw that. This is our new plan. This is what holds the power. This pendant; I've seen this mark before on a book once owned by my father. It was the mark of an old military clan called the Yuutsu. The clan is very old though; probably died out in fact. This thing must be worth a fortune though, which is why they were after it. I say we advertise this little baby on the black market. Niku will eventually hear about it and then we can deal directly with them."
It was a big change, and he could tell by the look on Wakitia's face that he didn't like going off script, but Fukushu had made up his mind. Why deal with that ass Kutsu when they can instead go around him? Take this to the black market and eventually Niku will get word of it. He can force him out that way, and then he'll leverage it into replace Kutsu. Or better yet he can use it to expose Niku and kill him, taking over everything for himself. Or better even yet the original buyer will make contact with them. That way they can use their army to take out Niku, and they won't even have to risk themselves.
The whole thing sounded perfect to Fukushu, and so on the next day he put up an add advertising the pendant, making sure to take a picture off it next to the old man's corpse to prove that it was really taken from him. He set the meet up location to be his own home, though he and Wakita actually waited in a building nearby so that they could watch and make sure whoever showed up was actually someone they wanted to talk to.
It didn't take long for the buyer to show up, and they showed up in force. By seven am there were three dozen vehicles stationed outside his home, leaving both Fukushu and Wakita very confused about the whole situation. With no sign of Kutsu or his little birds Fukushu decided to go and greet the long procession, though he quickly came to regret that. As he approached the group of vehicles an elderly gentleman who looked quite similar to the owner of the pendant stepped forward and ordered his men to grab a hold of Fukushu. They dragged the boy into his own home and aimed a dozen blasters in his face.
"Are you the fool that killed my brother?" Fukushu was speechless. The man wasn't quite as old as the other way, but the resemblance was strong. "Well? Speak up fool, else your death will be most painful." Finally Fukushu managed to find his voice in time to save himself. "No s-sir, I'm was working with Kutsu and..." He spat. "Kutsu? Is that Niku's boy? I told you fools just to steal the pendant; I specially ordered that my brother remain unharmed! And then you mock him with that image? I should have your head."
Several men stepped forward to grab Fukushu, but he backed away and continued. "No! You don't understand! It was Kutsu that killed him. I'm a nobody to them; just a weak underling. When I saw the pendant... well, I heard them talking about selling it to someone else. I thought that with the trouble they put you through... you ought to at least get what is owed to you."
The old man raised his arms, and his men stopped. These guys may have been well equipped, but they were still clearly thugs. Whatever this guy was involved with was dirty, Fukushu could tell, but he wasn't going to mention that now. The old man ordered his men out of the room before continuing. "Well... I suppose I owe you an apology. I knew that entrusting this sort of job to Niku and his lot was a bad idea, but I had though that they'd be able to find a pacifist solution to this thing; my own men are good at violence, but that's all they know."
Clearly he was pained as he spoke. "That damned fool Niku. If he really thinks he could play me like this... I will tear him limb from limb!" The old man still had strength despite his age, and Fukushu quickly found another opportunity for himself. "Sir... if you don't mind me saying, I believe I can aid you in this. You men are clearly quite good at violence, but even then you will lose a great deal of them in an assault. A good business man always takes the best deal, and I think I have one for you."
The old man laughed, but he could see the interest in his eyes. "Well boy, what sort of deal do you have for me?" Fuksuhu sat down next to him now. "Let me led you there. If you try and assault them opening it'll be a siege, and with their numbers it'll be great death on every side, but they know me and they expect me back. I can open the doors for your men, and then you'll be able to take over much easier."
The man pondered the thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose that would be useful. I'd like to leave this town as soon as possible, and a protracted siege is the last thing I need. I suppose you'll want something in return though?" This was his chance. "Put me in charge. Like you said, Niku and Kutsu betrayed you; killed your brother and tried to find another bidder for your property. But if you put me in control of things then I can run things the way you want things ran."
A smile emerged across the old man's face, and that's when he knew he had him. "Well, expansion was exactly what I was looking for around here. Obviously Niku has to go... and, well, known of my own men I would trust to know how to effectively run things either. I suppose it's best to have one of their own in charge. I don't know you very well, but returning this to me, not matter how it came to be is something I won't soon forget."
Fukushu took the old man to where the building was, and as predicted the children outside let them in. Kutsu came rushing over to ask Fukushu what had happened, though as he did he realized the old man beside him. "Huh? Who's this?" That's when three dozen men came rushing through the front door. Most children ran, though they were quickly rounded up. Kutsu's fate was much less kind than the others, but Fukushu paid him no mind any more. Things had more or less gone off without a hitch.
By the next day the operations were back, except Fukushu was in charge this time. He made sure to give the kids a bit more time off than old management, as well as a little more of the spoils to keep them happy, though he wasn't a push over either. Management didn't come easy to Fukushu; he had ran by himself most his life, and now he was dealing with work place issues he had no experience with. He relished the challenge though, and made sure to learn from every mistake. One day his empire would be spread through the stars, so he needed as much experience as he could get.
WC: 5975