Topic: Collecting an Essence

Chong

Date: 2008-01-20 12:14 EST
Chong had known exactly where to go, and who to find.
His mind worked over 2 things. Who was coming and who he had to get.

Too many things happening at once. And for not being Myllyanna?s right hand. he sure did have a lot of shit to take care of. And if Myllyanna was calling a few people, that meant he was getting pushed to the lower end of the ranks, Wither or not he wanted to or earned it.

He thought maybe it was because of Ami.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he sulked through the West End Streets; Sulk wasn?t what he would have called it. His face wore an expression of thoughtful anger. The gleam of a silver lotus around his neck in the cold dark let others know who he was and who he was with. May not mean a lot on the other side of town. But around the Onyx Lotus, it meant everything.

He checked on the shops front as he walked by it. Just a glance from the corner of his eye. No one would screw with it, even if it didn?t have wards galore covering the thing.
A few buildings down was what he wanted.

Skipping a few steps, he went up to the front door and knocked, the windows where dark as if no one was home. He knocked once more, rapping the back of his hand against the front door.

One hand on the railing, he swung his feet over the stoop railing and was off around the back. The dim glow of back light was the first to welcome him as he heard the bolt slide back from the rear entrance to the house. He heard the evening game of cards being played in the dining room. It was a small house, but big enough to House a few of the Lotus Yakuza the Mistress didn?t want around the house yet.

?Yokio,? he nodded as he passed the others at the table, heading into the living room. A stolen anshi in hand. Throwing back a heavy gulp, he threw the cap at Yokio. One of the newest members.

?You and Hao, get house bags. Tap 3 others, we are headed out.? He downed the rest of the beer and flung the empty bottle to Hao who slammed it on the end table. Yokio and Hao were already talking to the other three as Chong was already down the basement stairs to get a few extra ?toys? for the party.

Chong

Date: 2008-01-20 13:04 EST
They stopped by the graveyard. Yokio started to say something, but it was Hao?s elbow that caught him in the ribs just right to stop the question before it left his mouth.

?Shut up Yokio,? You?ll find out soon enough.

The 5 looked over the name on the headstone. Hao shook the bangs out of his face once and then took a drink of his beer.

?Been visited?

?Too recently?

?Not by him?

?Who cares.?

?I do.? Chong threw a collapisoble shovel to Hao that he retrieved from the confines of one of the black bags the gang had brought with them.

He threw another another one to Wai then a third to Jiro. Hau chuckled a single chuckle and threw the shovel to Yokio as he polished his beer off and shoved the empty bottle into a cargo pocket.

Chong thought it was only right, though Yokio may not be as fast as Hau, he was the new guy and got, new guy jobs. Instead he slung the ?yard? bag to Hau to carry. ?Be of some use.?

Yokio stood confused for a moment seeing everyone start to walk off a few paces and stepped it up to catch up. He figured it out soon enough. The other two launched their shovels into the ground as Chong went another set of paces away to talk to Hau, out of ear shot of the others.

Yokio knew he?d better get busy and struck his shovel into the ground too. The dig was harder then he thought, the ground was frozen and not near any soft turned earth of a new grave.

Time was lost by all three as they stopped and dabbed sweat from their brows. Even in the hold you could sweat if you worked hard enough. The ?hole? wasn?t really a hole. It was more an access as they looked at it. And carefully, shallow dug, angled just right.

But it was still incomplete it went no where. Yokio and Jiro had been tapped on the shoulder and handed some water. ?Relax, you did well. Wai do your thing.?

The orders were quiet as Wai tied something to his ankle. Wai was the slimmest and smallest of them all. And seeing Wai next to the hole, it made sense. Wai crawled in, and disappeared. Only the small rope shifted and the sounds of scratching dirt could be heard.

Everyone had caught their breaths enough to see them puffing slowly in the night air. Yokio had no idea how much time had gone by when Jiro elbowed him and then motioned to the cord with a nod.

Chong and Hau were pulling an earth covered Wai into view. His features, maybe it was the earth that covered him, but he seemed more, animal as he grinned and shook off the clumps. Thick claw like fingers held on to something shiny in one hand and a spike or pick of come kind was fast held in rows of razor sharp teeth. It was then Yokio noticed Wai left no trail of breath in the air.

As he handed over the item, Yokio understood. Wai looked again like an average tiny man, helping Jiro refill the hole the three of them had dug. With every scoop Yokio smiled. They went behind the marker...