2025-12-29: The Day I Flame Out, I'm Dead
- Log: The Day I Flame Out, I'm Dead
- Cast: Tamaki Uchida, Eikichi Mishina
- Where: Kuzunoha Detective Agency
- OOC Date: December 29, 2025
- IC Date: September 02, 2012
- Summary: Eikichi Mishina, Death Boss of Kasugayama High and Frontman of Gas Chamber, pays the Kuzunoha Detective Agency a visit. His request: track down the Joker Killer so he can kick his ass. Tamaki's willing to help, but tries to set forth some realistic expectations.
(|======================== Kuzunoha Detective Agency =========================|)
-=================================================== Sumaru City/Aoba Ward ====-
The first thing that greets visitors to Kuzunoha Detective Agency is a giant
golden lucky cat statue that, with its left paw raised, bids a hearty welcome to
customers and opportunities alike. Inspect it, and a mewling voice will ask for
donations: 100 yen from students and other children, and 1000 yen from adults.
A pair of dark couches that frame a coffee table have an excellent view of the
massive HDTV and dual stereos on the far right wall. On the far left wall are
shelves upon shelves full of books, none of which definitely can slide to one
side. A large desk with a lamp and computer stands in front of it. This is where
the portly older ex-gumshoe, Chief Daisuke Todoroki, makes his business, as...
blessed... by the agency's original owner. He investigates (and will spread) all
manner of rumors to find out the truth (and change reality), assisted by veteran
Persona User Tamaki Uchida.
The back room is nothing special; it has a stove and a sink, so it's a simple
task to always have tea ready for customers. There's a bathroom there too, but
it seems like it's always occupied. Don't ask who's in there, meow.
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kix1dGDVhZE Kuzunoha Detective Office - Persona 2 Innocent Sin (PSP))
Summer has drawn to a close. The atmosphere in the Kuzunoha Detective Agency office is mildly hectic as the pair of Tamaki Uchida and Chief Daisuke Todoroki run about trying to finish organizing their case files before Tamaki has less time to actually aid in doing so.
Her university courses resume tomorrow, you see. Between the boss and subordinate pair, Chief calls the shots and handles the Agency's overall logistics, and Tamaki's the youthful one who's at least a little bit more physically capable.
Tamaki inspects the spine of a binder before she looks at Todoroki to ask, "Sir, what section does file ... D-96 go?"
Todoroki types on his keyboard for a moment, peers at his computer screen through his glasses, then rumbles in reply, "Ahaaaaa, I remember that one. Put it with the asset tracing cases ..."
And so this back-and-forth goes on like this for some time.
Just beyond the entrance lies that ever present lucky cat statue, its left paw raised, its speakers emitting tinny little mewling cries for monetary donations, nya~. For children and teenagers, it asks for 100 yen donations, and for adults, it asks for 1000 yen. (The question remains: How does it know?)
Should a visitor walk through those doors, however, that takes priority over the duo's re-organizing work.
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
One such visitor does arrive!
The teenager was dressed in a "Axewell's Gold Hammer" shirt with frayed sleeves and dark blue jeans that clung to his slender body. He also seemed to be wearing quite a bit of make up, giving him the look of a rocker.
The boy looks mysterious for a moment...until he stops in front of the cat. He locks eyes with the cat.
STARE.
Finally, he grins smugly and donates to the cat, nodding as if he discovered some hidden truth only he could understand.
Eikichi grins when he notices Tamaki. "Greetings...I'm looking for the Kuzunoha Detective Office. Someone directed me here and I'm hoping we can work on something together."
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
When Eikichi arrives through the doors, Tamaki and Todoroki share a brief nod at each other. Todoroki's attention returns to his computer, while Tamaki places a binder on her desk and zips over to the front door to greet the Death Boss with her sunniest smile and her hands clasped together.
Several beads of condensation form on the back of the lucky cat statue's head after Eikichi stares at it long enough. Odd, something must be up with the air conditioning unit ...
Rather than give her usual greeting to strangers, Tamaki seems to recognize Eikichi. "Mishina-san! It's good to see you, what brings you here?" Within moments, she realizes how strange this may sound to him, and she hits her fist into her open palm. " -- ah, pardon me, I'm already familiar with you, but I don't think we've had the opportunity to formally meet yet."
Tamaki gives Eikichi a light bow, then rises back up with a grin. "Tamaki Uchida, Assistant Private Detective of the Kuzunoha Detective Agency! Now, what can I do for you? What'd you have in mind?"
She angles her finger and thumb into an L-shape and places it under her chin as she scrutinizes Eikichi more closely. She may have something in mind already ...
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
Eikichi blinks when Tamaki already knows him. He actually looks kinda impressed, like someone who saw a magic trick. "Oooo, you're good."
The Death Boss puts a hand under his chin as he looks around, coming to look at the Lucky Cat briefly against. Something about it felt off, whether it was the sudden moisture or the fact Eikichi swears he heard SOMETHING from it. Curious. Probably some kind of trick to keep visitors on their toes.
Actually, this place was kinda nostalgic in some way. Eikichi just couldn't really tell why.
"I guess you know me already, heh...But for the old guy over there! Eikichi Mishina, the Death Boss of Kasugayama High School, Future Ambassador of the concept of Beauty, and Rock Star...Did I leave out anything?" Eikichi thinks for a moment, counting on his fingers real quick before confidently affirming his titles.
"As for what I'm here for...I'd like you to help me find the Joker Killer so I can kick his ass." Eikichi says this like it is the most normal request in the world. "I'm sure my creative mind will be an absolute boon to the investigation/justified beat down."
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Tamaki's reply starts off as if it might be boastful, "Hahahahaaa! I -- "
Her face falls as she remembers the exact circumstances in which she knows him from. She slumps forward. " -- well, I had some help there. A contact of mine informed me who the next Joker Killer victim was going to be."
Unbeknownst to Eikichi, said 'contact' is just a meter or so behind him ..!
She stands upright again and adjusts her coat to straighten it after she had wrinkled it with her exaggerated body language. "It came at some personal expense. Worth it in the end, but uhhh." She glances back at Todoroki, then back to Eikichi. " -- it hit us in the budget pretty hard. I can't requisition anything with company funds for a good long while."
Tamaki also counts on her fingers as Eikichi lists off his titles. As he finishes, she nods and flashes him a thumbs-up. "Sounds like you got them all to me -- at least to my knowledge. How's Gas Chamber doing these days?"
Eikichi mentions why he came here, and Tamaki's eyes go wide as saucers in panic. "Whoooaaa, kid, are you entirely sure about that? You'll need to get in line, first off. Second, and just trust me on this, the guy's several leagues above other criminals."
Tamaki's friendliness fades into apprehension. She narrows her eyes, taking in Eikichi's full measure, assessing what he's capable of. "I'm deadly serious here. There's a sign that says you gotta be this tall to ride without it turning into a suicide mission." She gives Eikichi an upward nod. "So tell me what you've got. What do you already know about him, and what can you bring to the table?"
"There's already a few other clients we've got who are also interested in taking him on, but they've got ..." Tamaki quirks an eyebrow as she finishes that sentence. "certain qualifications."
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
"Huh...Still impressive you clocked me so easily." Eikichi nods authoritatively.
"Huh...So the Joker Killer info isn't cheap." Eikichi considers this, finding a place to lean on as he thinks about what to do next.
He snaps out of his thoughts when Gas Chamber is mentioned. Immediately, Eikichi's demeanor gets -bigger- as the excitement of his band still generating discussions sets in. "Heh, we're looking for new members but I think our next move is going to blow everyone away."
Eikichi grins even bigger when Tamaki freaks out over the Joker Killer. He doesn't flinch from his spot. "Well considering the bastard already tried to kill me once and it didn't stick, I figure that oughta trip a guy like that up. I'm also the strongest guy in a high school where that kinda thing is necessary."
Eikichi continues to watch Tamaki as he continues. "Bastard is probably still looking for me. Heh, so lets turn the tables. He's not gonna expect his prey to charge him."
Qualifications? Eikichi blinks, tilting his head to the side. "Huh? You mean I gotta take a class or something to punch this guy?" He strokes his chin, thinking to himself. What kind of qualifications could you need for a ass kicking?
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
To be fair, Eikichi has a rather distinct appearance and several other notable traits. Rumors get around, and even Tamaki's heard of the one about how the Death Boss knows if someone lights up a cigarette on campus.
"It can be cheap if I take my time, but in this situation, time was of the essence. Damn extortionist." For a moment, it seems as if Tamaki glares past Eikichi. There's no one there but the statue, however...
Her cheerfulness briefly reappears as he talks about Gas Chamber. "That's good to hear!" What does 'blow everyone away' mean?!
Eikichi's boasting garners an eye-brow raise from Tamaki. "... I shared a similar distinction in my first high school as something like 'the strongest', but trust me on this: he's in a league of his own."
She knows of another plan by a group intending to ambush him. Even then, their prospect of success seems ... unlikely.
Tamaki shrugs, having sensed Eikichi's Resonance strongly enough to know that he's Awakened. "No class necessary. You've got a Persona, it seems like, so I don't need to beat around the bush with you like I would for people not initiated in that world."
"What else do you know about him?" she probes. "Are you gonna just wait for him to come for you again? Or do you think that it'd be better for you to set the terms of engagement somehow?"
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
Eikichi blinks, not really understanding the delicate science of Rumormongering. Instead, he just nods like he understands why spreading rumors cost so much damn money.
"Heh, league of his own, eh? Tch, pisses me off that the guy got the drop on me. He could be immortal and I'd still need to face him." Eikichi crosses his arms while he considers everything from Tamaki's apprehension to what he knew about the Joker Killer. The more he considered the Joker Killer and his situation, the more his plot seemed to track. It was either wait for the Joker Killer to come on his terms or to go to the Joker Killer with -Eikichi's- terms.
"Just the rumors and what I remember from our fight." Eikichi turns to look at Tamaki, getting a somewhat serious look on his face. "Call him and he shows up. There are some specifics...Also I remember that guy using a lot of fire. Lucky for me, my Persona knows a lot of water magic..."
The questions make Eikichi pause for a moment, retaining his serious expression as he considers what he would do. "There needs to be a way to find the Joker Killer when he isn't expecting it. So the game isn't on his terms. Even if it wasn't an element of surprise completely---you get one over on someone in a fight? Sometimes that will spiral and give you all sorts of openings."
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Tamaki nods as Eikichi continues. "We know his ... place of residence," she says this first bit with some uncertainty about if that's even the right term, but she continues with more confidence, "and we know his identity." She furrows her brow in consternation. "If it was easy as waltzing in to surprise him, we'd have done it already."
'Call him and he shows up.' Tamaki nods. "That's about the long and short of it. Calling your own number ends up getting him on the other line, and you tell him the name of the person you want dead. Someone was gunning from you, from the sound of it."
"You've got water, huh?" Tamaki takes a slight step back from Eikichi. She tries to smile, but she trails off into nervous, uncertain laughter. "Whattaya know, me and the Joker Killer share a ... weakness ... ahaha haaa ..." Still, the fact that he mentioned a property like that unprompted means he isn't bullshitting about having a Persona.
"I've tried looking at every angle for an approach, but so far, I've got nothing. And for the non-conventional methods I've started to research, well ..."
Speak of the devil. Tamaki flips open her phone as it buzzes with a notification. 'Gas Leak in Yumezaki.' She was there, and she knows firsthand that that wasn't a gas leak. " -- it's gotten us some attention by other people. Just by us sniffing around, they knew enough to get the drop on us."
She finds this answer to be unsatisfactory, however, and after a pause, she gives Eikichi a fiercely determined stare. "... all I'm saying is that bravado isn't going to be enough. I'm looking at this realistically and sharing the challenges that myself and a few others are currently struggling with. If you want to help, I've at least heard enough to not turn you down."
This does jog her memory about a video she had recently seen. She steps over to her computer to pull it up and waves Eikichi over. "C'mere. Did you know the Joker Killer mentioned you specifically? Said he showed you 'mercy'."
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
"You know who and where he is? Then why aren't we figuring out a way to get him?" Eikichi says as if it was as simple as that. He groans as he tries to picture what kind of person the Joker Killer was in his day to day. Nothing useful comes to his mind. Only insulting charactures that make the blue haired punk smile.
"Eh? You and the Joker Killer huh? Small world I guess."
"Being brave isn't exactly what I got." Eikichi sighs and lets his arms fall to his sides. "I know that the Joker is going to come for me. Sooner or later, it's going to be him or me. Now I don't bragging rights, I got -plenty- of those already. Nah, I need to punch that guy in the teeth until he stops fucking with people. That isn't bravery...that's resignation to my fate." He meets eyes with Tamaki. "So yeah, I'll help y'all. Whatever it takes...Just want a few punches in the fight."
Eikichi stands up from his leaning position and stands behind Tamaki as she shows the video. The punk is silent through out the video, waiting until it finishes to click his tongue. "Uh huh. That was mercy?" He finds himself laughing lightly before continuing. "Tch, only reason he says that is because he couldn't finish me off...Exactly why I need to fight him again."
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Why aren't Tamaki and the others going after him if they know where and who he is?
Tamaki tries not to slam her hands on her desk, but she firmly places them there and leans forward towards Eikichi and slightly raises her voice. "Because our sniffing around got the attention of hit squads from the other people he's associated with!"
Like at that bar in Yumezaki just last night ..!
Todoroki brusquely clears his throat from the other side of the room, and Tamaki flinches back from her desk and glances back his way to offer an embarrassed and recalcitrant, "Err. Sorry, sir. And my apologies, Mishina-san."
Eikichi restates his motivations for wanting to help with the Joker Killer. Tamaki's face softens, and she nods in understanding. "Long as it stops, that's what matters."
Tamaki frowns as the video proceeds, listening to the Joker Killer as he mentions more names than just Eikichi's.
By this point, there's not a single name she doesn't know on the list. Small world, indeed.
"I'll talk to the other people I'm working on the case with and ask them what they think of you coming in to help out. Failing that, there's a few other people closer to your age who I could get you in contact with. Failing that, we can work out some arrangement like what I've got with Seki-kun, if you know them."
She looks Eikichi over. "About that water magic, though. Come the Dark Hour, how do you feel about practicing with me sometime? As a friendly sparring match."
"Show me how well you can capitalize on a weakness like that."
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
"Hit Squads?" Eikichi blinks and tilts his head in confusion. He mostly takes the raised voice in stride. He knows this is a sore subject for some and he didn't have anything to prove.
"Eh? You're fine."
The punk listens to Tamaki's offer, nodding his head. "Works for me. You obviously know what I can do so please don't sell my strengths short." He shoots her a grin, finding another place to lean or sit. "Whatever it takes for this to end, I'm in."
"Sure. I could use my practice anyway. While I'm not green in a fight, I'm still figuring out this...weird stuff. The last guy I was going to ask isn't there anymore so I've been working on figuring out as much as I can myself."
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Tamaki firmly nods at Eikichi. "Well ... let me put it this way. Are your band members also Persona-users? If they don't, do you have a plan in case they get targeted? Do you know who called the Joker Killer on you in the first place?"
She holds up a finger. "I promise not to sell you short. I would like to see what you're capable of, first, that's all!"
Tamaki stretches her arms in front of her to crack her knuckles. "Personally, I Awakened about five years ago, so I've had a little bit more time to acclimate." She hangs her head to the side. "Really thought things would stop after that first incident, though."
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
"My band is...I'm rebuilding it from scratch. That said I know my former bandmates and they don't have the abilities as far as I know." Eikichi is thinking about this situation and sighs. "I don't have a plan as of yet. However, whatever I fall on, I know I can't handle it entirely myself."
Eikichi then sighs and puts his head in hand. "As for who called...I got some ideas but when you're the top of the pecking order, everyone wants a piece of ya..."
"Sure. I don't mind auditioning some." Eikichi grins devilishly and cracks his knuckles.
"Yeah...My awakening was just this year so I don't got much a lot of experience but I've had a few fights...This is where I'm kinda new to all of this."
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Tamaki leans back against the wall and folds her arms. "Well, that's good, at least. Long as whoever's after you won't go after your bandmates, too."
She tilts her head and winks at Eikichi. "See, this is why I keep a low profile. Less unwanted attention that way."
Tamaki exhales out a heavy sigh of her own. "If it's any consolation, the more I find out, the less I feel like I know overall." She gestures at the bookshelf next to her desk, rife with binders. "We're both having trouble keeping track of it. Every situation's different from the next, but they all rhyme, nonetheless. Sticking to the rules of one place makes wandering the hallways of another feel like a visit to a distorted mirror funhouse."
"Which is why I want you to be involved somewhere, at least. There's a lot of us who just want the chaos to end, and we're derelict in our duties if we let someone just twist in the wind."
<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.
"Hmm. We'll deal with that bullshit when someone gets stupid enough to try it." Eikichi says, wondering how he'd react if someone hurt Miyabi or any of his friends. Spoilers: Not good.
Eikichi smirks, puffing out his chest as he places a hand under his chin flamboyantly. "It's not in my nature to be subtle. The day I flame out, I'm dead."
"Wait there are other things too? How many ways are there for someone to get a Persona? Ugh...Forget it, I need to head home so table that for now." Eikichi sighs, dropping his flamboyant edge ever so slightly.
"Heh, truth be told, I was going to go dial the number and kick his ass myself if you weren't open to collaboratin'...Like I'm willing to walk the road solo if I gotta but I got a better chance of coming home if I got some people watching my back." Eikichi looks rather resigned at talking about death. It is hard to say if he gets the implication or not. "Thanks for hearin' me out."
"Anyway, I need to head back home before my Dad sees how I'm dressed." Eikichi groans, hoping he doesn't have to wash his hair in a public restroom again. "Anyway, lets exchange numbers and keep each other informed. My contact doubles as the number 1 news source for all things Gas Chamber and Michelle aka MOI."
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
It takes no small amount of restraint for Tamaki to grimace at Eikichi's 'we'll deal with that when it happens' attitude. She's a meticulous planner, herself! She does at least view this as a simple difference in preference, not as some kind of personal failing.
Tamaki silently counts on her fingers as she tries to answer Eikichi's question. "I know of at least three, off the top of my head. Perhaps four. But!" She mimes placing something on her desk. "Consider the topic tabled."
She grows more quiet when he talks about going solo. "... I've been there before. You're very welcome, Mishina-san."
"Leeeet me get you a business card." Tamaki reaches over to her desk, picks up a card, then holds it out to Eikichi, placed on the top of both of her hands. "Try not to send anything too sensitive over phone or text."
She covers her mouth with a hand and quietly laughs. "And I promise not to tell your dad about your fashion."