Part 4: Caffeine and an unexpected client.

Update 04

Oh my, another exposition video! (Youtube)
Viddler
Veoh


Well that nursery rhyme thing certainly got creepy fast.



Ah, Narumi's motto is appropriate. No problem so huge or complex that it can't be solved by slicing the fuck out of it with a sword.



Raidou and Gouto are there already, they are fast and they go to the point. Yes.



Could that be the aforementioned lady that gave back 13 wallets? She very well may be!
Also, notice the delicious breakfast in the back.





That must certainly not be good for his lungs.




Now THIS I approve of. Delicious coffee.




Narumi was certainly influenced by that newspaper, yes.



Neither Raidou nor Gouto are impressed by Narumi's buttering prowess, however.



That is certainly a respectable pile of toast.




Look at that lusty gaze, that is a man that enjoys toast.



What a wonderful way to consume COFFEE.




Gouto is clearly less than thrilled, though. Bah, cats, they don't know how to enjoy good toast and coffeeeeee.
Raidou is, well, Raidou. Man is not impressed.



"In order for us Devil Summoners to do our duty, we have basic necessities like lodgings and a base of operations, which the Yatagarasu arranges for us. And arranges them in style, this Ginroukaku building is the biggest and newest in Tsukudo-Cho.
Lotta swanky outfits fill those offices... And the Narumi Detective Agency is one of 'em. We'll be living with an agent of the Yatagarasu... It comes with the territory. Which means the Yatagarasu'll always have an eye on us. I worried about Brian at first, but...
Then again--and I probably should've mentioned this already--I doubt this agent'll give us any trouble."





"What's with that stare, Gouto?
Ohh, I see... You've finally taken a shine to me, haven't you? I have a natural way with animals... And ladies."





"I made some coffee. Why don't we all have a drink together? It's my own special Narumi blend!"






"Let's have a toast to our reunion!
... A coffee toast.

Hey, Raidou... You probably already know this, but you can relax here. Sure, I've got orders from the Yatagarasu to watch over you, but..."




"You are still young, and you've been training as a summoner at Kuzunoha village ever since you were a tyke. I'm just here to make sure you don't fall in with the wrong croud out here in the big, bad world. But hey, you've never caused me any trouble, and my philosophy is, a man's job should be fun.
No need to stand straight up like a ramrod, is what I mean. Just sit back... Loosen up..."




Narumi suffers from spontaneous stomach grumblings. This is what happens here.



"No need to worry about any clients busting in... It's the middle of the day, see?
Now then..."





"Every article in this rag's moaning about "good luck" and "bad luck". This "luck" stuff some kinda fad?
Hey! Now! Listen to this one, Raidou: "Blimp Goes Down in Flames!"
It's a srtange one... Here, I'll read it to you."

"Let's see... Halfway through the flight, the pilot started on the lunch his main squeeze made him... He dropped his umeboshi, and when wen he went to pick it up, his elboy hit the pressure gauge...
The blimp went down in flames, but the pilot survived... With some pretty bad burns, though.
Should we chalk this one up to an unlucky break that came as pure coincidence? Or should be we be happy that the fella survived such a dangerous situation?
I can't tell if the guy was lucky or unlucky."





"My own take on the story is that the pilot was to blame... Didn't anyone teach him you shouldn't eat while you're doing something? Raidou, make sure you learn from his mistake, okay?
As far as anyone out there knows, you're my apprentice. So make sure you're nice and polite to everyone you meet, or they'll get the wrong idea about me, okay?
Now then... That butter on my toast ought to be nice and melted by now.
A modern sort like me has toast for lunch, see? I've gotta keep up with the news, though...
Well, nothing wrong with a little reading while I eat."






AND NOW: ANOTHER VIDEO.

Maybe Narumi is luckier than he thinks (Youtube)
Viddler
Veoh




Yes indeed, Narumi's got himself a big old stack of toast.



BUT WHAT'S that thing shining out of his window? Oh no!



GOUTO also notices it, and makes him make his finest Happycat impression.




Oh! It is that mysterious golden locust we saw earlier.





Gouto seems to be the only one that has noticed it.



A mask? That is a mighty strange feature for a locust.



Stranger still, it is a SEGMENTED mask!
And it appears that beneath it is a... miniature human skull?



Hot damn, that is a large piece of bread.



Gouto has it in his crosshairs. Or eyes. Or something. he won't let that bug do what it came to do.



And thus, he springs into action.



Gouto: Feline of action.






There it goes, SAVED THE DAY, HOORAY.




But, not everything is well in the world.





Raidou fails to be impressed, even if he likely ALSO spotted the bug, notice that he is not judging Gouto.



But it seems that Narumi is not as pleased with Gouto's outburst.



He was so shocked he didn't notice he let his coffee cup go.




Oh boy, that does not bode well.




Fortunately, he did not burn himself.



Unfortunately, his pants were not so fortunate.




His anger will have to wait, though. There is something unexpected.







A client? At that time? At Narumi's?
(notice, this time around he DOES get a lot of clients)




Raidou is diplomatic, if more laconic than Athos's manservant Grimaud.




"Narumi changed into some pants that were less covered in butter, and got down to business with her.
Me, I'm still wondering about that strange bug, but right now, the dame has a case to lay out for us."






"Miss Akane Narita."




"It's urgent, you understand.... It must be done quickly."
"Well, no need to waste shoe-leather coming out here. If you need a man found, I recommend the police. "
"I... I coulnd't... I don't want there to be a big to-do."
"Hey, Raidou"




"A mysterious dame, all grown up, comes looking for a man... Seems like penny-ante love-affair stuff to me... I don't think we should take it, do you?"




"Uhhh, well... Of course, the dame looks serious, and I want to play it sweet too, y'know?
But love affairs... I have a strict rule on those: It's between the guy and the girl, not me."

"I can't stay long. Here.
A little down payment. It's yours."









"Raidou, fix our guest some coffee. And make it snappy, she's come all this way to see us."




"As she talked about the job more, I started to twig it.
Our Miss Akane is the only daughter of THAT Narita. As in Tasuke Narita, councilman in the Diet.
He's the standing chairman of the Finance Committee. Every cent this nation has flows through him... You do something nice for a dame like that, and who knows what kind of doors it might open for you."




"I'll be going now. I hope you can find him..."




"She's to mind her father's career. Either that, or this is still a love affair, and not one that Daddy's wild about. I mean, look at the guy:"




"Kind of a shady character, wouldn't you say? Somehow I don't see him as the honest living type.
Maybe I should have thought twice about this... A lady's one thing, but poking after a brute like him?"






gout_av "I'm worried about something... Have you noticed it, Brian? Lately, I feel like "Luck" has been coming up in conversation around the Capital way too much. Not only that, but everyone's luck seems out of whack. The lucky ones get REALLY lucky, while the unlucky ones... Well.
It's too hard to shake off as simple coincidence. I want to see what's going on with my own eyes."




"Do some legwork, and have patience. Make sure you listen to what the man on the street has to... Ah! My pants!
I better get a wet rag on those or the stain won't come out! Figures it had to land butter-side-down... Talk about your bad luck!"
Luck's got nothing to do with that! Physics does! Now if someone had glued one of those to Gouto they might have gotten a flying thing.






Wait what.
Hahaha what.





Hahahaha what.



Notice: WITH THIS a much needed functionality is added, it is a journal of sorts, and will lead to the current objective. It is interesting.

"We'll be putting this notebook to good use during the investigation. Anything you find out that seems important, I'll jot down here. You'll be able to crack it open any time you need to. Luck is on your side today, having such an avid writer for a mentor."








And thus, we leave Narumi to tend to his unlucky clothing... In the next update.