Adronitis: You Only Live Forever

Prologue, Part 2: To be a Decent Person

"They say the world is a horrible place. I actually think that people are very nice. Not because they want to... But because they know what happens when they act like selfish pricks!" – Haruto Suzuki

After returning to his (Yakuza) family's office in Tokyo, Michael, otherwise also known Ichiro, due to his half-Japanese half-foreign background, as expected, was immediately called to meet the family patriarch, leader, and otherwise also known as the Oyabun, Haruto Suzuki. Haruto was a tall, middle-aged man with broad shoulders and a face that was constantly stuck with an intense expression.

One would think that mafia leaders in their late 50s would be less scary than their younger siblings. But in their world, the oldest members somehow always manage to look the most intimidating.

"You asked to meet me, sir?" Asked Michael with as much respect and formality as he could possibly muster. "I think you know very precisely why you are here, kid" answered the family patriarch with an authoritative voice. "I sent you out to do a very simple task. All you had to do was sit there and look scary. And yet you somehow still manage to fuck this up."

"I apologize for my mistake, Dana-Sama*. There's no excuse for my behaviour and I'm ready to take any punishment you see fit." answered Michael.

The Oyabun looked at the distance for a while before he turned towards Michael. "Well, at least you accept you fucked up. It's a start, ain't it?" He said as he slowly pulled out a big, sharp knife with some kind of hieroglyph onto it.

"But that's not nearly enough. Wouldn't you agree?" Continued the family patriarch. "You were a horrible person yesterday, Ichiro. And that's nothing rare. The world is full of awful people. Many can go as far as to say the world is a horrible place. But, I generally think that people on average are very nice. Not because they want to – but because they know what happens when they act like pricks! There are consequences for our actions, young man."

After placing the knife on a wooden block with two pieces of cloth under it, the Oyabun looked Michael straight into the eyes and continued, "And the same... the same goes for you. You've made a mistake. You were selfish. You abandoned your family in their time of need. Now you'll have to pay for it. That's the only way to turn into a wonderful person, isn't it? Cause that's the way it is... as it always has been. If there's no punishment, nobody has a reason to be righteous anymore. You understand what that means, don't ya, boy?"

And he knew what needed to be done indeed. In silent contempt, he grabbed the knife, placed his right hand's pinkie to a wooden tablet, and with a sharp breath, cleanly sliced off a part of his finger.

That is the Yakuza's way of apologizing for a mistake. It's a sign of showing that you're willing to stick closer to your family in order to avoid making more mistakes. The more mistakes that you make, the fewer fingers you'll have, which highly encourages Yakuza to be wary of their actions.

After silently enduring the self-inflicted pain, Michael used one of the cloths to cover his wound, and the other one to wrap the finger, then deliver it to his Oyabun as the custom demands.

"That is all." said the Oyabun while facing away with a strict tone. "Next time you are about to do something stupid, look at your missing finger. Think of the consequences. This is how one turns into a decent human being. Now, you may leave." Michael bowed in response then shortly left while still holding the piece of cloth over his hand.

Meanwhile, at the other side of Japan in Ishikari, Lacrimosa was sulking at the shore, unsure of what to do or where to go. A part of her hoped Michael would come back, while another part hated him for treating her, showing some kindness in a cruel world, and then disappearing.