wasteland, baby! [fushiguro megumi]

09: jester

june 2018

south of shinjuku

third person pov

the group of sorcerers were now seated on a velvet couch, the low table before them had empty beer bottles and half eaten tidbits scattered all over. across them sat the club's boss, who had introduced himself as ragami sato, while his two ripped bodyguards stayed rigid by his side.

keiko slouched forward while ragami slid a huge ring file towards her, the papers with 'confidential' information regarding his supposed regular customers were filed in place neatly, the names arranged in alphabetical order.

the page with the name yoritomo urui written in bold red ink was open for the sorcerers, though his page seemed to not contain as much details as the others, it was still information nonetheless.

the first years huddled around keiko who had the file on her lap, as they squinted at the almost illegible scribbles on their target's page. "why's he called the jester?" megumi probed.

"when he first started coming to the club more than two months ago, there was always this bell-like ringing sound wherever he went, and he even gave a couple of free magic tricks for everyone."

"magic tricks?"

"you know the ones you do with poker cards, or pennies, nothing too serious."

raising a brow, keiko shot her bloodshot eyes back at ragami, leaning back onto the couch as she dangerously spun her knife in her hand. this made the plump man gulp in distress.

"though he stopped coming since the start of last month, his reappearance two weeks ago brought surprise to everyone. there was a shift in his character, he wasn't loud and easy going like we used to remember, instead he'd always isolate himself by the corner of the bar after getting a few drinks, doesn't even speak or entertain anyone who talks to him. not to mention a huge scar on his neck"

"what about the girls?"

"what girls?" ragami chuckled nervously.

with a sudden thud, keiko had flung her knife onto the table, breaking an empty beer bottle as its blade pierced through the damp mahogany. she brought herself forward, her elbows now resting on her knees while she laid her chin on her knuckles.

'i can't tell if she's cool or extremely terrifying.' itadori sweat-dropped.

"you're telling us that you haven't seen the reports? seven missing girls, in the span of two weeks, and they were all last seen talking to this man from your club. i think it's hard to believe that you don't know what we're talking about, ragami san. i know the local police have already combed your place, but something tells me you've got a trick up your sleeve." the redhead hissed, sending cold trepidations down ragami's spine and honestly, everyone else's.

"w-we gave the police edited copies of our security footage,"

"and the raw ones?"

"the-they're safely hidden an-"

"great!" the redhead cut him off as she stood up, pulling her knife out of the table. "we'll take a look at those."

ragami blinked at her, appalled. and as he was about to protest, keiko had dropped her body forward towards him, her knife now pointed right at the tip of his chin, while her irises glistened unamusingly.

the two bodyguards stiffened their clenched fists while the sorcerers got on the edge of their seats.

"we'll give it to you." ragami choked and the tension in the room dropped slightly.