p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Birds flew through the sounds of engines roaring down roads. Their delicate feathers bright against the dusty brown city, the plumes of smoke emerging from each piece of transport. An evening chill went through large jackets, ignored by excited men wearing suspenders and bowties while embraced by a mother, drinking a coffee as she looked over her children. Kicking a ball back and forth between each other, shouting each other's names jubilantly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"In a corner of town where the shadows whisper to each other, a boy with a lamppost smile shot a cheeky grin to nearby woman who had given him a quick glance. A small cigar sat in his mouth while his hair was cleaned and groomed with finesse, his shirt was open to the evening chill while suspenders emphasised his trained shoulders. A large jacket covered his intimidating stature. He walked by a barber shop knocking on the door./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"A small hole in the door slid open. "Password?" said a rough voice, his brown eyes attempting to be intimidating./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""I wear by underwear backwards, boxers not briefs," he raised his brows while letting out a chuckle./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"The door then opened up enough to let him through. Happily the brown banged man strode in, his chest out. Embracing the amber shine of the speakeasies, the golden alcohol being poured by the bartender. Woman laughed on men's laps, the occasional holding their own dress down./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Tsuki! Buddy it's been a long time, how have you been?" he hopped onto a seat, grinning at the bartender./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"The bartender poured him a drink. Gritting his teeth, "Oikawa- surprised your still sober."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"He shrugged the comment off, "So any news of 'the owls' since you've been here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""One armed attacked off Nutwell Plaza, besides from that rumours of a drug ring. Probably just wild stories," he served him the alcohol. It was an aged whisky that Alexander had started drinking since the moment he first found the speakeasies a year ago, unsurprisingly was called Bitter King./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Oikawa nodded to the news, drinking the strong drink in a few gulps. "There must be more to it."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Ask that guy," he flicked his head to a nearby spiky haired customer. Drinking a foreign beer while scanning the bar. "He told me about the attack, he must know more than me."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Thanks, owe you one buddy," he hopped off his seat. Downing the final bit of drink before putting it randomly on the table, as he neared he couldn't help but feel a touch of dejavu, had he met this guy before. He wandered over, putting on his best smile, "So-"the stranger lifted his head, "I hear you know about the most recent owl attack."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""What about it bowtie?" he shot him a glare, sipping on his beer./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""I," he jumped into the seat beside him, "have some business with some owls, some would even say with the horned owl." He pulled his suspenders proudly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Trade?" the stranger didn't look at him, instead placing the nearby woman as an important point of attention. "Brothels? Alcohol? Specify."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Oikawa was taken aback by the bluntness of the collage, the oddly familiar colleague. He had seen him around before but he struggled to pinpoint where, "you'll only learn if you help me, what you'd say mate?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Oikawa you never learn do you," the stranger shook his head, letting out a grumble./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"He lifted a single brow, "Iwa?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Who do you think?" he looked at his old friend, with dead fish eyes. Continuing to drink the old alcohol slowly./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""It's been so long man, so what do you say, help an old friend out?" he offered him a cigarette, before lightning himself a new one. Needless to say Iwazumi declined, still sticking to his promise of no cigars, even after all these years mused Alexander to himself./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Iwazumi faced him, putting down his now finished beer. He wasn't going to find a clean way to get out of this now. "Sure, just stop smoking that damn cigar."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Grumbling he took out the cigar from his mouth, breathing out a plume of smoke./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"The hairs of the back of Iwazumi's neck rose as he remembered something, bitter memories resurfacing for a single moment before he pushed them aside./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Oikawa put up his hand, another cup of whisky sliding to his side. "The horned owl has recently taken someone important from me. It's our job to get them back."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Seems simple enough," he couldn't help but feel relieved that he was going after a simple task. He imagined if it was anything more than he wouldn't be able to hide away at night. A task he could stay unknown in./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;" "It is, it is. We can even start hunting once we leave this place, simplifies every-thing" he sang the final word as he downed the drink like a shot. He slammed his hand on the table, "come on, one more mate."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Tsuki cleaned his hand off the table, wiping it away with force. "Hands off you light," he grumbled./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Suki~" he spoke as sweetly as possible./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Tsuki simply shook his head with a sharp glare. Moving on to the next customer without a break in stride, breaking out the shaker./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"He pouted, leaning on the table angrily, huffing like a child. Quickly remembering he had company he turned to Iwazumi, "so mate, wanna help a man out?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Put the drinks on my tab," shouted Iwazumi, raising his hand. He looked towards the now childish companion and sighed heavily. What had he just agreed himself to./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"By the time Oikawa had woken up it was tomorrow afternoon, he was on his couch. Half his body leaning onto the floor while his well-kept hair had turned into a loved birds nest. He groggily sat up to find a letter on the table, rubbing his eyes he started to read the letter with some effort. After re-reading several times to make sure the S was not a Z he finally figured out what it said./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"em32 Station Street, 1700/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"He picked up his watch that lay nearby, he wasn't sure whether he had taken it off or Iwazumi did, either way it was next to him. It was 3:42pm, he knew Station Street was a 20 minute walk away. So he got out of bed, doing up the buttons for his shirt, putting a vest on and fixing up his hair. He took a small handgun and placed it in his pocket. He checked himself in the mirror to see if he had any injuries, surprised to find himself clean. He smile slightly. He walked out the door, his shoes creaking down the metal stairs to his cheap apartment. He greeted his elderly neighbours, walking down the quiet streets around his apartment. As he turned the corner the place seemed to burst into life. Woman buying groceries with their children, cars humming along in their own pace. He zig-zagged past a paper boy shouting out "MAN SHOT AT NUTWELL PLAZE! GET YOUR NEWS GET YOUR NEWS!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"He smelled the sticky sweet smell of the bakery, a piece of him tempted to get some food. Eventually caving in and buying a ham and pineapple sandwich for a few pence. He spotted a busker singing in the corner, impressed at their resolve. Continuing past a young couple in a carriage ride, walking down the river, scanning the unknown buildings nearby until finally reaching a dusty station with clocks a few minutes behind. He sat in silence finishing up his scroll as the evening began to settle across the sky. As he was about to light a cigarette a voice struck out at him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Oy!" snapped Iwazumi, his hands in his suit pocket./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Instantly he put the cigar away, stuffing it in his pockets, putting on his best smile. "Iwazumi! You came."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""I heard some news about the owls while you were sleeping about," he said, hoping the sound of nearby chatter would drown out his words. "A nearby joint may or may not have strong connections to the owls, a part of their branch apprently."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Then let's go check it out," Oikawa was about to start walking when he felt a tug at the back of his neck. "What's the holdup?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""It's Ukai's place, last time I checked everyone who goes to Blue Castle were banned from that place," he shot a glare at the cocky man who instantly deflated at the words./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Banned, that's bullshit, we can just walk in like usual and pay what we're due right?" When they got there they quickly discovered no, they couldn't just walk in like usual while making up a passwords with a chipper smile. The second they knocked the door a gun was shoved in Oikawa's face. Leaving them to walk through the cold with no leads for 10 minutes nearby. "That didn't quite go to plan."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""I'm not even surprised," he sighed. They walked down the town to a nearby open mixed speak, with nothing to guide them but a sense of hunger and the menial amount of money they had. As Oikawa continued through the speak, happy to get drunk and wake up in the afternoon again./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Iwazumi listened out for any sign of change within the silent speak. They were the only two customers, a large white haired man with no eyebrows stood at the entrance while a shorter brown haired banged man stood behind the counter looking worried at Oikawa's attempts at conversation with the stationary guard./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""So you from around here?" asked the bartender./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Iwazumi perked up, "near Ashens Hill, you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Local area, so you like the brew. From a local guy named Azumane," explained the bartender, wanting to fill the silence as much as possible. It didn't really work./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Iwazumi thought back, Azumane. He stocked everywhere with good wine, even Ukai's. "Azumane? How often does he stock up your place?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""He's actually going to restock our wine today," he re-cleaned his wine glasses repeated. Playing them back continuously. The sound of the gramophone playing a soft jazz song in the background./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Really?" he leaned forward, "can you get me some water?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Sure," he wandered over and got some water from the tap. Placing it in front of him as a knocking happened on the door. From after a few words passed between the guard and the door a tall long haired man walked through the door, he was dressed in a clean suit. Holding a bag with him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Hey Futakuchi, got you a bottle of red wine," as he sat down he realized there was company. Instantly sweating just a little bit. "Ummm, I'm Azumane. Pleased to meet you…"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Iwazumi," they shook hands as the man handed over the bottle of wine. "That idiot over there trying to annoy the guard is Oikawa."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"The three of them looked over to the brown haired guy really trying his hardest to the guard distracted. It had been like half and hour. How long could this guy talk to a brick wall anyway? Iwazumi sighed heavily while everyone else chuckled politely. "Aone is like that, can't stop focusing on protecting this place," he served the winemaker a glass of juice. His eyes still focused on the door. "This place is so open a suicide bomber could walk in and none of us would know." The guard gave him a sharp glare from his words. Making him jump out of his skin before opening the package./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""Don't say that," whined the winemaker./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""It's true," he held the bottle in his hands, inspecting the ruby liquid in its case. "The only person that has a chance of being safe from those bloody gunmen are you Azumane and even then its if they recognize you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Iwazumi chuckled as the large man let out a nervous squeak yet again. They certainly did leave themselves open travelling around so openly. For all he knew there could be a-/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"CRASH/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Gunman on their tail. In a large kick a man barged through the door, his gun forward he shot into the guards knee and hand in two sharp strikes. Owl masks were plastered across their faces. Oikawa instantly threw himself over the counter along with everyone else while two more people followed behind the gunman. Breaking the glass windows with the back of their shotguns./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"A constant rattle went throughout the room as they let their guns loose. Aiming at both everything and nothing at the same time as they wandered throughout the room. They cooed at the silence filled with the groans of pain from Aone./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;""What are we going to do?" cried Azumane in a sharp whisper./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Futakuchi put a finger to his lips, everyone peering at him hoping for some way out of this. There was nothing to mcgyver their way out of this. The only alcohol was wine. Opening a door in the floor he encouraged everyone to jump down into the darkness, as they got to the last two people Oikawa offered to stay behind. After a worried glance at Aone from Futa he jumped down behind them./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"Oikawa looked at the scene nearby, the light machine gun going off while their shotguns resonated. He gritted his teeth thinking of what to do to not die but save Aone. Molotov? No. Explosion? No. Nothing would work, cursing under his breath he walked down the ladder of the trap door. Locking it as he went down the cramped hole into the darkness./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;" /p