Vicky rushed to the store with Dean and Amy trailing behind her. They'd banned her from flying straight there after the last time she accidentally crashed into a signboard in her haste, but they said nothing about running as fast as she could. It wasn't an addiction, at least according to Amy's cursory scans of her body. But that didn't mean she wanted to miss out on her daily dose of vanilla ice cream milk tea. It had become a habit by now.
When she pushed open the glass doors, the first thing that struck her was how crowded it was. Vicky wasn't surprised. The branch of 'Little Dragon' that opened near her school was far more affordable than the Dragon's Tea Shop. Though the quality was much lower, it nonetheless triumphed over every other regular store. She could almost imagine St*rbucks crying in pain as their income in the city shrivelled up into nothingness. At the counter, she was greeted with a warm smile by a woman wearing an apron. She glanced at her nametag and looked up.
"Hey Melissa. Can I get a vanilla ice cream milk tea?" Dean and Amy came to a screeching halt behind her, huffing from the exertion. "Oh, and get a pot of Darjeeling for these two as well." She did find it funny that they liked the exact same tea despite their differences. After paying their bill and finding a seat, she finally sighed explosively and stretched. She knew that Dean, as well as the majority of the guys in the store would stare at her with undisguised interest, but what was she supposed to do, not be hot?
"Can you slow down next time? We didn't all get to become a brute like you." Amy snapped sardonically at her sister. Dean looked between the two of them and sighed softly. Though he would have preferred that they get along, a small part of him was on Amy's side in this. Chasing after his girlfriend during her mad dash for tea wasn't fun.
"Sorry Ames." Vicky placated. "And Dean." She said, almost as an afterthought. It looked like Dean didn't take it to heart. This was just how she was, hyper focused on what was immediately in front of her, and he knew that. They wouldn't have worked as a couple otherwise. Sure, they had their bad moments, but who didn't?
"I'll forgive you." Amy declared, causing Vicky to breathe a sigh of relief. "If you pay for my tea."
"Hey! But, that's fine." She grumbled. Then her eyes turned to her boyfriend, who hadn't said a word.
She noticed that he was staring at something in confusion and a tinge of fear. He wasn't paying a lick of attention to their conversation at all. Near the back, she spotted a man wearing a surgical mask with a hood on. That was suspicious enough, but the fact that someone with Dean's power was so drawn to him just magnified his threat level.
"Hey Dean! You listening to me?" Vicky shook him, shaking him out of his stupor.
"Yeah…" Dean answered distractedly. "I just…"
The two girls looked in the direction he was staring at. Though they could not see emotions like he could, the suspicious get up drew their attention as well. "Are you seeing his…" Vicky waved her hand as she trailed off.
Dean nodded mutely.
The three looked at each other, communicating silently, before they nodded. As the designated brute and wrecking ball, Vicky got up from their table and strode purposefully towards that of their quarry and sat down. The man barely paid any attention to them and continued to almost glare at the staff. "Hey…you wanna explain what you're doing here with that suspicious get up?"
He seemed to roll his eyes in annoyance for a moment before removing his mask and hood. She exhaled in relief when she saw the familiar face of the tea shop owner. "Jesus christ! If you were going to just supervise your staff, you could have done away with the suspicious as fuck outfit!" Vicky clenched her chest as if she was calming her racing heart.
Max sighed deeply, as if he could get rid of his irritation that way. "It's called checking on them in secret. Now look, they know I'm here now." He raised his hands to demonstrate how done he was. "I just wanted to ensure that the Dragon brand of customer service quality was upheld."
"Yeah. Sure. Real fucking secret when a tall muscular dude strolls in with a hoodie and a mask,." Amy snarked back without any real heat, after she and Dean came over at the all clear sign Vicky gave.
Max simply facepalmed.
I glanced at the clock on my phone. Precisely nine o' clock. Perfect. It seems that the PRT and Protectorate, the ENE branches at least, valued punctuality. A van skidded to a halt in front of my store. I glanced around. The blood had been cleaned up, but the counter hadn't been replaced yet.
Thankfully, I had a spare table in the back for occasions such as this. I pulled out an antique tea set. Truthfully, I'd not been very well versed in antiques, even when it came to tea sets, but the Ming Dynasty certainly produced quality. If this was a fake, it was a well crafted one at least.
The door opened. A group that struck terror in the hearts of many residents in this very city walked in. Armsmaster, Miss Militia, and Velocity stepped into the shop cautiously. Contrasting to them, Emily Piggot strode in without a care. She stared at the singular chair I had laid out for her before throwing her coat over it. With a force honed through experience, she sat on it and stared at me with measuring eyes.
"I received your message." She humphed in a low tone as if my actions irritated her.
"Did you like it?" I asked cheekily. Though I was trying to be diplomatic, I knew a bit of fun would not cause them to flip out. Heroes had an image to keep. Moreso the Director that was in charge of them.
She held her nose painfully and let out a heavy sigh. "Hundreds of gang members in multiple police stations. Multiple missing cases for women being closed across the city. Incorporating a company called Ryujin Industries shortly after… disposing of Lung." Emily tapped her fingers on the table rhythmically. "Do you even understand what being subtle means?"
"The time for subtlety has long passed. My disagreement with Lung was made loud and clear." I shrugged dismissively. Of course everyone saw the giant rage dragon from across the city. That wasn't something anyone could hide. Instead of trying to keep it quiet, I decided to follow the plan of my partner and just go loud and bold. It was better to get things like this out of the way first.
"Why did you call for this meeting? And just what are you planning?" She asked, direct and to the point. That's fine. I didn't want to beat around the bush too much. But I'd still do it a little.
I raised a finger in reply. "First, there's the social niceties to be observed. You've been invited to my humble little tea store. I must sate your thirst first." I turned around and reached for the top shelf, pulling down an ornate gold container with reverence.
"Can you just get on wit-" Emily started, but stopped halfway when Miss Militia held her by the shoulder and shook her head. With exasperation, she slouched back into the chair and decided to just observe me for now.
"Normally, I'd pick something suited for the customer. But in this case, I'm picking something suited for the occasion." I opened the container and allowed the fragrance and aroma of the leaves to permeate through the store. From the corner of my eye, I spotted Miss Militia widening her eyes in disbelief. "Behold, the Yellow Gold Tea Buds."
I set the container down in front of them, allowing their eyes time to feast on the golden spectacle in front of them. With measured movements, I poured water into a kettle, taking care not to spill a single drop, and began to boil it. "For a time, this country used the gold standard for currency. It is a measure of wealth, opulence and power. Wars were fought over this precious metal.
Nobles would adorn themselves with gold ornaments to indicate their influence." As with most teas, I warmed the cups with hot water before throwing the water out. The rinsing process is vital to producing good tea.
"The buds of this particular blend are grown on a singular mountain top in the Sichuan province in China. Each harvest takes place on one day a year, and only from the top of a tree, amounting to several kilos at most." I placed my hand near the boiled water and felt the temperature. 90 degrees celsius, not there yet. "The buds are cut exclusively with golden shears before being coated in 24 karat real, but edible, gold, giving the tea its unique metallic and floral taste." With a deft hand, I used a pair of bamboo tweezers to sprinkle exactly 2.5 grams of tea leaves into two cups each. "The leaves are then sun-dried and undergo heat treatment to give them their yellowish color and flowery taste. It is said that only the emperors of ancient China were fit to partake of this delicacy."
When the water hit 75 degrees celsius exactly, I poured the water into both cups and left it to infuse. "We often denote gold to mean good health. It is partly my wish to impart this very quality upon you, the one who leads the PRT of this city. A safe city is conducive to my business, after all." I bowed gently, not low enough to denote submission, but not high enough to indicate disrespect. "But in truth, this tea is symbolic of the respect that I hold for you and your organization."
I held up my cup and took a sip, before gesturing towards hers with it. "Please."
Emily Piggot snatched it up warily, and examined the tea with a critical eye. Seeing nothing wrong with it, she took a sip before placing the cup down. "My compliments to the chef." Despite how she must feel about the cascade of flavor in her mouth, she gave nothing away. Guess she was trying to be real serious about this.
With my service done, I took a seat at the table opposite her. "I did not choose to rule."
Unsatisfied with my answer, she harrumphed with her throat. "Elaborate." She said in a clipped tone.
"I did not challenge Lung because I wanted power. Before this, I was content to simply run my tea shop in peace…as I'm sure you're aware from your observations." I nodded towards Armsmaster. To his credit, despite being called out, he simply nodded curtly in reply. "I was simply doing as my parents bade me to do, live in peace and protect my family. When the Dragon demanded his dues, I paid up, even if it chafed at my pride. Did you know? My powers are older than your organization. Yet, this is the first you've heard of me."
"...yes. That is true." The director nodded, trying to hide the fact that it was actually the incident with Miss Militia that alerted them to me. I hadn't thought much about it. Being known to the PRT wasn't a big deal when you were 'just' a tea based Parahuman. "Why did you choose to act now?"
"Because he threatened the one thing I held dear: my sister. I tried to adhere to my rules. My father always told me that diplomacy should come first before violence is even an answer. I ignored their many misdeeds. I paid the tribute they demanded. I subjugated myself under their rule. And yet…!" A priceless tea cup, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars was ground to dust as my hand crushed it thoughtlessly.
Unbidden, my Conqueror's Haki seeped out into the surroundings, putting the menagerie of Parahumans on edge. Despite her frail body, the director held firm and stared me in the eyes. Good. I wouldn't have chosen cooperation if she was weak. Of course, I wouldn't have tried to cow them into submission, but I wouldn't have gone out of my way to arrange this meeting if they were a non-factor.
"They went after her. Took her from me. Stole her from me. And almost…killed her from me." I tried my best to relax and reign in the Haki that was causing Armsmaster and Velocity to shiver uncontrollably. "So I simply did what I had to. And this is the result."
"I see." She replied simply. No, she didn't. I could tell that she didn't understand just how close I came to going on a rampage. If she had died…there would have been nothing left. Nothing to hold me accountable for my actions. "Very well. We have ascertained that this wasn't an ill planned coup to take over the ABB…despite the insinuations that your shop's name gives. Then tell me," Her body moved forward, staring straight at me. Her eyes were sharp and steely, brokering a demand for me to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. "What are your plans? Why did you do what you did with those gang members? And the women? And the company?"
"I'm no hero." I shook my head before giving a brief glance at Miss Militia. She was stunned for a moment before giving me a light smile beneath her mask. "But I've enough rules to hold myself accountable that I'm surely not a monster either. I was taught that I should help those within my reach. Before this… They weren't my problem. But with the ABB throwing themselves at my feet, I had to do something about it."
"And so?" She asked with a quirked brow.
"And so I hired a Thinker to assess every member of the ABB. We separated those who were truly criminal from those who either had no choice or were forced into the gang. You've seen what we've done with the real criminals." I gestured at her with my palm up. "The women who were coerced into prostitution were returned to their families with compensation. It does not make up for their trauma, but it is all I can truly do for them. For those women who were forced into the job by poverty…and the many disparate Asians who banded together with the ABB out of desperation…I'm offering them an alternate path."
"That explains the application. Ryujin Industries…quite on the nose, just like the name of your store." She nodded in understanding before questioning me. "Are you then claiming that the ABB will be going legitimate?"
"The ABB is a criminal organization. Ryujin Industries is a perfectly legitimate corporation that provides excellent tea." I crossed my arms and gave her the most sincere look I could muster. "The ABB is no more. As of the day I'd taken over, we've ceased any form of protection racket, drug peddling, prostitution and countless other forms of criminal enterprise. Instead, I'll be opening a tea store chain within this city and providing them with training and legitimate jobs."
"Tea? But how could that possibly sustai-" Her eyes glossed over, as if she was remembering something traumatic. Emily shook her head to get rid of her stupor. "Never mind, I can see how that would happen. Fine. I get it. You want the Asian community to be protected and provided for. Very noble of you, even if I don't completely trust your intentions yet." She was straightforward in her dealings with me. There wasn't even a hint of deceit in her tone. "Then what is this? Why have you called us here?"
"Peace." That singular word stunned the group in front of me. "I want peace. That's all I've ever wanted. It hasn't changed even with my responsibilities expanded to this extent. I know better than to attempt parley with Kaiser. But with the heroes? As far as you know, the only thing I've really done that's 'criminal' is my defeat of Lung. And even that could be argued as self-defense and preservation of life. What I'm proposing is simple… Just leave us alone."
"As far as we know, of course." She snorted angrily. Oops. Said more than I should have. Hopefully Faultline doesn't snitch. "And why should we acquiesce?"
"Because it benefits you to do so. None of those who remain have committed anything more than minor infractions. And they've all professed a want to live a good life, free of crime. Without us in the picture, you're free to focus on the real threat…" I trailed off, waiting for her to continue my sentence.
"...the Empire 88." She finished. "This is all very convenient for you. If we focus our efforts on them, it is possible that we'll take out your only competitor."
"I know there's nothing I can do to convince you entirely of my intentions. So how about this? An olive branch." I spread my arms wide, trying to show that I've lowered my guard. "It is inevitable that they'll attempt to move on what was formerly ABB territory. And I know their gang members and Parahumans will eventually execute some form of attack."
I held out my finger. "First, I've hired Strider on a retainer basis, entirely on my dime." A second finger went up. "Second, any gang member or Parahuman who goes against the peace I've established will be captured and not dealt with in the same way as Lung." And there went the third. "Lastly, they will either be delivered to the local police department, or… In the case of any Parahumans, will be sent to a Protectorate branch in another city via Strider to ensure they can't be set free mid-transport. I'm thinking…Legend's home base?"
Though she looked miffed and annoyed that I'd brought up their revolving door of Parahumans, she nodded nonetheless. "Very well. I'll have to see what I can arrange with the other branches."
"So, what do you say? Peace?" I offered with a smile, relaxing my body and trying to do away with the tension in my face. It wasn't a good idea to fight two groups at once. Neither was there a point in fighting the PRT when we weren't even committing crimes for them to prosecute.
She stood up and took her coat from the chair before wearing it in a single practiced movement. Emily turned back to look at me over her shoulder, "For now." Cool as a cucumber, she strode past her Parahuman bodyguards as they moved aside. Miss Militia gave me a pensive look, as if she was trying to dissect who I was. She shook it off soon enough and made to follow the group out.
When they were out of range, I leaned back against the cool wall as exhaustion seeped into me. Fuck. I hated this diplomacy shit. For a moment, I imagined the old days with my parents. I think… My father would have asked me, "Are you winning, son?" A soft smile caressed my face.
"Yeah dad, I think I am."