"We're home!" "Sorry for intruding…" Coco and Josuke called out respectfully as they entered through the doorway.

Oh great. Sen thought to herself. Jojos here.

Sen was a 13, going on 14, adolescent girl that more than one woman around town had commented was too boyish on account of the fact that she could always be found in her signature red shirt and overalls.

There was more to it of course. Typically covered in grease stains and seen sporting a monkey wrench so large it nearly dwarfed her 5ft body. Said tool doubled as both the primary means of her occupation, as well as a weapon for anyone foolish enough to earn her wrath …a surprisingly easy fire to kindle.

Really, the most girlish things about Sen were the hairband she had been gifted by her deceased mother, which she used to wear back her short, but naturally very unruly spiked hair. And the hair itself, a slightly darker shade of the azalea pinks the women in her family were known to sport, something she was supremely proud of.

"Make sure you wipe yer feet before you come in!…friggin dumbass." Sen finished under her breath.

"I know, I know. I'm doing it." Jojo called back.

Sen scrunched her brow in irritation. The idiot. Now she'd have to make more rice. Sometimes she didn't know what it was her sister saw in the lout. Well, no, Sen had to admit that that was more than a little obvious.

She had seen him without a shirt on occasions it had rained, and he had stopped by to dry himself off. There had also been the first few months when he hadn't had a place of his own and Granny had allowed him to sleep on the living room sofa, which he had often done half-naked on account of the heat. Come to think of it his face wasn't all that hard to look at.

I mean, if you like that doofus kinda look, Sen mused. Psssh. Doesn't matter…friggin cabbage head.

"Yo, Sen. Guess what I got us!" Josuke said enthusiastically walking into the kitchen.

Gee, I wonder if it's the crab-tuna…

"Jojo got us an entire crab-tuna!" Coco said, entering the kitchen with her own groceries before bending down to retrieve a cutting board. "He also got you two a nice treat. I want you to say thank you, Sen."

Having just finished setting the rice, Sen quickly dug into the bag Josuke had left on the counter, singling out the sodas, and taking two for herself and her grandmother.

"Ah, nice! Good going, Cabbagehead!"

In all of Meteor City, Sen was probably the only person who could make light of Josuke's hair and get away with it. A relationship that she secretly cherished.

Ignoring Josuke's grimace and deciding to leave the cooking to the more culinarily talented fingers of her sister, Sen delivered her grandmother her share of the sweet spoils by diving on the cushion adjacent to the Elder.

No sooner had she handed the elderly woman the bottle, did it disappear from her hand and appeared in her grandmother's along with a whiskey bottle and glass. Quickly mixing approximately half of the gift with the alcohol, Grecha shoved the rest of the sweet beverage back to her granddaughter. As the Abelnite sisters knew, Grandma never drank anything sweet, at least not the conventional way.

"Oh, Gran-gran…" Coco scolded from the kitchen whilst de-clawing the crab-tuna. "I really wish you wouldn't drink so late."

"Shush girl! I weened your mother on milk far stronger than this!" Grecha snapped before turning her ire to Josuke. "And you boy! Out fighting again, eh? If I find out you've been causing trouble again, it's your hide I'll be having!"

"Whaa!? Me? You know I wouldn't start anything, Granny." Josuke replied with a look that screamed he wasn't completely free of guilt. "…but I'll sure as hell finish it…"

"What was that!" Grecha shot back, ears like a fox.

"N-Nothing!"

"Oh, please go easy on Josuke, Gran-Gran. Some brutes were just getting handsy with Natalie, you remember Kat's daughter, and Jojo stepped in is all." Coco explained.

Grandma humphed in acknowledgment but otherwise refused to comment further. Choosing to instead nurse her cocktail and go back to her reading.

Choosing to wait out the rest of the time before dinner in her room, Sen went to her desk to continue working on another of her myriad side projects. By occupation, Sen was something of an engineer. Curious from the day she could crawl, she had been known as a terror in her home for tearing apart any appliance or toy she'd been able to get her hands on. By the time she was 5, she could jerry-rig a ham radio in under an hour, and by the time she was 10, she was already in charge of keeping the Daggertown water systems…. functional.

She spent the next several dozen minutes tinkering with a small robot toy she had invented called the Gettim Robo, daydreaming about intervening in the fight Coco had hinted happened earlier that evening.

Woosh! Pow!

Guess I'll have to help you out, Jojo. Ya dumbass! She'd have said, as she swung down from the top of the roof to make her entrance.

Heh, yeah. Well…took ya long enough. He'd have replied.

Then they'd have proceeded to whoop the thugs back to where they had come from. The crowd cheering at the display of teamwork only years of knowing each other had created. Coco was there too of course.

"Geez ya idiot, what would you do without me? Huh"

"You're right," Josuke said, rubbing his nose bashfully. "Guess we make a pretty good team…"

He'd have tried to hide his blush, but Sen would have noticed.

"Seeeeen!" Coco called out, snapping her out of her daydream. "Dinner's ready!"

Leaving her tools on her desk and descending the stairway, Sen was pleased to find the smell of a hearty fish stew wafting throughout the living room and kitchen.

"I'm starving!" She announced meeting everyone at the kitchen table.

Besides the stew, two loaves of stale bread had been heated up and cut into portions everyone could enjoy at their leisure, and a small salad of beans and lettuce had been placed in the middle of the table which Sen had no intention of touching. Evidently, there had also been enough meat to fry, as several fishsticks had been portioned out to her plate.

Wow, they really splurged.

Everyone at the table gave a united, "Thanks for the food!" before filling their respective stomachs. In between bites, Sen took whatever opportunities she could find to tease Josuke, while Coco and Grandma would talk about various happenings in Daggertown. Josuke brought up a particularly interesting repair, before asking Coco what her students were learning. Same old, same old. Just another typical night at the Abelnite household. Or, at least it would have been.

*Knock! Knock! Knock!*

"Who could that be?" Coco said, rising from her seat. "We usually never get visitors this late." Before walking to open the door.

That is strange. Sen thought to herself. But it didn't warrant anything interesting enough to stop either her eating or her conversation with Josuke. "Anyway, Jojo. As I was saying, I could really use your help tomo-"But she would be interrupted by a scream of surprise from her sister.

"MUSKA!" Coco called out. "Oh, my goodness. Come in, please come in!" That got even Grandma's attention.

Then a mysterious and vaguely familiar figure walked into the Abelnite household. He was a head taller than Coco, with long green hair that he wore back in a ponytail, but only at the shoulder. He wore a clean white dress shirt with a bowtie and black kakis which were held up with suspenders. In other words, the very picture of a pencil pusher.

Sen wouldn't have classified him as particularly handsome, or ugly. Rather, the most noticeable thing about his face was how foxlike it was, with a smile so wily they never touched his eyes.

He and Coco exchanged some words and pleasantries before she grabbed some of his nicely wrapped presents, one of which was a breathtaking bouquet of flowers Sen had a suspicious feeling wasn't meant for their grandmother.

As was custom, he thanked them for allowing him into their house before making his way toward Grandmother to give her his respects, as was proper. Sen noticed that his eyes briefly seemed to linger on Josuke's who matched the gaze with equal ferocity, but said interaction was so brief she wasn't sure it had happened at all.

"Elder Abelnite," The man, Muska, said. "It's been so long I hardly recognized you, have you gotten younger?"

"Don't I wish you little flatterer…and you Muska, back from the mainland, looks like the works been good for you? Keeping your hands clean?"

Muska chuckled in feigned shame. "Haha, well…you know. The mafias always need people to count their money for them and stay long enough, you can make a decent living out of it. Thankfully I've never had to paint my own hands."

Grandma raised an eyebrow at that, but otherwise didn't push the issue, before Muska turned to her.

"Sen! It's been so long. You've really grown up…do you remember me?"

Of course, she didn't.

"Yeah…ah…Muska…how's it going…." She replied, hoping her acting would cover the fact that she didn't recognize the man.

Muska at least didn't take it personally before chuckling in good humor. "It's all right." He spoke. "You were only yay high when we last saw each other." Holding his hand only slightly above his hip. "How about this." He continued. "Do you remember…putting firecrackers in a certain young man's shoes when you were, oh say, 6 years old?"

Ohhhh! It's that Muska. Sen thought, face agape, as the memories flooded back to her. Which meant that he was…

"Mikkelo's brother, you remember?" Coco said as she returned to the table. "Josuke this is an old friend of my mine from my childhood. I've known him since I was younger than Sen."

"Yes, we go way back," Muska said, extending his hand out to Josuke, who shook it in greeting. "And you are?"

"Josuke Fix, but my friends call me Jojo."

"You'll have to forgive me, I'm not sure I've heard of a Fix family."

"Oh, ah. I'm new to Meteor City." Josuke added. "I've been here for the last couple of years is all."

"Sounds like quite the story. You'll have to tell it to me over a drink." Muska said with a laugh.

Though Sen suspected he didn't find it at all funny.

"Forgive me if I'm being more than a little forward," Muska began, "but what exactly is your relationship with the Abelnites?"

"W-Well you see Muska" Coco jumped in. "Jojo i-is a, um" Before gazing at Josuke in embarrassment.

For his part, Josuke seemed just as put out and embarrassed as Coco. Unable to quite say he was just a family friend.

Sen would have found their whole stuttering act hilarious had their awkwardness not been so palatable.

Deciding to be merciful, Grandma came to their rescue.

"He's my ward." She cut in. "He works for me."

"I-I see…" Muska said in understanding. "In any case, I just wanted to say my hellos and drop off some gifts. I'll leave you to your dinner."

"Oh no, please Muska." Coco pleaded. "Stay for dinner. You've come all this way, and it's been so long. Won't you stay and talk."

"Unfortunately, I've business to attend to, and will only be in town for another night or two. But if you've time tomorrow evening, I'd love to catch up over some coffee."

"That sounds nice, Muska. I'll be free after work. You remember the old school building?"

Understanding seemed to dawn on Muska's face "So, you're following in his footsteps, huh? I'll see you then." Before he turned to leave.

A quiet seemed to come over the remainder of the dinner. Josuke didn't seem to know how or want to ask about the new stranger, while Coco seemed lost in her own thoughts. Sen could understand why, after all, Muska was Mikkelo's twin brother, his face was bound to bring up sad memories.

By the time dinner concluded, Coco had turned in early, while Josuke and Sen had started on the night's dishes.

"He's changed," Grandma said, mostly to herself. "Josuke, come here and play a game of Gungi with me." It wasn't really a request.

Josuke obeyed and played for roughly an hour with the Elder Abelnite, losing every match. He wasn't very skilled but showed a tenacity to learn that Sen thought was endearing to watch.

"Josuke…don't worry about Muska," Grandma said.

"I-I'm not. I-I mean, why should I be?" He replied, flustered. "A-Anyway It's about time I head out too. I'll see you guys later." He said before leaving without a second word.

"…..You're not going to tell him anything?" Sen asked her grandmother, who was looking over her last Gungi match.

"If Coco hasn't told him yet, it's not our business." She replied sagely. "Sometimes we're better off forgetting old memories."

But Sen didn't want to leave it like that. Maybe it wasn't her business to say anything, but Josuke didn't need to leave the house feeling as put out as he did. She grabbed her wrench out of habit before storming out to catch up with her family's pompadoured friend.

"Josuke!" She called out, just catching him as he rounded a street corner.

"I don't need you to walk me home, Sen." He said, hands in his pockets.

"Dumbass Cabbagehead! I walk where I want, and if I wanna walk you home, you'd better be happy…friggin dumbass."

Josuke seemed briefly annoyed before breathing out deeply in acquiescence. He knew better than to try to shake Sen off.

They walked for several minutes in silence before either decided to speak.

"So that Muska guy…old friend of the family, huh?" Josuke asked.

Hehe. "Jealous?" She asked.

"…..Yeah…yeah, maybe a little."

That gave Sen pause and more than a few conflicting feelings. Shame that she had tried to tease him being the most prominent.

"Muska is…an old friend." Sen began to explain. "But more importantly…he's Mikkelo's brother. Mikkelo was Coco's….old boyfriend." She finished.

"…. Oh…Well, I guess there had to have been someone else, huh?" Josuke said almost to himself.

"Well, you don't have to worry about competition cuz he's dead. He's been dead for…" Sen counted on her fingers, "…7 years now…I think"

"...Oh" was Josuke's only response.

They continued to walk in silence. There were some things Sen just couldn't bring herself to tell Jojo. Like how Mikkelo had wanted to become a teacher. How his body had been found at the bottom of Junkanyon, or how Coco had been devastated for months after his death.

They continued to walk in relative silence. Sen, trying her best to give her friend some sort of emotional support as they headed to his home, when they spotted the hulking figure of a large middle-aged man with a white beard running toward them.

"Josuke!" the man screamed as he ran toward them. It was Horso, the barkeep.

"Josuke! Your house! *huff* *huff* IT'S ON FIRE, JOSUKE!"

(Two Hours Earlier)

Muska exited the Abelnite house with a smile on his face that hid his true vicious feelings. While he had been happy to see Coco, the sight of the stranger at the dinner table had unlocked feelings of hate and spite that he couldn't quite choke down now that he was outside. More than likely, Elder Grecha had caught on to his feelings, it was impossible to hide things from that woman.

He had brought several gifts of kitchen appliances, candies, and assorted goods from FranSan City, things he had hoped to make an impression with. Not that he expected the Abelnite women to be easily impressed, but he had wanted to show Coco and Grecha that he was a provider. He had even brought chocolate for Sen, a brat he'd sooner show the back of his hand.

Then he had spotted the boy, Josuke. Was that what Coco went for these days? Baby-faced fools that sported hair that looked like it came out of a Japponese School-Life comic? Was that his competition?

This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Patience-Plan-Prosecute. Those were the three Ps that had led him to become a Capo for the Staymos Familia in under 10 years. He was supposed to enter her life after years of separation, impress her with gifts, and after a day or two of talking, Coco would see in his eyes what Mikkelo could no longer give her. This…stranger…Josuke, was a blight, a stain, cancer that had somehow made its way into the Abelnite house to poison Coco, that was all. He'd fix it all tomorrow. Coco would see sense, especially once she knew his feelings. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice…. this time…. he'd confess first.

Several blocks down he had rented a Jeepney, a type of rusted rigged bus that could be used for transport in certain parts of Meteor City, assuming you could afford the fairs of course.

Giving several thousand Jenny to the driver, he traveled privately to his destination on the bumpy scrap-covered road typical of Daggertown.

Old Witch couldn't have cleaned up the place a little? Muska thought to himself, as they drove.

Almost a half hour passed before they arrived at their destination, The Block. It was a large concrete inn run exclusively by mafia who came to these parts of Meteor City to recruit and deal in business. By no means opulent, the inn had only the most basic of amenities, such as air conditioning and refrigeration for those who came to do their work, but it was far and away better than staying anywhere local.

Muska checked in and was received with a bow by the doorman who knew his position despite the fact that he had dressed well below his station. Big Tom, his number 2, was waiting in the lobby as he entered. As soon as he spotted his superior he stood and made his way with hulking grace toward Muska, worry obvious upon his face.

"You don't look well, Tom."

"Trouble, Boss. Some of our guys are probably dead." Tom said with some anger.

"Explain," Muska demanded, voice cool.

"Yohan, took some of our guys out to town without my permission, bout a dozen. Caused trouble, angered a lot of locals…most didn't come back alive."

"Did anyone make it?" Muska asked, unconcerned. Yohan was a troublemaker and wouldn't be missed. He had on more than one occasion circumvented orders and made himself a nuisance. Half the reason he had even been brought was that Muska had plans to dispose of the man.

"Two guys got away from the mob," Tom answered. "Apparently, it was a single guy who caused most of the trouble…some of what they say happened don't make no sense, boss."

"We know anything about this man?"

"I took the liberty of bribing a kid. Says the guy's name is Josuke, goes by a handful of other names too. Guys got a repair sho- H-Hey boss, you ok?"

Muska's blood froze. Josuke? That Josuke had caused him trouble? Could it be another? No. Muska was willing to bet there was only a single person in all of Meteor City with that name, unique as it was…which meant…

"Tom…" Muska said, a sinister smile plastered on his face. "We can't take this insult lying down. Can we?"

"I… I guess not, boss. But I thought you wanted Yohan and his men gone?"

"Daggertown has done us a favor, but we still have to show people we have teeth. I need you to do something for me."

"A-Anything boss…" Tom said, wary of the look his boss was making.

"Gasoline…and lots of it."

As Tom scurried to obey, Muska began to cackle. It all had to be a sign, he just couldn't hold back his laughter.

Coco, I'll see you tomorrow.

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