awashlogs | JUNE A-CATCHI-ALL ok i'll stop

[ Oh yes, very busy. Which is, perhaps, why he's so full of energy here. It is... a little weird not having things to do all the time. ]

That's right. Mine is called "Oz" territory. Admittedly, it's not very creative, since that's the name of our world, but I like it all the same. Funnily enough, my territory was considered the "red" one, too.

Besides mine, there are 4 other territories. Grimm, Stivali, Adelheid, and Anderson.

[ ... Oz? Well. This is suddenly reminding him of something, a conversation he had with Kyrie during his "birthday" party-- something about being a scarecrow? And if Caramia is supposed to be a lion...

Huh. He's gonna have to figure this out later. ]

I believe red really does suit you. [ Fiercely warm, like fire itself. If Akechi isn't careful, he might end up burned. ]

Did the other territories have assigned colors, as well?

Grazie. I think so, too.

[ It is a color associated with bravery, and that's really the only reason Caramia loves it so. That, and it had it's part to play in the sunset, which... had all very pretty colors. He wishes he could see it here. ]

Mhm. Let's see. Grimm is green, Anderson is pink, Stivali is fuchsia, and Adelheid is yellow. We technically have a blue and purple, too, but they don't belong to any branching famiglia. [ He doesn't pause, or even watch Akechi, simply talking about his town so casually as he continues to clean. ] There's a bunch of mischievous outsiders that hang out in the lawless slums or around the surrounding forest, and we call themselves the "Wolf Gang". They're pests at best, but they've made their own mark to be represented with blue. And then, purple... for Oscar-Wilde's territory.

[ We don't talk about Oscar Wilde. But hey, Akechi might! If he's accustomed to really dark Irish poets. ]

Oh, and... Robin, of course! But he kind of does his own thing, being the town's doctor and all.

[ Wow, that sounds like they've got an entire fucking rainbow in these towns-- and that "famiglia" thing popped up again. His suspicions are getting stronger and stronger... ]

In that case, I imagine Robin-san had easy access across all territories? It sounds like some of those, at least, would not be very welcoming to outsiders otherwise.

Well, everyone knows Robin. One of the perks to being the town's best [ And only ] doctor. But... yes, you're right. Especially me and the other dons. If we go wandering, everyone thinks it's for trouble or something. Even on Sundays-- we have a day of peace on Sundays and all violence is punished, you see-- if I try having a friendly chat with anyone outside my famiglia, it's seen as a threat.

[ He pouted, like it only bothered him a little, but in truth, he really missed the times when all of them were friends. He tried not to think about it, though. ]

Edited 2018-06-17 23:31 (UTC)

[ WELL. That all sounds very nice and fun, but... everything Caramia is saying just kind of confirmed Akechi's suspicions for good. ]

So these territories you speak of... They're really mafia territories, correct?

[ And "dons" is a really self-explanatory word for anyone who knows the first thing about criminal organizations like that, so: ]

So that really was what you meant when you said you were a leader. Caramia-san... is the head of a mafia family.

[ Caramia nods slowly, like the question confused him, staring up at Akechi now. ]

Oh, have... have I not mentioned that? [ It's hard to keep up with who he's told things and who he hasn't. His memory isn't exactly praise worthy, after all. Still, he didn't really like Akechi "really" thrown in there-- it's not as if he were trying to lead Akechi astray or anything. ] Yes, I'm a don. Kyrie's my consigliere. We're in charge of the Oz famiglia.

[ And despite all this, he gives his signature sunny smile. ]

I know, I don't look it, right? I... get that a lot.

You hadn't told me directly, no, though I had long since all but figured it out. I am a detective, you know.

[ And Caramia wasn't exactly subtle about it, either, so that definitely helped. Still, for a man of the law to befriend a vigilante like Lupin was already weird enough, but a mafia boss? It's going to be very hard to reconcile his image as an Ace Detective with the kind of people he has been associating with... ]

I must admit, you are nothing like the one mafia boss I have investigated before. I wonder if the Japanese yakuza and your famiglia aren't quite so similar, after all...

[ Caramia chuckles. ] That's true. Scusa. I don't really think it's important info- it's not as if my status means much here. [ He sighs. It was a bit upsetting, in all honesty, but it's not like he could wrangle everyone into line when all he was here was just another kidnappee. ]

Maybe not? Most of the other dons in town are nothing like myself, either. What were you investigating him for...?

[ Akechi shakes his head once, dismissing Caramia's apology. It's true, his position doesn't exactly make a difference in this place, but still... Maybe the reason why he doesn't share it is because he's scared people might judge him for his past actions? If that's the case, then he and Caramia might have more in common than he would have thought. ]

The case I was investigating was about a man who was tricking high school students into owing him money, then keeping them permanently in his debt through blackmail. Somehow, I don't think that is the type of activity you would condone, Caramia-san.

[ But... what if he had done worse...? ]

Er-... he...?

[ Tricking high school students into giving him money??? Really?! His face twists in digust. ]

Certainly not. I take care of the children in my town, and would gladly toss whoever tried to mess with them to confinement. [ Even the ones not from his territory, though he wasn't exactly supposed to do that. ] Don't know how mafias may work where you're from, but in Oz, we take care of our famiglia and those within our territory, no matter what sacrifice you'd have to give.

[ He takes care of the children, huh...? Yes, that's exactly the type of person he thought Caramia was-- and, really, this much has been made clear just from the way he acts around the younger populace of Chroma. He seems to have taken a whole lot of them under his wing, and Akechi...

... well, Akechi feels like he might be one of them. One of the children he tries to protect-- even though it has mostly been Akechi rescuing him, so far. It would be nice, though, being part of a family where people fight for him instead. Where people make him feel safe. Even if it's the mafia.

It's not as if Akechi wasn't a criminal, himself. ]

The common understanding is that the mafia will protect those who belong to their midst, and show little mercy to those who don't. In this particular case, these high school students were simply... not one of their own, I suppose. Easily exploitable, and easily discarded.

[ It looks like Caramia's family at least wouldn't target children. That's better standards than he's seen, back in Tokyo. ]

But, if not children, then tell me: what kind of people would your famiglia target, Caramia-san?

[ He doesn't sound judgmental, or even scared. He just wants to know exactly what kind of criminal he's dealing with here. ]

[ "Criminal"! Geez! Caramia is still Caramia, Akechi! Or, he thinks so, anyway. Then again, he's under the impression he shouldn't have been judging anyone for anything they did outside of Chroma. It's a fairly naive outlook, admittedly.

Still, it isn't exactly feel-good-feelings being interrogated like this. ]

"Target", Akechi? Come on now, [ He gives a soft, worried laugh. ] they're people. I generally just have to worry about those who threaten my territory, or threaten the peace of my town.

[ There's a very short glance in Akechi's direction. Not many people seemed to react well to this news... he wonders if Akechi maybe thought less of him from this? What a disheartening thought. ] That wasn't what you meant, was it? [ Not with Akechi's vocabulary of "exploitable" and "discarded"... honestly. He gives a smile through everything, anyway. ] It's okay, you can be blunt. I don't have anything to hide.

[ Oh, well. Akechi wouldn't want to look threatening, himself, far from it-- and, in truth, it's not even like he can actually judge whatever misdeeds Caramia might have done in the past, considering his own track record. It's just that he has to keep up pretenses of being on the side of the law.

But, as long as Caramia is willing to be open about this: ]

Very well. Then I will cut straight to the chase: the mafia is widely known for their crimes-- murder and torture, just to name a few. Is that something your famiglia may have done before?

[ ...Ah. ]

Our town is a lawless one. The branches of the mafia were put in place to have some semblance of that. So yes... technically. It's hard to avoid things like that sometimes. People aren't always on the peaceful side of things.

[ No matter how much Caramia tried to hide it with sunny optimism. Caramia looks away, down at the table. Rather, more likely, his hands. ]

...I don't exactly have a clean record, though. There was a time before the mafia... the day where things kind of hit the fan, actually. Everything was chaotic, people were given guns and violence had been introduced to the town and... I went on a bit of a berserk rampage. I couldn't think, and couldn't stop. [ He gives a bitter, yet nervous laugh. ] Pretty pathetic, right? To have innocent blood on my hands for absolutely no reason...

[ ...Well, Akechi asked! He can't blame Caramia for being honest, right? ]

[ No, he doesn't blame Caramia-- not for being honest, and not for the blood on his hands, either. Much on the contrary.

He is... almost glad for it. ]

"No reason at all..." That is not what I would call a berserk rampage.

[ And, lucky for Akechi, he doesn't even have to break character as the Ace Detective to make his point. His disguise remains safe. ]

Back when I was in Tokyo, several cases I had been working on were related to something very similar to what you just mentioned-- psychotic breakdowns and berserk incidents. The perpetrators all described it along the same lines: that something inside them had been broken, and they had no real recollection of their following actions. I believe what happened to you was very much the same.

[ It's not quite a hug, because Akechi just can't bring himself to naturally do it, not yet, but he takes a hand to Caramia's shoulder and gives it a squeeze, gentle and reassuring-- and maybe, just a little less awkward than he's been in the past. ]

You should not blame yourself for it, Caramia-san; you're just another victim. The real culprit is whoever has orchestrated those incidents.

[ Like his father, who planned and used it all to his personal gain. And like Akechi, himself. ]

[ He stares at Akechi in a brief shock at his words. To be his age and deal with people who were like how he was? How dreadful, honestly. Poor kid shouldn't have had to be exposed to all that. Surely this kind of work played a helping hand in Akechi shying away from affection? Among the other things they talked about before, of course.

Caramia sighs, reaching his own hand up to pat against Akechi's. ] Grazie, signore, really... but I just... I wasn't strong enough to come to my senses on my own.

[ There's a part of him that's frustrated with this line of thinking. How could he still be so upset over something like this that happened so long ago? It's not like he's done things he's proud of as don either. Maybe it's just the fact that he wasn't in control, himself? He couldn't claim those mistakes as his own, and yet somehow they are still his mistakes? He doesn't understand it himself, but... he smiles anyway. ]

That's all in the past, now. I just have to focus on getting stronger for everyone else's sake.

[ Akechi really wants to insist further, to offer real support and reassurance, but he's also afraid he might slip and reveal more than he means to, that he might share more than just words of encouragement. That his own dark secrets might spill forth. ]

I don't think it would have been as simple as having enough strength, Caramia-san. That kind of power is... inescapable.

[ And that's all he allows himself to say on the matter, hoping it will suffice. ]

Regardless, I admire your positive outlook on the situation. I find it rather inspiring, as a matter of fact.

[ That's the truth, too. If only Akechi himself could be a little more like that... ]

[ Continuing this topic any further is just too depressing of a thought!! So, Caramia opts to just not. ]

It wouldn't make much sense to be negative about it, right? I can't change the past, so I learn, and move on to try and make things better. [ That's sort of how his outlook of the world has been since he's had his courage pendant. It's been... nice. ] Festering on things I'd want to change, but can't...

[ ...That's how people end up jaded and bitter like Kyrie. ]

Anyway, scusa. I didn't mean for you to just listen to my rambles. I got a little carried away.

[ Festering on things that can't be changed... Alas, that is what sounds most familiar to Akechi. If he could change his past, or at least some of his choices, would the outcome have been any better? Could his life ever get any better...?

No matter how he looks at it, he is already bitter, and jaded, perhaps far too much to ever go back. And yet, listening to Caramia's ever so bright positivity, his outlook on his own past... He can't help but feel something else, too, something that that he didn't know he still had in him.

He feels a little... hopeful. ]

There's no need to apologize. [ A shake of his head. ] As a matter of fact, I appreciate it that you have trusted me with your past, painful though it might be for you to remember. I promise I'll keep your secret safe.

Grazie. And of course. You're very easy to talk to!!

[ That, and Caramia is just very dependent on the people he's close to, but he doesn't like to acknowledge that. ]

Still, I wasted quite a bit of time with that. [ He stands. ] Still have a lot of mess to clean up! I don't need you staying out too late because I was busy sharing stories.

JUNE A-CATCHI-ALL ok i'll stop

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