Archivist note: This post is from an older recovered archive.
==Tatsuya springs to action. (The Ashiko Case)==
((Posted by Skyler ‘Artful Dodger’ Gant on July 1, 2010))
The afternoon summer sun beat down upon the streets of Babbage with such fierceness that to anyone but Tatsuya it would’ve felt like a furnace. Not exactly the kind of day you’d want to spend outside, if you could avoid it. Yet there Tatsuya was, sitting at the edge of the Port watching the Horizon, his glowing eyes seemingly fixed at the distant horizon, as if expecting someone, which he was. He had been informed by someone he knew…a Contact if you will…that a Mr. Ryne Beck was due to arrive in New Babbage on this particular date aboard the Clockhaven Queen, a magnificent ship he had seen docking and leaving the port all the time, one he had familiarized himself with by sneaking aboard it every so often, and now it was due back…and was late, which angered him, causing him to pace back and forth, his hands tucked inside his Kimono Pockets, his left one emerging with a Chocolate Chip Cookie he had taken from Sheryl’s Book Store.
What seemed like ages had passed and Tatsuya was growing impatient, the sun began to lower in the sky, evening was nearly upon them, when finally the feint Silhouette of a ship appeared off the Horizon, causing a slight smile to grow on Tatsuya’s face as he sat down, watching as the ship grew closer and closer. This was it, time to buddy up with the fool, gain his trust, and then bring the plan to motion. He was sure this plan was going to work, and had plenty of help with the other Urchins. This was going to work, it had to. If not he’d be a disgrace to himself. Sighing he took a bite of his Cookie and watched the ship grow gradually closer, the outline of the ship growing more clearer. It was, indeed, the Clockhaven Queen. He had recognized the shape instantly, and he hoped against hope Ryne would be aboard. Mr. Ryne Beck, he had heard quite a lot about his Opium Habit, and figured they could bribe him with a bit of it, but sadly…to him at least…the plan was shot down for another, more tastier and easier to get…plan, Cake with sleeping potion.
Finally the ship docked, and Tatsuya stood up, watching the guy on the port approach to tie the ship to dock, and finally, he watched as the plank was lowered to the dock, letting the passengers off one by one. It didn’t seem, to Tatsuya, that there was a lot of Passengers aboard the vessel, which was fine…to Tatsuya… made it easier to find the man he was looking for. He didn’t wait very long when a beat up looking man got off the ship, and quickly, Tatsuya approached him, getting a “Hello Ms. Skytower.” From him, which sent a fire of anger passing through Tatsuya, not at his beloved Cousin, Sheryl, but at his Grandfather for not making him look more original, instead of like the rest of the damned clockwork dragons he made for his family. Sighing, Tatsuya calmly, and nicely, corrected Mr. Beck, and got an apology in return, which made him force a polite smile. “It’s alright, sir. I get that a lot. Family resemblance. Me names Tatsuya Skytower, I’m Ms. Sheryl Skytower’s 15year old cousin. I’ll gladly show you around town, if you want?”
The innocent, Good Urchin, act, was something he used, and perfected, during his years as a human child right up until he was turned into this dreadful Dragon as of recently. The act appeared to have worked as Mr. Beck took him up on the offer. After showing Mr. Beck around town, he escorted him to where he was staying, the Hospital, and pretended to leave, saying his Goodbye to Mr. Beck, before turning and quietly following him inside, sneaking past the front desk and trailing quietly behind him, keeping his distance and hiding behind whatever was near as he did, stopping when they reached the floor he was staying on, and watching as he went into a room, taking a mental note of the room number before leaving to inform the one who will bring the cake to his room. The plan was going to work, he just knew it.
