[sfx: footsteps]
Allen: [sighs] Man, today was busy... ah, oh yeah. I oughta let him know I'll be back soon...
[sfx: Allen tapping on his phone, ringing on the line]
Allen: Ah, Hajun?
Hajun: [over the phone] What is it?
Allen: What do you mean, what is it? I'm done with my part-time, so I'm on the way home.
Hajun: Is that so.
Allen: Huh? Uhh, are you mad about something?
Hajun: No, I'm merely amazed. Our battle is in three days, and yet despite that, you have somehow found ample time to pick up a part-time shift at a curry restaurant.
Allen: Ah, uh, well, I didn't really have a choice...! They said they were in a bind because the part-timer they were expecting to have bailed on them at the last minute...!
Hajun: Hm.
Allen: Anyway, what about Anne? They're at CANDY tonight, right?
Hajun: There is a vast difference between a regular scheduled shift and fits of altruism.
Allen: --! Uh, ah, but, I think when I was delivering the plates of curry, the aroma of the spices must have activated my brain or something, because now I have a really great idea for the arrangement!
Hajun: Are you really going to rework the song now?
Allen: It's a tweak! It's just a little tweak! I'm sure you'll understand what I mean once you hear it, Hajun!
Hajun: Hm.
[sfx: cars passing by in the background]
Allen: I want to really put my nose to the grindstone and give it everything I've got. I don't want to do anything half-heartedly. Fighting with all your might for the sake of your team and all of your companions... that's what the Battle of Unity is all about! That's what all of the battles so far have been! Every team has put out amazing music! And we've received more support than ever before! I really want to pay that support back. And besides that, BAE's future depends on the tournament, too, since we're the ones organizing it. We have to prove whether or not we're worthy of being part of that scene. And with our music, we--!
Hajun: Allen.
Allen: --! Ahah, well, if we succeed in that, we'll be able to do a lot more, too. We can hold even bigger events, and go on world tours, and so on and so on!
Hajun: It is all well and good to talk about the future, but please focus on what is immediately in front of you. Where are you now?
Allen: Huh? Oh, I'm just before the convenience store that's near our place. Ah, I think I'll pop in and grab something to eat tonight and then head home. You want anything, Hajun?
Hajun: It certainly sounds like I'm not being given a choice about staying up all night.
Allen: Eh? Well, no, not exactly, eheheh...
[sfx: car pulling up, screeching to a stop]
Allen: ... huh?
[sfx: car doors opening]
Hajun: Allen?
Mob: [hushed] That's him! Let's go!
Allen: Huh? What the--!?
[sfx: sounds of the men grunting and Allen being forcibly grabbed, struggling]
Hajun: Allen??
Allen: The hell are you doing!? Stop it!
[sfx: Allen's phone hitting the ground, the sounds of struggle continuing]
Allen: Dammit--!
[sfx: The struggle continuing, Allen's exclamations being muffled]
Haju: Allen?? What's wrong? Allen? Allen!
Mob: [in the background] Quick, get him in the car!
Hajun: Allen! Allen! Say something, Allen!
[sfx: car door slamming]
Hajun: Allen!!
[sfx: car driving away]

[sfx: Club CANDY ambiance]
Anne: Hello? Ah, Hajun? What's up? Allen's done with his part-time, right? Iori-san says I'm good to go home a little earlier than usual toda... ...? Hajun...?
Hajun: [over the phone] Anne, I need you to stay calm and listen to what I'm saying. Allen was...
Anne: ... huh?? What's that supposed to mean!?
[sfx: approaching footsteps in geta]
Iori: What's got you yelling all of a sudden, Anne-chan?
Anne: ...
Iori: You ain't havin' a troublesome customer, are you?
Anne: No, that's not it...
Iori: Then what's up?
Anne: Allen was... Allen was kidnapped.
Iori: Now, what in the world??
Zen: Is something the matter, Waka?
Iori: Zen, I'm gonna need you to close down the shop immediately. We got a emergency on our hands.
Zen: Alright.
Iori: And tell Hokusai and the others to come over here while you're at it.
Zen: Understood.
Iori: Mmm. Now, lemme borrow that phone for a second?
[sfx: Anne handing their phone to Iori]
Iori: 48? Sounds like somethin' real big just happened.
Hajun: ... yes.
Iori: I wanna hear all the details here. Can you come down right now?
Hajun: I can. But--
Iori: Dumbass! Now's not the time to start getting shy. Would it kill you to just out and be honest for once?
Hajun: ...
Iori: If you understand, then hurry over. We've already called for Hokusai and company. Once everyone's here at Candy, we'll have a little operations meeting. Don't worry. You got us to handle things. We'll find Allen, no doubt about it.

[sfx: creaking straining, Allen coming to; the slight echo of a large and predominantly empty room]
Allen: Mng... hh... ... where... am I...? I--!
Man: Ah, are you awake, Sugasano Allen-san?
Allen: Huh...?
Man: We must apologize for the somewhat rough reception. We would have much rather have given you a warmer welcome, but...
Allen: --! [realizing he can't move]
Man: In order to avoid any hassle, we opted instead for the most expedient method.
Allen: Ngh--! [struggling, the creaking and rattling of chains]
Man: I must warn you that there is no point in growing violent. Even should you loosen your bindings, the men waiting just over there will jump to action at my command.
Allen: ...! ... why is this happening...?
Man: It is your own fault, is it not?
Allen: Hah?
Man: You have, after all, continuously rejected our propositions.
Allen: What are you talking about?
Man: [sighs] You do not remember? Well, so be it. I realized that you would not agree to meet with us through normal means. [pacing] As such, today I was able to bring you to the proverbial table for negotiations, even if it must happen a little bit more forcefully than would be preferable.
Allen: "Negotiations"?? [straining] You can't just abduct someone off the street and expect to have a civil conversation.
Man: We will not apologize for that any further. We would like things to proceed as smoothly as possible as well, however...
Allen: ... [sighs] So what the heck are you trying to do here?
Man: That is very simple. You need only answer "yes" on the behalf of BAE.
Allen: Hah?
Man: Is that quite alright? We are on your side in all of this. It will only take one word from you -- nothing more than a simple yes -- the future of BAE's... no, the entire world's phantom live scene will open up before you.
Allen: ...!?
Man: We possess such tremendous power, far beyond the likes of which you can even hope to imagine, that making such a thing happen would be trivial. So: will you not join forces with us, Sugesano Allen-san?
Allen: Who the hell are you?
Man: My, my! I seem to have so rudely forgotten my self-introduction. [footsteps] I speak today on behalf of Ginsekai. We look forward to doing business with you.

Satsuki, Hokusai, and Reo: ...
Zen: So if I am understanding you... it sounds like multiple culprits staged a sudden attack.
Hajun: Correct. Also, I hurried to the convenience store and I found this lying on the ground there.
[sfx: Hajun placing an object on the table]
Anne: That's Allen's phone.
Akan Yatsura: ...
Satsuki: But if you've got all this info, why don't you just go to the cops or somethin'?
Hajun: And if I did, what would be accomplished?
Satsuki: What d'you mean?
Hajun: Even if we suspect that something criminal has happened, Allen is an adult; there's no guarantee that the police would take action immediately for a suspected criminal action against an adult.
Reo: I suppose not.
Hajun: Our battle is in three days. We don't have the time to wait around.
Iori: Probably a smart choice.
Hajun: So. [sfx: clicking] I used some connections to pull some strings and obtain footage from some security cameras near the scene.
Reo, Satsuki, and Hokusai: --!
[sfx: clicking continues]
Reo: Wait, hold up, isn't what he just said super sus?
Hokusai: They just hacked in.
Satsuki: Rich people are fuckin' scary.
Hajun: I'll show you the footage of the attack.
[sfx: double click]
Anne: Allen... ah!
Satsuki: We got three guys involved...
Zen: And there were several more between the drivers' seat and the passenger's seat in the back... there's more people than I was expecting. And everyone's wearing masks to cover their faces.
Hajun: That's all that was on the footage.
Zen: Mm. They're acting really rough, like they're not entirely sure what they're doing. It's definitely not the work of a professional.
Iori: May be that someone just hired some thugs from around town to do the snatching. I'm betting there's someone else actually calling the shots.
Zen: The car's license plate number is... ... ahg, it's hard to see thanks to the shadows being cast on it...
Hajun: However, we were able to identify the model of car and continued to follow it using footage from other nearby security cameras. We're still waiting on further information, however.
Iori: Gotta say, though: pretty impressive you managed to even get this far in such a short amount of time, Hajun.
Hajun: No. None of it has produced usable results.
Zen: Let's take another look at the footage to see if we can find any other clues. With all of our eyes on it, maybe someone will notice something that the others are overlooking.
Hajun: ... alright.
[sfx: double click]
Akan Yatsura: Hm...
Reo: -- ah! That just now! Rewind and let me see that again!
Hajun: [clicking] Hereabouts?
Reo: Yeah, right there! Pause it.
[sfx: click]
Hokusai: Reo, did you see something?
Reo: Look, on the shoulder of this guy who's leaning back-- you can just make out something black there, right?
Satsuki: Ohh, you're right.
Reo: You think that might be a tattoo?
Hajun: --! I'll zoom in. [clicking]
Reo: Yeah, see, it's definitely a tattoo!
Anne: Hey, look, that guy over there has the same tattoo.
Satsuki: Then that means...
Hokusai: It's a gang tattoo. They're both members of the same group.
Reo: Aniki, you think that might be a clue we can use?
Iori: Sure is. Good eye, Reo. Well, then. Zen, you familiar with it?
Zen: Yes. I've seen it around outside of our territory. They're probably members of a sort of quasi-gang that's been getting really violent lately. Drugs, getting involved with shady jobs, violence against officials. I haven't heard a single good thing about them.
Iori: You got anything else?
Zen: Yes. The bar they're probably celebrating at is...

[sfx: music in the bg]
Leader: S'all on me tonight, lads!
Men: Thanks!!
[sfx: glasses clinking, door opening]
Iori: Ooh, looks like everyone's in good spirits, ain't'cha!
Men: --!?
[sfx: footsteps in geta approaching]
Iori: Oooh, goddamn, that's quiiiite the celebration you're puttin' on~! You get a windflow of extra cash from some kinda shady job or somethin'?
Men: --!
[sfx: Iori's footsteps in geta]
Man: The hell you think you're doing here, old man?
Iori: Out of the way. I've got no use for you.
Man: --!
Iori: [approaching] You. You the leader here?
Leader: The fuck if I am?
Iori: Tell me somethin'. How much did you get paid for having your men kidnap someone tonight?
Leader --! [getting to his feet and into Iori's face] What the hell are you tryin' to-- --!
Iori: [laughing] Ahaha! You actually came to talk to my face? How much of a dumbass can you be! Savin' us the trouble, ain't, he, Zen?
Zen: Yessir.
Man: [overlapping, hushed] Hey, what's these guys' problem?
Man: [overlapping, hushed] They look ready to fight.
Man: [overlapping, hushed] We're up shit creek, aren't we?
Leader: Who the hell do you think you are? You can't be serious.
Iori: Don't you worry about it. Whatever you're thinking, you're wrong. Name's Suiseki Iori. Leader^[1] of the Suisekigumi.
Man: S-Suisekigumi!?
[sfx: multiple men exclaiming]
Iori: Tsk. You don't even know me on sight! What a bunch of phonies you are. All you lot, I'd clear out and head home while you still got the legs to walk on if I were you.
Men: --!!
[sfx: footsteps walking away]
Zen: Now. We'd like to ask you about the kidnapping incident that you were involved in this evening. If you tell us honestly, then this will be very easy. If not... you'll end up telling us anyway.

[sfx: clock ticking]
Reo: [sighs] Aniki and Zen are taking sooo long.
Hokusai: It hasn't even been an hour since they left. It will probably take a little while longer.
Satsuki: Well, then they should have taken us with them, then! We'd whoop everyone's asses and be in and out of there in a flash!
Hokusai: But it's outside of our territory.
Reo: That's right. Satsuki-chan is just a moron, so he doesn't think things through before he does them.
Satsuki: I don't want to hear that from someone who opted out of fighting entirely!
Reo: Hey, I found the clue, didn't I?
Satsuki: So what?
Reo: So I'm super sweet and cute, and way more useful than a big stupid violent monkey.
Satsuki: The fuck you say, you little shit!?!
Reo: Just the simple truth!
Satsuki: I'll beat your ass!!
Reo: See?! What'd I say about violence!?
[sfx: sounds of idiot-on-idiot violence]
Hokusai: The two of you. Fighting is bad. Now is the time to wait quietly.
[sfx: footsteps approaching]
Anne: Everyone, I made some coffee to help keep us awake.
Satsuki: AH. ANNE. THANKS.
Anne: I wanted to drink some, so I decided I'd bring some for everyone. Here you go.
Satsuki: YEAH. It's, uh, it's b-b-black? Uh, I mean, that's great! That's really the flavor that an ADULT, LIKE ME, likes!!
Reo: By which Satsuki-chan means he absolutely won't drink it without a bunch of milk and sugaFMFMFMPH
Satsuki: [hissed] SHUT UP OR I'LL KILL YOU
[sfx: cup being set down]
Anne: Hajun, have you learned any new information?
Hajun: It's just been reported that the car was seen heading towards the bay coast.
Anne: By the sea? What on earth could they be doing there...?
Hajun: I don't know for sure. But there are many deserted warehouses out by the port. It would be very easy to keep someone captive there.
Reo: Eh? But there are so many of them.
Hokusai: Just checking all of them might take all night.
[sfx: door opening]
Iori: Howdy! Sorry to keep you all waiting.
Zen: We found out where Allen is. Let's go save him!

[1] He specifically says "kashira", which means head or leader of a group. [Back]