<div class="floatleft">(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcRqjK_YpnoKgILAB8npduxhLamVdzCaj5Zoiw&amp;usqp=CAU)</div><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><strong>NAME:</strong> Ryusei Tetsuda<br/><strong>DAY:</strong> June 15th, 2021, 11:00AM<br/><strong>LOCATION:</strong>  Downtown Shopping District<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong> Mallory, Kyless, Toshiro, Kevin, Open<br/><strong>EXTRA:</strong><br/><strong>WEARING:</strong> Uniform (https://giantbomb1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/scale_medium/1/14675/503563-longhumain.jpg)</span><br/><br/><hr/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> "I try not to," he said with a small nod. "If I let things like that get to me? You'd probably hear about it on the news. There's a reason I train so much. Mental discipline is a big part of that reason. It helps me stay focused on what's important and ignore the bullshit." Looking Kevin up and down, Ryusei could still sense something was off, so he added one last thing. "You give good advice, Kevin. Take it for yourself. Don't let whatever's going on get to you." He wasn't completely sure, but Kevin only ever really showed his emotions when Mallory was involved, so he figured it was something to do with her. Seeing Kevin of course meant Mallory was close by, and when he was barely done speaking with the soldier, his friend and something like an adopted sister walked up and spoke to him. "You too, Mallory." Looking down at his clothes when she mentioned his casual look while wondering if he meant to use this outing as yet another excuse to workout, he chuckled. <br/><br/>"Not this time. I came to get the shopping done same as everyone else. ...I do plan on a quick hour or two long session after we get back though," he said with enough of a smile that she wouldn't be able to tell if he was serious or not. "Maybe you can join me? Put some muscle on those bones." Mallory stood next to him before they went over to the others, and he could only shrug when she noticed that their group was apparently the late one showing up.<br/><br/> "They won't mind. We've got our reasons, and they seem to be having an okay time as it is. Now the chaos is about to start, though, I think." Offering her one final smile, they walked over to the group and were greeted by everyone, even Toshiro. As weird as it was to see the scientist out of the labs, Ryusei figured people could say the same about seeing him away from the training grounds. He nodded in greeting, then shrugged when he asked about his parents. <br/><br/>"Dad is...well he's <em>dad</em>, ya know? And mom? She's been cooped up in her workshop at SOPHE and at home the past few weeks. She said she's working on something big. And I believe her, since last night, my dad made his famous "black-fried steak" and she didn't even eat any. Normally she scarfs his cooking down like she's never eaten before, so if she's skipping meals, she's close to a breakthrough. I'm sure you'll get an e-mail with her findings soon."<br/><br/> Like Toshiro, his mother Riko was so passionate about science that being in that zone was when she truly came alive. His family were passionate to say the least. The large group quickly split back into two smaller, more manageable teams after Kyless was introduced to the people who hadn't known about her before, and then it was back to him, Mallory, and Kyless herself. He looked back to the beautifully blue demon as she smiled at him, then stated that he knew her. <br/><br/>Not questioned, but she <em>told</em> him that he did, and that was of course true. But for her to be able to see it was impressive. She was an Illusion Demon of the highest order though, so her ability to discern minute details was probably unmatched. If only she wanted to work with SOPHE he was sure she would have had an illustrious career by now. "I <em>do</em> know you. I suppose me being an unknown is sort of unfair isn't it?" He was about to tell her who he was, but she interrupted him by dipping her head low in a bow and introducing herself title and all. There was an air of regality around Kyless minus the sneezing that he couldn't ignore. <br/><br/>He wasn't used to so much fanfare, but he could only respond in kind. He didn't dip all the way to the concrete, but he bowed with his hand over his chest like an olden times gentleman. "I am Ryusei. Shadow Monarch, and son of Azmodiel the Black Inferno. You know each other, yes?" It was kind of unsettling how she continued to stare at him, but she was very pretty and he was staring right back, his face a mix of it's usual slab of non-emotions and inquisitive curiosity. <br/><br/>She asked if he wanted to play a game, and his fathers words resonated in his mind. "Kyless is something else, son. In all the best and worst ways. Always stay on your toes around that one. But she's mostly harmless, especially now that we've got countermeasures in place." He pondered a bit more, then decided to accept. "Fine. Let's play a game and have some fun. As for them?" He looked over to the others, then back to Kyless and nodded. "Yeah...I'd say they're my friends. Nerissa, Lily, Albion, Leasick." She of course knew Toshiro, Kevin, and Mallory well, so they didn't need an introduction. "We can get into the details later. So tell me about this game?"<br/></span><br/>