After the performance, Mom was firmly placed in her role as 'the new geisha girl', with no one questioning anything about it. The only drawback to that was she couldn't leave the geisha house much, as she was constantly in demand for her shows. Uncle Murray was able to slip away as a result, freeing the rest of us to take care of a few other tasks in preparation for our eventual confrontation with El Jefe.
Uncle Murray and Uncle Bentley's first job involved helping Rioichi get his restaurant back on track...by getting him plenty of fish to make into sushi. I found myself a little envious that it wasn't a Father/Daughter fishing trip for me and Dad, but time was on the line. Maybe some other time.
The only thing that worried me as they left...for just a moment, I saw that old chicken-man instead of Bentley again. This time, I knew his name...Gyro Gearloose. He's a scientist that works for Uncle Scrooge. Why do I keep getting flashes of him in Bentley's place in the gang? And why does it always come with a sharp stab of sorrow? I can only hope I get answers...and that said answers aren't too painful.
Rioichi gathered some special plants with a sleep toxin more potent - and more native - than what I had for my needles. Beyond that, I was running low on my sleep potion, and the plants would help me refresh my supply as well as allowing us to make knock out sushi rolls as was apparently the plan.
This apparently played into some information Bentley got using an RC car to spy on El Jefe talking to himself...but the more important detail came from a conversation between El Jefe and Mom. As expected, her swiftly building reputation got his attention immediately...
Carmelita - in her Geisha disguise - had stepped out momentarily for a breath of fresh air. She was glad she'd kept her disguise, no matter how much she'd wanted to discard it, because she practically walked into El Jefe as she did. "Forgive me, My Lord," she offered quickly, bowing low. Despite what Deik-Beck claimed, she knew how to act the fearful maiden. She'd seen far too many in her line of work.
"Ah, so you are the new geisha I have heard so much about," El Jefe purred softly. "Though no one has yet made mention of your name..."
"I am...Kiyubi, if it pleases My Lord," Carmelita offered graciously. To her surprise, El Jefe bowed gallantly over her hand, kissing it like a gentleman...though not one of this era or region. Spying a scroll on his back, she quickly pilfered it and tossed it to where Bentley was waiting and watching.
"A charming name," El Jefe purred as he rose back up. His eyes seemed suspicious, but that faded as he caught sight of Carmelita's perfectly presented confused/flattered expression, a common born maiden unsure how to feel about the attention of a male so much her better. "Though not one common to the region."
"My family wanders, My Lord," Carmelita allowed delicately. "I have...only recently thought to make a permanent home..."
El Jefe's grin widened, his expression turning somewhat lecherous. "Perhaps you might honor me with a...private dance?" As he spoke, he trailed one finger along the visible edge of her inner kimono suggestively.
Inwardly, Carmelita seethed. She wanted nothing more right then than to knock his hand aside, whip out her shock blaster, and shoot him right in the crotch. However, not only was she unlikely to be successful, it would blow her cover. Besides, she had anticipated something like this and had a way she hoped would get her out of it. "You would not...dishonor a married woman, would you My Lord?" she asked, keeping her voice soft and timid...the exact tone that said she was desperate to escape the situation, but would accept it if she had to.
"A married woman, a geisha?" El Jefe asked in surprise, his striped ears twitching. "Your husband accepts this?"
"My husband is ill," Carmelita allowed sadly. "He cannot work. Without his work, our daughter cannot eat. I...I danced for coin at the tavern in our village, and Madame Geisha found me there before honorless men could take advantage. She brought me here, where it is safer, and I can earn coin for food and a healer..."
The story was artfully crafted, Carmelita thought. There were enough contrasts to her real life that she could put genuine emotion into it, and was plenty sympathetic as well. She doubted it would do more than dissuade a ruthless mercenary like El Jefe from misbehaving-
"Here," El Jefe spoke up suddenly, handing over a small bottle of pills and a bag full of coins, low denomination for the area. "The pills in the bottle will cure most illnesses of the area, and at the least ease your husband's symptoms enough he can take care of your daughter. The coin should be small enough denomination to be accepted anywhere around here."
Carmelita stared up at the man. His entire demeanor had changed, from ruthless mercenary to...something else. He looked...empathic. "M-My Lord, I-"
"Take it," El Jefe insisted. "I am ruthless, not heartless. See to your little one."
Carmelita lowered her eyes bashfully. "I...it is so much..." She looked up shyly through her lashes. "Won't you at least let me dance for you, My Lord? To show my gratitude?"
El Jefe smiled softly. "I would enjoy that." He then followed her into the Geisha House, and to the main stage.
Talk about unexpected. El Jefe has a soft side? Wonder what brought that on?
Still, the scroll was enlightening. Bentley's espionage on El Jefe revealed he was apparently working for someone, someone who wanted a package delivered. The scroll had a picture of Rioichi's cane. Given what Mom had said about how she got here, we could only assume El Jefe was working for Le Paradox, who wanted Rioichi Cooper's cane. We had no idea why, though. More information would be needed.
El Jefe... the modern day Robin Hood in the past?
No, he's still done terrible things for selfish reasons... as far as we know. From this we're understanding that El Jefe has a soft spot for suffering families, maybe in particular families with young children. I can take from this the theory El Jefe either suffered a childhood of poverty, he lost his family at a young age to sickness, or perhaps that he sympathizes with people who work jobs they normally wouldn't do to provide for said family.
Every villain, no matter how heinous, was once a regular person who saw too much of what was wrong in the world.
Edit: Except the ones who do it for the lols.
8324006
I'm with you on the idea of a troubled past I have a feeling his mom was very much in the same situation as Carmalita for her cover story or had a childhood friend/lover that was in the situation as coco for said cover to bad the game never really give us anything cannon besides the criminal career for El Jefe
Guess it's time to go fishing for some supplies in the area.
I'm pretty sure Coco's new sushi recipe is gonna be a knock out in sales.
Certainly Carmelita's story isn't an ill-conceived lie since it's mostly true.
8324010
Yeah. One PRIME example of the kind that do this kind of crap for the "lols" as you say, would be Joker from the Batman franchise.
8324010
8324068
What about Oceans 11? They aren't exactly doing it for the "lols" and they are nider "Robin Hoods" or suffering a "bad" fate so to speak.
Wait, in game Sly taunts El Jefe by saying: "You know I beat your cousin Rajan."
You know, the other tiger from Sly 2.
And in that game Rajan's backstory is told, telling us about about a young cub growing up selling illegal spice on the street in order to survive.
I wonder if El Jefe had to do something similar.
8324178
A part of me thinks that UNLIKE Rajan, El Jefe might actually have a conscience but hides it VERY well. Or at the very least, has decent standards compared to Rajan.
8324117
Okay, good point there.
Um, something bad came to my mind. Is the reason Gyro keeps popping up in place of Bentley because of something happening to Uncle Scrooge? He is connected to the Cooper Clan, and if something happened to the clan...
...
What if Gyro Gearloose Was/is/will be Clockwerk and Coco is somehow picking up mini-Clockwerk's thoughts and memories while he is being sad about the past?
Or alternatively, what if Clockwerk is the creation of Gyro and the flashbacks are mini-clock here feeling depressed about his old father/master?
EDIT:
8324006
8324050
Hmm... Possibility: what if El Jefe is a revolutionary who goes around toppling governments who don't do enough in his eyes?
8324351
I think that someone is trying to remove Bentley from the timeline. Gyro is replacing him occasionally because Scrooge is trying to help out in a way. Yes I have a good idea who is behind it but spoilers.
I think the reason Gyro keeps replacing Bently is the same reason Penelope is still missing, one of the enemies maybe Le Paradox is threatening the past him to get Penelope to do what he wants.
I'm gonna guess that Gyro was partly responsible for bringing Coco here. (Other than Discord and Seft, that is.)
Dude...You gotta love it when Even Evil Has Standards.
More of Gearloose, I see. This could be pretty crazy depending on the role he's playing.
So El Jefe isn't a complete bastard in this? Huh, I'm curious to see where this goes.
Also seems we're having a Little Marty McFly in this chapter. Looks like Pennlope has be doing something to the time stream. Kind of frightening to consider though, someone you've known your whole life suddenly replaced by some other guy and you don't even know it, because you don't remember that person. Terrifying to consider.
8324117
The Ocean crew is comprised of two parts. The Core group is a collection of friends who were all brought together by the old man (I forget his name) because they he caught them counting cards or otherwise committing petty crimes. The rest are specialists they brought onto the jobs because the core didn't have the necessary skills to pull off a particular heist. Most of them were criminals liars and cheats long before the events of the movies, but they all started off small, even the ones with Mafia connections and backgrounds, for all the typical reasons petty criminals turn to crime. They built up to the scale seen in the movies over time, but at that point it's more or less become a lifestyle for them, and as seen in Oceans 13 even "retirement" can't keep them away if the incentive is "right".
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8324415
That... Makes too much sense...
Hmm... well, that was unexpected, very much so. Quite a turn, but hey... some villains are people too, some do stuff like this for reasons we've yet to see, some of it forces them down this road.
Alas... he's still a bad guy.
Good work Tat.
El Jefe too, Tat?
8324415
I was wondering when someone would start putting the pieces together.
8324911
I had an idea to include another crossover that ran away with me.
8324842
It was a RGN on my mind...
or it had any significance was lost on time during the almost year of the comment...
Huh... wasn't expecting that from El Jefe. Still, as a guy who goes around conquering countries you'll have to do more than one nice deed to redeem him tats.
Another jerk whose hard on the outside but soft on the inside?
Hmm, I'm curious for the explanation.Carry on.
8325164
Hmm I was thinking that he was broken and lost through out time
well that left me speechless for a short bit. I havent played these games soo to me im only just getting to know these characters (other than coco and the gang). but with how El Jefe has been portrayed up to now that just threw me for a small loop.
8325164
So Penelope was going to quit... but Le Paradox can't have that. He needs her brains... so as Bentley low key struggles to stay with the gang... is past Bentley about to die?
8330931
Something along those lines, but not exactly.
8324900
There is no such thing as good and evil merely those who must walk a rougher road than most.
8408868
A piece of ninjitsu wisdom?
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