A Family Affair [Dean Bellucci]

[Saburo Imai]

Saburo glanced out the front window of his tattoo parlor, The Far East. He was anxiously awaiting the arrival of two very important mafia groups, two groups that could easily become enemies if this meeting turned for the worst.

Saburo Imai had been working with the Japanese branch of the mafia on Coruscant since he had been very young; his father had been an important figure in the mafia. Saburo couldn't remember a time when he wasn't doing or saying something that would help them out. It had only been natural for him to allow them to use his tattoo parlor as an area to buy, sell, and meet other mafia groups. Saburo had never had much of a problem, only once a few years before when the local law enforcement had gotten a tip that he was allowing money laundering to go on in his shop. He had had to curtail the dealings of this nature because he didn't want his shop shut down.

People wondered why Saburo kept strange times. His shop was closed more often than it was open, partly because of the business dealings between groups that went on, partly because Saburo enjoyed his sleep and would do so, sometimes until after normal closing times, so he just didn't bother opening. But his customers knew he was the best and wouldn't go to anyone else, it was the only reason The Far East stayed open.

Plus the bonuses Saburo got from the mafia.

Saburo shifted on the table he sat on, going to the door, and flicking on the sign outside that informed everyone in Korean that he was closed. Then he activated the Japanese, Chinese, and Basic signs. He activated the shades that darkened the windows, and flipped on the front store security system. The two groups would certainly enter from the back as they wouldn't want to waltz in the front door. Plus, it would get them straight to the conference table and straight into negotiations.

Hopping up onto a table, and pulling his leg up, he reached down, inspecting the tattoo on his calf that he had almost finished. If all went well this evening, he might get it finished by the time the talk was over.

[Dean Bellucci]

"What time is it?" She asked cooly as she looked out the tinted window of the large hover vehicle that was all black and customized for important transport. Much like the Yakuza, it was very easy to spot the mafia, but when it came to her vehicle peopel were always unsure as to who was in it, who it was. She liked it that way. She could have cared less if people knew she was with the mob, but when they knew her business that was when it became ultra personal, and she didn't like to get too personal. She glanced at one of the guards that had looked over her for over fifteen years, Christopher Mucciano, a good friend of hers and her family and the only man she trusted anymore. She watched him glare at the chrono and tell her it was fifteen till. She nodded in response and kept her eyes peeled for vehicles that looked suspicious, but she knew how people worked. It was really dangerous when the meetings went down.

"There it is." She stated to her two guards, feeling the car slow as the turned down an alley. She suddenly heard movement in the car as everyone began to prepare themselves. Another black vehicle drove by the alley as a ploy for anyone who had the need to destroy the only female mob boss the Italian's had ever seen. She felt the car stop and the door open. She frowned and stepped her heeled foot out and felt her long black pant suit leg fall past the heel. She stood and looked around hoping to spot anyone suspicious.

"Where do we go?" She asked looking at Christopher who was over 6 foot 5. He looked down at her seeing his reflection in her large framed black sunglasses. He pointed and she followed, always being in the middle of him and her other guard. They directed her further into the alley and towards a door with a small hole. Spy hole probably. Christopher knocked and looked over at her.

Dean Bellucci always hated meetings, but this meeting was something she was ready for. It was her first meeting since she became the boss of her family, first meeting with teh Yakuza. Needless to say she was excited for her ties with them had never been good.

[Saburo Imai]

Saburo heard the knock and knew that one of the two factions were there. He did not think it was the yakuza, considering the boss that was attending this meeting had the saying "Always be fashionably late", so the only other option was that it was the Italians. Those damn Italians.

Saburo hopped off the table and walked back into the back, through the large room with a table set up, hidden from view of the shop so no one went back there unless they already knew it was back there. He spotted the door and walked over, standing on his toes to look through. There was a woman there, with black sunglasses, and a sleek black suit. The woman boss. And two big body guards beside her that could have torn Saburo limb from limb should they take a mind to.

Saburo unlocked the door, and pulled it open slightly, peering out, some of his hair falling into his face as he studied the faces of the bodyguards, not giving the woman a second look. He chewed on air for a moment.

"Bellucci?" he said, rolling the l's unintetionally. "The family reunion?" he asked, using the code they had all agreed on previously. If these weren't them, they would have nothing to say to him.

[Dean Bellucci]

She grinned at the site of the door moving open, but then she saw the owner of the parlor and was slightly taken aback. His hair fell into his face and she was immdiately unsure whether or not she was ready to see the Japanese for the past was still a little too fresh for her. She grinned and nodded.

"Right on time." She said in response. She felt the body guards to her right and left stiffen, them never really enjoying having to wait outside while she conducted business, but it was always the rules. When that door was shut, everything outside of it was closed off. Nobody was to ever ask questions, ever defy her, and never question her judgement.

"May I?" She said standing tall letting her power known even if she was a little shorter than most people her age of 22. She cocked an eyebrow and then grinned slightly.

[Saburo Imai]

Saburo looked down at her finally, giving her the once over, his right shoulder leaned against the doorframe. He pushed the door open wide with his left hand before leaning off of it and turning to go back into his shop. He listened as the woman's expensive heels clicked on the floor and the door shut with a thud and a clunk as it locked automatically. He tossed a glance over his shoulder.

"You can sit where...you feel the most comfortable," he said. He turned at the door, leaning on the frame again. She was short, younger than him, by five years? Six? Her face was a pleasant round shape, her hair dark, her skin light, her air commanding. She was used to being the mob queen and she didn't mind letting everyone know it. But Saburo wasn't there to challenge her and blew some hair out of his face and took another breath.

"Oto-san will be along soon, I think he had an engagement previous to you, so...kudasai, be patient," Saburo intoned, before moving back to his tattoo parlor and sitting down at his desk to begin to sketch out a few new ideas for tattoos.

[Dean Bellucci]

"Arigatou." She said to him in almost prestine language, her slight Italian accent throwing her linguistic's off. She found a seat and quickly laid her sunglasses on the table after taking them off, loving how dark they were for it never revealed the eyes considering she took every single precaution when letting people in on what she was feeling and thinking. Family tradition always said the eyes were like windows to the soul, so seh didn't take it for granted.

She grabbed the seat and heard the legs scrape annoyinglky on the cement floor. She sighed and took a seat, slightly shifting so she could sit without having the hidden blaster barrel poking into her. She leaned back and crossed a leg, glancing around never being in such a place that was this dark and this...secluded. She heard the owner of the shop shuffle across the way. Another thing she noted was how she never conducted business in the back of a tattoo parlor. What a nice disguise.

The Italian's had always had a hard time keeping certain families as their allies, although almost all the Italian's stuck together in the end, outside of their clan ther were many enemies, mainly those who were on the otherside of the city, their biggest being the Russian's and those who she was meeting with today, the Yakuza's. Although she was unconventional and it kept almost her entire family on their toes, she felt that stronger ties were much better than weaker links. The Yakuza had a lot to offer, drugs, weapons, money...and they had the same in return. Both would get good deals if they stuck together, hell they both could become one clan and remain the head of their people, which was something Dean Bellucci was very fond of doing, for she was so well at keeping others below her and others in fear.

She heard a door close and she glanced at the tall metal door, knowing that it was probably the men she was meeting with. She was almost positive that after today she would have a very good friend in the Oto family. Together they could ruin families, clans, mobs...for together they were hard force to reckon with. It brought a smile to her face as she thought of herself being able to have celebrations together like they did back in the early days. How she issed the Japanese influences and the Japanese connections.

[Saburo Imai]

Saburo heard the sound of the side door closed and stood up, seeing a tall-for-his-race Japanese man enter, his bodyguards left outside. His name was Hiiro Sakai, most who were associated with him called him, Oto-san, or Father. Saburo had done so since he had been a teenager, and Hiiro still just a low man on the totem pole, a mentor to the younger mob members.

The man was sharply dressed in a grey suit, and silver rimmed, rectangular glasses, his shoulder length black hair styled to perfection. He was pristine, and Saburo could hear the sound of his new shoes clicking on the floor of the parlor. The man walked over to him, looking down at him for a moment before smiling and bowing.

"Konbanwa, Imai-kun," he said cordially. Saburo gave him a bow.

"Konbanwa, Oto-san," he answered. "Hayaku." He motioned for the man to follow. There was a smaller man behind him--not Asian--who Saburo assumed was the translator, since, as hard as it was to believe, Hiiro had never bothered himself with learning Basic. Saburo lead him to the back room where the sleek woman had taken a seat. Saburo bowed to Hiiro and then to the woman. "Miss Bellucci. This is Hiiro Sakai. Yakuza father."

[Dean Bellucci]

Dean stood up at the sound of the voice and quickly smiled at the man, her heart racing. She was tryign to remember everythign she had planned on talking about, planned on getting in order, planned on making him an offer, like so many others, they couldn't refuse. She bowed forward deeply, as it was when meeting for business.

"Hajimemashite, Oto-San. Watashi wa Belluci desu." She raised an eyebrow and waited for a response. Her Japanese wasn't good, her pronunciation however was, but since it had been over seven years since she was engaged to her ethinic boyfriend, she had forgotten most of what he had taught her. Luckily she had received a nice gift from her neice, the book on their language which she was now very glad to have received.

Dean took a seat and put her elbows on the table, watching the man who was tall and thin, attractive, yet old. How nice it was to meet with them. Now all she had to do was get through this meeting and wait for a response.

[Saburo Imai]

Saburo bowed to Hiiro again, turning and moving to leave the room. He eyed the translator suspiciously. The man was short and squat, bald, older--mid-forties?--with a pudgy face, and wide-set blue eyes. His nose was upturned, his lips a thin, pursed line. His suit was a deep wine color, sophisticated, but a little long for him in the pants. He was looking around the place with his nose turned up as if he was too good for the place. He took a seat next to Hiiro.

Saburo turned away, going back to his desk and sliding into it with a large yawn. He couldn't wait for these negotiations to be over--he could go out, get a drink, drive around, then come back and sleep. He hadn't slept well the past week--maybe nerves for this meet--and he was desperate for one.

He began to sketch again, hearing as Hiiro's deep voice began speaking in his smooth Japanese.

[Dean Bellucci]

Dean took no time than to get rid of all the formalties quickly telling the translator that the reason of the meeting was to keep things tight against the Italians, for they needed more allies on their side of the city. She would wait in anxiousnes as the man would nod and turn his head to the Father to quickly translate. Things were going smooth and his responses were quick, fluent, and very snappy. She could feel the air was charge by electricity and by her fears, perhaps the Father's as well.

When meeting people were always concerned fortheir safety, but they knew it came with the job and the terrirory. Which was why once things got underway all safety was out the window and senses and paranoia heightened. If there was one thing Dean hated about this job, aside from all the people that hated her, was the fact that she was always unsure whether or not she was going to live to see the next day. Body guards were there for a purpose, but once inside that room...nobody was safe which was why things must be understood perfectly.

She continued to talk abou what she could offer, but suddenly it seemed that things weren't going very well. The man was taking too long to tell the Father things. It seemed his responses had a differetn alternative, like he was becomming protective. She frowned after several comments were made about her race, about her family, and definitely about how they were not to be trusted. Although she understood things wer egoing to be sour considering they hadn't been in cnotact for many years, she never expected low blows to her family. Trying her best to stay calm she was quick to tell the translator to ignore past bosses, that she was trsutworthy, different, and was very convincing. Her argument was strong and normally she could talk a dog off am eat wagon, but this man was stern and was seemingly getting madder and more hostile with each passing moment. Suddenly she got the distinct feeling that perhaps things were being said that she did not really know.

Dean leaned back in her chair and looked at the translator, always suspicious of everyone involved in the meeting for it was possible heists and other agendas could be at play. Suddenly interrogations were underway when she asked the ultimatums of the Father's visit, why he showed up if they weren't to be trusted, but his answer was harsh. Apparently the father was there because he had no other meetings that day. It was another suspicious act.

"Well, pardon me for taking my time to come here and be insulted." She said to the translator after having comments go beyond the mark of business, it was suddenly turning personaly, especially when the translator informed her of how Oto-San cheered the day he died. She sat up straight and clenched her jaw. If there was anything Italian's hated was having their families being brought into it, besides who didn't?

"Sir, could you please tell Oto-San that if he makes another ridiculous comment, this meeting will be over?" She looked at the man with the blue eyes. He nodded and turned to the man and spoke quickly, but her ears having been sensitive, heard a few words being exchanged by the translator that seemed out of place. Something that her boyfriend had been good enough to teach her back in the day. She suddenly realized that perhaps another man's work was at hand.

"What did you say to him?" She said furiously when he was done talking, before the Father could even respond. "Tell me?" This was getting ugly fast. The man was quick to bounce back by telling her he said what she told him to, but she somehow knew that was not right. "I don't believe you." She said to him after a long pause. She should have known.

Dean, feeling the hard glare of the Japanese head, knew that she needed thigns to be set straight, but Oto was quick to start yelling at the translator, who was quick to yell back, which, of course, caused Dean to yell. Suddenly, as if rehearsed. The three of them jumped out of their seats, pulling out blasters and pointing it at people.

Dean pointed her gun at the translator, the translator poitned the gun at the Father, and Oto pointed his gun at Dean. How unconventional this all was! She screamed at the translator to tell her what he was saying, but he kept screaming at the two of them, switching from english to Japanese.

[Saburo Imai]

Saburo heard the meeting go downhill in a hurry and when the sound of blasters charging eachoed throug the shop, it was suddenly his business to settle it. They weren't going to be bringing down his tattoo parlor. At least not without him fighting them all three for it.

He stood up, sliding into the room, and saw the stance of the people. If it weren't so serious, it could have been comical. One fat man with beady blue eyes, pointing a gun at a tall, skinny, red faced Japanese man, pointing a gun at a short, harried looking Italian woman. Saburo barked for Hiiro to put the gun down, and the man threw him a snake eyed glare over his shoulder.

"Why don't we all act like fourteen year olds," he said, tossing a glare at the beady eyed man, who stared daggers at Saburo who stalked around the table and slammed his two hands down on it. He turned to the woman and pointed at her. "Oto-san said none of those things," he corrected, giving the translator another glare, as the beady eyed man suddenly looked panicked. He made a move as if he were going to turn his blaster on Saburo, but he pulled his own weapon out. A repeating blaster--streamlined to be hidden in clothing. Saburo looked back at the woman.

"This man has been mudding your words, giving Oto-san the wrong messege, and vice versa," he corrected. Then he turned to the Japanese man. "Anatano yakusha haana tano tameni hataraka nai. Soshite kanojo hasorerano koto nodoremo iwa nakatta," he said, and Hiiro's brow furrowed. Saburo moved around the table, pressing his repeating blaster to the short man's head. He wrenched the blaster from his grip and leaned back, pushing him away, his strength more than the weak little man's, who tumbled backwards and rolled slightly, like a pull bug on its back.

Saburo gave Hiiro and the woman a glance.

"Now. If you'll please take a seat. Suwara senasai. And I'll translate for you," he said, lowering his gun and laying it on the table. "I won't allow you to take my shop with you on your fruitless lovers quarrel."

[Dean Bellucci]

Dean looked at the Father, then at the little pudge of fat who was now being butted out of the conversation. If he made it out alive she was going to be sure he was dead by dawn. She looked over at Saburo and wondered if he perhaps could have been making thingns worse, but everything was better when a true Japanese man was involved. It was like sending a Wookiee to talk to translate for a Hutt. She clenched her jaw, never one to give things a second chance since she got into this line of work, but she couldn't deny the fact that her burning desire to do business was a very good motivator.

She tossed her blaster onto the table. She knew that weapons were hardly ever allowed, but then again who listened to that rule? Especially the man who had made the rule! She nodded her head at the Father to do the same, if he didn't toss it then there was no further business being conducted until a later date.

Luckily, he agreed after a little conversation between the man and between the Father. She slowly sat down and kept her patience once more. If things got ugly she would have no problem standing up and leaving, even with blasters blaring at her.

"I want this to be short, sweet, and simple. Understood?" She said to the owner with a seious glare. "Two incidents in one meeting is always a disaster, understood?"

[Saburo Imai]

Saburo returned her serious glare, except his contained a venom like he only reserved for people he couldn't stand.

"If it weren't for me, Miss Bellucci, you wouldn't have a place to meet the Yakuza. You will not speak down to me in my shop, or I will not allow your mafia branch to utilize it in the future," he countered, thoroughly annoyed by the way she had spoken to him. Then he turned he gaze to Hiiro and the man told him that he wanted Saburo to tell the woman something. Saburo nodded and looked over at Bellucci. "Oto-san wishes me to tell you that he would rather all of this go off without a hitch," Saburo said. "He is ready to resume negotiations when you feel you are at the point to join us."

Saburo leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs under the table. Saburo had never much cared for the mob types, even though he had worked with and as one of them. They were over-protective, too secret, did things not even Saburo could approve of. And that was saying quite a bit. He didn't like having to deal with him, which was why he preferred not to be in the room while they did discuss. Now, he was forced to.

[Dean Bellucci]

Dean bit her tongue, that was by far the bravest thing anyone had ever done to her face. Talking back was always a fear in most people, even her own three brothers who despised her. She couldn't help but feel the bitterness towards his remark wither away when she stared at him. He had some serious guts to talk to a mafia head, but that made it more admirable. It had been so long since she was able to keep up a good argument or have a few spiteful words spit at her without actually caring whether or not she was powerful. She bit back the grin that wanted to form and nodded.

She watched Saburo again exchange words with the Father and then he translated in a way that made it sound very professional and very serious, unlike before. This, in turn, made her joyous. She slightly eased out of being protective and leaned back, as the man to her right had done and smiled.

"Fabulous. Could you please tell him that I have been doing some research on fellow gangs and I know several people who want to end his reign as the Father of the Yakuza. Mortal enemies with my family as well, I was hoping to become allies." Dean looked at Saburo and watched him pause very breifly to start conducting business in a manner that was honest and not having anything get mixed up or crossed. She slit her eyes as she heard the string of their language flow out of his mouth. She slit her eyes and periodically glanced at Saburo then Oto-San. She couldn't help but find his boldness attractive, then again most Asian's were attrattive and won her heart at just a glance. However, looks didn't go very far with Dean anymore, not since her fiance had been murdered. Then again, there were only murderers in this room.

[Saburo Imai]

Saburo turned to Hiiro, glancing breifly at the door and the guards that could be glimpsed outside the small hole.

"Oe taito omou kono josei no fugutaiten no teki gaaru. Kanojo ha tabun sorerawosorasutameni isshoni doumei kuni ninaritaito omou," Saburo said. Hiiro watched him, nodding at his words, then waved his hand slightly, glancing at the woman before looking back at him.

"Shikashi watashitachi haimamade kesshite, nani izen Bellucci no eda wo shinrai ima surusorewo betsuni dekina katta ka?" he said. Saburo turned back to the woman and waved vaguely in Hiiro's direction.

"He says that they have never had the ability to place thier trust in your family's branch of the mafia for some time. What makes that change, just because you want it to?" Saburo repeated, leaning back in his chair. Saburo rubbed his fingers together as if he were asking her for money. "He needs proof you aren't blowing him."

[Dean Bellucci]

Dean cocked an eyebrow and looked over at the Father. She grinned and shrugged.

"My father wasn't very kind to the Yakuza, I understand, but you must know that my judgement is better and I prefer to have my friend closer than my enemies. If you want collateral, money can be given, but I can't buy your trust with money, just with time." Dean thought quickly as to how she could do a deal to make him feel satisfied, perhaps a drug deal?

"Tell him that I will do anything to prove that this isn't a fake proposal. Any ideas to allow me to show you that this is real and not a sting operation?"

[Saburo Imai]

Saburo turned back to Hiiro.

"Kanojo ha kanojo ga eikyuu niko konii ruko towo shoumeisu rukotowo nande mosurukotowo iu," he said. The father looked at him for a long moment, considering Saburo's face as if it were going to give him the answer. Then he leaned closer into Saburo and sighed.

"Saru shi fun naku. Watashi ha watashitachi no gurupu ni isshoni kuwawa rutokisubeteha kanojo hoshiito omou monoga shiri taito omou," he said with a vague wave of his hand. Saburo turned bakc to the woman.

"He wants to know your goals...your..." Saburo paused. "Your thoughts on what would be the workings of thier two groups on a regular basis should he decide to combine forces with you."

[Dean Bellucci]

Dean looked at the man who was translating and nodded after a moment of taking it all into consideration. She wasn't one who enjoyed dispersing information with those who were not part of a mob scene, but apparently these two were trusting of each other, which in turn made her trust the translator, after all he did save her butt.

"Tell him that the Bellucci Family wants an ally in the Yakuza. We both have the intelligence to know that together we could keep those rivalries at bay. We can do business in drug rings, wepaons transmitting, money heists, taking down others....we are both very motivated people. Together we could be the heads of our society." It was always a power issue with mobs and gangs, but with the Bellucci family it was about trust, money, and about fear. They didn't want to be reckoned with, at least Dean didn't. She wasn't fond of having enemies so close to her and to have the Yakuza on her side..

"Together we can take down our enemies. As you know, I am very pursuasive and very good at that. It would be in your best interest, as well as my own, to be friends. I would very much like it. Ties need to be made, not severed."

[Saburo Imai]

Saburo nodded at her as she spoke, translating it all in his head so that he could convey it to Father. Turning in his chair, Saburo translated to the man, whose brow furrowed and he lifted an eyebrow at the woman. Then he spoke to Saburo, who listened intently and did not interrupt. After a moment, when Father had finished, Saburo turned back to the woman.

"First of all," Saburo began. "He would like to point out that it is neither here nor there how persuasive you are, Miss Bellucci. He does not, has never, and never will feel threatened by you or your mafia branch. Second, he believes most of his ties are strong enough, and that it will take some consideration on his part and the part of his staff to decide why they should join with your group," Saburo explained. He glanced back over at Father who nodded and then spoke again. Saburo listened, nodding at him as he continued to speak. Then he turned back to the woman.

"Finally, he does want to convey his appreciation of your cooperation with his branch in the past, most notably standing down when the Chinese mafia had take refuge in your territory," Saburo said. "He says this is more likely than not going to allow all of this to end as you want it to. As it is, he would like to keep in contact with you, and plans to give you an answer inside of a week."

Saburo let out a breath. All of this made sense to him, but he had been out of the loop with the mafia groups for so long that it made his head spin. But he glanced at Father who gave Bellucci a dip of his head, showing his gratefulness.

[Dean Bellucci]

Dean was happy with everything that was going on, she never intended to make the Yakuza feel threatened for it was never her intentions, however her father had always had problems with keeping friends. She smiled at the man and nodded.

"Tell him I would love to become partners. We are the leading gangs within this city. To be as one would be much more satisfying to me and my fellow leaders to have refuge if we were to ever need it. Our enemies are the same, to be able to rid them together would only make me more satisfied. Besides," Dean leaned back and crossed her arms. "I find the Yakuza to be one of the most organize and perhaps one of the best organized crime groups there is. I want to be friends and rely on them as such." Dean was wanting this more than anything. To finally be able to have no more power struggles with the Yakuza to be able to join together and be willing to lean on each other for support...it would make her much happier than to have such relations with other organized groups who would black ball her and her men in a heartbeat if offered the right price.

"Honesty is what I cherish, Oto-San, and you are the only one I see fit enough to be on our side."