*It’s nighttime in the kingdom’s capital where even at night the city is bustling with noise and bright lights. People are eating at diners and restaurants, street performers entertain people passing by, and bars are filled with drinkers and laughter. We see an older businessman with grey eyes, short brown hair and beard with grey strands in both wearing a dark green kimono walking and talking to a slightly younger businessman with curly black hair, brown eyes, wearing glasses as well as a long-sleeved white shirt and black business pants with a blue tie*
(Curly-haired businessman): Well, Mr. Norris, I couldn’t be happier with our new business deal.
(Haichi Morris): Come now, there’s no need for any formality. Haichi will do just fine.
(Curly-hair businessman): Well then Haichi, feel free to call me Phil.
(Haichi): Hmph, that’s more like it. It’s been a while since I’ve been in Brister, but I know this city has a lively night life. Show me a good time, lad!
(Phil): Of course, sir. I had a feeling you would want to check out the night life, so I made a reservation at the best place in town: Le Garden.
*Phil and Haichi arrive at a 3-story building with large green neon lettering that spells Le Garden. The two businessmen see other men leaving with smiles on their faces and laughing joyously. Haichi had never heard of Le Garden but his curiosity grew when he saw other men leave happily. The two men enter the building where Haichi sees that it’s a cabaret club where the ladies of the establishment are elves, humans, and demihumans. We see multiple hostesses entertaining a number of men all throughout the club while a live band plays big band jazz music in front of a dance floor. The two businessmen walk to the receptionist counter and get greeted by one of the hosts who is a cat demihuman with red hair and a tail wearing black pants, a long-sleeved white shirt, and a black vest with a green tie as was standard for the hosts to wear*
(Cat host): Welcome to Le Garden sirs, how may I help you?
(Phil): Hi, I’m Phil McConnor, I have a reservation for two tonight.
*Phil said all while pulling out a Le Garden membership card that he hands to the host. The host verifies the card in his system and scans it so that Phil earns points for visiting before handing the card back to Phil*
(Cat host): Welcome back, Mr. McConnor. We’ve been expecting you. Right this way sirs.
*The host leads the two businessmen up the stairs to the second floor where he finds them their reserved sitting area that oversees the first floor and has a great view of the band.
(Cat host): Please have a seat, sirs.
*Both Phil and Haichi enter their sitting area where the host hands them both tablet devices which shows pictures, bios, and names of hostesses who are available.
(Haichi): Hmm, quite the splendid selection. I think I’ll choose the bunny with white hair.
(Phil): Ah, Yuki. Good taste sir. As for me, I’ll go with my favorite, Cindy.
(Cat host): Excellent choices sirs. They’ll be here shortly.
*The host takes the tablets, bows, and walks away. In less than 20 seconds two demihumans approach the table each with a tablet in their hands. The first was a bunny with short hair and ears as white as snow, wearing a short red dress and having purple eyes. The second demihuman was a fox who had long orange hair and ears, green eyes, and wore a long black dress.
(Fox demihuman): Good evening sirs. Thank you for selecting us. I’m Cindy. This is Yuki.
(Yuki): Let’s have a lot of fun tonight.
*Cindy had a mature seductive voice while Yuki had an enthusiastic sweet voice*
(Phil): Cindy, it’s so good to see you again. Looking as lovely as ever tonight.
(Cindy): Thank you for your kind words Mr. McConnor. I’m happy to see you again too.
*Cindy chuckled before sitting down next to Phil where she gives him a nose kiss on the cheek causing him to blush. Haichi let out a hardy laugh with a big smile on his face*
(Haichi): Oh-ho, looks like someone is a regular here.
(Phil): I’ve been known to come around every so often after a hard day’s work.
(Yuki): So, what are we doing tonight?
(Haichi): Tonight, we are celebrating our partnership between our two companies. Give me four bottles of your best wine.
(Cindy): Oh my. Your friend certainly is a drinker, Mr. McConnor.
(Haichi): Ha, ha, ha. It’s not all for me. Three of them are for the rest of you.
(Yuki): Yay! I love generous men!
*Yuki cheered as she gave Haichi a kiss on the cheek with her nose much to the delight of Haichi who orders a special carrot flavored wine for Yuki*
(Haichi): I must say this place is very impressive. I don’t remember a place like this existing the last time I was here.
(Phil): Yeah. This place only reopened a couple of months ago. In fact, it was on the brink of closing down completely.
(Haichi): Really? So what happened?
*Haichi was becoming curious at how a place such as this managed to turn it around so quickly*
(Phil): The club got brought out by a new owner. Came in, changed management, and completely turned the place around. He managed to get the best girls from other clubs to join his club as well as find all new girls like Cindy and Yuki.
(Haichi): Impressive. I very much would like to do business with a man like him and personally praise him for a job well done.
(Yuki): I’d be happy to introduce you to him. He’s always looking to expand his business.
(Haichi): You mean he owns other establishments besides this one?
(Yuki): Oh yeah. The boss is into all kinds of businesses. Bakeries, loan offices, bars and pubs. You name it, he’s interested in it.
(Haichi): Sounds like a man of many interests. Who is he?
*Just as Haichi asked his question a woman screams on the first floor. Her scream gets the attention of everyone where they see a man was inappropriately touching her. Everyone knew that the rules of the club were that guests were not allowed to inappropriately touch the girls. Touching was only limited to hand holding and dancing on the floor. Kisses were allowed but only on the cheek and only the girl could initiate the kiss. The man was reaching down the girl’s dress and trying to grope her as she kept fighting him off. The other girls at the table were too afraid to make a move as the man and his friends had been rather rowdy all night but this was the first time that one of them tried anything inappropriate*
(Inappropriate man): Come on baby. I paid for you. A little grab and squeeze should be alright.
(Hostess): NO! Let me go!
*As the hostess keeps struggling and fighting back against the inappropriate man, an elf host with light green hair comes running down to stop him*
(Elf host): Sir! Please cease this behavior at once!
*Angered by the host’s meddling, the inappropriate man gets up from his seat and hits the host in the chest causing him to fall to the ground in pain as the man’s friends laugh at the elf host’s misfortune*
(Inappropriate man): Keep your hands off me! Don’t you know who I am? I’m Damian Crawford. Vice President of Sales at McConnor Pharmaceuticals!
*When Phil heard this, an angry look appears on his face*
(Phil): Damian, you idiot!
(Haichi): Looks like one of your employees is causing trouble for everyone.
*Phil lets out a sigh of frustration at this embarrassment. However, Phil’s look of worry is quickly dismissed and replaced with a look of happiness when he sees an elf making his way over to Damian*
(Phil): Nothing to worry about. Looks like we’re about to get treated to a show as the man or should I say elf of the hour has arrived.
*The elf dressed just like the hosts of the club makes his way to Damian’s table and tugs on Daimian’s shirt to get his attention*
(elf host #2): Excuse me, honored guest, but this sort of behavior is unacceptable.
*Damian turns around to see who spoke but sees no one. He looks around still trying to figure out who is addressing him*
(Elf host #2): Down here, sir.
*Damian looks down to see a short elf who stood about 5’0” with purple eyes, short golden hair, and was calmly smiling at Damian*
(Damian): Huh? Since when do they let kids work here?
*The elf chuckled at Damian’s comment*
(Elf host #2): A common mistake, but a mistake, nonetheless. I can assure you that despite my size I’m much older than you and legal enough to work here. Now sir, I’m sure you’re familiar with the rules we have here at Le Garden. I’m afraid I must ask you to leave.
*Damian laughs at the demand of the elf and attempts to punch him, but the elf dodges the punch with a sidestep. This gets a gasp out of everyone in the area and even shocks Damian. The elf gives a smug look to Damian which angers him and he tries to hit the elf again. The elf once again dodges the punch and this time trips Damian where he falls into the table right in front of his friends. Damian grabs a wine bottle and throws it at the elf who tilts his head to the side to dodge the bottle unphased by the attack*
(Elf host #2): I repeat: please leave now or I’ll be forced to remove you the hard way.
*Damian finally has enough and grabs an ice pick from an ice bucket on his table. He calls for his four friends to help him out and they get up from the table ready to fight.
(Elf host #2): I see you are choosing the hard way. Very well, sir. Boys, give me one with a beat!
*The band hears his request and begins to play a quick upbeat jazz song that starts with a drum roll and gets followed up with trumpets blasting followed by a saxophone solo and trumpets returning to take the lead*
(Elf host #2): Here at Le Garden we have a saying. The customer is king and we the hosts are his loyal knights. But if the king becomes a tyrant it is our duty as knights to correct his behavior without severely hurting him. That’s why I shall defeat you and your black knights without so much as touching any of you. Koi, Mimas and Surtur!
*The elf shouted in his elfan language which translated to “Come, Mimas and Surtur”. Two breaker discs come flying into the hands of the elf who takes a fighting stance*
(Elf host #2): Let the show begin.
*The first of Damian’s friends charges at the elf with reckless abandon as the elf throws one of his discs to the feet of the man causing him to slip. He falls to the ground hitting the back of his head before passing out.
(Elf host #2): Watch your step sir.
*The second man carrying a broken wine bottle attempts to stab the elf but he dodges the attack and throws his remaining disc at the head of the man which spins through the air, bounces off his head and he falls to the ground completely unconscious as the disc floats in the air. As the man begins to fall to the ground, the elf takes the broken wine bottle out of his hand*
(Elf host #2): That’s dangerous sir. I’ll take that off your hands.
*The elf goes to place the glass bottle on a nearby stand turning his back to Damian and his remaining friends. Damian’s two remaining friends charge at the elf believing they’ve got the advantage now that the elf turned his back to them and doesn’t have his discs anymore. The elf senses them approaching from behind and in his elfian language he calls forth his breakers which begin moving on their own and attack Damian’s two friends from behind by ramming into their backs and propelling them into a wall face-first knocking them unconscious*
(Elf host #2): Please be mindful of your surroundings good sirs.
*The elf then turns his attention to a furious Damian angry at the elf for mocking him and his friends. With the ice pick in hand, Damian tries to attack the elf, but he sidesteps Damian’s attack. The elf taps the right arm of Damian to let him know where he is and waves at him with a smile on his face. Damian tries once again to attack the elf but misses again. Damian continued to swing the ice pick at the elf a number of times where the elf kept dodging his attacks. From an outsider’s perspective it almost looked as if the two were dancing with each other. Damian begins to tire himself out from all the moving and begins to breathe heavily.
(Elf host #2): May I interest you in a hot towel, sir?
*The elf throws a hot towel he got from a host who was walking out of the back with a plate of hot towels into the face of Damian who screams out in surprise for a few seconds. He drops the ice pick to remove the towel and as soon as he does, he sees the two discs floating above the head of the elf who points his finger at Damian and shouts an attack in the elfian language. The discs attack Damian slashing up his well-tailored suit without injuring him. When the elf calls back his discs verbally, Damian attempts to attack the elf again only to trip as his shredded pants become entangled around his legs. He falls face-first on the floor just as the band finishes their song. As everyone laughs at the position Damian is in, a few hosts come in to grab Damian and his friends. Damian tries to escape but has no luck as the hosts drag him and his friends away by force. With a look of hatred in his eyes, Damian calls out to the elf who humiliated him*
(Damian): You’re so dead when I tell the manager about this. I’ll have your job you damn elf!
(Elf host #2): Doubt it. After all, I’m the manager and owner of this establishment.
*The revelation of the elf being manager and owner of this establishment shocked Damian. He had heard Le Garden had a new owner, but he had never met him before nor seen him. All he had heard were stories*
(Elf host #2): By the way, my name is Amarti Cloudsfall. A pleasure to meet you. Also, your boss is a regular here, so I’d be more worried about what he’ll do to you after witnessing this embarrassing display of character.
*Amarti pointed to the second floor where Phil was watching who waves at them as Damian’s face turned pale with fear*
(Damian): I’m so dead.
*Damian stops resisting and puts his head down to avoid being seen as the hosts drag him and his man out of the club*
(Amarti): I hope you all enjoyed tonight’s entertainment. Please enjoy the rest of the evening.
*Amarti bows and receives applause from everyone. He starts to leave the floor as the band begins to play jazz music again. Everyone was impressed with Amarti’s performance, but none more than Haichi*
(Haichi): Remarkable!
(Phil): I know, right?
(Haichi): Who is that elf?
(Phil): His name’s Amarti Cloudsfall. He came from outside the kingdom, so nobody really knows who he is or where he came from. All we know is he’s an incredible businessman who owns a number of pubs, clothing stores, restaurants, and other businesses around the kingdom with all of them being successful. People commonly refer to him as the Elf Merchant.
(Haichi): The Elf Merchant huh? That’s a fitting name for someone like him.
(Phil): If you’ll excuse me for a moment. I have to apologize to Amarti for what transpired. He’s a great business partner and I wouldn’t want to jeopardize our relationship because of this.
*Phil quickly rushes off to talk with Amarti all while Haichi stands there still amazed at what he just saw and heard*
(Haichi): With a man like that running this establishment I can understand how it got to be so successful. The way he was able to control this situation while entertaining the audience was amazing. It looks like I found something even more worthwhile than my business deal with you, Phil.
*Haichi went back to his seat to enjoy the company of Yuki and Cindy*
SH
Author’s Note: And here’s our second preview. Hope you guys enjoyed this character and had a good read. This introduction was largely inspired by Goro Majima’s introduction from Yakuza 0. I loved that introduction. It was unexpected, cool, and just an all-around great introduction to Goro. The next preview will be out out January 4th so look forward to that. Thanks for reading, happy holidays, and see you next time.