Chapter Text
Okazaki Ayako is sixteen years old when she joins the Port Mafia. She hears about it from a sort-of friend of hers; a Higuchi Kuniko, who says that her older sister is part of the Port Mafia and makes decent money to keep herself and Kuniko going each day.
Ayako wasn’t expecting Higuchi to agree to bring her into the Port Mafia, or to be placed under Higuchi’s wing, but she supposes it’s all right. At least this way, Higuchi knows exactly which mafia member is going around and befriending Kuniko and technically, she could order Ayako to stay away from Kuniko if she wanted to.
Another thing Ayako wasn’t expecting was a handbook. An honest-to-god, genuine handbook.
“Give this a read,” Higuchi told her when she handed Ayako the book. “You can keep it for as long as you need. We have several copies floating around, so don’t worry about treating it like a library book. But do be sure to read it, because there’s been a recent implementation of the rule that you cannot officially be considered a member of the Port Mafia if you cannot recall at least parts of the important chapters — those would be the ones after the business section.”
Ayako had opened to the contents page and squinted at the first two chapter titles before raising her eyebrows at Higuchi. “More important than this code of conduct thing and the details of mafia employment?”
Higuchi had nodded solemnly. “Yes. Far more important. Oh, ignore the scribbles in that copy, it’s passed a few hands and some random members decided to have conversations in the margins.”
Ayako thought it was weird that the most important chapters aren’t one of the first five — she still thinks it’s weird — but she gives the book a thorough read.
The first chapter is all about the hierarchy and who runs what. It also details the chain of command and the escalation order. Ayako thinks it’s a pretty important chapter to have included in a handbook — aside from the fact that she’s still baffled about why the Port Mafia has a handbook in the first place.
The second chapter is all about the buildings. What happens where, and all that. It even contains a map and a guide to the many floors. It explains that the main building is headquarters. It’s where the main lobby is, where the executive offices are, where the boss’ office is — though Ayako could’ve guessed that one on her own — where the main Black Lizard office is, where the archive room is and stuff like the bathrooms and supply closets. The accounting department has been fondly nicknamed the laundromat and despite it only taking up two floors of the main business building, the whole building has been nicknamed the laundromat. There’s one building called the prison block, which ranges from cells in the basement to well furnished rooms at the top, designed to be sort of holding cells for all kinds of people. Then there’s the two recreational buildings, commonly called Rec One and Rec Two. Rec One seems more like a hotel, with rooms for mafia members to sleep in and a restaurant and a cinema and a mini arcade. The other is one that Ayako thinks she’s going to call the enrichment enclosure. It has gyms and training rooms and an indoor swimming pool and this time the restaurant is on the rooftop. Super fancy, super unnecessary, but Ayako thinks a guide to the layout of the buildings is decently important. No one wants to get lost.
The third chapter is the code of conduct. It explains everything about being the face of the Port Mafia, being a representative of the Port Mafia and even being an ambassador of the Port Mafia. It mentions a list of codes, which one should obtain from one’s supervisor — so Higuchi, in Ayako’s case — in a verbal manner so as to avoid the list getting out of the mafia. It even has a dress code for grunt workers and lower level subordinates. Ayako is surprised that she’s not subject to the dress code but Higuchi is. When she asks Higuchi about it, Higuchi says it has something to do with her appearance reminding the boss a little too much of ‘the weretiger,’ whatever that’s supposed to mean. Ayako thinks this chapter is also very important.
The fourth chapter is what Ayako figures a standard contract would look like, except there’s no signature lines. She figures that’s because being in breach of the Port Mafia laws means being dealt with as a traitor — there’s a section on that in this chapter, but there’s also something about exceptions and that she should reference some other chapters for more information on that. She decides to read through the book in order, though. Also, in Ayako’s opinion, an important chapter.
The fifth chapter puts Ayako to sleep several times. It’s very boring. Not to mention, it’s all stuff Ayako doesn’t have to worry about. Higuchi is handling her basic training and then based on that, the executives will decide what sector she belongs in, though everyone seems to be in agreement that corporate doesn’t suit Ayako. It’s more a question of whether she’ll be a small-time runner, or if she could join a Black Lizard battalion, or if she might be suited to the murder department. Ayako doesn’t mind where she ends up. She just wants to be comfortable enough to know she’ll be able to get food tomorrow. (Higuchi had given her a pitying look when she said as much, but Higuchi also seemed to understand. She did say that she hopes Ayako can remain with her, or perhaps be trained in espionage or to work in intelligence. She seems to care about keeping Ayako’s hands clean, which is kind of sweet.) All in all, as boring as the chapter is, Ayako thinks it’s fairly important as well. It’s a good reference for who to go to for whatever reasons and also how to behave in the company of Port Mafia business partners — there’s even a reference number to the records of business partners that Ayako can find in the archive room if she’s interested.
Therefore, Ayako cannot fathom what is in the next few chapters that could possibly be deemed more important than these first five.
She settles down on her new, comfy bed and opens the Port Mafia Handbook to chapter six, The Weretiger.