Summary: What if Creed had been right about Saya? In this slightly AU fic, Creed discovers the startling truth about the woman his partner is falling for. Only he can destroy the "witch" before she literally destroys Train.
Disclaimer: I do not own Black Cat or any of its characters. Any original characters may not be used without permission.
Author's Note: Sorry, Train/Saya shippers, but I wanted to explore the whole sort of "love triangle" thing at a stark new angle. No like, no read, simple as that.
Zirconia no Hana
Chapter 1: The Hardest Rock
Creed Diskenth hid himself among the shadows of the warehouse ceiling rafters. He flattened his body against the cool metallic bars and gazed at the sight below. Eleven figures formed a semicircle around one central figure, the head of Luster Corporations. Though not as large as Chronos, this organization was expanding very rapidly and with each day it came closer and closer to becoming a world power. What Creed was looking down upon now was a meeting of the Gemstones, Luster Corp's private division of agents, who served a purpose similar to that of the Numbers to Chronos. Unlike Chronos, though, women made up the majority here, and nobody wore a uniform or anything to distinguish them from civilians. Had Creed not been filled in on the details by Belze, he would have thought he was simply investigating another ordinary team of criminals. The benefits of the information he was going to gather far outweighed any fears of vertigo he might have had with only a steel bar and a thirty-foot drop separating him from them. So far, Creed's silent infiltration had gone unnoticed.
"You summoned us, Commander Garnet?" inquired one of the only three men in the group, who stood directly to the center man's left.
"That is correct, Agent Citrine. I have your new assignments, effective immediately." Garnet looked around at each of the agents in turn before returning his attention to Citrine. "You are to accompany Agent Emerald and Agent Pearl to Sangeles City and negotiate tax enforcement with the state leaders I told you about." The man named Citrine, along with the two women next to him, gave a nod of acknowledgement. "Agents Opal, Ruby, and Topaz: you three women will need to eliminate the Chronos Erasers that have been disrupting our business in Sector 25. Agents Peridot and Aquamarine," continued Garnet, turning now to the other two men at his direct right, who each had an eyebrow piercing, "a large order of stones is being shipped to the Esilda Treasury this afternoon. I need you two to select a team of ten or so strong Rocks to guard the cargo with you. Agents Amethyst and Sapphire will stay here in town and continue surveillance on the Chronos Numbers IV and VIII." The two women with lip piercings nodded. From what Creed could see, only one person in the group had not yet been given an assignment.
"You know what you have to do, Agent Diamond," stated the man in the middle, addressing the woman straight in front of him. Her jet black hair flowed down to her waist, but since he stood directly above her, Creed could not see her face at all. "The Chronos Number you've been assigned to is difficult to handle. This being so, I cannot disclose the details of your mission in the presence of your colleagues, but I will say that since she is to be a civilian in disguise, the rest of you are not to establish contact with Agent Diamond at any time for any reason. And for god sakes, cut your h--"
Before Garnet could finish his sentence, the sound of a blade slashing through the air interrupted him. Thousands of strands of hair fluttered to the floor with a soft thud. Where there was once a cascade of black hair, there only remained a short bob. The woman sheathed her knife as quickly as she had taken it out. "You have nothing to worry about, Commander Garnet," Agent Diamond responded. "But what about my ring? All of the Chronos Numbers are familiar with the design of the rings, and I will still have to have identification on my person twenty-four/seven."
Garnet stepped forward and placed a rough hand on her shoulder. "This is why you're one of the Corporation's most dedicated associates, Diamond, always thinking ahead. Indeed, we'll need to make sure you still have your official Jewel on your body at all times. Your current cartilage piercing would not suit the role you must play. Would you be objected to a navel piercing?"
Diamond gave a wan smile. "I always wanted an excuse to pierce my belly button, sir."
Garnet smirked as he muttered, "Always the eager one, my dear. That concludes our meeting; everyone is now dismissed!" And with that, the four men and eight women left the warehouse to commence their respective duties. Diamond scampered off too quickly for the hidden Eraser to get a better look at her.
Creed's job here was done. Now he could report back to headquarters and inform Sephiria and Belze of the Gemstones' most recent plans. Creed had a feeling that this "Agent Diamond" was the one they would have to worry about the most. Luster rarely attacked Chronos in such a discreet manner; who of the Chronos Numbers could possibly need to be taken out by an agent incognito?
Post-Story Notes: Each of the Gemstones is given a specially crafted Jewel that can be distinguished using a special scanner. Every agent gets a ring by default, but they are also required to have at least one piercing to place a Jewel in the instance that wearing a ring would endanger the agent (the rings can be easily identified and it is strictly against protocol to wear it on a neck chain). Ruby and Emerald have opposite nose studs; Amethyst has an upper lip piercing; Sapphire has a lower lip piercing; Aquamarine and Peridot have opposite eyebrow piercings; the other six have their piercing somewhere on their ear, each agent in a different place. Diamond is the first agent whose case requires a non-visible piercing.
