Black Cat: New Bounty
Yay! Another story! I've never written for Black Cat before, but I recently finished watching the anime and I loved it. I will try and put in as many of the black cat characters as possible, but it may take a while. I hope you enjoy it, please read and review, but no flames...
ONTO THE NEXT JOB
It was mid-day. The clouds hung low in the sky and the sun shone brilliantly, bringing familiar warmth to the people below. In a quiet coffee shop, a man hid behind a menu. His name was Sven Volfied, a sweeper, and a gentleman. Unfortunately, this gentleman was so desperately hungry that he was eating from the salt shaker at his table. He winced as the bitter powder went down with a punch, making him cough. He sat back and tilted his white hat over his face, hiding all but his green hair which hung loosely around his head.
To remove the awful taste, Sven lit up a cigarette, watching the little trail of smoke as it rose from the end. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to forget his problems. The seat was padded, yet it was not comfortable. The table was covered in a cheap chequered table cloth.
Sven felt eyes watching him and he opened his eyes. He stared up at the waitress whom had served him in every major city to date.
"Stop stalking me!!" Sven roared.
"What? I'm just moving up in the world! What about you, you penniless sweeper?" The girl smirked.
"If you're moving up, why are you still just a waitress?" Sven grinned, only to be slapped in the face. His cigarette flew out of his mouth and his cheek went red. "Geez. Calm down!"
"Just for that, you're going home hungry!" The waitress stormed off leaving Sven to contemplate his next move carefully...
***
"You bastard! Come back here with my food!!" A disgruntled customer chased after the man who had just taken his whole meal from the table and run off. "I want my food!!"
"You want it, I need it!!" Sven yelled as he darted around a corner and down an alley. He then jumped over a fence and his in some bushes. He ate greedily from the small amount of food he had grabbed. His stomach still rumbled even when he finished. With a contented sigh, Sven checked the time.
"Its 3 o'clock...I have to pick up Eve." Sven walked back to his car and got in, cautiously looking around for signs of the angry man. Sven drove off in his little car which bounced endlessly on the smooth road. The vehicle had seen better days, but it was still a loyal-
"Dammit! It broke down again!! Stupid car!!" Sven slapped the steering wheel and groaned. "Work you piece of crap!!" As if on cue, the car's weak engine rumbled back to life. Sven grinned and put his foot down on the accelerator.
***
Eve sat near the front of the class, next to the window. She sat alone. She had struggled to make friends here; the children were cruel and self-centred. She stayed silent in class and drew cats on the side of the page in her book. She frowned at the cat she had drawn. It reminded her of Train, a.k.a, Black Cat.
"Something wrong Eve?" The teacher asked. She was a woman in her mid thirties, with short brown hair.
"Something wrong?" Was her reply.
"There she goes again! She keeps repeating people!" One of the children said mockingly.
"What a freak!" Another said.
"It's like she's a robot!"
Eve bowed her head as tears clouded her eyes.
"Oh, what have you kids done now?! Look, you made her cry! You're all staying back now!" The teacher placed an arm around Eve who was sobbing loudly. Outside the window, a small, old car pulled up. Inside the little metal box was a man in an eye patch.
Eve took no notice as she continued to weep.
***
Sven looked around the area. He could hear a strange noise. He turned to face the school and looked through the window. A small girl with long, flowing blonde hair was encircled by onlookers. Her head was down, but Sven knew who it was.
He got out of his car and ran into the school, sprinting up the corridor and bursting through the door into Eve's classroom. "Eve? What's wrong?"
"Oh look, her daddy's come to save her!" One of the kids laughed, but Sven's glare made them bite their tongues.
"They teased her again?" Sven asked. The teacher frowned and nodded lightly. She led him to the office and they brought Eve along too, dropping her off on a row of chairs for people to wait. Sven was led farther into the office and prompted to sit on an old chair with the stuffing half pulled out.
"Mr Volfied, your daughter...she has had much trouble fitting in. I'm sorry that this keeps on happening, but the children are quite mean around here."
"I can tell." Sven replied angrily. "This is stupid. Eve needs an education, yet she can't get one because these kids keep hassling her. She has a hard life and this isn't helping!" Sven clamed himself and sighed. "Maybe I should just take her out of the school."
"But...there are no others in this area. This town isn't large enough to support two schools."
"Then I'll move house as well." Sven said sarcastically.
"Sir, that isn't good for your daughter. Getting used to school life is hard, but moving towns is far more difficult for a girl her age...and with her...mannerisms." the teacher tried to hide her face as she said the last part.
"What's that supposed to mean?! Are you insulting her?!" Sven rose to his feet and slammed his hand on the desk. "How dare you! Eve is a sweet little girl! She is brighter than any other kid you have here1 I won't have you calling her stupid!"
"But I never actually said-"
"I don't care! We're leaving!"
"Can you really afford to do that?" The teacher asked. Sven froze and he sank into his chair. "You said you aren't currently employed or receiving government pension, so how could you be able to just pack up and leave?"
Sven sighed. "I only want the best for her...but I can't even pay for her meals!" Sven cradled his head in his hands. "I'm screwed. I don't even have the money to buy her new clothes, or books, or anything! I'm the worst guardian..." Sven lowered his gaze and glared at his shadow on the floor. "I need to save her...she deserves better than this..."
"Well...you could put her up for adoption?" the teacher suggested, almost repulsed at her own words.
"How could I just give her away?! I...I need money, even if it kills me..." Sven stood up and left. The teacher watched with a sympathetic expression as the man departed. Sven grabbed Eve's small hand and led her silently back to the car. They sat in silence before Eve broke the awkward silence.
"You look sad..." Eve said blankly.
"I am." Sven muttered. "We haven't received a bounty for three weeks now. I can't afford to live at the house anymore...we have to leave this city."
"Where will we go?"
"I don't know...I just don't know..."
"Will we look for train?" Eve asked.
"No, but we will run into him one day..." Sven looked out the window at a large crowd of people, huddling around a wall. Sven parked the car and approached the group. He squeezed between them and gazed at a single bounty notice. The yellow paper was a notice for a wanted criminal, who if caught by a sweeper, would receive a cash reward. It was how Sven had lived his life for some time now and he needed the money more than ever before.
"Who is that?" Sven asked. He stared at the woman in the picture. She looked quite young, only fifteen or sixteen, with short black hair. She looked rather sad in the picture. She looked nothing like a criminal, but the bounty was huge. "Six million?! Is this for real?!"
"Sure is." A familiar voice replied. Sven turned to face the friend with spiky pink hair. "Long time no see Sven."
"River? Are you going for the bounty too?" Sven asked.
"Sure I am! I'm not passing up such a big price for a little girl!" The man punched his hand and grinned. "Are you?"
"I need to. If I don't get money soon, Eve and I will suffer." Sven adjusted his hat.
"So it's off to...Karakura, then?" River read the town name from the sheet.
"I guess so...I wonder what a young thing like her could do to earn such a bounty?" Sven placed a finger on his chin.
"We'll find out when we catch her!" River said confidently. He punched a fist into the air and cheered, staying in position for a while before turning to Sven with a frown. "Where's Karakura?"
"It's a bit of a drive, but I'll take you...You'd just get lost on your own." Sven tore the sheet from the wall and put it in his coat before returning to his car, accompanied by the awed gazes of the other sweepers.
"What was going on?" Eve asked.
"We're going to Karakura to get a bounty!" River hopped into the back seat suddenly, making Eve jump.
"He's right. We will start a new life in Karakura. If we get this bounty we can set up a home there and live in luxury for the rest of our lives." Sven began to feel excited, a welcome high in contrast to his earlier depression.
The car rattled uncertainly, but with a bit of love (a.k.a screaming and kicking) the little compact began to roll down the road, eventually gaining speed.
"So, have you been in touch with the other sweepers ever since we disbanded?" Sven asked without turning, keeping his eye on the road.
"Um...I've been meaning to, but I can't find them..."
"What a surprise." Sven sighed.
"What about Rinslett? Have you spoken with her at all?" River sent the question to Sven, who sighed again.
"No...I should probably call her though. There's a phone booth at this diner up here." Sven pulled up at the roadside cafe and approached the phone. "River, have you got anything on you?"
"I've got some money, I'll pay for lunch." Sven almost cried at the thought of an actual meal. He thanked his friend and sent Eve inside as he dialled Rinslett's number. He waited several rings before she picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me Sven."
"Sven? It's been so long!" Her voice went higher in pitch and it made the speakers crackle.
"It's only been two months! Calm down! Anyway, I just wanted to tell you, we're leaving."
"Huh?" Rinslett replied simply.
"I'm taking Eve to a new town to start a new life. We won't be coming back, so I just wanted to say goodbye." Sven closed his eyes as he said it.
"But...Why?!" She sounded on the verge of tears.
"We need money badly. There is a huge bounty in this town. If we get it, we'll be set for life!"
"Where are you?!" Rinslett almost screamed into the phone.
"I'm at a diner on the outskirts of Puyia City."
"I'll come see you!!" Rinslett yelled.
"What?!" Sven almost choked on air.
"I'll be ten minutes...or twenty...Just stay there!!" Rinslett hung up leaving Sven to pinch the bridge of his nose. He strolled inside and found Eve tucking into a large bowl of rice. River was eating some kind of meat.
Sven sat down beside Eve and snatched the menu from the centre of the table. Without even reading, he yelled out an order for 'Whatever tastes best'. A waiter came out in a few minutes with a lavish meal on a silver cart. Sven didn't even know what it was; he just devoured it ravenously, having his first proper meal in at least a month.
"Wow, you weren't lying about financial troubles!" River stared at the amazing display of hunger coming from his two companions.
When Sven had eaten to the point of bloatedness, Rinslett arrived. She spotted them immediately and sprinted over to them. She hugged Eve and Sven and then sat across from them.
"I can't believe you are leaving!"
"I'm sorry, we just have to." Sven said calmly.
Rinslett fell silent and looked down at the table. She lost herself in thought and randomly blurted out, "Take me with you!"
"What?!" Sven spat out the last mouthful of his meal and it landed in Rinslett's hair. As she picked it out with red cheeks, she explained herself.
"I really like you guys! You're my friends. If you leave, I go too!" Rinslett turned away and refused to be dissuaded.
Sven knew this was no argument that could be won. He sighed and nodded. "Fine. You can come too..."
"Yay!" Rinslett cheered way too loud before hiding herself from the glares of the other patrons. "Um...so, where are we headed?"
"Karakura town." Sven answered blankly, sipping at a cup of coffee.
***
The two-car convoy rode on through endless winding roads and paths, slowly getting closer to their new destination. After several hours of driving, they arrived. The town looked busy from a distance, but when they got closer, they realised it was really only a small town. Several large buildings stood out in the distance and as they drove past, they realised they were the hospital and school. The two cars passed a large river with grassy banks on both sides. A group of young teenagers were sitting on the side of the river. They stared at the cars as they passed.
"Welcome to your new home Eve." Sven tried to sound more excited. Eve looked around, bewildered by the new area and new people.
"New home..."
"Has anyone thought about where we're going to live?" River threw the question out. Sven slammed on the brakes and cursed. "You came here without even thinking about it?"
"Shut up! I'm sure there will be somewhere to stay!"
***
The group begrudgingly settled in an abandoned warehouse and slept in their cars. Tomorrow, they would sort out their life and begin the search for the girl...
Hmm...The sweepers are in Karakura town and they are looking for a mysterious girl with black hair. Who could it be? Find out in the next chapter!
Please review!! But no flames!