Guess who you guys get to see in this chapter~ Teehee. Teehee. Teehee.
On with the story!
Ikebukuro was still rumbling with noise and action even with midnight quickly approaching. The moon was holding its head high up in the pitch black night, the only natural lighting in the sea of artificial lights that were coating the city. All kinds of people were still around from busy adults, who were probably returning home from a hard day's work, to teens, who decided to have a night out on the town. All in all, the noise was starting to annoy the crap out of Shizuo Heiwajima. He should have been used to it, after working with Tom for years he was unfazed by working late but the loud obnoxious conversations were making him glad to know that they were at the last spot before he got to return home. The final man seemed to be avoiding them, not that it was shocking, but they got from a 'friend' of his that he would be returning home using a short cut though the alleyway a few blocks from Russia Sushi.
"Something stinks." Shizuo suddenly blurted out. Tom quirked a brow at his blonde friend but decided to not say anything as Shizuo took a long drag of his cancer stick. "This the place?"
"Yeah. Apparently it's a shortcut to his house if he hops the gate. He doesn't have to walk around Russia Sushi or be seen by anyone."
"I'm telling you I don't know anything else!"
The duo glanced at each other when the all too familiar voice, the same one that had been feeding them lies to stall for time, screaming from deeper down the alley. They began to move closer, seeing the alley starting to grow lighter due to the wall lights on the buildings.
"I'm warning you old man, you better be telling the truth or we'll come back for you." It was hushed, but loud enough for Tom and Shizuo to both hear the murderous intent in the teenage male voice.
"I swear! That's all they told me!"
"Shut up! You're causing a scene when we haven't done much to you." A second voice chimed in, this was one much more mature and feminine but still holding a deadly ring.
The two debt collectors moved over, following the voices until quite a few people were caught their line of sight. They could see about five or six people ranging from late twenties to as young as a sixteen year old girl that was hanging out on the ground, watching the mini-interrogation that was happening in front of her. Were they the yellow scarves? No, neither could see anything yellow on them, all of them were dressed differently from blue jeans to black dress up pants and red t-shirts to white tank tops. The blue squares were completely eradicated so that was out of the question. The Dollars? No, they didn't get involved in this kind of business. Who were these people and more important; Why was the man that owed them money on the ground with blood seeping from his nose?
"Tanaka!" The man cried out when he noticed the two. He made an attempt to get up, but was quickly knocked back down by the eighteen or nineteen year old boy in front of him. The teen didn't make much of an effort either, he merely pushed down on the man's chest with his foot.
"What the hell is going on here?" Shizuo finally voiced, taking off his sunglasses and tossing his smoke to the ground.
"Nothing that concerns you two. Could you please leave? We're busy." The blonde sixteen year old asked politely, pushing herself up off the ground.
"Yeah, we've got business to take care of and you shouldn't get involved." One of the older gentlemen stated, shifting to stand beside the teen.
Shizuo was ready for a fight, he didn't like the mysteriousness that eroded off the group but Tom quickly stopped him before he grew aggravated and started swinging without reason. The calmer of the two stepped forward, holding his arms up in symbol of peace.
"We aren't here to fight, but we have business with that man your friend is stepping on."
The two that stepped forward were pushed aside by a young red headed woman, not a day over twenty-one. Her eyes were narrowed on them in an almost intimidating way but it didn't seriously affect either of them.
"Look, we got to him first. You can have him after we're done." Shizuo decided to step forward, the woman tensed are the harsh glare he was sending her.
With a flick of the wrist, she had a switchblade out and pointing in his direction. That only fueled his anger. Any kind of blade instantly reminded him of a little flea named Orihara Izaya and when that little flea's face dashed through his mind, Shizuo saw red. Everyone noticed the sudden change in the ex-bartender and, before he or Tom knew it, all but the teen that was holding down the indebted man had out very similar switchblades and all held the same fighting stance. Each had their left hand covering the handle completely, only the blade being visible, with that arm pulled closely to their chest as if they were ready to lunge forward at any second.
The fight nearly broke out, the strongest man in Ikebukuro versus a strange group all wielding knifes but then a strange noise echoed down the alley way. The clicking noise of heels, but not like a full grown woman's footsteps, they were much smaller, almost childlike. From the intersection of the alley came a little girl. She was short, maybe only five or six years of age with choppy black hair and thin bangs covering her forehead. Her eyes were a light grey, her skin was very pale and the moon's light that peeked into the alley didn't help her skin look any less ghostly white. The little girl was wearing a navy blue skirt, charcoal-colored flats with knee high socks and a plain white polo, her lips parted as calm even breaths escaped her, a sign that she didn't tire herself out by running over and took her sweet time.
"She says to knock it off." The group slowly began to lower their blades at the child's statement much to the surprise of Tom and Shizuo. "She says no one other than that man was your target."
All was silent. The little girl turned from the group to the debt collectors and gave a swift, apologetic bow.
"She says she is sorry, she says she hopes we didn't cause you any trouble."
"Who is 'She'?" Tom couldn't help but ask but was ignored as the girl walked over to the man that was still lying on the pavement.
Her hand stretched out, palm up as if she was expecting to receive something. The man didn't move for a moment, studying the little figure in front of him. She appeared to be growing frustrated at the man's stupidity and broke free of her calm demeanor, forcing words out through tiny clenched teeth.
"She says to stop being an idiot and hand it over." The man tensed, his eyes fell down to his own hand. "She says you know it doesn't belong to you. She says if you don't give it back we'll keep coming after you."
A sudden look of fear sparked in his eyes as he quickly removed something that looked like an ordinary silver ring with an onyx stone from his finger and dropped it into the child's open hand. Said open hand quickly became a fist and the ring was placed into the breast pocket on her polo before she turned back to the group that seemed to be following her orders.
"She says to take me home."
"But what about th—"
The woman was quickly silenced as the child called out another command, almost as if it wasn't her talking, someone much more demanding was scripting her speech.
"That's an order."
The teen that was previously holding down the man scooped the little girl up into his arms who instantly smiled at the gesture. She leaned into the man's chest, her stiff little shoulder relaxing as if she trusted this single teen more than all the others. For the first time, the boy spoke up, not to his friends but to Shizuo and Tom who remained standing here watching the strange events unfold.
"We're sorry for getting in your way. He's all yours, do with him what you will."
With that one short statement, the boy turned and walked down the alley, the little girl still in his arms and looking over his shoulder. The group quickly followed suit, staying a few steps ahead of him and the child. The girl's eyes stayed open as she looked back to Shizuo and Tom with a blank expression before it turned into a sweet, innocent smile.
"My name is Kiara! The night is scary! Be careful! Okay?"
Once more, the change in her voice was evident; it went from serious to bubbly in a matter of seconds. Kiara gave a wide grin at them and raised her hand to wave before nestling back onto the shoulder of her free ride, her eyes drooping shut like a kid tuckered out after their first day of school. She seemed to fade away as fast as she appeared, slipping into the darkness along with the others but before a response could be given to little Kiara, she was gone.
