I have no life, need no sleep either, apparently. So update is early this time and it is a wupping 2.000W longer than the last...Please kill me now.
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Alright, roll up the curtain.
Maybe she overdid it.
Lindow hadn't visited her yesterday evening, nor did she catch him this morning before the emergency call hit. He wasn't there as they boarded the chopper and Sakuya said with a rather worried look on her face that he was occupied with something else. She couldn't fathom what it was but she left it at that. It wasn't like he could run away from her as fellow God Eater and her captain.
So she set her mind on the mission for the moment that had proven to be a nice distraction. It should have been just the run of the mill kind of thing. A patrol had run into trouble near the Tranquil Temple and they were tasked to retrieve them and cover their retreat. Nothing that they hadn't done before and the Aragami that were sighted was nothing she hadn't fought against.
It started pretty normal with a clean-up. Small critters, nothing much to worry about but then after the first wave another, more dangerous horde sprung out of the snow like weeds. And after that, things just took – as Kota put it nicely - a one-hundred eighty degree turn to the worst for all involved.
Lucifer peered around the corner of the wooden building as she crouched down behind the half-broken wall. They were occupied with another Aragami corpse, feasting on it as they tore it apart one piece after another. Carefully, she retreated.
This route was blocked, no chance getting through here without a fight but just in case, she brushed a little snow aside and installed a stun trap on the narrow path. In the worst case, it would buy them a little time. Then she silently retreated from her spot and back to the others that were waiting hidden inside what had been a temple in the past.
Kota who was standing guard at the entrance tensed as he something approaching but then lowered his weapon. He looked hopeful at her but she shook just her head.
"They got closer. The others might not make it in time." She whispered slowly to him and then glanced at the people they were supposed to help. Two girls, one guy, all of them hardly older than her, maybe even younger. The guy pressed a bundle of bandages against one red-haired girl that was laying on the ground barely conscious. Even from here, she could see the round shaped wound at the side of her left side of her stomach, the edges of the injury charred almost black. It was impressive what God Eaters could survive. Another human would have bleed out and died in seconds.
A fate this girl would share if they didn't get her to the exfil point fast. The other was hurled out in the corner, shivering and hugging herself, while watching. She had abandoned her God Arc in panic somewhere in the field and looked shaken, luckily it hadn't come to a panic attack yet.
Lucifer crossed her arms before her chest, eyes falling on the wooden floor beneath the injured girl that had already soaked with blood. She closed her eyes and suppressed a curse. Kota's gaze had followed hers for a moment.
"You still have a health pill, don't you?" He asked her while after he watched their patient squirm in pain.
"Even so, I can't give her one." Lucifer's eyes wandered to him as she spoke. "She already had her fill for today. Giving her another one would put her in danger. Fenrir gives out a limited number of those pills for a reason. You can overdose and die."
Or mutate because of overstimulated Oracle Cells but she didn't speak that out loud. The moral was already in the dumps. Kota's lips pressed into a thin line and she could practically hear his brain working. He hadn't lost hope that they could turn this situation without any causalities around; a sentiment that she didn't share.
"The smell of blood will draw them to us." A cold assessment of the situation but a true one. She could smell it, even though she was still standing at the entrance of the building. It was only a matter of time before the Aragami smelled it too and in their current hide-out was just one way to escape and that was the front door. It would turn into a deathtrap.
Kota was tense but he tried to relax. "Hey, are there news from Sakuya and the others?" He still sounded hopeful.
"Alisa is occupied with the Kongou in the lower parts. I don't know what exactly Sakuya and Soma fight. It's a high-grade Aragami however, so it might take a while. But as far as things stand, all of them are alive."
The only silver lining in this mess. She was confident that they could deal with each of their targets but it would take time to regroup. Time that they didn't have. Her brain worked, trying the most suitable solution to their problem. She was already roughed up by two Kongous they came across earlier and it had depleted her health pills. Another thing was her lack of stamina; Her body wouldn't be able to take much more abuse. Kota was relatively fine as she took the role of the frontline fighter to keep the Aragami off his hide but his bullet resources might have been drained. Aside from their patient, one was certainly not able to fight or take care of the wounded one and the guy looked like he had been dragged through hell and back.
Cruel as it might sound, they might have to leave the injured girl behind to save the other two. The smell of her blood might be enough to distract the Aragami closing in on their position, so the rest coul reach the exfil point. The only problem was, that everyone in here ,aside from herself, would refuse to move and be rather horrified at the idea. Clearly the all wanted to die for a half-dead girl. She would probably let them if they wished so - with the exception of Kota. Lindow had ordered her to keep him safe and she wasn't above of knocking him out or tie him up to drag him out of here.
Still, it would get her in trouble if she did that and mission objective was to keep the alive. And she couldn't help the rest if they refused to move.
Morals were a fickle thing to deal with. Lucifer clicked her tongue.
In that case, they were left only with one other option.
"The only chance we have is attempting a breakout."
"Like..taking the bull by the horns?" Kota asked with a frown and she nodded.
"That's the idea of it. Before the enemy reaches us and completely has us with the back to the wall, we should charge through the less dangerous route. The only thing we need to do is getting the others to move." She rummaged through the small bag on her hip and pulled out a roll of bandages and a small syringe. The last ones she had but if she was careful enough, she wouldn't need them. If it didn't work out, she could always run.
"Help him to warp her the injury up and inform them that we are moving. He should take her for the time being and if it gets too much for him, give him the syringe. It will numb the pain for a bit." Lucifer continued and pressed it into his hand. "I will wait outside."
The smell of human blood was almost too much for her to stand.
She did so. It didn't take more than five minutes at most but her whole body was tense almost as if sensing the immediate danger just a couple of meters away. Kota lead the group, the guy had the girl on her back and the other was following them close behind. They came without a fuss.
So far, so good.
Lucifer opened her mouth to give them more directions but then she heard the sizzling of static moving through the air. And just a second later, Hibari made herself known through her communication device.
"Your trap to the east has been triggered! I still can't see how many are moving into your direction but...there's a Chi- You among them."
The Chi-You, the birdlike, tall pesky creature with hard armor and sharp talons. The Aragami with the ridiculous skill-set that included hand-to-hand combat, gliding and shooting laser orbs. Lucifer groaned. Had the pleasure once, not really keen on fighting it again. Kota might be able to attack its head but against the hard armor of its arms and legs, his few bullets could do nothing. They couldn't both tackle this nuisance since somebody had to get them to escort them to safety and if all of them stayed someone could get caught up in the crossfire. And there was still the girl that was bleeding out as she thought to do.
"Great." She mumbled and then looked to Kota. "Alright, change of plans, I will stay here and protect your rear. You charge for the exfil point. Get in contact with the others and verify where they are."
Kota was quick and had still enough traps and stun grenades left to stop Aragami from approaching them. Aside from that, he was good with that gun, so as long as they were just small critters, he could manage that alone.
"W-Wha?!...Are you crazy?! I-I..." She placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Short answer yes, long answer: I trust that you can do this. I have seen you fight often enough. A couple of critters will not stop you." She pushed an ampule of bullets into his hand. Just in case. "You will defeat them and be the hero of the day."
"But...what about you?"
Lucifer shook her head. "Just go. I can take care of myself. Haven't survived seventeen years out there for nothing."
"Y-Yeah but..."
"Just go. We meet up later."
"You will kick its ass. Promise, right?"
Lucifer sighed. "Alright, if that puts you at ease. I promise."
And that was when her clear memory stopped and was replaced by what seemed to be more like a recording than a memory.
She encountered the Chi-You and it immediately wanted to gut and kill her with the swipes of its sharp talons. Lucifer could smell blood, taste it in her mouth.
If she dragged the fight out for too long, her body wouldn't make it. She felt it.
Even the 'burst state' that she had avoided until now wouldn't probably be enough, outside as presenting her on a silver platter if the effect went away.
There was a third option. The shadows started to whisper and reminded her that she was alone.
Nobody would watch.
Nobody would witness it.
She could let go of the reins a little bit. The shadows whispered, purred, drew closer and she let them. They clawed into her flesh, cutting, tearing into her and she could feel every second of it. It lasted a second and an eternity. The world grew fast and then slowed as her mind grew empty with the sudden pain that was etched into her mind. A side-effect of the insanity she had nourished over years.
The pain and every other feeling just vanished, only an odd sensation prickling over her skin. Her body felt light, her senses sharpened. A delirious state and a dangerous one but the feeling of delicious adrenalin flooding her senses, making her skin tingle.
She smiled at her enemy. Poor thing would never know what hit it.
And then she charged and the sword hit against its arm with brutal, swift force. Without pain, her muscles wouldn't protest if she pushed them beyond their limit and towards their true capabilities. It was pushed back and she stalked after it.
She watched it shatter, broke it with a delighted smile on her face.
The snow grew black under her feet as she danced with it, free of restrictions or thoughts that burdened her.
It screeched, it screamed but she was relentless. It should give her a fight, a battle that gets her blood and adrenalin pumping. She goaded it, provoked it to give her more than just that. She was tempted to let go completely and utterly but it wasn't needed. As soon as she entered 'burst state' as the black creature of her God Arc ripped its mask apart, her body climbed to new heights.
It wanted to run, she didn't let it, breaking it apart as it squirmed on the ground, clawing into the snow.
Then it stopped. Somewhere it stopped. She didn't know how long it lasted.
A small cloud formed before her mouth as Lucifer exhaled. The air was filled with the stench of the black blood, putrid and acid smelling. It was everything her senses took in.
The smell of blood.
Just slowly the rest of the world came back into view: The snowy mountains, the village with the broken, wooden buildings, the cold and the white snowflakes that danced around her.
Another cloud vanished in the air.
She tilted her head back, eyes half opened as she stared up to the gray sky. Her muscles ached and burnt, her scars itched to the point where it pained her but she just stood there, trying to recollect in her thoughts what happened just a couple of minutes ago or why she was here.
A mission, she was on a mission here to exterminate and she did so. The black substance on her clothes, blade and face was prove enough of that as well as this silence that surrounded her. Aragami parts littered the snow, broken small pieces.
She let herself fall onto the stairs of the temple. The feeling of exhaustion moved through her gut, twisted it. She felt sick.
This burst state was one hell of a thing. They had warned her about using it carelessly with her weak body but she did anyway, and a couple of things more that pushed her to the limit. It was unwise, she knew that. It was dangerous and impulsive but she couldn't bring herself to care.
For the first time since long, she had been truly alone in a fight and she enjoyed, reveled in every second of it. So much that she let go a little bit of the reins, just to feel the sweet adrenalin pumping through her body again. It had been so long since she felt it the last time and she had forgotten how liberating it was.
"We could go farther. This is just a taste. Just a drop in the ocean." A shadow caressed the corners of her jaw with one of its long claws in an almost loving manner. "Taste life, taste death. A beautiful taste. So free, so close, so far."
"No, its enough." She mumbled back. It had to be enough. Her body as it was now wouldn't keep up with it, she would probably break before she could fully let go and fight like she used to.
And there were still things to do.
Her face rolled to the side where the broken Aragami lay, golden and black particles that rose from its corpse slowly dissolving in the air. One massive arm dangled over a wooden fence, the other broken and halfway severed from its body. Even the mask-like structure that she suspected to be its face was only half there and the sharp winglike structures on its arm were littered everywhere.
She sighed.
Maybe she overdid it. A little bit.
Somehow this thought was slowly becoming a trend.
Lucifer slicked back her wet hair and rubbed her with one of her sleeves over her face, to get rid of the black substance sticking on it. The others would get a borderline heart-attack when they would see her like this, sickly looking and covered from head to toe in blood. She always looked like that when she let lose.
There had been reasons why people used to aim their guns at her in the past.
With a groan, she sat up and reached for her communication device that still hung from her ear.
"Hibari, how are the others doing?" She asked, trying to force the exhaustion out of her voice.
"Good..." There was a pause, she could practically hear the 'but' coming.
"Did they make it?" Lucifer had to abandon them in favor of covering their retreat. After what she had seen, there was still the possibility that something else appeared and slaughtered them while she was occupied.
"Yes, the exfil was successful and they are currently in medical care."
A sigh of relief tore through her body. The others were well – or at least alive – and the mission was a success. It could have gone worse.
"That's good to hear."
"Are you alright, Lucifer?" Hibari sounded somewhat unsure. "...Your vitals went crazy for a moment."
"Just a little bit tired, that's all. Weak body and 'burst state' don't mix well." It wasn't exactly a lie. It wasn't just only the 'burst state'.
As the adrenalin slowly trickled out of her system, she noticed a stinging pain at her hip. She heaved herself up and looked at it.
"Great..." The wound was healing but it had been deep. One of the sharp talons of this stupid bird seemed to have caught her. Not that she could feel the pain once she entered a state with she only could describe as becoming drunk on adrenalin, pain and blood.
She forced herself into an upright position, using her weapon as crutch. Gently her fingertips trailed over the metal surface.
"You did well." She murmured. A soft growl came back, echoing in her head. If she got back, she should pay a little extra for its maintenance and made give it a new blade and shield. The creature seemed pleased with the thoughts she had.
"...Lucifer?" Ah, Hibari again. "Can you move?"
She still had to go to the exfil point herself.
"Give me a second." It would take more than that.
"The group is on the way towards your position."
"Tell them that it won't be necessary." Lucifer already heard their steps crunching the snow under their feet and sighed. Kota at the front, the other free following behind.
He came to an halt, taking the bloody mess in as he tried to breathe evenly. She frowned. There was no need to run. She saw his face pale a bit. It had to look like she just caused a massacre.
"Holy moly!" His loud exclamation made her cringe just slightly. "What happened here?!"
His gaze locked on her as he jogged in her direction. She hadn't moved from the stairs.
"Are you alright? You look..." He stopped himself, cracking a rather unsure smile. "Dunno how to say that? Have you rolled your body in that stuff?" He picked a splinter of Aragami material out of her hair.
"Just say that I look like the thing dragged me through half the area." Lucifer rolled her eyes and straightened her back. Her spine cracked a bit as she did that and a hiss escaped her. God, that made her feel old and she was supposed to be seventeen or eighteen. If that was even correct. It felt more like the doctors just looked at her, decided that it was her age-range and slapped the number on the document than basing it on...whatever they use to determine the age of a person.
He offered her a hand to help her up and she took it with a thankful nod. Sakuya walked towards her with long strides and the medic didn't look pleased in the slightest.
"What you did was beyond reckless."
Lucifer tried not to grimace or groan at these words. She knew she had forgotten something. There was a chain of command and she hadn't asked for permission to do all of that. No wonder, Vice-Captain Sakuya Tachibana was not pleased with her.
She decided to pour oil on troubled water and apologize without pointing out that it still worked out. "I apologize for ignoring..."
"You could have died." The medic cut her off. "What were you thinking?
"What." Even the shadows stopped whispering for a moment as the stupefied response crossed her mind. It was the only reaction that she had about that statement outside that she just blinked at her superior. Of course, she could have died. Everybody could have died today. That was the risk a soldier of their kind had to deal with daily.
"Yes, I knew of that risk?" She frowned, a little bit confused why the medic was mad at her for that. "But it was either that or risk the deaths of more people." It was an easy equation. Hers against four other lives, provided that Kota could handle a couple of smaller-sized Aragami by himself.
"Still, reckless." Alisa flicked her hair back and shook her head. "You should know better."
Maybe it was the exhaustion but she could feel how frustration and anger surged sharply through her body at those words.
She started to chuckle although there was no humor in it.
"I should know better?" Her eyes narrowed at Alisa, a smile on her lips. Kota immediately sensed the danger and wanted to interrupt but she wouldn't let him do that. He was a good empathetic young man, picking up the air around them quickly and just having the best in mind for others but this was already days in the making.
But his attempt made her pause and reconsider just for a moment if this was wise.
Her muscles tensed.
To risk to sacrifice everything just for this? A minor disagreement of action?
Somewhere she thought of this situation as amusing. She could have abandoned the girl or let her bleed out for a safer decision for her but she didn't. She could have; She probably would have if the situation had been different. Putting three lives at risk for one that already was half-dead wasn't the right. It was heartless, it was calculated and they would hated her for it, but at least the chance that someone was alive to hate her was higher.
But she decided against it and ordered a breakout to hurry one half-dead person to the medics and put everybody at risk. It was just pure luck with a sliver of skill that they survived.
Maybe that's why she got the scolding. It made more sense to her.
"Alisa..." It sounded more tired than aggressive. Like a sighing at a stubborn child that wouldn't listen. Then she shook her head. This was not worth the fight. "Nevermind." Instead she directed her attention towards Sakuya.
"Either that or leaving the girl to bleed out and die. Should I let have let her?" It was an honest question but the medic seemed to be slightly taken aback as if she didn't expected it. Then her eyes shone with sympathy. For what, she didn't know.
"I know that you just had the best intention at heart but if you think the fight is too much for you, then there's no shame to retreat to safety." She told her and it left Lucifer just more confused than before.
But she decided not to push the issue.
The injuries weren't deep but Lucifer still was forced to take a day off. Just in case. As she wanted to politely disagree with the doctor that had done her check-up last time, she found out how they weren't above blackmail and threats to keep her away from the action. The choice was either take a day off or be benched for disobedience for a week.
Lucifer sighed. They meant well.
But it was still annoying. At least, she could invest this time in doing her investigations and planning ahead, so she found some sort of silver lining in this situation. With a sigh and a report in hand she walked to the mission corner and placed the file before Hibari.
The young woman stopped with her typing and looked up to her.
"The report for today. I didn't catch Tsubaki, so I came here." Lucifer answered the question written all over Hibari's face.
"Ah yes. I will give it to her." She paused, looking stern for a moment. "You gave me quite a scare today."
"I apologize." It sounded mechanic, even for Lucifer but she couldn't say anything else. She still didn't understand even she went over the situation again and it annoyed her a little.
Hibari wanted to retort something but was interrupted as she spotted someone behind her. Small, tiny footsteps reached her ears and she turned halfway to see who it was.
A girl that hardly reached her chest, with a black dress, jacket and white hat approached them. The child's expression was an interesting one, full of determination and stubbornness. Almost like Alisa.
Still, it had nothing to do with her, so she stepped aside and let Hibari deal with this. Just as she turned around and wanted to quietly retreat, she heard the girl speak.
"Hey, you are a God Eater, aren't you?" It sounded almost commanding and shortly after she felt a pair of eyes piercing her back.
"No, I had enough for today. I'm not going to deal with this. Whatever it is, it is none of my business." Lucifer told herself as she kept walking and tried to appear as if she hadn't heard her. She had nothing against children but today, she had just this feeling that it wasn't a good time to show that. Even the whispers surrounding her warned her not to get involved any more than necessary with people today.
Then she felt something holding her jacket. The woman stopped in her tracks, closed her eyes and took a deep, deep breath.
"...Just why..."
This day was already stressful and confusing enough.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!"
Lucifer glanced back at her and with another breath pulled herself together. The girl wanted to know something, she had to be patient.
"Yes? What can I help you with?"
"E-Erina, please don't go around and do that." Hibari seemed to be a little nervous. Yes, Lucifer didn't have the reputation of being a people person but that didn't mean she would be rough to a child.
Erina didn't really care about the warning and looked at her.
"I'm searching for someone. He's a God Eater too."
"And who would that be, little lady?" She tried to keep her voice soft and friendly.
"Eric." The name struck a cord somewhere in her memories but… "Eric der Vogelweid. My brother."
Every muscle in her body tensed. She looked back at Hibari who gave her an expression that was between an apologetic smile and a cry for help.
Somewhere in the back of her mind a shadowy figure sing-sanged the typical 'We told you so.' that she tried to ignore in favor for thinking what to say to the girl right now.
"I don't know if you weren't told but...He was killed in action." No sugarcoating, just the harsh truth. She wouldn't lie to a child about such a dire matter, especially if they were family.
"That's a lie! You are just saying what everybody else says! Tell me..."
"I saw him die, little one." She interrupted her, causing her eyes going wide as well as Hibari's. And the surroundings got oddly quiet. Erina had troubles forming a sentence at first, just staring, trembling, shivering in shock. Lucifer's expression softened. It was cruel to say that, even if it was the truth.
"Then why didn't you save him!" It was a shout, an emotional outburst and she felt Erina's little fists hitting her stomach in rage, disbelief and desperation. "You lie! He is...He is…! He promised me!"
Her voice broke, a sob came instead of a word. Lucifer just let her even if her healing injury stung.
"Poor child." A shadow sitting on her shoulder whispered. "In denial. In shock. Cruel. We saw him die, saw his blood, his corpse..."
Lucifer caught her hands, trying to be as careful as possible with her strength. Then she knelt down to be on her eye-level. She rubbed softly over her knuckles.
"I couldn't save him." She looked her straight into her eyes. "I was there but I couldn't save him."
A shadow stood beside her, tall like a human, like a phantom long forgotten that touched her shoulder.
"People search for scapegoats because it gives them the illusion of control. Some people can't deal with the idea that life doesn't play fair. There always needs to be a reason and justification for death." It whispered in her ear.
"...It's your right to blame me. I failed you and him." Lucifer said as she let her go. Giving her something real to blame, something that she could blame, some semblance of control. So many wished her dead, one more won't hurt.
The girl looked at her, anger in her wet, tear stained eyes and then she turned around and ran away.
"L-Lucifer, is everything…?" Hibari tried and the other woman sighed.
"I'm fine." Nothing unusual. "I'm going back to my room to get some rest."
However, rest didn't come quick as she had another visitor.
"Well, someone doesn't look happy about being the hero of the day." He was the last person she wanted to see today after this mess but she couldn't throw the door in his face.
"Mr. Amamiya. I didn't expect you to come again."
Lindow rubbed his neck. "Sorry about yesterday. Had a couple of things to deal with and was then shipped out first thing in the morning to deal with a special case of Aragami."
Ah,the 'secret' missions. There was a rumor about it as Lindow had the tendency to just disappear for a time. Sakuya told her that it were simple retcon missions for the director but her worried gaze told her that it was more than just 'simple'.
"You heard?"
"I did. I know I'm bad with this heart-to-heart things but you know...But I'm the leader and..."
"It's your job. I know." With a sigh, she leaned against the door frame and then moved aside. "Come in. That's hardly a talk we should have in the hallway."
"Sure." Halfway in the door, he stopped and looked at the table. A smirk came on his lips. He nodded at the beer can that was on the table, cold and unopened at its usual place and close besides it an ashtray and a lighter. "Seems like you did expect me."
"I'm a creature of habit. You arrive always at the same time." Lucifer waved it off.
"Now I feel a little bit guilty that I didn't pay you a visit yesterday."
"Don't fret it." Slowly she sat down on the couch and hissed as her wounded side began to sting at the movement.
"Heard you took a nasty hit."
"It's a flesh wound. It just stings and is generally annoying. Could be worse."
He frowned as he took his place as well. "How worse?"
"Well, a little bit to the side and deeper and I would lack half my intestines." She gave him a shrug and he grimaced slightly in sympathy.
"The talons of a Chi-You are nasty, sharp things." He nodded to himself. "Almost got disemboweled myself as I still was a rook and spent a week in the sickbay for it. That said..." Her leader looked her over again. "For fighting two Kongous and a Chi-You, you still seem okay."
"I'm fine. Or at least as fine as someone like me can be."
"Yeah...about that..." Lindow rubbed his neck again and then looked away for a second. "I...have read the report of your check-up. I mean, I knew you weren't the healthiest of the bunch because of your lacking stamina and all but..." He frowned and paused, maybe searching for the right words. "From what I understood, your body's a mess."
"That it is but the doctor assured me that I'm getting better." It was a very pitiful attempt to downplay the situation from her side.
"So you know." He seemed surprised and she didn't understand. It was her body. She could feel if her body wasn't well.
"Of course I do."
"And still you tackled a Chi-You alone."
Lucifer suddenly dreaded the direction this conversation took.
"Like I already said, I thought it was the best course of action and I apologize that I endangered the rest for it but I won't apologize fighting it to cover their retreat."
He watched her, his eyes unusually piercing and his gaze stern.
"I never took you for one to play the hero."
And there she gritted her teeth as she heard that word again.
"Don't call me a hero for doing what needed to be done." Her voice was sharp.
"I can still call you 'brave' then. The situation wasn't easy and you did well for that. Sakuya can be a little harsh, I know, but that comes with her main job. Kota had nothing but good words about you…" He trailed off. There had to be a reason that he was here, after this disaster.
"So... Am I facing disciplinary action for what I did?" She inquired instead and not wanting to hear what others thought about her.
"Well, you didn't inform you direct superior about it and you could have died because of it...So normally you would. If we had told Tsubaki."
"You didn't?" Lucifer was honest to god surprised. What she did was not minor case of disobedience, it was outright ignoring the chain of command.
"You didn't ignore orders and you followed the rules." He paused, looked at her and then sighed. "Alright, the one rule with 'If you can't deal with it – run' is debatable but I wouldn't have done anything differently. That aside, nobody blames you for doing what you did, so I decided that it won't be necessary. A simple warning is enough: Don't. overestimate. yourself."
"I don't really know if I should be alright with that."
"Do you want to be in solitary confinement or deal with all the paperwork Tsubaki has for two days?"
A shiver climbed up her spine. "...Point taken."
"Good. With that out of the way, I have decided to give you something."
Her left eyebrow rose slightly and she crossed her arms before her chest. That was odd. She expected another interrogation or him trying to interrogate her for what she did and why she did it. Instead, a small stack of folded notes landed in front of her nose. She looked at it and then at him again.
"May I ask what this is?"
"Something that you shouldn't parade around. That's for sure." Lindow folded his hands together and bowed forward. "I might need your help with something."
Again her gaze flickered between him and the pieces of papers before she hesitantly reached out for it. Her curiosity won out although she suspected it to be a trap. She took one and unfolded it.
"Alisa Ilinichina Amiella" stood there in bold letters and after giving it a short look, she noticed that it was a medical report of sorts.
"I'm correct...with the assumption that these documents are classified?" Or in other words, something that shouldn't be in her hands right now.
"Why would you give me that?" She wasn't sure. Maybe it was still a trap, a fake document for whatever reason. While she admitted not being interested in the dealings of the director, it wouldn't have been enough to convince him to trust her. There was no reason for him to do that just because she was honest with him – about the most part.
Lindow shrugged his shoulders.
"Just a gut feeling."
Lucifer starred at him, mouth slightly open. There was this damned smirk on his face.
Then she just started to chuckle at him.
Even though, she couldn't really stand his presence for the most part, there was something about him that she could hardly deny that it was magnetic. Maybe it was his underlining wit, or the natural charisma that made her so wary but she had to admit, if she considered someone her equal it would be him.
"Just a gut feeling...Yes, I deserved that one." Lucifer thought while combing through her hair.
But that didn't mean she would be caught that easily.
With one hand she took a black pawn that was laying besides the chess board.
"Fine then. Amuse me with a game and I will consider helping you."
"Playing not easy to get, huh?" Lindow didn't seem to be surprised.
"I just give you a fair chance and time to think about it carefully. A deal with a devil can backfire, you know." It was a fair deal. If she noticed that he was lying or tried to use her for his game. She would bite back and she would bite back hard.
"Ha, you aren't so bad as you give yourself." He took out a cigarette.
"Oh? How did you come to that conclusion?"
"You value human life and you are nice to kids. You can't be that bad of a person, maybe a little bit rough on the edges."
Lucifer shook her head at him but stayed quiet. He had seen her, watched her.
She inhaled the smoke, still tasted the ash on her tongue.
"Just how desperate are you?"
Obligatory "No Aragami was harmed in making this chapter".
And Lucy. you have issues. Sheesh. Where is the therapist when you need one? *remembers Dr. Oguruma* On second thought...
Lindow, you are desperate when you think Lucy is a good person. Well beggars can't be choosers.
Questions are always appreciated, comments too. (Questions can include interpretation of characters, explanations, everything story related - You can even ask what Lucifer's favorite ice is,I don't care and yes, she has one.) I will try to answer them all in the next chapter.
Stay tuned to see Lucy's reaction to what Dr. Oguruma probably did to poor little Alisa. It won't be pretty.