CHAPTER 10: DESPICABLE OFFER
On the same day, at 17: 35
"Well?"
A blonde-haired woman shifted her weight on her right hip, violet eyes looking around expectantly. Around her waist, a silver, metallic whip.
"Well what? I told ya, the tick was annoying. He had the exact same smug look on his face as that flea.
The walking mass of destruction is a blunt one.
"I get not your parasite hatred." The woman responded in funny Japanese. Shizuo, pesticide is good for common problems."
Shizuo simply shrugged, blowing smoke in the air absently. "Never mind, Vorona." He sighed, shaking his head, "It'd be pointless to explain. So where were you yesterday, anyways?"
Vorona raised an eyebrow, "Previous day?" She repeated. "Consultation. Had to decline a despicable offer. Lowly motive for my conscience."
"An offer…?"
The Russian woman opened her mouth in response, only to be interrupted by her own 'kind'.
"Ah! Shizuo! Vorona!" Called out the man, Simon Brezhnev.
Vorona sighed, crossing her arms. "It's rude to interrupt, you know. Besides, I have already eaten. There is no reason for me to eat anymore. I do not have much money either. Plus, with this city's mixed up events, you shouldn't act so cheerful, da?" She slipped comfortable back into her native tongue, brushing off Shizuo's blank and confused expression.
"You act too old for your age. Enjoy your youth, Vorona. It's a blessing."
"How about speaking Japanese like everyone else in the city?" Shizuo cut in, walking past the two.
Simon gave a good-natured smile, "Shizuo in bad mood?"
Narrowing her eyes at Shizuo, Vorona nodded, "Parasite infestation."
Ticks and fleas are easily handled in these modern times, however. Why are they such a bother to him? Such a strange man.
The nineteen years old was an assassin. She came to Ikebukuro under orders to hunt down the Black Rider. However, this was sidetracked by Izaya Orihara's offer, to eliminate a person named Anri Sonohara. This led to meeting the Black Rider itself. After awhile later, under ill-given advice from Orihara, had assaulted Shizuo, which ultimately failed, nearly blowing her cover.
Therefore, I am forced into something as lowly as debt collection to keep my cover from being blown. That Tom Tanaka is surprisingly sly. Yet people are still able to hear of me….
Yesterday, Amphisbaena, abandoned bar
The poorly-lit room highlighted only three people.
The first one being a middle-aged man with a wrinkled smile. Yodogiri Jinnai, who had many different personas, the manager of famous pop star Ruri Hijiribe, and a notorious criminal, gifted in the act of evading police.
"Vorona, is it?"
The girl nodded silently.
"Right then, I'll get to the point," he began, setting a suitcase down on the table. "I have… a minor obstacle that needs to be eliminated. I've tried myself, but it's far too risky and messy for my tastes."
Vorona listened closely to this shifty man's words. "Target being?"
Yodogiri laughed gruffly, patting the suitcase. "All the information you need is in here. Including two extra targets, for security's sake."
A woman in the background gasped. "Oh no." She warned, giving a sweet tone, much too young for her appearance. Her knees were badly bruised, her cheek had multiple scars and scratches, and faint burn marks lay around her mouth.
"Those two are useless. Our primary target takes far too many tsundere-ish precautions when it comes to the targets."
Vorona made a mental note of the woman. "Name?"
The sweet-voiced woman smiled. "Earthworm."
Yodogiri waved a hand dismissively. "Don't mind her." He opened the case.
Three photos lay in a pile of money.
A girl with red glasses, another with a blank face, and a young man smiling.
The latter, Vorona did not care for. The younger two, however, she would not bother her time in any country.
"I am not interested," she declined,
Yadogiri sighed, "I assure you, those two girls are not harmless. The bespectacled one is trained by Mikage Sharaku, a well-respected martial artist. And the other carries things such as pepper spray and mace around with her."
Vorona stood from her seat, heading for the door without a word.
"What about the primary target, at least?" Yadogiri offered, waving his hand over the money.
Vorona paused…
Man of despicable intentions and smile. Woman of despicable looks and voice. Despicable for reasons. Dangerous making. Unwise to decline offer. Man is powerful. Woman is vicious. Mental noting verifies the offer as approachable.
"Offer has approval. And the offer shall be confirmed."
Earthworm clapped her hands. "Splendid! You know, while you're at, cut off his mouth and ears!" She tilted her head, rolling her eyes, "Actually, just cut off his ears. Don't kill him, immobilise him, knock him unconscious, but not into a coma. It's not fun if I can't hear his screams." She giggled, throwing her head into the air. "To torture that man again! Chinese water torture? Russian disciplinarians? No, no… I got it! Greek and Roman punishment devices! Maybe, if he's still alive and awake, even throw in a bit of Jack the Ripper into the mix? That'd be an amusing sight!"
Disgusted with Earthworm's ramblings, Vorona exited the bar.
Ikebukuro, outside Russian Sushi, 17:55
"So, Vorona?"
Glancing at Shizuo, she tilted her head in response.
"You were saying something about an offer or whatever."
"I was ordered to exterminate parasites." She replied.
She guided her attention to the road, full of cars. One vehicle in particular catching her attention.
A green van, fitting… maybe five people, from what Vorona could make out. The one driving, of course. One in an odd hat. Two young teens, a boy with narrow eyes and a girl clad in black. Finally, a black haired man with a smile on his face.
Violet eyes widened, locking on the van, until, however, her phone had rang.
Het!* I was sure to turn it off!
Seeing as whatever cover she could have was now blown, Vorona begrudgingly answered.
"Vorona? By now you've seen him, correct? I do believe that going now would be all too soon, so allow these men to… waver his attention, at least for now. A sly weasel, he is."
Out in the road, five motorcycles zoomed out from an alley. All the motorcyclists clad in blue sweaters of all shades.
"See… when wrong-doers continue on without any punishment, they start underestimating their surroundings. Which in such an upbringing society such as Ikebukuro, we just can't have.
"A few people of a certain group were direct victims of Mr. Orihara's arrogance, as you can see. So I bestowed some members with the identity of their true enemy. Anonymously, of course. For all they know- Ah, see? Even I suffer from this arrogance from time to time."
Vorona felt a stab of agitation run through her spine. Glancing into the van's window, she could see Izaya look through a window. Keeping a smile on his face, he said something, and suddenly the van ploughed through the traffic, soon followed by the motorcycles.
"Ha! Ha!" Yadogiri laughed. "See? Sly weasel he is! Learns the second time through! I'll be off now!"
Noticed the entire scene, did he?
"Be better off not knowing what the heck just happened..." Shizuo sighed.
So he didn't notice Izaya Orihara? That's unexpected.
Vorona looked away in the opposite direction, starting to walk away. "I'm off. Discuss tomorrow."
Ignoring whatever response Shizuo, Vorona went on her way.
This outsider understood one things.
War was being waged in Ikebukuro.
No one would be spared of its after-effects.
