Valentine was smart. He knew that. So after a few days after the trip to DC, he wished he'd taken the ten seconds to close the basement door behind himself.

It was Yuuki. She'd come down to the basement, having caught the sound of him singing and come to investigate. Now, she was just leaning on the door frame of his bedroom - which was just like his workshop back at work; Organized chaos - while he sat on his bed with his back against the wall, one arm resting on his raised knee.

"Wanna know a secret I figured out a while back?" Yuuki finally broke the silence between them, since Kuro and Shiro were upstairs assisting Rize with the cleaning.

"If it's related to how you just caught me singing, go right ahead." Valentine gave a shrug with his relaxed arm.

"Dad's side of the family have been badasses at music for over a hundred years. It took a while for me to get it all together, but us Darkwoods are awesome at music. Don't be scared or ashamed of your musical talent. Flaunt it." Yuuki stood upright and reached into her back pocket to get her phone. "If you want a good place to practice singing with less of a chance to get caught, here's a spot I use, it's in the storm canal, under the bridge."

She sent him the map on his phone, but Valentine spoke up. "If I wanted to join the school talent show that's coming up, would... would you help me?"

Yuuki smirked for a moment. "You're not the only one of us doing the talent show. We'll all practice together after me and Rachael get back from work, alright?"

"I thought you two didn't work today? It's Saturday."

"Saturday's one of the best days to work at a bar. People want to go for drinks most often on Friday and Saturday, mostly in the late afternoon or later. Sunday's aren't anywhere near as busy because that's the day to get over a hangover and go back to work on Monday, all fine and dandy." Yuuki explained. "Before I go get ready, what song were you singing?"

"Sing To Me, it's by Delain." Valentine held up his phone, on which the song was still paused.

"They're fucking awesome." Yuuki agreed. "While I'm gone, take a look at Nightwish, Xandria... and Lacuna Coil. Figure out what catches your eye... Well, no. Your ear."

"I'll give them a listen. Have a good night at work."


"I have a fetish for this shit, but I hate wearing it! Fuck!" Yuuki grumbled under her breath in Japanese as she tried to ignore the slightly uncomfortable draft from moving too fast in her french maid outfit.

"I heard that Natasha wore this when dad was our age, living with Alice back in Raccoon City." Rachael - who actually liked wearing skirts more than Yuuki - replied in kind. "And besides, it's your fault we lost that damn bet with Jake and Sherry. They should be here by 8:30, by the way."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Yuuki replied, then hurried to ignore her skirt's breeze as they set to filling drink orders.


Valentine decided to take Yuuki's word and go to the bridge to sing. But, because he couldn't drive, he walked there.

Along the way, as described by Yuuki's map, he passed through a local pack, where he saw a group of kids his age gathered near a park bench, some smoking, others on their phones... Including Dalton.

Valentine's eyes narrowed. He'd thought ahead and brought his Colt, but he wasn't in the mood to deal with the LAPD or even the CCG either. He also had his three staffs on his chestplate, hidden under his clothing...

"Hey, look, it's the bitch with the silver hair!"

All of them moved and had the air of being goons, but Dalton remained seated on the bench, staring down his nose as they surrounded Valentine in a rough circle, some still smoking and intentionally blowing the smoke into his face.

"Cute, still think you're so high and mighty that you need to hire some muscle for little ol' me." Valentine knew that none of them knew he was a boy, nobody had ever given him a male pronoun - or a female one, for that matter - while in their presense. "You can't hurt me, and if your goons even try, they're in for a rough surprise."

"We've already figured out who you are; you're one of those fucked up Darkwood's. You slipped up and talked about your sisters, and the teacher herself taught your sisters. So stop trying to weasel your way out of what you deserve, bitch." Dalton spoke from his - apparently - safe spot on the bench. "Grab her."

That was it, they all moved in at once, four of them restrained his arms while the two that remained crouched down and held onto his legs, leaving Dalton to slowly get up and walk over until they were only a few inches apart, continuing to stare down his nose at him, letting out a long exhale before pulling his arm back to chamber a punch...

WHAM!

With a groan of pain, Dalton shook his bleeding hand, glaring at Valentine's completely calm expression and relaxed body.

"The fuck was that?!" Dalton snarled. "Lift her shirt!"

One of them reached from Valentine's back to grip the hem of his sweater, pulling it up almost to his throat to reveal the flexible segmented Quinque Steel armour that had always covered Valentine's torso, very similar to Yuuki and Rachael's usual leather corsets, in fact. If left his shoulder blades exposed, and a small part of his lower back as well, but covered in between and all of the front of his body.

"It's armour?!" Dalton stared at his injured hand, astonished, as if he'd expected this all to work in his favour.

"What, did you really think I'd just flash you my tits?" Valentine knew they'd already given him the opening he needed, but he played along with their confusion about his gender. "You'll need to treat a girl right before you get that privilege."

"What makes you think anyone wants to see your flat fucking chest? Huh? You're a piece of shit, you monster. When I figured out who your sisters were, I was shocked when I saw their eyes. You're the most normal looking one of your whole fucked up freakshow."

"I'd kiss you for that compliment if you weren't into this gangbang S&M shit." Valentine taunted, smiling that signature 'you just fucked up' smile. "But I think another ass kicking is a worthy substitute, hm?"

"You can't do fucking shit, bitch!" Dalton slapped Valentine with a sharp sound of skin on skin. "You're at my mercy now, so, as my bitch, get the fuck on your knees, and do what a good bitch should." He unbuckled his belt and started to unzip his jeans as he spoke.

The goons forced Valentine forward, trying to make him kneel, but without any less than a huge struggle until Valentine - just for show - bared his teeth as if forcing himself to fight back.

"HEY!"

With a sharp yell, Dalton was knocked aside in a flying tackle by a running man, quickly followed by several more of his companions, giving Valentine that moment he needed.

With his full strength now, Valentine sent all of the goons flying back, forcing his Kagune out as wide as he could in that single moment.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, missy, you okay? Did they hurt you?" One of the Good Samaritan men quickly got up close and protectively stood between him - Valentine's Kagune was behind himself now, but the scythe tail was dangerously swishing around to protect himself by constantly moving his weapon - and the angry group of boys. "I'm a Koukaku too, it's all cool."

And he did just that, one Koukaku Kagune was added to the mix, and the boys hesitated before backing off, leaving Dalton trapped flat on his face with one of the good guys sitting on his back.

"I'm fine, but I want to deal with him personally." Valentine was thankful his shirts had been lifted up so high, his Kagune's hadn't torn his clothing. "Get off of him, he's mine now."

"Should I even ask?" The group of men - all seemed to be Ghouls - brought Dalton to his feet, better restraining him than the amateur goons he'd used. He was presented to Valentine in the same pose he'd tried to do, in reverse. His gross little bun at the back of his head made it child's play to grab his head and bring it up to force the eye contact that Dalton was trying to avoid.

"I'm going to have some fun with him... My way." Valentine smiled sweetly, mere centimeters away from his face, like they were about to actually kiss. "By the way... I'm a boy." He whispered with that signature sickly-sweet tone and sadistic smile.


Yuuki and Rachael were busily handling the drinks and food orders at the bar until a loud bang caught their attention and Yuuki yelled over all the conversations and clattering cutlery.

"HEY! NO FIGHTING!"

"Now that's ironic coming from you, Yuuki..."

Both twins looked up to see Valentine almost literally dragging some boy his age behind him by the hair into the bar.

"Ray, I got this." Yuuki, ever the eldest, immediately stepped out from behind the bar and approached her little brother, speaking in Russian. "Alright, what the hell are you doing here, let alone with this kid? I thought you were singing at the bridge?"

"I was on my way there when this gnat decided to hire some muscle and try to fight me." Valentine replied in kind. "This is that Dalton kid I told you guys about. He's not for food. He's in need of a serious attitude adjustment. Think you could give me a hand?"

"Well... I'm not exactly dressed for the task..." Yuuki turned her head, averting her gaze. "I lost a bet, long story. Anyway, I need you to tell me what they did to you, from the very beginning, alright? Come sit at the bar, talk only in Russian to us, ignore everyone else, I'll deal with the meatsack." Yuuki gave her brother a one-armed hug, giving him his instructions in a whisper while she was close to his ear, then they separated and Dalton tried to scramble to his feet, only for two very large bikers to step in front of the door and cross their arms.

"You, shitstain." Yuuki glared at Dalton as she switched back to English, who was scared shitless by the sudden outcome of events. "I'm about to hear from Valentine what went down. You're not going anywhere. Welcome to your worst nightmare, shall I get you a beer? You're fucked anyway, so I don't give a shit that you're underage."

"Just wait until my father hears about this!" Dalton spat onto Yuuki's face, earning a small chuckle from her and causing the whole bar to fall totally silent, only his slightly high pitched voice being heard as Yuuki - thematically fitting her outfit - wiped the spit from her mouth with the thumb of her white gloved hand, still chuckling as she stepped up to him, and he backed away like a scared rat.

"You're lucky my father hasn't heard about this. Notice how the whole bar's gone quiet after you did that? That's because I've earned the respect of my friends, and my customers. You're a weak little parasite, forced to purchase your power from others, only to flaunt it when you don't have your own. Valentine's going to tell me what you did, but I'm not stupid. I already have an inkling of what you were planning to do..." Yuuki's solid cyan eyes made it impossible to tell she'd just looked down at Dalton's still open zipper. "Not like you have the right equipment or skills to do it in the first place."

"I know about you and your fucktoys. Parading around, calling yourself the Spider Queen, lording over your fans on that gaudy website of yours. I'd say go fuck yourself, but I'd be afraid to be credited for all the porn that might come out of it!"

WHAM!

It wasn't Yuuki that punched him, it was one of the patrons, a normally respectable businessman that always came in on Saturdays for dinner with his wife, who herself had a hand on Yuuki's shoulder, asking if she was alright.

"You see, kid? I earned my respect. If you try anything with or to Valentine ever again, you'd better run back to daddy as fast as you can, 'cause if the wrong person finds out what you did, they'll deal with you however they feel is necessary."

"You disgust me..." Dalton didn't seem to know when to shut his mouth, but Valentine came marching right up to them, shoved his sister aside and dove on top of Dalton, mouth first, and tore off his target with a spray of crimson blood.

Of course, Dalton screamed in fear and pain, but Valentine spat out the bloodied denim and shoved the particular piece of flesh straight into Dalton's wide open mouth, deep into his throat.

Dalton struggled to breathe, slowly turning red, then blue, but nobody made a move to help him, even as his eyes bulged in his head. But then Valentine raised his hand and it came shooting right out of his mouth into that hand, catching it with a wet splat and a small tink of metal that remained attacked to a scrap of the jeans.

"Now it's without a doubt that you've got no balls. So, Dalton, go run back home to daddy and tell him how you tried to rape me with six of your friends, tell him how you assaulted me, forced me into a corner, about how you bully me at school. I'm not your bitch... You're mine. So go. Go crawl back to daddy, see how far you make it before those nice gentlemanly Ghouls that pulled you off of me catch the scent of your blood and go in for the kill."

The entire bar broke out into applause, and to further his point, Valentine seductively squeezed the small, bloodied dick over his mouth, tilting his head back, messily dripping the blood into his mouth before grabbing Dalton by the jaw and forcibly filled his mouth with his own blood.

"I'm keeping your balls, but there's that kiss I owed you for complimenting me."

Dalton couldn't escape the bar fast enough, only to be heard seconds later from outside, retching loudly and crying as the entire bar roared with laughter.