Twin Devils
Chapter 17
(A/N: So, I'm going to make this one a little short, guys. I'm not in one of the best moods lately. Sorry, but the next chapter will definitely make up for it, I promise.)
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Everything about the family was dark. From their clothing to their vehicles. Everything about the family was dark. Their houses. Their history. Their senses of humor. It was all black, filled with more than a few missing points, nothing that couldn't be changed with a bribe, and absolutely, positively no loose ends.
This family had a name, infamously known by everyone who had watched the news or even walked the streets anytime during the last 50 years especially. This family carried the cursed name of Akuma, to hold the insignia of the dead on their backs, and to wave bones across their flags. A name which promised Death. The Akuma family had some of the dirtiest hands in history, their past littered with blood and soiled with dirty business. They had been this way dating back centuries back into the youth of Japanese history, one of the first families, and therefore, syndicate.
The Akumas have now just become more popular in the recent fifty years because of the recent amount of social media and press coverage. People now were capable of being aware of their acts, and they were aware with a passion. Aware of the throngs of gang members out on the streets wearing black and red clothing, sterling necklaces, covered in skulls, and littered with the Mark of the Dead. Everyone in Japan knew them. They were the people that you didn't stray too close to late at night. The notorious gang prowled the concrete jungles of the city, silver teeth bared, and crystal skulls ready for the kill.
The only thing scarier than the dark history of the clan were the members themselves. Each of them were built for murder, specialized for the kill, and prepared for the thrill of the hunt. Even scarier than them still were the ones who rallied the gang. The syndicate leaders, the members of the family with that wretched dark blood in their veins. We are only aware of three leaders thus far, as the previous ones before that are a treasured secret of the group. The eldest leader known, Taigā Akuma, now deceased, was a simplistic and fair master, and some would even jump so far as to call him nice. When he ruled, the city was at a time of peace, and the crime rate was down considerably. The police could talk to the gang members freely and without fear of conflict of law breaking. Taigā Akuma taught his men that they didn't need to act like criminals to be in a gang, leading them as if he were leading an ancient clan of honorable samurai. But that has all changed now.
As the seasons have to change, so did the cycle of powers. The sun fell on Taigā's last whispered breath, and rose on the proud gleam of Raion Akuma. The power had shifted at last. (Some have rumored with such audacity to not hold their tongues that Raion himself was the one to kill his father, just so he would become head of the yakuza.) Between you and me, I wouldn't put it past him.
Raion Akuma had nothing to do with his father's teachings. This new Akuma was nothing like Taigā, and it was this man that would make the Akuma syndicate infamous for years. Raion rules his men with an iron fist and a bloodlust for being bad. He is a merciless leader with no compassion, and the only human emotion he's capable of feeling are anger, pride, and insanity. Raion is a mad fool, so drunk off his stolen power that he defies the police whenever he can, and breaks the law religiously. He decorates his men with black and red, dusting them with silver, and bestowing them with skulls.
Maybe it's a family trait, but each Akuma leader has had an attraction towards the exotic cats and an attachment to them. It is rumored that the first Akuma, Sāberu had a rare beast with lineage to the prehistoric saber toothed tigers. Taigā found that he quite like majestic big cats and so he adopted the nickname "The Tiger." In the spirit of his new title, he had two ornaments crafted to show case it. The first was a slender black walking cane with a silver leaping tiger at the head, fitted perfectly to the palm of his hand. The second was an argentite colored tiger medallion that he bore with pride on his chest as if it were his collar. Not only that, but Taigā took in a rare white tiger as his pet. Quite a pair they made, pacing the halls as predators, as peaceful as leaders with the same icy blue eyes. He quite liked his nickname, and was called this by his men for his wisdom, his bravery, and his reflection. Taigā "the Tiger" Akuma was a tall and sleek man with silver hair and smiled wrinkled skin. He aged well with thin shoulders and a proud chest, wielding his roaring tiger cane like a knight would a sword. When he was serious with his eyes narrowed and his jaw held tight and chin high, he looked like a star dusted tiger on the prowl in the weeds, stalking enemies that dared to endanger his family.
Raion, on the other hand, was completely different. When Taigā named his son, he waned him to love big cats as much as himself, and so he named him Raion, the Japanese word for lion. And did Raion take that title to a whole new meaning. He was so fierce in his dealings, his mean willingly gave him the name "The Lion." Raion roamed around with his silver, striking eyes and he would instantly inspire others to fear him. He wore metal teeth over his own, the metal tempered into the shape of fangs, and in a bloodlust, he would tear out his enemies throat with them. And then he would drop their trembling bodies to the ground, blood trickling down his chin, and it was terrifyingly reminiscent of a lion striking down a gazelle. Even in his appearance was lion like. A mane of slicked back black hair with greying streaks through it, a wispy goatee on his chin of the same nature, statue-esque features, and intense silver eyes. He was called "the Lion" not only for his looks but also for his brutality, his strength, and for his tenacity. Stalking the compound with his black lion, the two staring down prey with those silver eyes.
As Taigā handed his passion onto his son, Raion passed it on to his. Jaga Akuma was born with the name Jaguar Death, as his father before him was Lion Death. Jaga "The Jaguar", as he's taken on, is a force to be reckoned with. He is an already intimidating man, even in youth, and he has a good way of getting what he wants. His title didn't come from his lineage. No. He fought to the top of the ranks brutally and relentlessly. Widely respected by his men, he prowls at night with a black jaguar, dealing with traitors and hunting for victims like a ravaging debt collector. Jaga is known for breaking a person's legs and hanging them, or pinning them, by their ankles. Then, with some wickedly silver claws that he wears, he guts them and let's their entrails spill and feeds it to his jaguar, Hakai. Jaga is a tall man, sleek and calculative in his movements, suave in his appearance. He has a mess of black hair and vibrant green eyes, physically fit from years of fighting and training and littered with tattoos and a piercing. With his brutality at such a young age, Jaga is likely to follow in his father's footsteps. Let's just hope that his dark heart can be swayed.
Something was stirring now in the compound, a tense and uncertain feeling choking the air. Everyone confined in the hideout could feel it, pacing around impatiently liked caged animals, anxiously awaiting something to happen. The tension snaked through the oil colored halls, winding down into the rooms, and infecting everyone in its reach. Now the halls were silent, each member carefully trying not to get entangled in the lion's web. They knew Godfather Akuma was angry. And they also knew that he was holding a meeting in the main room.
Godfather Akuma sat upon his ornate throne in the dark main room, drumming his fingers slowly along the arm. Above his head was a silver carving of a lion looking so strong and fierce like a blazing opium colored sun. He ran a scarred hand through his grey streaked hair, and then he stroked his short goatee in thought. His silver eyes were narrowed angrily in slits, posture perfectly rigid as always as he sneered upon the two people before him. "So… You've both failed me once again?"
Seika, the person to his left, stood with annoyance in her grey gaze, red hair tumbling down her shoulders like a blood river. She looked impatient, tapping her foot against the floor in an off beat. Huffing, she tossed her hair over her shoulder, "I held up on my end, sir. I separated them and dated Hikaru. In my opinion, I-"
Godfather Akuma slammed his fist down on the arm, practically steaming in his seat, "And in my opinion, you should learn to hold your tongue before I cut it out and feed it to my lion!" He sank back into comfort. "You obviously didn't do a good job because he ran right back to Haruhi, now didn't he?" So don't go patting yourself on the back. You screwed up. So shut it, you incompetent idiot."
Jaga, who stood at Seika's shoulder, chuckled as she was put in her place. She sunk down in stand again, and turned to Jaga, hissing, "Shut up!"
The Jaguar King raised an eyebrow at her, flashing a lopsided grin. The two seldom got along, and if they did, it was for a common goal. "My apologies, princess."
"Now don't you think that you're getting off clean either, Jaga," Godfather Akuma growled dangerously low. "You mutt, having the audacity to laugh at your leisure in my presence. How dare you think… You fail a mission and come in here laughing? Hmmm… Perhaps I should up your punishments… You can't do a mission right, beating up the puny Hitachiin and leaving the potential one unscathed." He released a sigh, stroking his goatee thoughtfully. "Why'd I get cursed with you, Jaga? Why couldn't that woman have birthed me that brilliant Kyoya instead. Now there's a son. He would- Wait! That's it!" He laughed loudly.
Jaga stepped forward, shouldering off his father's tone, "What is it, father?"
Raion sat up so quickly, the lion at his feet raised its great head and growled at Jaga as well, and the two looked like two lions putting a jaguar in its place, "Don't call me that! I told you to never call me that in front of people!" He then began laughing again, "My genius has struck again! Ha ha! I have the perfect plan to break them up! Seika, you'll especially excel in this."
Seika flipped her hair over her shower arrogantly, smirking, "I excel in most things anyway. I'm sure I will."
"Perfect… Flawless…" He muttered to himself, twirling his finger loosely in his small beard, "Oh. And I have yet another subject to bring up with you two. There will be… a special guest arriving soon. You're to treat her with respect and dignity. I want nothing stirred up with her, or I'll have both of you punished severely. I personally believe that her arrival shall be… entertaining." His voice lowered at the last word, as did his eyes, and he cackled menacingly, staring straight down at Jaga. He drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair in a drawn out manner. "You, illegitimate mutt, will perhaps benefit from this business affair as well… That is, if you can tame her." He gave a slow and deep laugh.
Jaga gulped. He couldn't help but not too. The way his father was describing this girl was making him shifty. He didn't like it. Not one bit.
"'Special Visitor'," Seika scoffed, slanted looking as she smirked at Jaga, seeming to speak out of the corner of her mouth. "What's that supposed to mean, some type of ritzy hooker?"
Narrowing his eyes, Jaga looked back over at her, sticking his tongue out, "He said special guest, not your mom."
Just as Seika was about to go off on him, the dark lion at Raion's feet roared, stopping the bickering.
"Silence!" Godfather Akuma growled. "Children… Stop your bickering. Now. About your mission. How do you separate a couple?" He looked over at the chess board that stood next to his throne, examining all the shining pieces. Humming, he took the dark king and queen, placing them outside of the white king and queen, grinning viciously. He moved the two dark pieces in between the two light ones, and chuckled, knocking the light ones over on their sides, the pieces rolling as if not ready to lose.
"A house divided cannot stand."
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A/N: So hey guys. I FINALLY GOT THIS DONE!
WOOHOO
I've had this story written down for weeks, but like I just haven't been able to write it down on the computer. I blame childhood obesity.
But here it is. Don't hate me. A few of you are going to for these next few chapters X3 I'll try to update soon. Happy reading!