Chapter Two:
Guests of a Dark ManTwo guards were standing outside of a metal door in a pale, dimly lit hallway. They stared, stone-faced, at the wall opposite them, standing rigid in their smoke gray, button-up uniforms, police hats of the same color, and black boots. They held their guns - M4A1 rifles - on the shoulder that happened to be farthest from the door. Were it not for the movement of their breathing, and the sight of their breath on the air (it was freezing in this hallway), one might think them statues.
"ATTENTION!" barked a commanding voice from down the hall. As if automatically, the soldiers lowered their guns to a more saluting stance, ready to give grace or fire if either were to be necessary. Their movements were as precise as a well-oiled machine.
"HAIL LORD SHENAKATSU!" barked the voice again, much nearer now. At this command, the two guards saluted. Sounds of footsteps began to reverberate off of the walls as the shadows of 25 marching men began to darken the wall. The first five out of twenty appeared around the corner, leading the square formation. One of the guard-soldiers seemed to walk a bit…out of step. His broad shoulders, straight back and seeming defiance of conformity held an air similar to haughtiness, and his amber eyes - not at all human, but tiger eyes - seemed to survey everything around him, as opposed to the back of the head of the guard-soldier in front of him. The soldier in front of him stopped abruptly, and the amber-eyed man walked into him. The soldier turned to him and glared acidly.
There were also three men in the center of the formation that definitely weren't guard-soldiers - two in lab coats, presumably scientists, and one much taller man in a black shirt, dark blue jeans, and a gray, dingy duster, which looked much more unwholesome than the colors of the guard-soldiers' uniforms. He had a chain watch and sunglasses on, despite the darkness of the hallway. His boots were different than the soldiers', too - zip-up as opposed to lace-up, and a lot heavier looking.
The man had a very sickly build. It was as if he had allowed himself to waste away formulating some plan of massive importance. Even his dark, sandy blond hair looked as though it hadn't been cared for properly in a while. He seemed to look demandingly, almost in disgust, at the men around him. As for the scientists, they looked COMPLETELY terrified of him.
One of the scientists looked to be in his late sixties and early seventies. What little hair he had left was white, and his eyes were a dull, grayish color - presumably brown at one time long since passed. Whatever his life's projects were seemed to have sucked the liveliness right out of him. The other scientist was tall, around his mid thirties. He had jet-black hair and eyes like mercury pools. He looked less terrified than the other scientist, but he was frightened all the same.
A misty, cold voice, detached and yet almost angry came from the center man. His manner of speaking was very matter-of-fact - he didn't mess around when it came to any sort of business.
"Dokuro," he paused, and the mercury-eyed man looked up at him. "Shiinto," he paused again, and the old man looked up at him as well. "If you would both be so kind as to follow me…"
The first row of five men split - two going in the direction the general group was going one step, and three in the direction that they'd came from, leaving a space for the tall man and the scientists to get through. The tall man looked at the guard-soldiers in disgust - as if he'd expected only perfection, and what they had just done was hideously wrong. He took a step forward.
"Lord Shenakatsu," both door-guards spoke simultaneously. Shenakatsu looked at them with a horrid rage, as if the two had just committed a treasonous act. He spoke with an almost overbearing amount of anger in his voice, although it still seemed to stay calm and matter-of-fact.
"Did I…address… you two cretins?" Shenakatsu spoke.
"No, sir-"
"Then stay SILENT until you're absolutely and without a doubt SPOKEN TO."
"Yes, si-"
"SILENT!"
The two shut up immediately, cowering against the wall, almost curled up against it. Shiinto flinched and cowered from Shenakatsu as best he could, considering his close-quarters situation. Dokuro blinked slightly at the yelling, but ignored it for the most part.
Meanwhile, the out-of-step, tiger-eyed guard was watching. He couldn't help but narrow his glinting amber eyes at the display. He was completely appalled - how could ONE man have so much power, despite him being so very obviously outnumbered? He also noticed the mercury-eyed man and nearly exclaimed, recognizing him. 'That… that's -' his thoughts were interrupted by the formation about-facing as Shenakatsu took another step toward the door. It slid open, and he, Dokuro, and Shiinto entered the room. The door soon shut behind them, and the formation began to move forward, back down the hallway from whence they came.
"Got a problem, cat-boy?" muttered the guard-soldier that the tiger-eyed dissenter had run into, who was now behind him. "Move."
"Yes, sir," growled the dissenter as he moved on.
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After the house was all cleaned up, Ryo was curled up under a blanket watching White Blaze. It's not that he was cold, but it just seemed like the right thing to do - sit on the floor of the living room curled up under a blanket like he used to when he was a kid. White Blaze, meanwhile, was sleeping in the middle of the floor, curled up around the coffee table. He'd returned from his earlier escapades a little while ago and was now crashing on the floor. Robyn had told Ryo earlier to sit there on the floor against the couch and wait for her, insisting that because it was HER idea to have this movie/game party, SHE was the one that got to make the snacks for the party. Despite Ryo's protests, Robyn won out in the end. So, while studying White Blaze's peaceful sleeping, Ryo thought to himself. 'Just what exactly happened out there with you and that girl, buddy?' White Blaze's ear twitched, and he yawned, lifting his head and looking up at Ryo with one of those 'Isn't it obvious?' looks that he has. Ryo studied the look for a moment, and then blinked, VERY confused. "…Did you just-" his question to the tiger was interrupted by Robyn returning with a HUGE bowl of popcorn. She put it on the coffee table and plopped down on the floor next to Ryo.
"Man, is it cold in here, or is it just me?" Robyn asked, looking up at Ryo. She shivered slightly. Ryo blinked, lifting the blanket up and wrapping it around Robyn, too. "Better?" he asked.
Robyn blinked. "Um, yeah," she said, "thanks." She cuddled up to Ryo and wrapped her arms around him, trying to keep warm. "Don't get any ideas, Ryo. I'm just freezing…" Robyn said, trailing off.
Ryo grinned. "Do I look like Rowen to you?"
"Ha ha, very funny," Robyn said.
'So, this is what it's like to be held by her,' Ryo thought as he watched Robyn. He didn't mind it - it was actually kind-of nice. Ryo actually began to fall asleep, too…that is, until the doorbell rang and a loud knock came to the door about 20 minutes later, interrupting the peaceful silence, and waking the dozing Ronin, tiger, and friend.
"Uh, I'll get it," Ryo said to the drowsy Robyn, who agreed and wrapped the blanket completely around her as Ryo got up. She curled up next to White Blaze, who was the nearest source of warmth. White Blaze didn't mind - in fact, he fell asleep again right after the noisy notification.
Ryo opened the door to find Kento and Cye standing there.
"Hey Ryo!" Kento said when Ryo opened the door.
"Hey Cye, hey Kento," Ryo greeted cheerily.
"Hello Ryo," Cye said. He looked over to Robyn, seeing her curled up on the floor in a blanket.
"Er, what's going on?" Kento asked, looking a bit confused.
Robyn sighed. "Trying to sleep. Why else would I be down here?" Kento grinned. "Oh, I don't know… you might have been having some fun with Ryo…"
Ryo blinked. Even though he and Robyn had joked about that very subject not 20 minutes ago, his complete innocence had taken over once again.
Robyn sighed, then yelled sarcastically from her comfy spot on the floor, cuddled up to White Blaze, "Oh yeah, Kento, we've been having a WILD time here all alone. " Kento laughed. "Really?" He looked at Ryo. "Ryo, you dog you!" he said, elbowing Ryo in the ribs. "Whaaa?" Ryo stammered, confused. Cye glared between Ryo and Kento, and then what Cye and Kento were accusing Ryo of dawned on him. "Ack! I-I didn't!" he said, looking a little less than completely innocent. "I SWEAR I didn't do anything!" Ryo raised his hands, half in surrender and half in defense, taking one large back-step from Cye and Kento. Rowen appeared in the doorway just in time to see.
"Hi, Rowen," Robyn said, now turned towards the door. Rowen surveyed the scene. "Hey, what's going on here?"
"Oh, we're just teasing Ryo about being all alone here with Robyn, unsupervised," Kento said, nonchalantly. "Oh really?" Rowen began, grinning, "Ryo, buddy, you should have invited me!"
"But, but I didn't! I-" Ryo attempted to defend himself in a panic, looking from Kento to Rowen to Cye. He was looking pretty guilty at that moment. "I didn't do anything!"
"Uh huh, suuuuure," Kento chided.
Cye, meanwhile, was REALLY not pleased with the joke. He could have killed Kento and Rowen for escalating the situation, but even more so… if it WAS true that Ryo didn't do anything, then why did he look so guilty?
Robyn sighed in disgust. 'Men,' she thought to herself.
"Okay boys, I think this has gone on long enough," she said.
"Awww," Kento and Rowen chimed in together. They always hated it when Robyn killed their fun like that. Cye walked past the two and sat in the corner. He glared at Ryo. "You'd better not have done anything, Ryo, or else…"
Ryo blinked. Was that a threat? Why did Cye want so badly to keep him from Robyn? Rowen he could understand, but him? Ryo? What could he possibly do to hurt Robyn? He himself knew that he wouldn't ever hurt her, but why couldn't Cye see that?
Having heard Cye's comment, Kento spoke up. "Jeez Cye, haven't you ever heard of a joke? We were just kidding around!" Also, as if having heard Ryo's thoughts, Kento said, "Besides, Ryo wouldn't ever hurt Robyn, intentionally or not." He grinned. "He knows what would happen to him if he ever DID hurt her, DON'T YA, RYO?" Kento turned and feigned a malicious grin. Ryo sweatdropped.
"Come on guys, we ALL know that NOTHING happened…" Robyn said. "Hey, where's Sage?" she asked, trying to change the subject. Everyone looked to the door - suddenly realizing that their blond-haired friend was missing in action.
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The formation of guard-soldiers, meanwhile, had dissipated into separate groups. One or two at a time wandered down halls together, but one in particular stayed alone. Two older guard-soldiers saw this and who it was, and immediately took action.
"Hey, cat-boy!" yelled the soldier, whom the tiger-eyed one had run into earlier. The tiger-eyed soldier slowly turned and made eye contact with the one who hailed him.
"Yes?" he replied, "sir," added grudgingly.
"Where do you think you're going unsupervised, hmm?" badgered the hailer's companion.
"Home," replied the tiger-eyed one in a feline-like, baritone voice fitting to his looks.
"Home?" asked his hailer. "This IS your home."
"With all due respect, sir," responded the tiger-eyed man, "this is only my workplace. I don't live here, and I don't think I ever will."
The hailer's companion walked up towards the tiger-eyed man.
"What, because you're a little different you think that you can have special treatment?"
"No, but -"
"Then WHERE do you think you're going? Hmm?"
"If you would -"
"I don't think you're going anywhere, cat-boy! Nowhere at all! THIS is home to ALL of us here!"
The tiger-eyed man's eyes flashed dangerously.
"It's only 'home' to you because you DECIDE to stay here. Or do I have to read that little statute to you again? It appears you misread it the first time," the tiger-eyed man said to his opponents, the danger that had flashed in his eyes transferring to his voice. He meant business. The higher officer, his hailer, saw this in his eyes.
"Swanson, back off. He IS right."
Swanson, the companion, looked up at his superior officer and gawked, as if he didn't believe what he was hearing.
"Sir, do you mean to say you want me to -"
"YES, Swanson, that is EXACTLY what I said."
"All due respect, sir," Swanson replied, "I think I could take this rookie out with my hands behind my back."
The tiger-eyed man grinned.
"You think so? Well, I suppose you'd want to test that little theory of yours?"
Swanson smiled. "Yes, I would. Why, you offering?"
"Mmm… no. I don't think that fighting me would be in your best interests..."
Swanson glared at the tiger-eyed man.
"What's that supposed to mean, 'in my best interests?' I think I know what's in my best interests…" Swanson looked at the tiger-eyed man. "I see what the problem is. You're scared to fight me." Swanson smiled.
The tiger-eyed man laughed, and Swanson's smug look was wiped from his face.
"You think I'm scared to fight you? AHAHH! That's a good one." The tiger-eyed man paused. "Hell no, I'm not scared to fight you! I'm scared I'd kill you. To tell you the truth, I don't think you'd last a minute with me, Swan," the tiger-eyed man grinned as he cut off Swanson's name, knowing that it irritated him. Swanson tensed, narrowing his eyes and balling up his fists.
The superior officer glared, but not at the tiger-eyed man. His gaze was directed at Swanson.
"SWANSON! DAMNIT BOY, CAN'T YOU FOLLOW ORDERS?"
"Sir," Swanson replied, "I think this rookie just insulted me."
"AND I'M GOING TO COURT-MARSHAL YOU IF YOU DON'T START LISTENING TO ME!"
Swanson ignored his superior officer, his pride getting in the way of his duties.
"You think you're all that, you funny lookin' dirtbag? Come on. I dare you."
The tiger-eyed man did nothing.
"You ARE scared. You're as yellow as your funny lookin' eyes, ya mangy furball!"
That was it. The tiger-eyed man spun faster than either Swanson or the superior officer could do anything about, grabbed Swanson by the neck and slammed him into the lockers.
"LISTEN HERE," the tiger-eyed man roared, sounding anything but human. He glared directly into Swanson's eyes, and Swanson's pupils shrank to the size of a pinhead. The tiger-eyed man lowered his voice a little, but continued in a growl, "Listen here, you LOUSY excuse for a human being… "
The superior officer just gawked for a moment.
"I'm TIRED of putting up with your CRAP." The tiger-eyed man slammed Swanson into the lockers by his throat. "JUST because I'm new and a little bit different than the rest of you DOESN'T mean that you get to RAG ON ME DAY IN AND DAY OUT. I'M TIRED OF IT!" He picked Swanson up by the throat and slammed him into the lockers again, beginning to leave a dent. "YOU HEAR ME? SICK AND TIRED OF IT!" the tiger-eyed man slammed Swanson into the lockers a final, hardest time, emphasizing his point. By this time, the superior officer was trying to intervene, but kept getting drowned out by the tiger-eyed man's yells.
"H-HEY! PUT SWANSON DOWN!" the officer yelled, quite panicked at the scene.
The tiger-eyed man dropped Swanson after a quick glance at the officer, and Swanson landed on his butt on the ground. Swanson's neck and back had made quite a dent in the lockers.
"You see, Swanson? I'm not afraid of your chicken ass. I'm afraid I'd kill you if we actually fought," the tiger-eyed man said after a moment or two of deep breathing.
Swanson, meanwhile, was coughing and gasping for air.
"You…" Swanson blurted between gasps, "you… you'll pay for that one!"
Swanson got up and ran down the hall. The superior officer looked at the tiger-eyed man and sighed.
"If he reports it, I'll just say that he provoked you. Which he did," the superior officer said.
"Thanks," the tiger-eyed man said, "but I should have had more control."
"Maybe so," said the superior officer, "but Swanson's an ass. I don't think he'll be causing any more trouble anytime soon, so I really should be thanking you."
The tiger-eyed man blinked, staring at the dent in the lockers for a moment. "What?" he asked, looking in the direction of the officer. He was shocked when he saw that the officer wasn't there. In fact, he was alone in that hallway, as if nobody had been down the hallway except for him. The tiger-eyed man just shook his head and reached for his locker, getting ready to leave. He was stunned to see that there were no dents in the lockers that he'd slammed Swanson into. Not even a scratch…
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Later that night, after much annoyance and after many attempts to start his car, Sage was on his way to Ryo's house. He ran to catch the 5:30 P.M. subway to Ryo's area, and got on just before the doors closed. He sighed in relief, grabbing on to one of the overhead handles. He heard a few giggles emanating from behind him and tried to ignore them. Why couldn't women find something OTHER than him to look at for once?
The subway rolled on, screeching to a stop somewhere in a downtown area. A man in a white shirt and blue jeans got on, grabbing hold of the overhead handle in front of Sage's. Their eyes met.
Sage couldn't believe what he saw. This man's eyes were a shocking shade of amber beneath the layered, platinum blonde hair of his. He could tell on first glance that those eyes weren't human. Looking this man in the eyes, Sage thought, reminded him of staring White Blaze in the eyes, except this man's eyes were an entirely different color. Yet… how could someone not human look so human? He remembered his days fighting the Dynasty and narrowed his eyes. Could he be a demon?
The amber-eyed man scanned Sage's eyes. 'Hmm, he seems to be a strong, skilled fighter,' he thought, grinning to himself. 'He seems to be wise, too. Perhaps if we cross paths again someday we can …talk. He seems to have a yearning to know what I am and why I'm here… is he…protecting something?' The man smiled outwardly after a pause in his thinking. "What's your name, stranger?" he asked cordially, interested, as if toying with this stranger. His voice, a harmonic baritone of a cat-like timbre, startled Sage, although Sage's reaction to it wasn't visible.
Sage weighed his options while still looking at this stranger, deciding that it could do no harm to give a first name. "Sage," he replied, "…and yours?"
The catlike, amber-eyed man smiled. "You'll find me by the …family name, I guess you could call it… Firalis." The subway began to slow down as it neared the stop just before Ryo's. "Oh," the tiger-eyed man said, almost disappointedly, as he realized where the subway was nearing, "this is my stop." He moved towards the door, and turned to Sage again. "…We'll meet again, friend."
With that, the man, now known to possess the last name of Firalis, stepped off of the subway and walked on into the dusk. Sage got off at the next stop, walking in the direction of Ryo's house.
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