Chapter Theme: ANIMALITY by JVLA: https/youtu.be/nKdCROePJaU
Terminology:
SDT: SUBTERRANEAN DEMON TRIBE, often used to describe sentient and non-aggressive demons.
USF: UNITED SUBTERRANEAN FRONT, the recognized sovereign citizens of the Ebott. Valley demon association.
NNH: New New Home, the hometown of all SDT's, the city known as "a paradise." To those who live there.
Central: Central Government, central Island, main human settlement where the Grand Senate is instated.
WG: World Government, The coalition of governments and island states, headed the Grand Senate.
WM: World Military, the standing widespread military for the entire world bar a few states and countries.
OTS: Order Of The Sword, a religious faction mainly situated in the city of fortuna, radical Sparda worshippers.
Sin Trigger.
Crono Wingbuster was not having a good time, not with these damn demons running amuck through town like they owned the place that is.
'Pathetic how far we've fallen as a society...'
He was a tall brute of a man, far taller than average, lean… Intimidating, all adjectives to describe him. His eyes are yellow, and his sharp and pitch black facial hair painted an image of almost a tyrant, a conniving and terrifying image.
But… The chill breeze knew no fear for men like him.
This damn cold… It always got chilly around this time of year, of course that means less people are out and about… But still, Crono hated the damn cold with every bone in his body. Even the slightest amount of wind, of chill, and his body would have goosebumps. The numerous layers of clothing and the scarf around his neck did nothing to soothe this, his breath still came out in a warm mist.
And what's even worse?
Taking a swig of his bottle of rum, "The damn demons are running amuck in this town… It's enough to make a man sick!" Crono complains to another man of shorter stature, waving his bottle in the air.
"But Sanctus says that they are different-" His best friend, a shorter, younger male. He held a certain willingness to him, a loyalty in his gaze. His eyes are cyan.
But Crono wasn't going to hear about Sanctus, "I don't give a s-shit what Sanctus says! Old fart doesn't even know half the goddamn things he's saying, you think he means all that mumbo jumbo about 'getting along'?" Shivering slightly, Crono used the rum to warm his belly… Even if it just made him shiver even more.
The shorter of the two sighed and decided not to bother, it didn't really matter in the end anyways.
Raising one finger to point at his best friend, "Don't listen to a damn thing he says right now Reno, he's just trying to appease the Senate… But I can tell behind that ugly mug of his that he wants to crush the SDT's just as much…" Reno was silent at his friend's imaginary and morbid rancor, sighing and taking a swig of his own bottle.
The two young men leaned up against a building right across from 'Bianca's Bar.' The taller and older of the two mulled over the leadership issue they were facing, the Order of the Sword had grown monumentally since the damn SDT's came back…
An frustrated glare grew across his well-defined features, "Look at all of ya… Going about your day without a care in the world…" Muttering towards the various townspeople.
Crono spread out his arms, almost tauntingly to the busybodies walking across the sidewalk around him, "The SDT's have made this place a hellhole I tell you what! That damn Mettaton is corrupting our youth, filling their heads with that brain rot he calls music! So what's the difference between an SDT and a regular demon huh?" He shrugged his shoulders at anyone who'd listen, of the few who did decide to stand by and witness his ideology.
"They creep in… Slowly but surely, unlike the average demon who will just kill ya! The SDT menace is a lot more sinister, more virile!" Nobody gave him a second glance, "Just wanna let them roam free though huh? And you fuckers call yourself Sparda worshippers!" Raising an antagonizing finger towards the bystanders, Crono flared his teeth at every last one of them.
"Sparda would kill every last demon in this town, and then burn the damn USF to the ground! And here you are, letting them run amuck and fuck up our economy? Pathetic, actually pathetic!"
Holding the bottle against his forehead to cool himself down, now too hot… "Dammit, getting myself worked up over nothing!" The bystanders all quickly left, whispers of 'Madman' and 'Drunken Squalor' being tossed his way.
Sitting down against the building, the sharply shaven man sat underneath a large sign above the two drunkards, 'Fortuna.' Shining in bold italics, the picturesque city island expanded for miles and miles… Buildings and cascading castle-like constructs, a mix between modern and Medieval. Anachronistic almost.
They were currently in the poorest district, where prices were lowest… As well as infrastructure and quality of goods, it wasn't so bad… What was bad was a far deeper poison…
'This world is sick…'
Reno prodded at his best friend, the shorter and thinly young man seemed to be… Conflicted. "Hey, shouldn't we head inside?" Nodding to the bar, Crono only sighed. Running a hand up his face and sprawling his legs out over the sidewalk.
"Nah… Not when I'm… So pissed. I don't like getting angry in front of Bianca, or the boy." Shaking his head, Crono took another swig of his rum. The gaunt gangly man could only stew in his frustrations for so long.
Fortuna was a place predicated on the concept of individual rights and freedom… But what the hell was the point of that when nothing was guaranteed in this city? Everybody going on with their business… Not a care in the world about what's happening to the culture, or to people like him… You got screwed over huh? Better luck next time then!
'Makes me sick to my stomach… Damn these fucking SDT freak shows…'
Mettaton was a huge deal apparently, he had brought a wave of new people to Fortuna after he announced his six month stay in the city… Claiming to love its 'Luxurious sights.' and sprawling decor.
Crono snarled, "Bullshit, that sex doll looking motherfucker is playing this entire city… But I know better, oh I know better." Crono knew that Mettaton and the rest of these SDT freaks wouldn't last long here, after their novelty war off… They'd be tossed aside by the market for something better, market market markets… All what people cared about in this city… And then the worst of them all…
'Andrei… Fucking… Royai.'
Crono hated it all, this entire shitty city.
Reno on the other hand just stuck by his side… It's all the younger man ever knew, they always stuck together no matter what. Ever since that day.
Barely edging out on twenty, Crono was a good three years older than Reno was… The younger of the two didn't mind, he was glad to follow Crono to the ends of the Earth.
Billboards showed that nonsense everywhere too… Not to mention those damn upstarts that began selling SDT food, "You know what? What the fuck is soooo good about SDT food anyways? It digests instantly in your mouth, how does that not set anyone off?" Sparda it made him angry, his favorite food-company had shut down because of the rapidly growing market for devil food, or 'magic food', that was enough to piss him off to no end.
But that was the past… Now? The only future was The Order now, "Those bastards at the top still haven't given us our swords yet…" Reno actually laughed at that, agreeing for once.
Eventually the Order would take back this town… Agnus, Sanctus, the whole lot… They knew, they were waiting to strike!
The only saving grace of this city was how many businesses decided to shut off SDT's, freedom of association is a hell of a thing wasn't it? Crono smirked at the idea, surely it would push these SDT's straight back to the USF…
Suddenly, his sharp brown eyes lit up in recognition. Prodding Reno with several slaps to the arm, Crono feels an icy feeling take hold in his heart.
Reno's voice had an edge to it, "Is that what I think it is?" Crono growled In response, standing to his full height and balling his fist.
Teeth audibly grinding, "Fucking SDT scum, what's he doing?" The two men watched as a pudgy feline looking devil walked down the street, hands in pocket and smoking a cigarette. The demon had an orange fur coloring, looking like a humanized version of a housecat.
Crono's hands balled into fists, "He's going towards…-" The SDT entered through the front-entrance to Bianca's bar.
Rushing across the street in a few strides, the drunkard caused several cars to slam their brakes and smash their horns at him as he rushed across the road. Reno followed half-hazardly behind muttering about having a bad feeling…
The two men shakily crashed through the door, their ability to stand straight impaired. "Where the fuck is he…" Numerous eyes plastered onto them as Crono scanned through the bar… Only to instantly realize a true horrific sight.
What the hell…
'Is that…'
Sitting at one of the stools next to the bar, an SDT was talking to Bianca… His Bianca! What the hell? Crono felt his molars grind against one another, his yellow eyes filling with anger and indignation. Rounding his shoulders back, the sinewy man took a step forward and cleared his vision… Almost willing the impairment of the alcohol out of his system, he continued to hold onto his bottle of rum even still. His piercing eyes entirely focused on the SDT.
A few stools down from them however… Was a man calmly reading a book, his eyes soft and pale skin almost glowing.
The man held an almost untouchable grace to him, even with his sitting position… He was powerful, exuding an aura of absolute confidence. His frame was large, tall, lean… Yet even the most unobservant of men would spot the clearly defined muscle poking through his perfectly proportional black t-shirt.
He wore a simple outfit, one that contradicted the temperature of the outside world. The man wore jeans, seemingly intending to blend in… But failing to do so due to the weather…
Regardless.
Crono was focused, a man on a mission. People got out of his way as soon as they saw him, some smelling the alcohol on his breath, some looking into his deranged eyes, some merely afraid of his imposing physical stature… 190 CM was nothing to scoff at, almost a head taller than most.
And his sharp eyes were narrowed, focusing almost entirely on the back of this SDT… Those robotic hands, that artificial hair… That robotic voice… It was an SDT like that bastard Mettaton, a robot-like creature.
His angry footsteps warned the SDT before he could even reach him, "What the hell is this?" Roughly tapping the SDT's shoulder, the robotic devil turns around shakily… Trepidation.
Bianca on the other hand is not happy, "What the hell babe, what's gotten into you?" Almost a fearful tone in her voice, for a small second the gaunt man considered calming down… He hates getting angry in front of Bianca.
But… He was so angry.
Lightly shoving the SDT against the counter, "I want to know why this fucker is here! Why in our bar, you didn't even tell me!"
The now identified Bianca stared down her lover with shaking green eyes, she had perfectly straight auburn hair and a tiny face, lips trembling as she mustered up whatever courage to stare him down. Bianca was a short woman, petite, almost too innocent to be a bartender.
Her green eyes blaze to life, "A customer's a customer Crono! I get it that Sparda sealed demons and all, but why didn't he seal these ones? That man over there convinced me to see it differently, y'know? Said that the SDT's really aren't as bad, just like Sanctus said-" Crono slammed his fists against the counter, shutting her up instantly.
He pointed at his girlfriend, "Again with Sanctus? That old toad doesn't know jack! You really think his word is law? And what about Sparda huh?" Reno had finally caught up to his friend, standing watch when he realized what was going on.
"He'd kill this little shit-"
The SDT decided to interject, interrupting Crono. "H-hey l-listen… I'm sorry… I can just go, alright?" Trying to make himself as small as possible to avoid the further ire, it seemed he'd done the exact opposite…
In a quick flash of motion the lanky demon hater took a fistful of the SDT's hoodie, unable to pull him into the air due to his metal body… But still strong enough to pull the devil towards him. Much to the horror of Bianca who jumped over the counter to pull at his arm, beginning to cry for him to stop.
He only ignored her, growling at the SDT. "Tell me why you're in my fucking bar, give me one good reason…" It was Bianca's bar, but Crono and her shared everything… Including this… Especially this.
Stuttering with his hands frantically waving, "A f-friend r-recommended it to me… Oh, I'm s-sorry… I didn't mean to make you upset s-sir." The robotically apologetic voice only got on his nerves, Crono finally turned to his girlfriend with a miffed expression.
"Stop that!"
Her peppering blows merely continued, her voice cracking in anger, "Let him go, dammit! You've been drinking too much again haven't you? You know better! For fucks sake Crono!" The two begin to argue back and forth while the SDT hangs loosely in his grasp, tears falling down his robotic face.
On the other side of the bar, the feline SDT from earlier is picking his nose while typing on his phone when suddenly he looks to the right, only to snap his gaze back in a double take.
"Oh crap, oh man, oh crap." Panic etched across the feline's features, his nasally, almost congested voice filled with panic.
Back with Crono, "Think about what these fuckers are doing to Credo Sam, our fucking youth dammit! Stop-" Bianca growled suddenly, silencing him.
A look of indignation grew, "Think about Credo?? Look at you Crono, I thought you were over this shit… It's been years!" The last time this happened… Was long long ago, when they were both far younger, and not in a relationship.
He shook the SDT mercilessly, crying out against Bianca's needless defense. Her demands only make him more and more unstable, violent. He shook the former ghost with more and more ferocity.
The robotic devil began to cry.
"Stamping these creatures out of this community is my way of helping him, he's my son goddammit…!"
Slap.
Knocking away his hand suddenly and backing from the counter, the entire room got quiet when the SDT did just that… Taking a few trepid steps back from the raving drunkard, who's yellow eyes shadowed in darkness suddenly… A dim flame beheld behind each one.
BANG.
A heavy fist crashed against the metal SDT, blistering and tearing crimson red. Doing more damage to himself, Crono can hardly feel the pain. But the robotic devil falls to the ground anyways mostly in surprise, his visage mutates in shock and his pain receptors blaring however slightly. Reno grabs onto Bianca as she lunges to hold Crono back, keeping her from interfering with the raging drunkard.
"Dammit Reno you coward! Let me go!" His eyes only closed at those scathing words of hers, holding the woman and preventing her from interfering.
Reno sighed, "I'm sorry…"
So the two watched as Crono crushed blow after blow against the robotic devil' cranium, his fist becoming more and more bloody every second as the skin on his knuckles scraped off.
With all his strength, the drunkard brings the SDT onto his feet before slamming his head into the counter and holding him there. Crono then takes his bottle of rum and begins pouring it over his victim, alcohol mixing in with artificial tears as the cold beverage seeps in and flows down the contours of his face.
The SDT is shivering, "Please… Stop… It's cold." He never wanted any of this, just to meet up with an old friend… Why?
'Why is it always me?'
Crono isn't finished, "You should've thought about that before you fucked around in my city!" Crono roared in response, continuing to gradually let loose the contents of his bottle… Rum stains the devil's perfectly symmetrical face.
"Please… Mettaton…"
Back on the other side of the bar, the feline SDT bolts through the establishment to place an urgent paw against the tall man from before, still entranced in his book with a pair of earphones blaring classical music over the sound of gratuitous violence. The cat-demon begins to prod the giant of a man, panic etched across his feline features.
Shove
BANG
Shove
BANG
"Oi, oi, oi big guy, we got trouble… Dude, I'm being serious, little buddy!" He keeps shoving the man, over and over slightly pushing him from side to side until finally, the man removes his earphones with an inquisitive grunt.
The SDT then points to the far side of the bar with all the commotion, the giant of a man turns his head towards the action with a lazy gaze before realizing just what was happening.
Blue eyes narrowing almost into perfectly thin slits before they shut for a second or two, the man then closes his book, calmly. Standing to his full height, the silver-haired Hunter breathes in, stretching his back out and then exhaling steadily, taking his next move as if a lightning bolt struck true.
Crack!
Wood splintering around the ball of his footwear, the man snapped into a powerful gait without warning, almost moving too fast for the eye to see. For an onlooker to even witness him, they would immediately feel a chilling cold in their spine upon seeing those two roaring blue pyres. If one were to hang over his shoulder, they'd tower over the entire bar… Seeing everything.
Rolling his robust shoulders back, his muscles rippled and rolled through his tightly fitting shirt, almost like a wave of power preparing to be unleashed. As he went, those who saw his face looked away, trying to appear smaller in the face of a subtle flounce, the calm and steady brute of a man tore through the bar without a single word edgewise.
Standing at a mighty 196 cm, the man was only seventeen years old, and yet his body rippled with power that could offput even the mightiest of creatures, mightiest of devils. This aura, this sense of dread… It had finally coalesced in each of the two bystanders' souls, Bianca and Reno… Hairs on their neck standing on end, their posture almost narrowed beyond what was physically possibly for a human, holding their breath as the towering half-devil brushed past them wordlessly.
Crono shoved the SDT's face into the counter, scowling so terribly before taking a step back and breathing in heavily and quickly, the adrenaline almost causing him to pass out… Instinctively he lifts his non-mangled hand to take a sip of numbing alcohol.
And then a huge blow shatters his ribs into pieces, sending him crashing against the wall furthest away with a heavy thud and a proceeding cry of pain.
His bottle flew in the air only to be caught, torn out of the air by none other than the very man who'd violently blasted its owner away.
Struggling to breath with all the wind in his body knocked out of him, Crono desperately pulled himself up while trying to reopen his air canals, the pain being almost too much… His vision became darker.
Flashes of the silver-haired man, coming closer, and closer until finally his eyes opened fully as a cold liquid drizzled down the contours of his face. The smell of alcohol, the liquid running rapidly from his hair into his nose.
The silver-haired man had placed his left sole behind Crono's head, dominating the drunkard's field of vision and shadowing the man entirely. Holding the very same bottle that Crono had used prior in order to drench the unfortunate SDT, the silver-haired allowed the last drops of the rum to fall instead onto Crono himself.
Within a span of ten seconds, the entire world experienced a paradigm shift. Two blazing blue eyes lighting through the darkness of vision married with delirium, ears ringing… Crono saw only death.
And with a weak bladder due to all the alcohol, Crono had soiled himself at the very sight…
The smell of urine filling his nostrils, a heavy scent. The silver-haired man only had one thing to say.
"Not very classy."
Flicking the bottle into the trash, he stood up to his full height leaving the almost delirious Crono to his mumbling stupor. He rummaged into a pocket and pulled out two coins before slamming them onto the counter, giving Bianca a look of apology.
"That's for the wall." He spoke calmly, reaching towards the robotic SDT and placing him over his shoulder.
Bianca sighed worriedly, "… I'm sorry about him, he hasn't been this angry since… Since a long time ago." But the man didn't respond, merely leaving with his friend and the other, feline SDT.
Bianca and Reno exchanged worried glances as the bar quickly returned to normal, Crono still writhing in his painful injury. The two quickly rushed over to him, calling for the nearest medical service.
In a flash of momentum and unstoppable might, a lightning strike in the form of a half-devil had brought himself into their lives.
And just like lightning, he left as quickly as he came.
