Hi hi!
So, while I don't recently own a laptop, I do have a friend that I plan to see every now and then, and she allows me to use her laptop.
This chapter be for that special friend who wishes to remain unknown, for without her I wouldn't be able to update at all.
ONWARDS!
"Do enjoy your stay here!"
Kuro held the key to her new apartment, before letting out a relieved sigh. She wasn't sure how long she'd have to keep up the façade of a happy young adult, or how she'd have to be all surprised when she found out about the discount on the place.
When it came down to it, she couldn't care less.
Either way, a steal was a steal.
Walking into her new room, Kuro took a deep breath in, looking it all over and taking it all in.
It was a nice small place, the door leading into the small living room, with a door in the back to lead to the bedroom, which had a small bathroom adjoining it. Sighing, Kuro threw her bag on the side, noting how spick and span the place looked, before grinning to herself.
That wouldn't be the case for much longer.
She didn't bother to kick off her shoes, before crashing down onto the couch, tired. While cheaper than the usual place, even in the Rift, it had taken a considerable amount of energy to… "generate" the funds needed.
While it wasn't her best attribute, Kuro was pretty damn good when it came down to sneaking around. As she'd heard someone once say somewhere at some time, "You could have all the talents in the world; the man with a single expertise will still win if he can use it for more than one thing."
While the math behind that demon's logic didn't really match-up, who was Kuro to tell the old geezer what was right and wrong?
So, about three days of shoplifting, selling the goods, and running from the few shops that noticed the shady teen in the back of the store, she'd finally had enough to buy her own place.
She couldn't help but feel proud. She was unmistakably lazy, to the point where she questioned even bothering to get a house. There were a lot of homeless groups in the Rift, and she had just found a nice patch of gravel to call home.
But, at the same time, she had nothing better to do with her life.
Not to mention the constant fighting, stealing, and much more.
So, in the end, being lazy on this couch was a huge step from being lazy on the streets.
Being how she wasn't the best when it came to making good friends, she jumped when a knock came to the door. She searched her hoodie for something to fight with if it came down to it, only to have a paper clip in her pocket.
Cause that would make a huge difference in a fight.
She nearly screamed when the knocking continued, tossing the paper clip. She was supposed to be safer with a roof over her head, but no, somehow the maniacs still managed to find her!
"Don't pretend you're not in there." A male voice said from beyond the doorway, causing Kuro to freeze, "We have matters to discuss."
Her feet forced their way over to the door, unwillingly pulling Kuro with them. Against her own will, her hands went for the doorknob, slowly but surely opening it. Peeking outside, a tall demon stood, aero blue eyes against dark violet.
Kuro cleared her throat, "Umm...Hi?"
"Good morning to you, Matron." The male said in an almost stiff yet bored voice. He sounded like a formal gent, especially since he'd used words like "Matron", what the hell even was a Matron? "I am your new neighbor, Valefor."
Kuro looked the dude over, a small smile on her face from still thinking of all the things that Matron could mean, "Well, good to ya, the name's-."
"Lilium Akuhei, but you prefer Kuro." Valefor filled in before she could, much to her dismay, "You've spent most of your life on the streets, not to mention that you're quite the agile one," Vale went on, as if this knowledge was as easy as preschool math, "You've also been known to be a decent larcenist."
"Who told you that?" Kuro asked, out of both spite and curiosity. You know, two things that cats are known for.
"Do you think that you got this apartment on a whim?" Vale sighed, shaking his head. Kuro couldn't help but notice the tiger tail whipping about behind him, almost out of agitation, "I know a lot of people; you would do well to remember that."
"Is that a threat?" Kuro growled.
"Think of it as a warning." Vale corrected, before looking off, "Good day to you."
"Good riddance." Kuro scowled, slamming the door shut behind her. Some nice people they got here. Heck, most of the people in the slums were nicer than that. Sure, they did it to earn trust and in turn steal your shit when you're not looking, but at the same time, at least they tried to act nice to your face.
"Fucker thinks that I'll listen to him." Kuro grumbled, putting her things away. She didn't own much, just a black tank top here, and of course, her favored ruby ring.
She had no idea where she'd gotten it from, but for as long as she's had it, she's made her way out of some pretty bad situations. She liked to think of it as a good luck charm, but at the same time, a jewel like that is pretty good at drawing the attention or other thieves like her. She just liked to keep it in her pockets, whether it be in her jeans or her hoodie. Normally she'd only put it on in a life or death situation, it helped her to feel safe and lucky.
Better a gash then death, right?
Finally, making sure that everything was in its right place, she wasted no time dropping to the floor, out cold.
It took a lot for a lazy cat demon to work so long both physically and mentally.
(LINE)
She woke to the squeak of a door opening. She lazily got up, rubbing her eyes, only to look at her still closed door, confused. Where was the noise coming from?
She jumped at the sound of a door being slammed shut, before getting up for the door, placing her ear on the door, she could hear footsteps walking away.
With a small grin on her face, she drew her red hoodie on just a big tighter, ring in her pocket. She made sure to have her pocket knife on her, before slowly opening the door. She caught a glimpse of a tiger tail turning down the hallway, before closing the door behind her. One hand was in her pocket, holding the knife tightly. As if how he acted wasn't suspicious enough, Kuro couldn't help but be curious.
She followed him down the stairs, not making a single sound as she did. She'd shadowed him out the door, down the road, which was rather desolate at the moment. There was no one but a few of the common homeless, and even then, none of them noticed her.
Just as planned.
It was a while down the road that she'd realized how many times he's looped around the same building, how many times he'd go in one direction only to suddenly either stop for a moment or backtrack. To which, Kuro would get out of sight, almost always at the last second.
Each time, as if it were a ritual, she'd pull the ring out and kiss the jewel. You'd do the same if you felt it was fucking magical.
Finally, after what seemed to be hours upon hours in the longest five minutes Kuro has even been through, Vale stopped in front of a bar. She had to stop herself from grinning at the idea of a serious guy like him drinking away his problems, bonus points if he was an emotional and easy drunk.
She watched him walk into the bar, before looking up at the title, "What kind of cool wannabe name is 'Roaring Fire'?" Kuro murmured to herself, before pushing the door open, the loud sounds of rioting, laughing and all-around drunk fun.
Within the bar, the tables were filled with many older men, most of which heavily intoxicated. Kuro wouldn't lie, she wasn't really to age to drink, but she enjoyed a glass or nine every now and then. She was often told that it helped to mellow her rather eccentric personality without looking like too much of a lazy slob.
A perfect in-between.
She spotted him walking into the back of the bar, up what looked to be a flight of stairs. With a sneaky grin on her face, she was about to follow, only to have an obstacle, a rather good looking one at that.
Behind the bar, a demon with medium length rust red hair, almost long enough to tie back. Two copper eyes seemed to be watching everything and nothing and being how it would be impossible to get up the stairs without him noticing, that meant he knew the Tiger turd demon. He seemed to have class, dressing in a rather crisp white dress shirt, as well as black dress pants, shoes and an apron around his waist.
Kuro couldn't help but notice how cute the fox ears looked on the otherwise very serious demon. In fact, she could see a similar "I'm-just-a-bit-better-then-you" feeling he seemed to give off, but at least it seemed a bit subtler.
Not to mention he was a lot more se-
Shaking her head, Kuro scoffed. Not now, dirty thoughts later, get past hot guy now!
She seemed to catch a lucky break, when he dropped the glass he was cleaning. It was still pretty hard to hear the glass shatter against all the people in the bar. She couldn't help but thank all things unholy, as she scampered up the stairs, quickly emerged in the shadows of a dark hallway.
It took a while for her eyes to adjust, before she saw a faint light coming from the door farthest down the hallway.
She crept over, the stone floor making it rather easy to do, before she got to the door.
"...Other than that, not much happening in the Rift." She could hear Vale say, "You know, besides the riots."
"Those have yet to come to outside of Rift." a new voice grinned, she could hear just how stupid happy or drunk the second guy was, "Besides, I've got my eye on most of it; it's all Shax lets me do these days. But how about the nobles?"
"Their hierarchy is growing in both number and money, one more than the other." Vale sighed, the sound of a glass being set down on a wooden table echoing down the hall, "They don't know when to stop."
"Or, you know, they just won't." The other voice chirped, before groaning, "Fuck, I'm out of the good stuff. Speaking of good stuff, I hear you've got a job for us?"
"Yes, indeed I do." Vale murmured, his voice lowering, "You see, there is a new...threat that has moved in recently."
Eyes wide, Kuro covered her mouth, backing away from the door. She knew there was something wrong with this guy, but he was a fucking hitman?
Kuro had been far from perfect when it came to morality, honestly what demon wasn't? But she tried to draw the line when it came to assassination crap. She couldn't really bring herself to kill someone intentionally. Not to say she hasn't before, but she doubted that throwing a massive boulder over her shoulder that just so happened to crack open a skull counted as a count of pre-thought murder.
Even then, she now had her messed up new neighbor wanted her dead. She knew she came off as annoying at times, but this was a pretty damn major when it came to ways to remove her.
Permanently.
"And how do you want this done?" the other voice asked, "Want me stationed on a roof? Or maybe you want Zagan to deal with this?"
"I believe that we should wait for the brute before we agree to anything." Vale murmured.
She noticed the breathing down her neck much too late, before a large hand came down on her shoulder, "You won't have to wait too much longer for me," A rough voice insisted, before pushing her through the door, which gave and opened under her falling weight.
Gulping, Kuro looked up, sheepishly waving, "Um...So, I heard we're plotting my death."
Before her sat Vale at a table, the other being a younger looking boy, maybe a few thousand years older than her. He had a hoodie over his messy chestnut brown hair and hot pink eyes that seemed to glow. His hoodie was a nice dark blue over a plain black shirt and jeans. Upon closer inspection, his fly was down.
"So... She's her?" The hooded guy asked, looking a bit underwhelmed, "I don't see why they need us for her."
Much to Kuro's fear, Vale only smiled, "Ah, no, she's here to make things a lot easier."
At the words, Kuro rose, backing up. She wanted nothing to do with this, she was happy with stealing to make a living. Did she just manage to steal from the wrong damn person!?
"Zagan, hold her here." Vale ordered to the demon behind him.
Slowly turning around, Kuro gulped, looking up at the giant of a demon behind her. He was bald, with a sort of bitter lemon color to his eyes. He wore a long brown coat over his scarred skin, his face not too different, as well as long jeans.
Not thinking, Kuro ducked under the first grab the brute, Zagan, shot out, making a lead between his legs, before rolling away. Before she could get away, a hand came down on the hood, quickly throwing her back into the room.
"We've got a rather lithe one." The other demon grinned, "Hope that doesn't happen only when she's scared."
"Do be silent, Abraxas." Vale sighed, as Zagan pulled the door closed.
Her exit cut off, Kuro pulled her knife out, "Don't get any closer." She growled, threatening to swipe.
"Oh no, the kitty cat has a knife." Abraxas teased, "Don't you know that having a weapon like that is against the law?"
"Rules are meant to be broken." Kuro threatened, "Like your face when I'm through with you."
"You're in no place to make half-assed threats." Vale sighed, before shaking his head, "Besides, you are not the target."
To this, Kuro's eyebrow rose, her knife staying up, "What was all of that from earlier then?"
"That was something else entirely."
Kuro jumped at the new voice, before Zagan pulled the door open, revealing tall dark and-Fuck, Kuro really needed to calm down.
He regarded her without expression, before sighing, "I'd like to speak with her alone."
"You sure you wanna be alone with her when she's armed?" Zagan asked, not looking at all intimidated.
"She won't be an issue." He insisted, before looking to Vale, "I doubt that you've explained anything to her?"
"I wasn't sure what you wanted said." Vale shrugged, before walking out, Abraxas right behind him.
Zagan gave Kuro one last look, before leaving the room. The click from the door meant it was locked.
The fox demon gestured to the table, "Shall we?"
"Don't take it too harshly, but I'm not quick to trust." Kuro murmured, knife down but still held tightly in her grip.
"That is to be expected." The demon sighed, sitting on the opposite side, "But do feel free to sit whenever you please."
"Uh-huh." Kuro murmured, wondering if the seat was now laced with some kind of ass poison, maybe one that could either kill her with deadly diarrhea.
"I'll start with an introduction." He said politely, "My name is Shax, and I own this bar. I am also the unofficial leader of team Yoru."
Kuro cringed at the name. Sure, she'd decided to go through with the rename because, in her eyes, Japanese was badass. But to know that there was a team with a Japanese name and no ninjas was kinda a letdown; when you ignore all the other blaring facts, "They're a myth."
"We plan to become legends, but that's much later." Shax said, his fox ears twitching, "But I assure you, we are very much real."
"And what does this have to do with me if you don't want me dead?" Kuro questioned, still on the wary side. Even if he was hot, she wouldn't hesitate to rip the guy a new one if he tried anything.
"Do you recall a certain Kroni?" Shax asked.
Kuro shuddered at the name, "So what if he's one of the only people to know I stole from him?" Kuro mumbled to herself.
"Well, whatever you took from him was rather important, especially when he's ordered so much of his men on your trail." Shax went on, an eyebrow rose, "If I may ask, what did you take?"
"A whole lot." Was Kuro's only answer.
"Fair enough; you don't trust me." Shax sighed, "And, in truth, I don't trust you."
"Then why not just kill me?" Kuro scoffed, curious, "It looks like it would have been so much easier on you."
"Because Kroni and I have not been on such...good terms either." Shax scowled, "Just last week, one of our team members were found dead in the back alleyway. The only thing left of his being half of his face, as well as the Kroni symbol burned into his eye."
"That's...rather gruesome." Kuro gagged.
"While I don't trust you, I trust him even less." Shax insisted, as Kuor began to take a seat. If she didn't, she was sure that she'd pace, and pacing lead to being tired. She did not want to fall asleep in a place like this, "Surely you know the saying, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'?"
"I still don't see where I come in on this."
"Okay, I'll rephrase." Shax said, sounding very straightforward, "We can either allow you to leave, but know that you will either be killed because of your knowledge of us or because Kroni got to you before we did."
Not even his professional statue could hide the threat. Before, she could protest, Shax went on, "Or, maybe we could have an alliance against a common threat. Recently, two days before you, someone moved into the same building as you and Vale live. They live at the top floor, and from what Vale has gathered. We will have many openings for when we can get in and out of said room. Not to mention that, if we take this person out, surely Kroni will know we did it, which will put you at risk and lessen the chance of you...I don't know...leaving us half way through?"
"What do you want from me?" Kuro hissed.
She didn't like the smirk on his face, "You work with us to take out Kroni, we provide you with our cover and protection for as long as this alliance lasts."
"I still don't see why you'd choose me, even if Kroni has his eye on me." Kuro said, eyeing Shax's outstretched hand. While demons were known for lying and cheating, they had too much pride to break a deal. If she shook, she'd be bound to the contract, "I don't believe in doing good for the good of others."
"We know of your skill when it comes to taking what you want." Shax said, "Valefor knows how to do the same, but with information. We could use a skill such as yours. It would bring back what our group has lost. So, protection for your skill; do we have a deal?"
Kuro sighed, there really was on way out of this which would end better than what he was proposing. Cursing herself for ever following Vale, she shook the hand, "Just to get this out of the way; if anyone calls me Kitty cat, someone is gonna die."
"I look forward to working with you." Shax smiled a rather charming-good unholy Satan, why did he have to be such a hottie!?
Amy: Aww, does Kuro have a crush?
Kuro: Hard not to when he's decently nice looking.
Amy: I would have assumed that maybe you were into something else, you know?
Kuro:...I'm too tired to be too deeply offended...
Amy: You're like Erin, but a lot more mellow at times.
Kuro: Yeah, sure...I'm much better then...Fire fuck over there...
Erin: Fucking hell you just say?
Amy: Nothing-
Kuro: Just talking 'bout how I'm a lot better then you.
Erin:...
Amy:...
Lilith: Great, another addition to the two idiots.
Erin: You saying that you wanna throw down, fucker?
Kuro: Nah.
Erin:...What?
Kuro: I love talking smack, but I'm not one to get physical just for the heck of it, unless I really am that bored.
Erin:...I swear, you're either really a lazy piece of shit or you're Buddhist.
Azazel: Woah, what is that suppose to mean!?
Lilith: Not that I don't agree, but when did you show up?
Azazel: Hahaha, not funny.
Lilith: But seriously, what are you trying to say here, Erin?
Erin: You know, how Buddhist people are really zen? Like, almost high as fuck zen?
Amy: Not even I go that fucking far!
Erin:...I don't get it.
Amy: Don't fuck with religion, man.
Erin: But most of Crimson's shit is satanic.
Kuro: But even then, I don't go out of my way to shit on the Shinto's.
Lilith: How many people do you think are offended by this author's note?
Amy: Gotta agree, it's beginning to look like we stole some lines from South Park.
Erin: Better then-
Lilith: Please stop shitting on other people's religion.
Erin: Says a proxy.
Me: Can we just end here? Before we get flamed for all of this?
Amy: If it bothers you so much, then why don't you just delete it?
Me: Because it's funny in a fucked up way.
Amy: A South Park way, would you say?
Me:...Well...I am currently watching the "South Park Full Episodes" live thingy on YouTube...so yeh...
Hope you guy enjoyed it all, I have no idea when I'll be able to post up the next chapter, or even if I'm going to be able to, but you have my word; I'll do what I can to update as soon as possible.
Till next time, Bai bai!