Book 1: Simplicitatem
Chapter 11: Unbecoming of You
"I think we start walking in the right direction only after we start getting our counterparts beside us."
- Itachi Uchiha (Naruto Shippuden)
"Yorknew City?" She asked, frowning. "What on earth for?"
"Early September each year, the city holds the world's largest auction. The auction is notorious for its items, which are normally very rare and high in price." Kuroro explained. "We're basically going to check it out."
"What?" Uvo took a step forward. "We are taking the loot right? What's the point of going to-"
Kuroro raised his hand to quell the larger man, nodding understandingly. "The Mafia has yet to officially recognize our withdrawal. Several Mafia families gather at the auction both to bid and also to protect auction-goers. It's something we can take up with them there. However, since we are technically still under their jurisdiction, we're not going to do anything rash."
Uvogin groaned, highly disappointed. "So is this a mission we all need to go on?"
The Leader pondered the question for a moment, bringing his hand to his mouth. "I won't make you if you don't want to. It will be rather boring." He shifted his gaze toward the remaining Spiders, silently questioning them.
"Wait, Dancho," Pakunoda spoke up, unusually out of character. "You said the auction was an annual thing, right?"
He nodded.
"Will we be attending it every year?"
"For now, I intend to." He crossed his arms. "Any other questions?"
"Will there be any killing involved?" Feitan inquired.
"Perhaps. I'm not sure yet."
"I'm in." Franklin raised his hand.
"So am I." Aika looked at Kuroro. He nodded once.
"Ill go." Feitan relented. "Nothing better to do anyways."
"Well, I'm sitting this one out, sounds boring as hell." Uvo nearly pouted, crossing his arms.
"Machi?" Kuroro questioned. "Paku?"
"Of course I'm going." The thread user hmphed, as if offended.
"I'll do whatever you want me to do Dancho." Pakunoda offered.
"Come." He commanded. "We might need someone like you, since we're dealing with important people." He paused. "Also, we're keeping bloodshed to a minimum. No killing sprees Feitan."
"Hai." The shorter male answered promptly.
"And finally," he did a once over his Troupe. "Dress nicely. You're going to a world-renowned auction as guests. You're dismissed."
Upon their departure, Kuroro questioned: "Why do you never leave after I dismiss you?"
Aika blinked, realizing he was speaking to her. "I never feel a need to." She shrugged, answering honestly. "Would it be better if I did?"
"No." Kuroro looked at her, blinking. "Or, it doesn't really matter." He frowned.
She smirked. "Are we going shopping again?"
He sighed, quietly. "We might as well."
"It's a nice thought to believe in a next time."
- Shiba Tatsuya (Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei)
"I.D.?" The gruff voice demanded.
Each Phantom Troupe member stood behind the other, waiting in line to flash his or her forgery.
"It's weird, honestly," Nobunaga complained. "Actually going to the trouble of making fake I.D.'s. Usually we can blast our way in."
"Nobunaga, can you be a little bit louder, I don't think everybody heard you." Machi snapped at him.
He took in a deep breath, getting ready to belt out the sentence but the pink-haired female promptly socked the back of his head viciously, effectively shutting him up.
After the brief but still cumbersome struggle of actually entering auction grounds, Aika found herself to be drained already. She didn't understand how people outside of Ryuuseigai survived having to worry so much about keeping up appearances. Even walking in heels was painful and exacted every part of her focus.
"Machi, stick with Nobunaga and keep him company. I'm sure he'll behave himself." Kuroro began to dish out directions. "Franklin, you're with Feitan. Paku, you can join whichever group you want, or stay on your own." He nodded once in affirmation. "Disperse."
It went unsaid that Aika would be accompanying Kuroro.
She didn't really understand where she stood now, as far as acceptance went. Aika would have liked to believe that not every member detested her now.
Franklin had always been kind, and Feitan no longer sent death glares her way during meetings, so perhaps that was a start. Machi didn't so much as glance at her anymore, but then again, the wire-user had always been cold-hearted.
What drew this unlikely group of six or seven together was their unwavering loyalty and admiration for Kuroro Lucifer, nothing more, nothing less; and perhaps their inclination toward having a bit of extra change in their pockets.
It was counter intuitive really. What the hell did they need money and valuables for? They could just take whatever they needed without bargaining or exchanging currency. This group's primary and foremost problem, Aika came to realize, was their boredom, resulted from solitude.
They were so powerful they wound up becoming bored with their lives, and thus purposely threw themselves into situations that would yield some entertainment. Given their levels of nen, the situations had a tendency to be rather over the top however.
So honestly, why were they at this Yorknew Auction, or whatever, again?
Right. Because Kuroro wanted to go.
"Why do you always split them up?" She questioned, casting a glance his way.
The two walked side by side, exchanging casual conversation and walking up and down the lobby, exploring.
"They're conspicuous. All of them. Bright pink hair. Chinese guy in a trench coat. Man with a samurai-style ponytail. Not to mention Franklin." Kuroro answered patiently as he always did with her. "It's better to split up when we want to go unnoticed."
She had picked out a deep emerald dress this time with a golden necklace to boot. Well, she supposed that was inaccurate. Kuroro had picked everything out for her, thrown it at her, and hadn't given her much of a choice.
Thank god above the man knew common sense and color combinations or Aika wasn't sure if she'd still be alive.
They found that deeper and darker colors went well with her fiery orange hair, but along the way, they also found that Aika could not walk in heels exceeding two inches.
The two learned in their journey together.
And at least he had picked out a green tie to match without being asked this time.
Aika froze suddenly, stopping mid-step. "Kuroro." She said, frowning. "You said the Mafia would be here."
He looked at her in confusion. "Yes, I did?" He blinked. "Why?"
"We put my real name on the I.D. card." She said with horror slowly dawning upon her. "Aika Brehznev. They wanted me dead not half a year ago. Remember the cleaning?"
Kuroro immediately frowned, realizing with startling clarity that this minor but very important fact had somehow slipped his mind and that with their luck, the Mafia would be upon them in no time at all.
It didn't particularly worry him, but it did irk him, given that he usually wasn't so careless. In fact, Kuroro was a meticulous person, and that shouldn't have been the mistake he made during this mission, not this one.
"What do I do?" She asked, immediately lowering her voice and allowing her bands to shadow over her eyes.
"The guards out front didn't seem to be high ranking Mafia officials, and since you're a rather large secret, we can just hope that they don't notice." Kuroro pondered. "But then again, even if they do, there's nothing really to panic over. Franklin came with us this time, and-"
"You'd kill all of these people for my neck, Kuroro?" She suddenly a large step away from him, appalled and unsure how to feel.
Kuroro Lucifer blinked several time, registering the magnitude of her question.
What on earth was the matter with him? Just a few years ago Kuroro wouldn't have hesitated a moment to throw aside anything that might have minutely jeopardized a mission.
His predecessors would roll in their graves if they saw him now.
"Listen, for now, we'll see if they notice. Keep in mind, it's been half a year." He pointed out, beginning their casual walk again. They would stick out if they were the only pair standing still in the middle of a bustling crowd. "We can address the problem when it actually arises."
Aika stared at him for a moment longer and then relented, falling into step next to him. "Let me ask you a question."
"Go ahead." He answered as they waited for the auction doors to be opened within the next half hour.
"It's been a few years right?" She asked him, brushing her hand through the several strands of hair that had escaped the bun. "Explain to me why you decided to hang around with me."
"Does it bother you?" He smirked.
"Yes, actually, it does. It doesn't seem like the kind of thing you would normally do. In fact, toward the beginning, you would have been better off without someone like me." She crossed her arms.
He looked up toward the ceiling, seeming to ponder before speaking as he so often had a tendency to do. "First and foremost, I owed you a debt."
"Funny," she almost snorted, "talking about debt and honor, coming from someone who doesn't bat an eye at mass murder."
"It is funny, isn't it?" He agreed. "I'm not sure why it works that way. I just don't like being in people's debt. Too much risk to be taken advantage of." Kuroro sighed. "But yes, I owed you a debt; otherwise, I would have been without a hand for several days." He cast a sideways glance in her direction. "Explain to me the mechanics of your power again?"
Aika rolled her eyes. "I don't really get it myself, it's just an inherent ability. I don't think I ever learned it. I don't even think it's a nen power. We found out that my parents were kind of demented didn't we?"
"Demented might be too powerful of a word," he made a face "but very likely somewhere close to that. Experimenting on their own daughter," he narrowed his eyes minutely, "does sound rather cruel. Do you have any recollection of it?"
"I don't, actually." She confessed. "But genetic mutation, was it?" She questioned herself. "I'm not sure. Actually, you might know more about me than I do. All I really understand is that I'm taking energy that's not mine."
"Not necessarily a good thing is it?"
"Not necessarily." She repeated for emphasis. "I get whatever comes along with the energy. Basically, since you had poison circulating in your system, I sucked it out of your arm along with the energy." Aika shrugged.
"And you weren't affected by it why?"
She smirked. "According to the Mafia, I am a biological weapon. I suppose I have certain antibodies, via the gracious courtesy of my wonderful parents. I haven't really been affected by common poisons for as long as I can remember."
"How convenient, especially in battles." Kuroro joked. "You can afford some extra carelessness here and there."
"I guess." Her tone turned cynical. "Convenient indeed. Anyways," she refocused. "That's basically everything, before I was interrupted. Tell me again about why you put up with me."
"Because you're endlessly intriguing." Kuroro didn't miss a beat.
"And you can never pass up a good psychological thriller." She rolled her eyes once more. "I see. Is that all?"
"Are you disappointed?"
The conversation seemed rather familiar.
She smirked again. "Not at all, though I was expecting to some degree, a sentimental value between the two of us."
He only looked at her. "I-" he started.
"-am Kuroro Lucifer," Aika mocked him. "Leader of the notorious Phantom Troupe, which strikes fear into the hearts of everyday citizens. I have no room for sentiment." She fixed him with a satirical stare. "Spare me your didactic."
Kuroro did a once over of the people around him. They all seemed far too vain and self-absorbed and none showed any indication of picking up on the proclamation.
"I hold you in special regard," He corrected, surprising her, "but sentiment might be pushing it."
It was not, in fact, pushing it. There was no other word more fit to describe the emotions Kuroro had been associating with the girl. But it was unbecoming of someone of his status and occupation to admit something like that, dangerous even, and so everyone had their own crosses to carry.
Kuroro and Aika suddenly and simultaneously felt a prick of animosity and predatory instinct from across the room. The two were smart enough to continue their façade of small talk, facial expressions relaxed. Aika focused her peripheral vision sharply and saw a well-dressed Mafioso gazing at her intensely, starting to pick his way across the crowd toward them.
"So I suppose there's someone who might have picked up on it?" Kuroro immediately dropped his voice.
"Unfortunately," she sighed as she saw the man weaving closer to them. "About 20 feet away 3 o'clock."
Soft lips suddenly captured hers.
It lasted all of ten seconds, which passed very naturally, much to her surprise. It was only afterward that her face flushed red. "Kuroro Lucifer, what the actual f-"
"Public displays of affection tend to make people uncomfortable," he explained systematically, methodically.
"That was so uncalled for!" She pushed him away by the shoulder.
"Why does it upset you so much?" He nearly laughed.
"That was," she turned around composing herself, glaring at him. "That was my first kiss."
"If it makes you feel any better, it was mine too." Kuroro confessed. "Is he still making his way over here?"
"Yes, albeit markedly more slowly." She said pointedly, feeling that her face was still warm.
"Worth a try," he smirked, shrugging, and grabbed her hand. "Let's get out of here."
"An unforeseen situation… An unexpected turn of events... In the face of those, you too will face your true self."
- Makishima Shougo (Psycho-Pass)
"We have received your desire for resignation."
"Like I said, I'm not really the person to take this up with." Nobunaga groaned. "The Dancho is better with paperwork and diplomacy than me."
"We are unable to locate Mr. Lucifer at the moment," the black-clad Mafioso explained. "We would like you deliver a message to him at your earliest convenience."
"Alright, fine." The samurai relented, feeling awfully out of place in a suit among all of these rich upper class pigs. "Explain."
"The Mafia would like to extend a final mission. Upon its completion, the Boss will formally make every effort to avoid engagement with the Phantom Troupe."
"And if we refuse?"
"I'm sure you can predict the events that may happen due to unsettled animosity. After all, we had a contract, which your leader chose to violate."
Nobu sighed heavily. "What is this final mission?"
"Assassination."
"Naturally." He snorted. "Go on."
The Mafioso handed a note in messy scrawl along with a photo to the samurai.
Nobunaga nearly dropped them in shock.
"We will expect an answer before the completion of the auction tonight." The man bowed slightly, turned around, and briskly walked away.
TO BE CONTINUED
"Good morning, Espada. There has been an enemy attack. But first… let us brew some tea."
- Sosuke Aizen (Bleach)
A/N: Hey guys! :) Here comes the climax of book 1. I guess this chapter was very dialogue heavy. My writing quality's been dropping a bit lately, so i hope you'll forgive me ;^; SAT and school and such. It's long though, longer than the last few have been, so I hope you enjoy yourselves. Please please drop reviews ^.^ They make me happy.