Pre Author's Rant: The right earmuff of my SteelSeries Arctis Pro headset snapped off from the headband during a match of Overwatch. I'm a little pissed, because this is my second one, and it didn't even last as long as the original; I wasn't even rough with it at all, considering that the most strenuous movement I do with it is setting it down on my desk.
But I guess that's what happens when a company uses cheap plastic.
It's still usable and works fine, but it's pretty uncomfortable and looks jank - inconveniences which I really don't want to deal with, especially when trying to write. Ordered a Corsair HS65 as a replacement. hopefully it lasts longer...
Gate: In the Company of Shadows
Chapter 18
Cloaks and Daggers
[REDACTED] VALE [REDACTED] - SHADOW CO.
ALNUS HILL, FALMART
IMPERIAL CALENDAR 687 - 16:46:00
"Oxide to Bishop 1-1, give me a sitrep."
"Oxide, two Bishop elements in position at the tavern." Vale said quietly through the earpiece. "Still no visual on our HVI."
"Understood. Remember, this is just a simple espionage mission. The HVI is expected to arrive sometime later this evening. Stay vigilant. How copy?"
"Solid copy, Oxide. 1-1, out."
"So uh… what the hell are we doin' here again?" Bristol asked, drumming his fingers against the aged wood of the square table. He glanced around the tavern packed with rowdy customers, the air already heavy with the aroma of ale and food, while the atmosphere was filled with the clinking of mugs and friendly rambunctious laughter. The large room was lit with candles scattered about, warding off the encroaching darkness outside as the evening wore on. Despite the unfamiliar trappings of a medieval tavern setting, the place did feel somewhat comfortable and cozy. Which was kind of surprising, considering that it was still a tavern. A place where people got drunk and noisy.
"Were you not payin' attention, Bristol?" Vale asked. The Brit simply shook his head in response, causing him to let out an exasperated sigh. "We're here on reconnaissance duty, gathering intel. You know, like Oxide just briefed us on earlier?"
"Yeah, I get that… but why us?" He asked, leaning forward slightly and glancing around to make sure that the other patrons didn't hear him. "Did we do something to piss Graves off? 'Cause I'll gladly apologize for whatever it was. This medieval clothing is way too bloody irritating to wear!"
Vale rolled his eyes at him. "Oh quit your bellyaching. Graves trusted us enough to carry out this operation for him, just like he trusted us back in Japan. We've got the attention of the Goddamn CEO. How many Shadows do you know in the company that can safely say they've been personally handpicked by the Commander himself."
"First of all, I barely talk to anybody outside of our little posse, and second of all, why should I care?" Bristol argued, resting an elbow against the table as he propped his cheek up with his palm, giving a small frown. "Getting the big man's attention doesn't sound all that appealing to me. Means he's watching us more…"
"Then simply don't fuck up, like usual. If we pull this off without a hitch, he'll see that we're reliable, and he'll assign us to more operations that'll tack on to our contract pay."
"Really now? It's always about you and the money, isn't it?" Bristol asked rhetorically. "Vale, you know there's more to life than just killing blokes and getting paid, right…?"
"Oh God…" Vale groaned. "I'm too sober to be getting into some sort of philosophical discussion with you of all people, Bristol."
Bristol cocked a brow up at him. "The bloody hell is that supposed to mean-?"
"Hey, save your rebuttals for later. The rest of our guys are here." Vale said, cutting him off as he looked over his shoulder.
Sure enough, as if summoned by his words, three familiar figures came through the open doors, before strolling up to their table. Viper, Ronin, and Angel were dressed in similar medieval clothing, helping them blend in to the rest of the local populace in the area. The only thing that differentiated them from everyone else was the low profile plate carriers and pistol holsters kept underneath their temporary disguises. Concealed, of course. Because walking around a medieval era town built next to a JSDF operating base while dressed in full kit wasn't exactly the most inconspicuous thing ever.
Then again, he was covering a decent portion of his face with a neck gaiter and a hood like he was some sort of edgy assassin.
The rest of Bishop slid the stools out, taking their seats as Vale nodded at them. Though Bristol's greeting was a bit more boisterous…
"Evening, fellas! Finally decided to come and join us, huh? Haven't seen much of ya around these parts lately." Bristol joked, putting on an act as he played up his current disguise. "Are the nobles still throwing eggs and tomatoes at you three in the town square? Or have they now resorted to tarring and feathering ya? I'm sure if that becomes too much to handle, you can try applying as court jesters for the Emperor. I've heard he needs more, and you lot certainly fit the bill."
Viper simply snorted in response. "Never change, Bristol. Never change…" He trailed off, before muttering, "Asshole…" under his breath.
"Bristol, knock it off." Vale ordered in a flat tone. "How's it lookin' out there?"
Angel sighed heavily nearby, leaning down and crossing his arms on the table. "I dunno… okay, I guess? Still nothin' yet, but that gringo merchant and his assistant are standing outside like Oxide said they would."
Vale furrowed his brows at him, before glancing out the window near their table and spotting their puppet duo conversing next to a support beam. The reason they were there was because Graves had hired them to act as interested customers, hoping to get a meeting with a trader of some sort. They did eventually get in contact with a specific seller, but they had wanted to meet at Alnus Hill for convenience sake - which is why they were now sitting in a tavern in the first place. "And yet, still no sign of the HVI…?"
Angel wordlessly shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "I doubt that the dude will even turn up in town. It's gonna be dark out soon, and no one's gonna wanna venture out past sundown."
"Right…"
They all turned their attention to the sound of approaching footsteps, seeing a barmaid finally approaching their table. Wearing a simple blue dress was a rather pretty woman with golden blonde hair and sparkling green eyes. Now, a pretty woman usually wouldn't catch Vale's attention, especially since he was almost always busy working. However, the woman's prettiness wasn't what piqued his interest in the first place. It was actually the animal-like fur which matched her hair color, which also covered parts of her body. The woman's arms and legs had fur, and she even had a set of black tipped fox ears, complete with a fluffy white tipped tail to go along with them.
Vale had heard of humanoids, or demi-humans being in this world before, having briefly seen some of them back in the Count's manor to know that their kind existed here. But this was the first time he got to properly see one up close.
"I apologize for the wait, sirs. As you can see, it's been quite busy this evening." She smiled apologetically, casting a brief glance at Vale's face concealment. "My name is Dora. What can I get for you folks today?"
"Something alcoholic for all of us, please-"
Bristol cleared his throat and raised his hand slightly, interrupting Vale's order. "Actually, I'll just have some tea if you've got any. Doesn't matter what kind."
"Of course!" Dora said with a beaming smile. "Four beers and an iced tea, coming right up!" She gave the group a slight curtsy, before politely excusing herself as she easily flowed through the crowd to return behind the bar counter.
If she was weirded out by Vale, she did a pretty good job at not showing it - most likely chalking him up as just another weird individual passing through. Whether it was dwarves, wolf people, or elves, the town appeared to attract all sorts of people from many walks of life. Hell, he even saw that bird girl that tried raiding Italica with the bandits, just patrolling around with an MP armband like nothing happened.
Talk about a sudden change in profession…
Vale paused for a moment, his brows knitting together in confusion. "Wait, this place serves beer and iced tea?" He asked aloud.
"To be fair, this place was probably meant for the JSDF before other folks started comin' in. Not too surprising that they imported beer." Viper answered, shrugging his shoulders.
"Surprised they don't check for ID here, especially considering that the JSDF has younger soldiers in their ranks." Angel noted. "Then again, not really sure how they could in the first place…"
"That's what's surprising to you?" Ronin asked, cocking a brow up at Angel. "I think what's more surprising is our local pub enjoying Brit refusing an alcoholic beverage. Who are you, and what have you done with our funny speaking, annoying Englishman?"
"Har har, prick…" Bristol said with a roll of his eyes. "I'm not getting a pint on the job, and I'm just… making some different life choices now, that's all…" He mumbled quietly.
"Uh-huh, right… and it totally has nothing to do with that Japanese chick that you've been texting for the past week and a half?" Viper asked in a deadpan tone, not entirely convinced by his excuse. "What was her name again? Risa?"
Angel's eyes widened, his head snapping to him at the name drop. "Holy shit, hermano! you're aiming for Itami's ex?!"
"S-Shut the fuck up, ya daft cunt!" Bristol chastised, worriedly looking around with frantic eyes. "A-And no! It's not like that, mate! She's just a friend! Kind of my first real one, I'd like to think."
"What- and we don't count? The boys?" Ronin asked, before grinning. "Though I guess it'd be the lads in your case, huh?"
"Listen, no offense to you fellas, but it's just a giant sausage fest with us. But don't be getting jealous now - the band's not breakin' up anytime soon. I just so happened to have met a nice Japanese woman, who just so happens to be cute as well. Nothing more than that."
"You just called her cute," Angel noted. "When was the last time you called a friend - let alone a girl you just met and hardly know - cute?"
"He makes a good point," Viper agreed, pointing a finger at his teammate. "You've been kinda' glued to your phone since then, and it's kinda hard not to notice the smile that you get on your face."
"Yeah, especially with those weird cartoon characters that you've been watching lately. You know, the ones streaming themselves playing games and singing. Sounds like you're spying on a girl's sleepover or something."
Vale didn't miss the way the Brit cringed when he brought up his strange pastime recreations.
"You're all reading too deeply into it." Bristol said with a scoff, before ignoring Vale and turning his attention back to Viper. "Besides, what about you, mate? I've seen you getting sweet with the Princess' blondie knight. Quite a pretty doll. Beautiful and young. Not a bad choice."
"Don't deflect the conversation to me," Viper said, crossing his arms with an annoyed huff. "I'm not looking to get into another relationship at the moment."
"Another?" Angel asked with a raised brow.
Viper paused for a moment, realizing the bit of information he let slip. "Forget it. Not important anyways..."
Realizing that their discussion had broached upon a rather poor topic, the group quickly fell silent. Thankfully, before the lull in conversation could turn into awkward silence, Dora had returned to their table with their drinks.
"And here are your drinks, gentlemen." The barmaid said, lifting the mugs from her serving tray and passing them around the table.
Vale nodded his thanks as he handed her the necessary payment - plus extra. At least, he assumed he did. He didn't know what the exchange rates here were. "Here, keep the change."
The barmaid looked surprised, before a cheery smile graced her face. "Oh, why thank you!"
"Ah, don't mention it." Vale said, dismissing her thanks with a wave of his hand.
As Dora stepped away to serve the other patrons, Vale couldn't help but lay his eyes on her tail once more. Judging by the way it swayed naturally like a real fox tail would, there was no doubt in his mind that it was really a part of her anatomy. He lowered his mask and raised the mug up to his lips as he watched her walk away, the hemline of her dress swaying slightly; drawing his attention further down for a brief moment - before he quickly tore his gaze away from her, pretending to look out of a nearby window in the hopes that he wasn't caught looking.
"Stop staring at her ass, you pervy furry."
Ronin's comment caused Vale's eyes to widen as he suddenly choked on his drink, doing a spit take into his mug. Damn him for being so observant! "Goddamnit, Ronin…" He coughed out. "Fuck…!"
The rest of the squad laughed out loud at their leader's embarrassment.
"That's what you get for ogling." Ronin teased, roughly patting him on the back.
Vale's coughing fit eventually ceased as he regained control over his breathing and composure. He closed his eyes, opting to take a deep breath of air, before opening them again and glaring at their Japanese member.
"I wasn't lookin' at her ass, Ronin. I was lookin' at her tail… and I ain't a fuckin' furry!" He replied with an air of finality, trying to shift away from the matter prematurely so that they could get back to discussing business.
At least, that's what he'd tell the others.
In actuality, he just wanted the teasing to stop right there before it could be dragged out any further. But considering the company that he kept, that would be a near impossible task - especially since he only gave them more ammo to use against him in the future…
"Lookin' at her tail? Is that why you tipped her extra…?" Angel asked, raising his eyebrows up at him from behind his mug. "Didn't know you were into that. TMI Vale, TMI…"
"I'm not..." Vale said, shooting him a cold scowl before shaking his head with a sigh. It appeared that the rest of the table didn't believe him judging by their stupid smiles. "Whatever, can we please get back to the task at hand?"
"Right," Viper obliged, before interlacing his fingers and leaning forward, lowering his voice as they got back into business mode. "So this, 'Crius Odoacer Centumalus', he's our next major hit?"
"God, these ancient names are so fuckin' extra," Angel commented, sipping his beer. "Pretty noble sounding name though… What the hell does Graves even want with him anyways?"
"I don't know and I don't care to know," Vale answered with a shrug. "Your guess is as good as mine. But Graves is paying us big bucks to roll this bastard up for a little talkin' to, and not the friendly kind."
"Yeah, that's all well and good and all," Bristol commented offhandedly. "But Graves or Oxide didn't give us a picture nor a description of the bloke. How the hell are we supposed to know what he looks like when or if he even decides to show up in the first place?"
"He won't be showing up himself. He's smarter than that. Which is why he sent an intermediary in his stead."
"Okay, well then my question still stands." Bristol pointed out. "At least with the target, we have a name. But an intermediary? That's just another unknown being thrown into the equation."
"Yes, and our solution was hiring Ryudo and his lackey, who're both standing right outside there," He said, pointing out the window to the merchant and his assistant. "When they do show up, they shouldn't be too hard to spot. After all, he was specifically instructed to sit somewhere near us."
"If they do show up," Bristol corrected, lowering his mug. "Let's not get our hopes up, fellas. It's pretty likely they won't even arrive until tomorrow night at the latest."
"Which is why we've got coins and easy access to readily available lodging nearby." Vale gently reminded him. "Trust me, you're all worrying too much."
"Vale, the last time I wasn't worrying, we ended up getting into a fuckin' shootout with four different PMCs-"
"In the Goddamn rain-" Viper interrupted.
"We lost two Shadows, with Japan losing three of their soldiers on their soil-" Ronin spoke up.
"And Boxer's still recovering from his injury," Angel reminded, before quietly muttering, "And I never got those mud stains out of my jacket…"
"Okay, guys, listen," Vale pleaded, putting his hands up in a surrendering gesture and silencing their arguments. "I'll admit, that annoying cat and mouse game in Japan led to a massive shitshow and a less than stellar outcome… but you have to consider that we weren't expecting any of the enemy forces to be so stupidly bold like that. They weren't vodka drunk ultranationalists or medieval knights stuck in the dark ages. They were heavily geared operators, trained just like us. Shit was bound to go wrong over there. Here though? We don't just have a massive technological advantage over the Empire, but over the Japanese too."
"Yeah, only the Japanese currently stationed here," Viper said. "With the way things went down back on their side of the gate, and our presence here, who's to say they won't just start funneling better equipment through to better compete?"
"They won't be doing that, because they know how risky it is to start sending expensive tech through that could be potentially lost. The troops are expendable, and so, the gear must be the same. Plus, their world is already watching them like hawks. Shipping weapons of modern warfare through will have the public questioning if the so-called, Self Defense Force, is truly defending anything anymore - or if they're now just invading the sovereignty of the other kingdoms in the region to expand under the guise of foreign internal defense."
After his explanation, there was an empty silence at their table as the rest of the squad stared at him, taking it all in with slow nods after having listened intently.
Ronin clicked his tongue, breaking the silence as he blinked and focused his gaze on the liquid inside of his mug. "Someone's been watching too many documentaries…" He joked, bringing the drink up to his lips.
"Right, I hate to say I told you so, but it's pretty clear that this intermediary ain't showin' up anytime soon." Bristol sighed, before placing both his hands on the table and standing up. "Thank you for the drink and conversation, it's been a pleasure, but I think I'm just gonna go and ask that bunny girl behind the counter about reserving our room. So if you'll excuse me, gentlemen-"
"Woah, hey, sit the fuck down!" Vale hissed out quietly, hurriedly waving him down as he glanced out the window by their table.
Bristol immediately complied, dropping back onto his stool and following his gaze outside, along with the others. Dressed in a yellow tunic with a purple toga and a leather satchel draped over one shoulder was a clean shaven man with long curly brown hair that stopped just short of touching his shoulders. He held a small smile as he waved at Ryudo, greeting him and his assistant warmly.
"Looks like our guest of honor is finally here," Angel said, turning back to their table so as to not make it obvious that they were watching. "Can we really trust this Ryudo guy to not rat us out? He'll be burning some bridges doing this."
"You're only just asking that now?" Ronin asked incredulously.
"Relax… Graves already made it worth his while," Vale reassured them. "And if he does squeak, then Graves will make sure that he won't ever make that same mistake again. You know, no loose ends and all that…"
The group discreetly eyed the trio through the window as they made their way inside, with Ryudo's young assistant holding the door open for them both.
"Bishop 1-1 to Oxide," Vale said quietly, tapping his earpiece. "Confirmed visual on our HVI. One Caucasian military aged male, dressed in some pretty fancy robes - meeting's about to commence."
"Roger that. Be advised, If you have to get creative, then do so - but you are all in JSDF territory right now. Shadow Company has no jurisdiction there, and that means no backup, and no reinforcements. What we're doing right now is highly illegal, and attacking any MPs or Japanese personnel is extremely ill-advised." Oxide warned in a deadly serious tone. "The company cannot have an international incident on its hands. If any of you are compromised, you will be denied and disavowed. Am I clear?"
"Crystal," Vale responded. "We'll get back to you when they're on the move. 1-1, out."
By the time they had finished their communications, the trio were already sitting down at a nearby table behind Bristol and Viper, ordering drinks from Dora as they settled down. Vale glanced over Bristol's shoulder, his mismatched eyes briefly meeting Ryudo's brown ones in silent acknowledgement. Vale gave him an almost imperceptible nod, before looking at the rest of his squad.
Before Vale and Bristol claimed the squads table earlier, he had already hid a listening device underneath the planned meeting table, discreetly sticking it under as they casually stepped past.
"Table's already been bugged, boys. Let's tap in and hear what they have to say." He suggested. The rest of Bishop agreed, already switching the channels of their earpieces to listen in.
"-Heard the ale here is good, but this is the first I'm hearing about this so-called beer…"
"Oh, it's only a recent development. I've heard that it's not as strong, but it's quite cool and delicious." Ryudo answered him. "The JSDF have introduced it alongside the myriad of other things from their side of the gate.
"Is that so…?" The HVI asked in interest. "The JSDF, you say?"
"Here are your drinks, sirs!" Dora said happily, setting their mugs down as she returned to their table.
"Why thank you, miss," Ryudo said, offering an appreciative nod, before directing his attention back to the man in front of him. "As I was saying. Yes, or the men in green as you know them. They've also introduced a large variety of items into our world. The craftsmanship of it all is very exquisite, made to the highest quality they deem possible. From their pottery, to their tapestry, and even their scribing tools. They even sell them in a shop around here."
"That sounds rather nice…" The HVI said, raising his mug before pausing. "Oh my goodness… I just realized that I completely forgot to introduce myself."
"It's quite alright, Sir…?"
"Imbrex, Plutarch Imbrex." The HVI offered with a small bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ryudo."
"Likewise," Ryudo said, returning the bow with a friendly smile on his face.
Plutarch cleared his throat, and though none of them could currently read his expressions, on account of him facing the other way, Vale imagined that he was getting down to business now as he rested his elbows against the table. "Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let us discuss why you originally requested a meeting with me in the first place."
"Of course, Plutarch…" Ryudo nodded. "First off, let me provide some context. You see, I run a rather high end merchant shop back in the trading city of Italica-"
"The city that was under siege awhile ago?"
"Oh yes, the very same one. It also just so happened to be protected by the JSDF, but that's a story for another time. I have unfortunately lost manpower due to the attempted siege, with the bandits scaring off most of my previous workers; all of them leaving in fear of a possible future attack. All except for one." Ryudo said, patting his assistant on the back as he quietly kept to himself. "I am in need of more hands to help keep my shop running, and I just so happened to overhear that you trade in… people… am I right?"
"Not me," Plutarch corrected. "The noble I serve under, Crius Odoacer Centumalus. He's the one that trades slaves. I'm merely a lowly bookkeeper."
"Ah, well where is he?" Ryudo asked, looking around the tavern. "I don't recall seeing anybody else step out of your carriage with you."
"It's only me here," Plutarch confirmed. "Sir Crius wanted me to… vet you first, before agreeing to meet and trade with you himself. I do believe that I understand and even share a bit of his same concerns myself. The request was quite, out of the blue, as it were… And for you to have asked for him specifically? Why so?"
To Ryudo's credit, despite the mounting pressure of Plutarch's suspicions, the merchant did manage to keep up a very good poker face. "Well you see Plutarch, I'm not just looking for any old slaves. No, I'm looking for something different, something unique, something eye grabbing! I'm looking for exotic slaves!"
"Ah, I see… so you're one of those people," Plutarch said to himself in understanding. "Much like the Formal Clan's Count, attempting to bring a variety of trophies to the table, yes?" Plutarch chuckled, his head clearly turning to inspect the tavern's demi-human serving staff as he drank. An action, which if Vale were a better person, would have had him clenching his teeth with a hardened gaze, trying to burn a hole through the back of the head of their HVI. Alas, Vale wasn't really the most chivalrous man in the world, so he didn't really have it in him to care about how other people looked at these women.
"Indeed, and I heard that Sir Crius was the one to seek out for such matters regarding exotic trophies."
"Well you're certainly right about that," Plutarch said with a chuckle as he lowered his mug. "Sir Crius always seems to have the most unique specimens kept in his inventory. His collection, if you could call it that, can range from even the simplest of children to the rarest of demi-human beasts."
Angel frowned at the newly revealed information, eyes flickering over to the others. "Did cabrón just say that the target-"
"Collects children…" Ronin cut off, a disgusted sneer clearly written on his face. "Probably keeping them as slave stock on behalf of the Empire, before selling them off to the highest bidder to use in labor somewhere."
Viper snarled as he stared at the messenger, "Or worse…" He trailed off. It didn't take a genius to figure out what their marksman was alluding to, and the uneasy feeling of discomfort in their guts became even heavier as they all thought the same thing.
"Bloody fuckin' hell…" Bristol murmured quietly in disbelief. "What crazy situation has Graves gone and dragged us into this time…?"
Unlike his allies who very clearly - and understandably - held an intense repugnance against these people, Vale remained outwardly composed, knowing that he and the squad still had a job to do; they had to focus on that. Plus, it's not like he himself had much room to say anything in regards to children's safety in the first place. He still remembered sweltering in the killer Middle Eastern heat of that Afghani village like it was just yesterday…
After taking another sip of beer, Plutarch continued his conversation with Ryudo. "Now that that's out of the way, is there anything you were searching for in particular from Sir Crius?" He asked, reaching into his satchel and pulling out a fancy, if slightly worn, red leather book. "I happen to have this with me, if you'd like to glimpse inside."
Ryudo hummed as he took the book with both hands, gently thumbing through the pages before asking, "What's this now?" He asked.
"A list of what's currently in Sir Crius' inventory. Anything not crossed out hasn't been sold yet. Last I checked anyways."
Ryudo glanced up from the book, meeting Vale's eyes for a moment, before they immediately flickered back to Plutarch. "Yes, I'm seeing quite a bit of demi-humans like elves, werewolves, and medusae. But they're not exactly what I'm looking for…"
"Oh? Then please, do tell me what it is that you seek?"
"I'm looking for those who have been captured from the other side of the gate here at Alnus. It's my understanding that the Empire's expedition forces have acquired people from before and during the initial invasion into Japan's lands-"
Plutarch suddenly looked around, before leaning forward. "You must be careful saying such things around here, Ryudo!" He warned, cutting him off with a harsh whisper. "While that is true, I don't think saying it out loud in the territory of the… JSDF… is wise. It might cause problems, you see?"
"Problems?" He asked in faux confusion. "How so?"
"Because the amount of slaves captured from beyond the Alnus gate was the lowest an Imperial expedition force has ever acquired in recently recorded history." Plutarch said with a sigh. "I've heard Sir Crius complaining that the Empire was only able to snag less than a hundred people from beyond, and considering the rather humiliating state that the Empire is currently in at the moment, the JSDF were ruthless in their defenses; decimating entire armies worth of veteran soldiers, mages, orcs, and goblins with ease. One could only imagine what would happen if they were to go on the offensive…"
"Yes, I've heard the stories. Quite powerful they are."
"Indeed they are, and I haven't even mentioned their more mysterious allies from the other gate, the men in black." Plutarch said, shuddered slightly at his own words. "Unlike the soldiers that fled from Alnus, none of the other forces ever made it back from the other gate. All except for Italica's esteemed Count. Rumor says that he was seen being escorted back to his estate by the men in black in their horseless carriages."
"I can confirm myself that they were indeed in Italica doing just that." Ryudo replied, sharing a bit of harmless information so as to seem more legitimate. "The men in black also fought alongside the JSDF to defend the city when it was under siege, though neither of them stuck around long after."
"Hmmm, interesting…" Plutarch said in thought, before giving a dismissive shrug. "Anyways, if it's slaves from beyond the Alnus gate that you're looking for, Sir Crius does have some kept with him. Though I have no idea why you'd even want any of them in the first place. They're not all that unique, except for their eyes and the weird tongue that they speak. If anything, the language barrier makes it more troublesome to work with them… Well, more trouble than they're worth anyways…"
Plutarch paused, letting out a laugh as he finished the last few sips of his drink. "If it were up to me, I'd just send the men to work in the Imperial mines and the women and children to the crime lord families in Akusho. Who knows, they might just find their purpose in this world by selling their bodies in the red light district." Plutarch said to himself with a smile, chuckling lowly in his throat.
"That dirty, no good, uncivilized sonuvabitch!" Viper hissed out, glaring at Plutarch. Vale spotted his knuckles tightly gripping the edge of their table until they turned white. Of all the times for him to get irritated, he decides to do so now? Not good…
Viper made to stand from his seat, before Angel, thankfully, put a placating hand on his shoulder. "Woah, hey, hey - tranquilo, Viper."
"Are you kiddin' me?" Viper asked, staring at him incredulously. "Did you not just hear what that bastard just said? They're treating women and children as if they're property."
"Listen hermano, I don't like hearin' that shit either, but that's just the norm here." Angel said with a deep sigh. "And besides, he hasn't done anything wrong here."
"As much as I hate to agree with that, Angel's right," Vale said. "I need you to stay level headed right now, Viper. We're not on a bag and tag job, and causing a scene here will just draw unnecessary attention to ourselves. I promise, after this, I'll talk to Graves about involving us on the raid when we get the hit on Crius. But until then, I need you to stay calm…"
Viper stared at him with an expression of disbelief, before a scowl immediately replaced it. "I'll be outside," He scoffed, excusing himself from the table and leaving his drink alone.
"I'll go with him," Ronin said, quickly glancing at Vale as if to ask him for permission
Vale merely nodded his head as if to give him said permission, which he really didn't need in the first place. The rest of the squad watched as Ronin hurriedly down his drink, before rushing to catch up with his mentor, who stormed out the door in silent frustration. Thankfully, Plutarch and Ryudo were too engrossed in exchanging idle chit chat, and were completely oblivious to their sudden departure.
"Think he'll be okay…?" Bristol asked slowly.
"Ronin's with him, they'll be fine." Vale reassured him. "For now, let's just worry about the task at hand." He said, turning their attention back to the other conversation.
"Well it was a pleasure meeting you and your assistant," Plutarch said, glancing out the window at the setting sun, before standing up from his seat. He dusted his toga and tunic down, before pocketing the leather book back in his satchel. "Unfortunately, it is getting quite late. I'll head back and talk with Sir Crius about the specific slaves you wanted. If we happen to have them, we'll send a message for you to your shop in Italica."
"Would you be able to send the slaves to Italica?"
"Oh? Well of course, but… wouldn't you like to see the product beforehand to make sure that they're truly what you're looking for?" Plutarch asked in confusion.
"I imagine that it won't really matter in the near future…" Ryudo said vaguely, before standing up with him. "Come, I'll walk you to your carriage."
"Um, what about me, Sir?" The assistant sheepishly asked.
Ryudo waved a hand dismissively as he dropped some coins on the table. "Ah, you can just finish your drink, boy. I'll only be gone a minute."
The assistant gave him a nervous look, before nodding his head hesitantly and taking a sip. "A-Alright then, sir…" He said, offering a weak smile towards Ryudo
Vale watched as they stood up, eyes following them out as they exited the doors through the doors of the tavern. He waited for a moment, letting at least ten seconds pass before he finally stood up, with the rest of Bishop already following suit as Vale changed the channel of his earpiece.
"Oxide, the meeting's done. HVI is on the move. Bishop's tailing him now."
"Roger that. Confirm when the objective is tagged."
Vale stepped up to the table that Ryudo's assistant was still currently sitting at, ignoring him as he reached under and pulled out the recording device that they secured with tape earlier. Vale inspected it for a moment, making sure that everything was in working order, before nodding to himself in satisfaction as he pocketed the device. He glanced up, finding the young teen eyeing him nervously and offering him a weak smile. Vale rolled his eyes, patting him on the back as he walked away. "You did good, kid. Thanks for the help."
"But, I didn't do anything…?"
"Exactly." Vale said as they stepped out, leaving him all by his lonesome. He breathed in the fresh air outside, before rolling his shoulders as he looked around. The sun was now down at this point, masking the areas of the town not lit up by lamps in a bit of ambient darkness. Though there weren't too many milling around now, meaning that the town of Alnus didn't really have much of an active nightlife scene. Either that, or the JSDF had a curfew in place. Probably in place for the townsfolk like shop owners closing up or workers tucking in early for tomorrow.
"1-1, this is 1-3." Ronin's voice spoke up from their comms. "HVI's carriage has been spotted. How copy?"
"1 copies. Heads up, HVI has left the building, we're hot on their trail. Stay put, we're comin' to ya now."
"Roger that. Be advised, he's got an armed security escort around his carriage. 1-3 out."
An armed security escort? Why the hell would an accountant need security with him? Is he just that rich? Or is he just that important to the target? Well, there was no point in wondering now. They just had another hurdle to clear.
Vale let out an exasperated sigh. "Of course he does," He muttered to himself. "It's never easy for us, is it?"
Bristol chuckled from his right. "The only easy day-"
"Was yesterday," Vale interrupted him. "Yes, I know, Bristol. I've said it before myself."
"To be fair, you'd be in the wrong line of work to think that any of this shit is easy." Angel said. "If someone had told me a couple of years ago that I'd be hired by a private military to spy on slave traders in an ancient fantasy world, I'd have thought that they just snorted some laced coke or something."
"Mate, I don't think all the Bolivian marching powder in the entire world could give someone the creative imagination wacky enough to come up with something like our current situation." Bristol stated, earning a snort from Angel.
"Guys, focus. We can all reflect on how we got here later, but for now, let's keep moving." Vale ordered irritably.
They kept quiet after that, with the trio quickening their pace just a bit as they maintained their distance, tracking the pair who were steadily making their way to the carriage. Their footsteps echoed across the near empty streets, before slowing down as they approached a corner that Ryudo and Plutarch had disappeared around. Vale held his hands out, holding his teammates back as he slowly peered around the corner. He spotted Ryudo and Plutarch still idly chattering, while Viper and Ronin leaned up against a nearby wall, pretending to hold their own conversation.
Meanwhile, Vale narrowed his eyes at the HVI, before surveying the area around him
Any doubts that this 'Crius' fellow was of high status was immediately squashed at the sight. He spotted Plutarch's own personal escort of guards, and surprisingly enough, they were wearing the standard gear of the Imperial Army's foot soldiers. Though the only major difference between these soldiers compared to the ones of the Empire, were the colors that they wore on their uniforms, which consisted of purple instead of red. Probably from a different kingdom, family bloodline, or something of that nature anyways - 'cause there was no way that the JSDF would allow Imperial soldiers near their territory like this.
Plus, only someone like a rich noble could afford to hire a small team of guards dressed in their flashy colors to escort their own personal accountant around.
Not that he should have expected anything less. Selling souls was a profitable, if disgusting, way of life. And only the lowest form of humanity - if they could even be called human beings - would see it as a wealthy legacy to be proud of.
Then again, despite being multinational, Shadow Company wasn't really made up of humanitarians or civil rights activists…
"Vale," Viper quietly grunted into their comms, abruptly getting his attention again from across the street. "Bastard's got three soldiers with him. We weren't expecting that."
"Ah, that's not too surprising," Angel responded, watching as one of the soldiers shifted their weight slightly, adjusting their stance so that they were more comfortable in their armor. "Besides, we've dealt with worse. Three medieval soldiers, ain't gonna be a problem for us."
"Yeah, but we can't just drop 'em now, can we?" Vale asked rhetorically. "He'll know something's up if his protection detail just up and disappears on him without a word. Especially if he needs them to drive the carriage around in the first place-"
"Then what do you propose we do, Vale?" Ronin cut in. "'Cause the way I'm seeing things, there's no way that we're getting anywhere near that carriage without causing some sort of commotion."
"Some commotion may not be a bad thing…"
The rest of the squad paused for a brief moment, before redirecting their focus back to their sole Brit. The man looked completely unfazed by their looks of confusion.
"Huh?" Vale asked. "What do you mean by that?"
"Oxide said to get creative if we had to, right? Well I'm thinkin', why not purposefully cause a bit of commotion? You know, to distract the soldiers and let one of us get close to the carriage."
"Huh, that might just be the first good idea I've ever heard come out of your mouth, Bristol…" Viper joked. "Surprised it came from your head of all places…"
"Oh piss off. My head is always full of good ideas."
"Hey, focus!" Vale chastised. "Now that idea does sound good and all, but what sort of commotion can we cause that won't get us killed or locked up for being suspicious? We're still trying to blend in here."
A thoughtful gaze appeared on Bristol's face, before he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, uh… I've got a plan…" He said slowly. "It'll for sure work, but… you're not gonna like it that much…"
Ah… usually when Bristol warns him like that, it's often for good reason. In any other situation, he'd have probably refused. But considering the stakes and the possible money that was on the line, he'd bear whatever suffering that the Englishman was going to put them through.
"We've still got a job to do..." Vale sighed, closing his eyes briefly. After a moment, he opened them again, glancing back between the HVI and Bristol with a new look of determination. "Tell us the plan."
Hopefully it wouldn't be completely stupid…
-O-
The plan was, in fact, completely stupid…
Why…?
Because of-
"Sixty-nine bottles of beer on the wall, sixty-nine bottles of beer! Take one down, pass it around, sixty-eight bottles of beer on the wall!"
Because of that…
The squad eventually settled on Bristol's brilliant plan to cause a distraction. By causing a commotion. Which was why Vale was trudging forward, with Bristol's arms slung over him and Angel's shoulders, all three of them pretending to be a bunch of rowdy late night drinkers trying to make their way back home even though they couldn't make heads or tails of where they were going.
How the hell did I get here in life? Vale thought to himself - his inner turmoil completely ignored by his oblivious teammate. Never thought I'd be making a God damn fool of myself for a fuckin' paycheck…
"Keep it up, guys. Remember, you're supposed to be absolutely plastered right now." Ronin snickered on their comms, watching from afar. No doubt that he and Viper had giant grins of amusement on their faces.
"Bristol is supposed to be absolutely 'plastered' right now." Angel corrected, not so subtly glaring at Bristol from the corner of his eye. The man ignored him completely, still drunkenly singing along. "And quit fuckin' laughing. I'd like to see you here pretending to be shit-faced with this fuckin' moron."
"Hey, at least you're not skinning potatoes or washing dishes in the kitchen like Manny and Gunny."
Last Vale checked, Manny and Gunny weren't actively embarrassing themselves out in the field. They were embarrassing themselves back at base, and Oxide had already properly punished them for that tank mishap he had heard about in passing.
"Just go along with it for a little while and play your part." Vale instructed, ignoring the way Angel grumbled to himself, not bothering to verbally respond to him as they continued dragging their 'drunk' friend forward.
He saw that their little trio was now closer to the carriage - which was guarded by two soldiers stationed on either side of the door, with the third sitting in the driver's seat. Ryudo and Plutarch were still talking to each other quietly, both of them still unaware of the coming disturbance.
Plutarch stopped mid-sentence as he looked over Ryudo's shoulder, causing the man to also pause and look behind him. Judging by the dumbfounded expression on their faces, they had now noticed the three of them emerge from around the corner. Their stances were somewhat wobbly while Bristol did his best to sway back and forth like a real unsteady drunk.
Considering the fact that he was the only one who hadn't had a beer back at the tavern, Bristol was surprisingly good at playing an overindulging alcoholic…
"Hahaha! It looks like one of you isn't quite man enough to hold your drink!" One of the soldiers mocked jokingly, his voice laced with amusement.
The other soldiers laughed jovially at their supposed plight, and Vale was thankful for the mask that covered his mouth. Otherwise, they would have seen how he was currently gritting his teeth at them. But… judging by their reactions, their act did indeed appear to be working so far. They were convinced that Vale and Angel were just two regular, good samaritan townsfolk helping their drunkard friend return home after a day of too much ale.
Now if that charade would last was another matter entirely…
"Nah, he must have been drinking all day long. I don't envy you, gentlemen!" the driver chuckled, before exchanging a glance back at one of the soldiers by the carriage door. "We've been there before, so we unfortunately know what it's like."
Angel pretended to laugh along, though Vale could tell that it was pretty forced. "Got experience in that sort of thing, huh? Would it be too much to ask if you could take him off our hands and throw him in a ditch somewhere to sober up?"
"Hah! I'm afraid not." One of the soldiers replied with a grin, clearly enjoying the way Bristol made a fool of himself. "Maybe dunk him in a water trough. That might sober him up a bit."
"Not so sure if I could trust myself to," Angel responded as they started to near the back of the carriage. "Probably hold him under for too long, and I don't wanna get in trouble with the MPs here for leaving a corpse in their quiet little town…"
At that comment, they all shared an amused laugh, while one of the soldiers guarding the carriage began moving towards the three. "I apologize, sirs," began the soldier. "But I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you to hurry up and-"
"Woah!" Bristol shouted, cutting the soldier off as he 'accidently' stumbled forward. His hand slipped off of Vale and Angel's shoulders, causing them both to lose their footing, and soon, they too found themselves face first in the dirt alongside him.
"Ugh, I fucking hate you, Bristol…" Angel groaned from beside him, rubbing his nose and getting some dirt out of his hair. He put a hand on the wheel of the carriage, lifting himself up.
Vale didn't even need to say anything to agree with him. He could already hear Viper and Ronin struggling to hold in their laughter from afar.
"That was quite the tumble there. Are you three alright?" Asked the approaching soldier, who looked down at the trio in concern. He knelt beside Vale, offering a hand which he was grateful for.
"Thanks," Vale said, directing a look towards Bristol. "Sorry if we got in the way of your departure. Lugging drunks around is not exactly how I envisioned my day going when I woke this morning."
"Well sorry… about that…" Bristol slurred out, before pausing. "About being drunk… you know… in case there was any sort of confusion-"
"Believe me, there wasn't any," Vale said, cutting him off as he and Angel bent down to lift him up again. "Now shut up so we can take your ass home already."
"But the tavern!" Bristol whined, outstretching a palm in its direction as if he could beckon it over to him.
"The tavern staff is cleaning up and preparing for tomorrow's business. Let them sleep - something which you should be doing right now." Angel admonished as he wrapped an arm over his shoulder again.
"Don't want to..." He complained petulantly, though he allowed himself to be dragged away nevertheless.
They stumbled through the streets for a few moments, before disappearing around the corner of a building. Vale glanced behind them as they stepped into a nearby alley, making sure that they were completely out of sight, before they immediately dropped the act.
Vale and Angel let go of Bristol, before Angel slapped their Brit on the back of the head. "Hey cabrón, you wanna warn us the next time you decide to throw us to the ground like that?"
Bristol raised his hands up defensively as he leaned against the wall. "Oi, relax mate. It was the only thing I could think of. I didn't know you'd tumble down with me."
"Well a tumble is gonna be the least of your concerns-"
"Angel, enough." Vale interrupted with a warning stare, before glancing around the surrounding area. He carefully stepped ahead of them, stopping at the entrance of the alleyway as he looked left and right, checking to make sure that no one saw them enter. "Bristol," He said after a moment, turning around to face him. "Did you do it?"
A smirk flashed on his face, before he pulled a phone out of his pocket and showed them the screen. A red dot constantly blipped on the screen, and despite the fact that there was no satellite imagery, it was obvious that the tech would still work regardless.
"It's on," Bristol confirmed. "Now all we need to do is wait."
"Perfect…" Vale said, giving him a nod as he reached for his comms. "Oxide, this is Bishop 1-1. Tracker in place, HVI is on the move now. How copy?"
"Solid copy, 1-1. Signal is coming through clearly. Good work. Now get your asses back here, over."
"Roger Oxide, 1-1 out." Vale replied. "All Bishop elements - we are exfil, exfil, exfil…"
"Understood, me and Ronin will get the jeep ready for egress." Viper said. "We'll meet y'all back there. Over and out."
The jeep that they had come here with had to be parked a considerable distance away, unless they wanted to draw everyone's attention to themselves by just rolling in. Word would spread pretty fast around the town that a non JSDF vehicle had passed through, and though Shadow Company weren't enemy's with the JSDF, possibly alerting them to the company's currently ongoing operation in their territory was obviously a big no no - especially considering that they had never asked for permission…
Without wasting any more time, Vale started to step out of the alleyway with his teammates.
Before immediately coming to a halt.
There, walking casually only ten meters away from them, were two women with familiar faces. Rory Mercury and the demi-human bird girl that Vale saw back at Italica.
Both of them appeared to look exactly the same as the last time that he had seen them, although the black brassard that denoted her affiliation with the JSDF as an MP was notably absent from either arm of the demi-human girl. She must have been off duty, judging by how lax she was walking alongside Rory.
Speaking of the demi-goddess, Rory briefly turned away from her companion's friendly conversation, pausing just like Vale did the moment her vision settled on him. Vale could see her eyes light up in recognition as she gave a wide smile.
"Oh my, I wasn't expecting to see a familiar face out here tonight." Rory said, cutting the girl off as she planted the bottom of her halberd into the ground. She glanced at the others standing beside him, before giggling behind the hand she held up to cover her lips. "Or should I say, faces." She corrected.
"Ms. Mercury," Vale greeted, trying to hide the unease that he felt from her presence.
He wasn't expecting to see her again so soon, as it had only been about a week and a half since the fiasco that was their trip to Japan. He wouldn't forget the chaos that she wreaked alongside them back at Hakone, nor would he forget her impossible, movie-like regenerative healing that he witnessed firsthand. Emroy, if he recalled correctly, must have been the god to have given her the power of immortality. Now, if it really was a god that just handed her that much power on a whim, then they must have been truly insane or looking for amusement. Rory was an unhinged, dangerous, powerhouse; it's why Vale wanted to stay as far away from her as possible.
He was just now starting to realize that wishful thinking seemed to happen a lot in this line of work…
"Awww, what's the matter, Vale? I thought we were on a first name basis with each other?" Rory teased, a playful smile plastered across her face.
It took everything inside him not to roll his eyes at her. First name basis? Really? They weren't even on a last name basis. Though Vale was quite surprised by the fact that she even bothered to remember his callsign in the first place, or the fact that she even identified him with a mask on. A sharp memory and nine hundred years of experience must have had a hand in that.
"Look, Rory, we really don't have the time right now." Vale said with a sigh. "It's getting dark out and we gotta head back. You know, places to be and things to do. I'm sure you understand."
"Yes, I do…" Rory's playful smile suddenly morphed into a smirk, and she narrowed her eyes slightly as a dangerous gleam appeared in them. "Which is why I don't understand why you're all here. Doing something mischievous are you? Causing trouble again? You know, the JSDF has a zero tolerance policy on troublemakers. That's why they hired people like me and Myuute here to patrol as auxiliary MPs. That said, I do love me a strong, troublemaking, bad boy..."
Vale glanced over at the newly identified Myuute, and like most demi-humans, the young woman's inhuman features were extremely prevalent. Bird talons for feet, green feathers on parts of her arms and legs, and she even had feathers for hair, which elegantly cascaded down the back of her head. She wore a short yellow vest, which exposed her midriff, along with a similarly colored skirt with a black sash wrapped around her waist. Her hazel brown eyes inspected him up and down, before she finally rested a hand on her hip, apparently satisfied with what she saw of him. Vale wasn't satisfied with her though. This woman with magic was trying to kill them back at Italica not too long ago, and after capturing her, the Japanese just entrusted her to a role in their military? That just didn't sit right with him… If anything, they should have had her assisting in Italica's reconstruction efforts.
But maybe the Japanese were the better people if they were willing to let bygones be bygones so quickly.
Bristol loudly cleared his throat, snapping him out of his thoughts as he gave him a rather pointed look. "To be fair, we're not always the ones who cause it, and compared to us, the JSDF seems pretty tolerant on matters like-"
"Bristol, shut up." Angel cut in.
"Really now, Rory? Suspicion right out the gate? We just came here for some drinks. That's not illegal now, is it?" Vale asked, crossing his arms over his chest and doing his best to play it cool. "And even if we were up to no good - which we aren't - why would we ever just admit to it?"
"Oh you wound me, Vale! You don't seem at all happy to see me. What has Graves been saying about me?" She asked with a pout, placing her hand over her heart mockingly and tilting her head slightly to the side as she moved closer. He was almost tempted to step back and keep his distance, but he couldn't afford to show such weakness in front of Rory, knowing full well that she'd take advantage of it; so he forced himself to remain calm while maintaining a stern expression.
"Graves hasn't said anything about you," He responded flatly. "He's been quite busy as of late. More important things on his mind than some little pint-sized runt with a god complex."
"Hey, that's a little uncalled for, dontcha think?" Myuute spoke up from beside her. "She was just trying to be friendly."
"Uncalled for?" Vale asked before scoffing. "To me, joining the Imperial Army to invade another world, and then when that failed, attempting to besiege Italica after turning to banditry is a little uncalled for. Unless that counts as being friendly to you."
His words caused Myuute to recoil in surprise, slightly hurt as she began to fidget under his gaze. Her mouth opened as she attempted to find the proper words to refute his claim - which ended up being a futile effort as she closed her mouth, pressing her lips into a thin line and remaining silent.
As for Rory, she continued smiling serenely at Vale, despite his cavalier attitude towards her companion. "Feisty, aren't you today, Vale?" She took another step forward while clenching her jaw, her grip tightening around the handle of her halberd almost challengingly.
Hoping to get the confrontation done and over with, Vale wordlessly began moving forward, brushing past Rory's shoulder as he stepped by. He wasn't looking for a fight tonight, especially an unwinnable one, nor did he want to draw any attention to their group. Besides, he also didn't want to entertain Rory anymore by having her listen to any sort of argument between him and Myuute anyway, as evidenced by the way she was smirking when they briefly traded barbs.
"Vale, you're late. What's the hold up over there?" Viper asked gruffly from their comms.
"We ran into a familiar reaper girl and her little birdie back here. Nothing major." Vale replied, glancing over his shoulder to see Rory shrug at Myuute and put a hand on her shoulder as they walked away. "We're on the move now. I'll tell y'all more about it when we're back."
"Gotcha, just try and hurry it up, okay? I just wanna debrief, shower, and tuck in." Viper huffed tiredly in response.
"You and me both," Vale agreed, a sudden yawn threatening to come out as he did his best to suppress it. "We'll see you then, alright?"
"Yep, yep."
-O-
"Phew! Glad the day's over with." Gaston exclaimed, using a towel to wipe a bit of sweat from his forehead, before draping it over his shoulder. Whether it was hauling sacks of vegetables, properly storing meat in the cold storage, or making sure that the stews were cooked just right, he - as the boss and head cook - was always busy. Working in a tavern was laborious and exhausting, something that he had plenty of experience with from his last job before that business had closed its doors.
Now, running a tavern was something else entirely, but Gaston loved it all the same. The sense of community was homely to him, and it certainly helped that the Japanese were able to supply him with a state of the art dream kitchen. The grills, stoves, and ovens were unlike anything he had ever seen before.
It did make working more efficient, but it didn't make it any easier…
"Ugh, tell me about it…" Delilah sighed, clearing the sink as she washed the soap off of the last plate, before placing it into the rack nearby to dry. "My feet are killing me. I think that was the busiest day of service we've had all week…"
"Yeah…" Dora agreed as she tossed a wet rag into the wash bin nearby. She plopped into a seat, leaning against the wall before lazily stretching out like a cat as the effects of her exhaustion finally hit her. "I'm absolutely drained."
"Yeah, drained. That's definitely one way to put it…" Delilah trailed off as she sat in a seat across from her, resting her chin against the now cleared table.
The two demi-human women stared at each other, before the both of them suddenly started laughing, appearing to somehow find some sort of amusement as they reveled in their shared exhaustion from the tiresome work.
Gaston shook his head with a small chuckle before he quietly joined them, sitting in one of the chairs next to his serving staff as he brought them some tea, pouring them all a small cup. As their laughter died down, the two women accepted the offered cups and saucers with a hum, nodding their heads in appreciation.
The three sat together in comfortable silence, the only sound being the clinking of cups and saucers. The sounds of a busy kitchen and the idle chatter of the other tavern staff having long since disappeared since the sun had set, with the majority of the town heading to bed to prepare for whatever tomorrow brought. That left only Gaston, Delilah, and Dora alone for the rest of the evening. The trio sipped at their drinks, smiling at the welcome cool they felt from the flavorful leaf infused liquid.
It was regular tea, but chilled with frozen blocks of ice. The Japanese had apparently called it iced tea, - obviously - with many of their younger soldiers asking for it as one of the many alternatives in place of the alcohol they served. He had no idea that it'd also be such a big hit amongst the townsfolk, but after trying some himself, he could certainly see why.
Some of the wondrous marvels that the Japanese had introduced him and many others to had often left him feeling like a rich noble living in luxury…
After a few minutes, a loud yawn escaped Delilah, interrupting the comfortable atmosphere as she suddenly looked to Dora and gently cleared her throat. "Hey, from one demi-human to another, did you also hear that sus discussion goin' on by the window tables? I wasn't able to make out much of it, what with me tending to the other customers and the counter."
Dora looked up from her tea, tilting her head in confusion. "Sus?" She asked curiously, not quite recognizing the unfamiliar word that came from the warrior bunny girl.
"Yeah, sus," Delilah repeated, as if that somehow clarified it for her. After a moment of silence, she shook her head with a sigh. "It's apparently short for suspicious. I heard one of the JSDF regulars use it here once."
"Oh, well why didn't you just say so-"
"Seriously?" Gaston asked incredulously, cutting her off. "Now hold on a minute, Delilah." He said as he placed his cup down onto his saucer, before giving the bunny girl a sharp look. "I get that Clan Formal sent both of you ladies here with some others to help run things, but I don't think you should be involving other staff in this side gig of yours, Delilah."
"Aw, come on Gaston," Delilah begged with a whine. "I'm only asking her to confirm something for me."
"No! Listen, I know that with your enhanced hearing, eavesdropping is a little unavoidable, but those are private conversations between our patrons." Gaston reminded her, crossing his arms as he leaned into the back of his chair. "We're running a legitimate business here. We're not using it as an illegitimate front for becoming info brokers."
"And I'm not selling the information to anybody. This is only for myself… Well, really more for Clan Formal… but that's besides the point. I just need Dora to help me make sure that I heard things correctly."
The two stopped looking at each other, opting to set their sights on Dora. They stared at the meek fox girl, who completely forgot about her tea as she now fiddled with the skirt of her dress. She didn't want to disappoint either of them, but their gazes would not let up, and though she did hold an obligation to what was essentially her boss, she felt that she also held an obligation to Clan Formal - the ones who took her in and called her family. Plus, Delilah's peer pressure was beginning to become a little too much for her.
Eventually, Dora folded, giving in to her fellow demi-human's request. "W-Well, I may have heard one of the tables have a discussion about… trading slaves… from beyond the gate…" She admitted, mumbling nervously. "A-And a couple of other things, but they didn't really make much sense to me..."
"Aha! I knew I wasn't mishearing things!" Delilah exclaimed, slapping her hands down on the table as she abruptly stood up from her seat with a satisfied smirk. Gaston shook his head in disappointment as Delilah quickly lowered herself back down. "Slaves from beyond, huh? I'm surprised that the Japanese would allow such a thing to continue, especially considering how well they've treated enemy prisoners."
"Yeah, like that siren girl, Myuute." Dora recalled with a frown. "She was apparently a part of the bandit forces that were involved in the siege of Italica. Though I imagine that the freedom from a cell gave her a new lease on life, and she chose to join Alnus' military police force to leave that all behind her."
"You sure it wasn't just because Emroy's apostle approached her about it personally?" Gaston asked.
Dora paused, teacup just inches away from her lips. "Well… okay, I admit, that might play a little part in it…"
"Quite the juicy bit of info… anyways, let's talk about something more lighthearted." Delilah said, content with the amount of gossip she was fed. "Did you hear one of the guys by the window choke on his drink? Unfortunately, I was serving someone at the time, so I had to stop myself from bursting out laughing right then and there. But the moment I was back in the kitchen, I was able to let it all out."
"So that's why you were laughing back here…" Gaston murmured. "The rest of the staff thought that you had finally broken and gone crazy."
Delilah winced at that. "Ooh, yeah… I guess I should apologize for that tomorrow…"
"At least you don't have to apologize for a patron nearly choking to death." Dora said with a small smile. "But uh, I do remember serving that man earlier today. Quite the peculiar one he was."
"Oh?" Delilah asked, putting a hand under her chin as she leaned forward in interest. "Do tell us more about him."
"Well for starters, he wore a hood with a mask under it, like he was trying to conceal as much of his identity as he could. I could see that he had a few scars peeking out from underneath, but what was most striking about him were his eyes. They were clearly tired and somewhat sunken, I imagine from having seen and experienced much throughout his life, rather than it being a case of waking up at the wrong time. but despite that, they were the most vibrant shade of green and blue I'd ever seen in my entire life."
"Wait, green and blue?"
"Yes. His left eye was as green as a shiny emerald, and his right, as blue as the vast oceans. I could easily find myself getting lost in them for hours."
Delilah chuckled in amusement, before a knowing look appeared on her face. One which gave Dora some odd sense of worry or concern. She would even go so far as to say that it was 'sus' as she had just recently come to learn.
"Sounds like our little fox is smitten!" Delilah said in a sing-song tone.
The moment those words left Delilah's mouth, Dora, who had been taking a sip of her tea, immediately spit it back into the cup with wide eyes. She wheezed and hacked, beating a hand against her chest as she desperately attempted to regain her composure. After a few seconds of her coworkers watching her in concern - with Gaston ready to step in if necessary - she was finally able to breathe properly again like she wasn't some sort of fish out of water.
a massive blush appeared on Dora's face, and her tail curled up in front of her as she hugged it for comfort, burying her face into it as if it would obscure her from view. "I-It's not like that, Delilah!" She stuttered in embarrassment, though her voice was muffled by the fluffy fur in the way.
"Oh please, don't lie to me, girl. You were talking about the beauty of the man's eyes! Plus, I saw him tip you extra when you gave him and his friends their drinks."
"Tipping might be normal for them!" Dora countered with a pout.
"Not with that sort of coin. He must have really liked you to have so easily handed you some extra suwani gold as if it was nothing."
"Uuu, that doesn't mean anything. He was just being nice…"
Delilah rolled her eyes at her. "Oh come on, Dora," She said with exasperation, before glancing over to the clock. "Alright, fine. I'll save the teasing for another day. For now, we should finish closing up." She said as she rose up from her seat, patting Gaston on the shoulder.
"Right, yeah, of course." Dora agreed with a nod as she picked up the cup in front of her, before Gaston stood up as well, taking it from her hand.
"I'll close up shop. You two girls get home for the night."
"Works for me," Delilah shrugged as she gave him an easy smile. "Come on Dora, I'll walk ya back to your place."
The fox girl followed Delilah towards the staff door near the back, the both of them exiting the building as Delilah led them outside, leaving Gaston alone inside the tavern's kitchen. He smiled to himself, placing the cups and saucers back onto the tea tray, before bringing it back to the sink. He began humming to himself as he squeezed some dish soap onto a sponge, before beginning to scrub at a leisurely pace.
"Oh yoo-hoo!" A familiar voice called out from outside the tavern. Gaston paused over the sink, before slowly looking up and completely forgetting about his task as he dropped the sponge and cup. Leaning against the now opened window frame, was Rory Mercury, and behind her, Myuute Luna Sires.
"Rory, Myuute? What do you girls want now?"
"Why, a late night drink of course!" Rory said like it was obvious. "Are Delilah and Dora in?"
"You just missed 'em." Gaston informed, gesturing behind him with a thumb. "They just clocked out right before you came here. You know, because I'm closing up for the night?"
"Aw, what a shame," Rory said in faux disappointment. "Anyways, about that late night drink?"
Gaston's mouth opened to deny them, but after a moment of reconsideration, he saw no harm in a couple more minutes of service. He could run this establishment entirely by himself if he really needed to. He sighed, bringing a hand up to rub his forehead. "Alright, fine. But you two are my last customers for the night. After that, I'm turning off the lights and locking up."
"Thanks! You're the best Gaston!" Myuute called out cheerfully over Rory's shoulder, the siren girl having way too much energy at this time of night.
"Yeah, yeah, don't mention it…"
Author's Notes:
Shadow Company conducts some spying activity, but the waters are becoming a little murky, as they're doing so in Japanese controlled territory without their permission. Just as long as the JSDF higher ups, or God forbid, the politicians don't get wind of it, things should progress smoothly. Seems like everyone is spying on each other nowadays...
-O-
Heads up, folks! I might also be working on another crossover story, one that kind of has a skeleton of the first three chapters. But, the meat ain't all there yet, and the writing is definitely extremely out of date compared to my current writing style. I'll see about improving it enough before deciding to release it to the public, but I don't know when it'll be out. If you like the premise of this story, I think you'll like the premise of the other.
If you're interested in it, and want to read more from me, I'll be sure to announce it in an author's notes in a future chapter.