As an early Christmas gift I present you chapter 3 :)
I'm sorry for the long wait, but I repay you with 11k words!
„Yuu-chan, I still don't think this is a good idea."
Rain was pouring down and flooding the streets, as the two kids fought their way through the muddy hell the ground beneath their feet had become. Under the constant water coming down from the cloudy, grey sky above them, tiny streams trickled past the rooftops forming ponds out of puddles, which were impossible to avoid by now. Mika couldn't recall exactly when his shoes had become completely soggy, his soles squishing with every heavy step and the dampness crawling up his pants. The moisture clinging in the air made it hard to breath – a feeling like drowning without water.
Both of them had just sneaked out of the orphanage since the teachers and doctors were usually taking a break around midday, leaving the children a bit of free time, before additional tests started later in the afternoon. With a frown Mika looked at the clean, fresh cut on his arm, the stinging pain still being present even though the bleeding had stopped hours ago. He could still recall the sensation of the knife cutting through his skin and the glass tube catching his running blood. The doctors were drawing their blood more frequently this month. Doctor Saito said it was for their own good and analyzing blood, while researching a disease seemed to be a normal procedure, but why could no one ever explain what exactly was wrong with them?
Mika's frown only deepened, eyebrows drawing together as he watched the figure in front of him, leading the way to an unknown destination. He didn't exactly know what Yuu had planned, but he already had a guess. And that guess was far from reassuring that 'everything would just work out fine' as Yuu always used to say during the last days. It was good to see the other's fighting spirit coming back. He always cheered up and became livelier once he had set his eyes on an interesting and challenging task, which was based on practical skills and techniques, rather than actual brain work. Let's face it, Yuu-chan wasn't really the brightest. And that was what scared Mika a bit right now, since he didn't exactly know what he had to expect, being totally at the other's mercy. And he wasn't sure if Yuu knew either, what he himself had planned out. Mika trusted his friend with his life, but was Yuu even capable of taking care of himself, once he stepped out of the protection of the orphanage?
Skipping through the puddles with light steps and being totally unfazed by the depressing weather surrounding him, Yuu almost seemed like a young sheltered bird, leaving his nest for the first time and going on his first big adventure, without knowing the dangers stalking behind every corner. As much as Mika loved seeing the other in such a carefree and light hearted way – it had almost seemed impossible that he would ever smile again, back when he had first come to the orphanage – he also feared the mean predator, catching the bird out of the sky and breaking its small and delicate wings.
"Ah, stop being so critical. I will manage this. You just stay back and watch me." His friend turned around, a big grin displaying on his face. The idiot was so sure of himself! Mika's eyes wandered disapprovingly from Yuu's features down to his totally drowned feet and back up. How were they going to explain their messy and roughed up appearance, while keeping up the charade of not having left the orphanage? Had Yuu even considered this for a second? He probably hadn't even thought about it, being so keen and fixated on helping Mika out of his desperate situation and with all the worries building up inside of him, he had taken the first and fastest route out of this mess, not caring for any consequences. But was that really the best way for both of them? It was one thing for Mika to be caught up in problems, but did Yuu really have to jump off the cliff and fall down in the darkness together with him?
Absentmindedly Mika raised his hand to scratch the back of his neck, to think of a way out of this situation. He flinched as his fingertips grazed over his skin at the nick between his neck and left shoulder, feeling the two tiny wounds, which still stung even though days had passed since they had been reopened. During the first days it had almost seemed like they started to get infected with the flesh turning red and burning up right around the marks, a feeling like a knife being forced right into it, and Mika had barely been able to keep himself from screaming out loud whenever one of the kids thoughtlessly touched his shoulder, but right now no sound left his lips, the pain having mostly subsided. Only a shiver remained, when the memories broke from the depths of his mind where he had stored them away, right through the surface, bringing back images and feelings he wanted to avoid and forget at all costs. Mika was grateful to Yuu setting him free of this place and he never wanted to go back there. And he never wanted to see that person again.
Keeping his gaze on his friend's back, while skipping past the puddles, the urge to protect this idiot flared up inside of him. Mika would make sure Yuu never needed to meet the people he had to deal with in the past. And if it was the last thing he would do!
"Yuu-chan, would you be so kind and finally tell me what we are planning to do?" He somehow feared the answer that was about to come.
But Yuu didn't say anything and instead just turned around to him, raising one finger to his lips, signing him to keep quiet, while calling him over with his other hand. They had made a halt at the end of the street and past it the central market place spread out before them. Mika knew this place very well, since he had crossed the market several times, whenever he had left the orphanage in the evenings. By that time, the merchants had already started packing up their goods and Mika had to come up with charm and negotiation skills, to get them to reopen their packages and sell him the remnants of the day. Sometimes he had sit down in front of the giant statue that idolized their current ruler, in the middle of the huge square and taken a break on his way, before his evening shift started. Those memories weren't particularly bad, but Mika had a bad feeling of them following his old paths. It was too close to the people he wanted to avoid.
As he joined Yuu's side, the entire square came into his view and a tiny gasp involuntarily escaped Mika's mouth. He had never been to this place during the day, since sneaking out in the evening had been suspicious enough already. There were just so many people gathered here, standing around talking, or hurrying from one shop to the next! Compared to the empty and lonely impressions he had received first, this was like the bustling life.
"Look at all these people. And they can walk around freely and buy stuff, not being controlled by some stupid teachers." Yuu's words caught Mika's attention and standing beside him he glanced slightly over to his friend. The sight almost made him jump. Yuu's eyes were sparkling with so much excitement and anticipation Mika had never seen in them before, while a big and honest smile spread across his face. The blonde couldn't help but stare at his face, amazed by the emotions displayed on it, as well as his own feelings welling up in his chest. Since coming to the orphanage four years ago, Yuu had never left the property, all the children being constantly watched by the staff. There was a valuable reason for it, but right now Mika couldn't help but to regret them being locked up behind those walls, with close to no contact to the life taking place outside. How much he wished he had seen that expression on Yuu's face some time during the last years. If they had sneaked out earlier, would his friend not have looked so lifeless and hateful all the time? Would he have opened up earlier to the children and to him? There was no way of knowing.
His eyes still fixated on Yuu, Mika took in every last detail of his face during that moment, trying to recall it in his memories and saving it for later times.
Then Yuu blinked, his grin becoming childish and wicked, as he returned Mika's gaze.
"With that many people around those lucky bastards won't notice their pouches gone, don't you think?"
"So that was your plan, huh?" He sighed, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking like he was about to lecture someone. It wasn't really that Mika was in any way surprised. He knew Yuu well enough to figure he would pull off something risky like stealing from the townsfolk.
"Yuu-chan, I cannot let you become a criminal. Do you really want that? Stealing from people? What if somebody catches us? Do you want to lose a hand or even your head?" Mika wasn't done yet, only stopping for catching some breath, but Yuu took this opportunity to wave him off before he stepped out of the street.
"Relax. We just have to make sure nobody catches us!" A moment later Yuu joined the crowd and almost disappeared immediately, leaving a dumbfounded and speechless Mika, who finally hurried over not to lose him in the flood of adults. Stepping into the crowd he felt like he just joined a gathering of titans, the people being double their size and heads held up high, no one seemed to notice the two children walking past or right in front of them. Mika's fear to be recognized subsided, as he kept avoiding the legs and feet. Instead he worried for them being run over at some point. This was almost like being caught in a stampede and if they didn't watch out, they would be separated and swept away by the sheer masses of people. Keeping his gaze fixated on Yuu's back, he followed his friend, his light leading him out of this suffocating chaos. At least he hoped for it.
"Yuu-chan!" Finally Mika caught up to him, grabbing his shoulder to turn him around.
"Watch out!" He found himself being pushed to the side, avoiding two fully grown men who had been caught up in an argument, before Yuu grabbed his hand and pulled him along, both of them now walking in the direction the people were leading to.
"If this continues, we might get run over. Do you want us to get hurt? Please, forget about the money and let us get back to the orphanage. There surely is another way for you to help me out." The whisper started to sound like a desperate plea and as Yuu looked at his face with an earnest expression, Mika's own features being reflected in his friend's eyes, he really hoped he had gotten into his thick skull, past the troublesome determination and back to the bit of reason there might be in there.
But then Yuu's eyes shifted past him, the wide grin the blonde knew so well returning and as the excitement radiated off his eyes, Mika knew he had lost the battle for good.
"Just look how slow and blind they are." He said, quietly pointing over to a man, who had just walked past them without even noticing the two. "Their pouches are right at our level and they wouldn't even notice us stealing them. Here see!"
The blade flashed, the sunlight being reflected by it, as he pulled out the small and elegantly shaped dagger he had been hiding under his shirt and Mika's eyes widened in shock, the sight of his friend getting hold of a dangerous weapon all so worrying.
"Where did you-?"
Yuu pointed behind him, where the simple argument of the two men slowly developed into a fight, their voices growing louder with every word.
"One of those two guys just now. They had been so focused in whatever they are arguing about, he didn't even notice when I took it out of his belt. I figured we could need it with what we are planning on doing-" He stopped, catching Mika's stern, cautionary stare that didn't want to leave his features. Yuu shrunk a little, as he dug his head to avoid the other's eyes. Then he took the other's hand and pulled him along, all the while still trying to explain.
"Their money is dancing right in front of our noses. It's so easy to take it." It wasn't like Yuu was wrong with that. Only being half the size of a grown up, Mika could see the leather bags dangling from the belts right before his eyes. But no matter how easy Yuu wanted to make it sound, they had no experience whatsoever with this stuff and surely someone would catch them at it! He couldn't be seriously trying to take that risk, could he?
Just as Mika wanted to beat it into his friend's head that they should go home right now, Yuu let go of his hand, while taking out his new weapon, intently fixating the person walking in front of them. It was a strongly build, black haired man with an intimidating appearance, one of the kind you wouldn't want to get in a fight with, if you cherished the bones in your body.
No Yuu don't! Mika would have liked to scream it out loud after him, but then they would get into trouble for sure. Chanting these words over and over as he desperately watched Yuu drawing closer, he couldn't move a muscle, almost frozen in shock and fear. It was too late to pull the idiot back now, but Mika also didn't want to get in his way and make everything worse. Damn his friend for putting him into that position.
It was over in less than a moment. Yuu moved at such a speed, for a second he was completely gone from Mika's sight, the next he already turned around, a triumphant grin spreading across his face and a small, kidney shaped, leather bag in his hands. The drawstring holding it close had been cut short, as Yuu had slid them, disconnecting the pouch from the belt hook it had been attached to.
Both of them stepped to the side, disappearing in the masses and getting as far away as possible from that person.
"It's heavy." The idiot next to him commented, as he weighed the bag in his right hand, the content giving off a metallic clinging as he did so. "I wonder how much it is."
"How did you just do that? So fast –" Mika had not even seen Yuu move, let alone him actually cut the drawstrings. And there was no way he could have practiced it the last four years. He had acted so fast, the man had not even noticed Yuu's presence. It was almost like he had disappeared back there.
"Mmmh? I don't know." The other said, scratching the back of his head as he tried to think of an explanation obviously failing at it, before his eyes widened and he looked at Mika, a mixture of confusion and amazement in his features.
"Oi! I was totally awesome back there wasn't I? Now that I think about it, once I get fixated on the target everyone around us seems to move at a slower speed. Like they are frozen. He didn't notice me at all back there, didn't he? Who would have thought stealing could be that easy? With this we will get your money back in no time."
Yuu was so proud of himself he was beaming, as he waved with the bag in front of Mika's eyes. But the blonde wasn't caring about the money right now. Somehow he regretted that his friend actually made such a huge success. Encouraged as he was now, there was no way for Mika to make him stop going after other people from this point on. But no matter what incredible thing Yuu did back there, he would get caught for sure one day and the consequences would be fatal. And all because Mika hadn't been strong enough that night, as his dreams once again had been taken away from him and reality had knocked him over. For just a moment he had shown his weaknesses and Yuu had figured it out right away, now losing his head in this excited game of his that could get him killed. Eyeing that pouch, more than anything Mika felt guilt and fear creeping up inside of him, a terrifying image of a future of losing his best friend forming in his mind. It made him feel sick and cold, like all the blood had just been drained out of his body.
"Mika? You're alright? Are you feeling unwell?"
Yuu put the bag away, confiscating it safely under his shirt, before he looked over to Mika obviously worried.
"What's this? Two lost children in the crowd. Have you lost your guardian? Or are you actually lifting people of their money?" The voice was playful and light, almost soothing them into believing they did nothing wrong. Still Mika froze on the spot, as someone completely different forced his way in his thoughts and mind again. Cold sweat started trickling down his spine and only because his hands wouldn't function right anymore, he noticed that he had started trembling. He could feel the warmth leaving his body as he turned around wide eyed, trying to keep down the fear, the memories, that man.
The man standing in front of them wasn't him, but the boy felt the same morphed, dark intentions radiating off of him, as he gazed down at them like a carnivore, ready to kill its prey. Even though this one was dressed rather poorly and the way he held himself up, as well as the dark shadows under his eyes, made him seem roughed up and worn out, Mika couldn't help but to gaze up at him, completely terrified. No matter what form they took, they always looked the same. All of them wore the same craving madness in their eyes that drove them and turned them into the monsters of his nightmares.
"You know, I don't need to tell anybody." The voice of the man sounded teasing, like a parent messing around with his children. And Mika still couldn't move, trapped in his own fears and in the aura of the monster in front of him. Even as the man drew closer, leaning in on them, the boy still remained panic struck, wide eyed and frozen in place.
"It can be our little secret. You just need to offer me a bit of your blood. That's all. Nothing more."
His voice was still so light like trying to lure in a cautious animal, while he already stretched out his filthy hands and Mika still couldn't move. His damn body just wouldn't move. This disgusting monster was so close and he just couldn't get away!
"Mika!"
Yuu's voice was like the savior that pulled him out from under the water. And suddenly he was set free.
Eyeing the hands stretched out after him one last time, Mika avoided the fast grip of the stranger easily before he flung himself over to Yuu. Taking his friend's hand, he ran through the masses of people and past them, fleeing from that terrifying man as far away as possible.
"Mika!" He didn't know how long they had been running like this when Yuu finally pulled his hand away, but the marketplace had already disappeared. Mikaela stopped in his tracks, but still looked around hectically, waiting for the man to come chasing after them right behind the next corner.
"Who was that guy just now? And what did he mean by wanting blood from us? Hey Mika!" Yuu grabbed his arm and pulled him around with so much force, Mika almost lost his footing and tumbled into him. He threw one last worried look over to the street corner, but nobody was about to turn up. The man might not even have pursued them.
"What exactly happened back there? Oi, are you alright? You look pale."
Yuu was still trying to make sense of the situation and Mika couldn't keep on ignoring his questions. He inhaled and exhaled once deeply, before he looked up and faced his friend with a serious expression.
"There are some dark places in this city were scary people like him acquire potions, that poison his body and mind. Once they exceed a certain point they are only driven by their desires alone and for some reason start craving the taste of human blood. It's really not much they take, only a few drops of blood to satisfy their cravings but over the time they start to demand it more and more often. There are a few people out there, who make their money in giving away small bits of their blood to them."
"How do you kn-" Yuu stopped as it slowly dawned upon him and the shock became visible on his face. Mika lowered his head and fixated the ground. He had wanted to avoid dragging his friend in all this. And he didn't want Yuu to know about it either. Just look how great he was at this.
"Please Yuu-chan." His voice had grown quiet, but a desperate plea was delivered in it. "Please, let's just get back to the orphanage. We've got enough money for today, haven't we?"
The other let his gaze wander over him as he kept thinking, before he closed his eyes and nodded.
"Fine." Yuu answered, exchanging an intent look with the boy. "I think we can take a break for a few days. And Mika, you don't need to come with me if it becomes too painful to bear. I can take care of myself." He grabbed Mika's hand and pulled him along as he began leading the way back home. "But you know, you are really amazing. Dealing with people like this one, day after day." As the blonde looked up he saw the other smiling at him with wide fascinated eyes. He didn't know why but somehow his heart started to beat a little faster and nice warmth settled into his body.
"And you have been extremely fast back there. Like I didn't even see you move and then you had us both already running. Really if you start stealing as well, I'm sure we would be unstoppable!"
As Yuu continued praising him to put his thoughts away from the recent situation and to calm him down in his own way, Mika couldn't help but wonder how indeed he easily avoided the attack just now, as well as the reaction time Yuu had shown when he was stealing the pouch. It almost seemed inhuman and they never had any kind of training, so there was no way they could move that quick. Had it something to do with their disease? Was this the cause of the research of the doctors? He shook his head. There was no way doctor Saito would answer him those questions. Besides, he had something else to worry about.
Watching Yuu talking excitedly while being pulled forward by him, Mika couldn't help but smile sadly. So they had started stealing. How was he supposed to keep this idiot's head out of trouble from now on?
With the dark sky above, the statue of Tenri Hiragi seemed even more monstrous and intimidating than it already used to be, its stone features overviewing the market place and possibly even more than that. Whenever Guren visited this place, he felt like the eyes of the monument followed his every move and it brought back memories of the past, when much colder eyes – the original ones – had looked down on him, always disapproving and always without mercy. Even though it was already many years ago, he could still remember how the statue had been build, replacing its predecessor, which had resembled their former king. Back then Guren hadn't even once been to the palace, still not knowing what kinds of people the Hiragis were or what their relationship to the Ichinoses meant.
But that he got taught soon enough.
At the age of five he had finally been summoned to the palace as well, accompanying his father for the first time. Of course he had been excited. He had never seen the home of the emperor up so close, usually just having his imagination run crazy of what the interior of that enormous place looked like. To finally be able to take a step into the fairytale, to actually see it become reality with his own eyes was what he had dreamt of until then. He had been naive till the last. Even though his father told him to be careful and not to get his hopes up, the sheltered kid had not understood the warnings of the man. Of course he would do whatever the king told him and his father didn't need to remind him again and again of it. Tenri Hiragi was the king after all, their leader, the one protecting this land and its people.
He hadn't understood in the least.
The protection didn't apply to everyone and certainly not to the Ichinose mongrels. Yes, the kid had known that the Hiragis always saw them as something less important, but never did he believe it could turn out this bad. And his father hadn't warned him, even though he knew how it would end. He followed the summoning and stepped right into the enemy's territory bringing his son with him, because there was no other choice. With tears streaming down his face, the boy had to witness his father getting beaten into a pulp right in front of him, unable to help him, unable to do anything against it. Ordered to watch by his majesty, the king. Whenever Guren had begged, whenever he had screamed at them to stop it, the beating only turned out to get worse. With his cold, unmoving eyes the king had watched the struggle, even ordering the boy to hurt his father himself. Guren still remembered the expression in his father's eyes, when the boy had looked at him for help, just wanting both of them to run away from this nightmare. The insecure and wounded child hoped for his father to solve this situation, to take him in his arms and reassure him that everything would be alright and something like this would never occur again.
Do what the king tells you to do! – was the answer he received from those eyes.
Back then Guren had learned two things. They were all at the Hiragi's mercy and could be crushed under their feet whenever they felt like it, only being allowed to live for entertainment. If you want to live you follow the Hiragis' orders without question, no matter what it meant or what they wanted you to do. Bow your head and be the loyal dog that gets beaten by its owner, if you don't want to get yourself and everyone you hold dear killed.
They also taught him how weak and insignificant he was in the face of the leaders. His father hadn't been able to protect his son or himself, kneeling on the ground and accepting every humiliation with a smile. And Guren had been unable to help him. Too weak, forever too weak. Too weak to protect the ones dear to him, becoming another loyal dog to the Imperial Family.
It was all to teach the future head of the Ichinose clan a lesson. To never rebel against the Hiragis, to know his place in this god forsaken hierarchy. To remain trash under their shoes and accept every humiliation and punishment they would receive without any fight or backtalk. It was all to lose his free will in this world.
With a sigh Guren looked up at the monument again, wondering what would change once the next Hiragi in line would take over the throne. Right now the choice stood between Seishiro and Mahiru and Mahiru was by far the most capable in the family. But what would a life under her rule be like? Guren couldn't imagine it; not until the old ass was finally burning down in hell. And that would take many more years and a lot of more pain and suffering to come.
"Guren, pay attention or we will lose her." Mito reminded him, her voice growing impatient, as the weather kept on getting worse. For a change, she was not wearing a wig today, presenting her uncommonly crimson hair in the broad daylight and people already started to stare, quietly whispering behind their backs. At some point they even made way for her – a descendent of the mighty Jujo family was not usually seen by the common folk without a bunch of escorts and certainly not casually walking around the marketplace – and even though Guren knew her very well, he too noticed the air of a royal that surrounded her.
Naturally this was not a secret operation. One of the problems in having friends from the ten noble families was they always had to disguise themselves, pretending to be a different person while his subordinates like Sayuri and Shigure – who didn't need to fear of having their high reputation damaged, or being marked as a traitor by their own relatives – could stay in their normal attire, being not as famous as his two other friends. Guren himself, who was usually looked down upon at any social gathering, didn't believe anyone of the citizens would recognize him as an Ichinose as long as he didn't wear the family crest out in the open. He wasn't even sure if every member of the ten families knew what he looked like.
A good point in having important friends – you could use them to enter places you wouldn't be seen in under normal circumstances and investigate. Even though secretly following a person was impossible, those two could actually interact with the target without having any suspicion fall on them. There was still a possibility of having someone discover Goshi and Mito had robbed them, but the fear of falsely accusing a high ranking noble was too big to even voice their complaint to others.
As long as they didn't rob one of the other ten noble families or the Hiragis themselves, that is.
Guren scratched the back of his head and yawned, earning a disapproving glare from the other. He could almost hear Mito reprimanding him again, his careless and annoyed behavior at investigations always pissing her off. It was the same as back then, when he had first met her. Times changed people, but some traits stayed the same forever.
"Really though. For once I wanted to visit the shops I like to get my jewelry for the ball. And out of all places it has to be the one I like the least. You don't expect me to wear the stuff from there later on, do you?"
"If you are willing to spend a fortune on something and then not wear it at all? You are pretty careless with the money of your family, are you not?" He raised an eyebrow at her, as her expression became troubled. Out of all of them Mito was always the most conscientious and even though she hadn't the best relationship with her family, uselessly throwing their money around still made her feel guilty.
Finally their target entered the expected store and next to him Mito, with a face that looked like everything seemed hopeless, sighed before she took a seat on one of the stone benches lining the outer skirts of the square. Guren took a stance behind her, watching the market and pretending to be a guard of the Jujo's, making sure the young lady of the house wouldn't get hurt. Like Mito needed any protection, the woman was probably able to take down all the guards and attackers by herself.
"There are so many goldsmiths in this city, but she had to pick Akure's. His jewelry is heavy and bulky, you get the feeling he wants to cover your entire existence in gold. Of course it is shiny and eye catching, but most of the time it is just too overbearing. I have never seen something half decent in there." Mito kept grumbling, obviously complaining to Guren about their target's stupidity as well as half blaming him for having to sacrifice herself again for the job.
"He is said to be the best goldsmith in town and all the women praise his work. Agatha and her worshipper buy most of their jewelry at his place. Lady Valery is just following the examples of society."
"I don't see anyone of the high society wearing Akure's jewelry. It's just for those poor souls who need gold and diamonds to appear rich and important. As far as I know their political influence is close to zero, if they don't seduce someone with a higher ranking. In the end everyone will think I'm trying to get into bed with someone at the ball." She sounded defeated and embarrassed, as she probably imagined the evening in a few weeks time. To his surprise Guren had been invited as well, but he wasn't looking forward to it.
"I thought that's what those festivals are for?" He answered, the temptation to tease the other in that kind of situation was just too big. However, before Mito could turn around and yell at him, Sayuri stumbled into their view.
"Lady Valery Inuoka is about to leave the shop." She reported, crossing her arms with an almost angry expression, which apparently wasn't directed at them. "She is leaving the necklace in their care to get it polished and fixed in the next week. As far as I could see, there is an apprentice in addition to Akure himself."
"Well then, we better give him the customer of a lifetime." Mito shrugged, her face turning into a grimace as she stood up. She looked like she was about to eat something disgusting."Don't you dare ditch me! I don't care how long it will take, you guys stay here."
"What? But I thought I could make my way over to Sangiunem. You are no fun. I don't think Akure ever had a client who is part of the ten families. I doubt he will let you leave that easily, without showing you his entire collection. Why not give your guard some time off to enjoy himself?"
At the mention of the establishment, Mito shook her head, her cheeks turning a feint color of red. He grinned as she turned around grumbling something like 'terrible guy', before she walked away from them.
Turning around to Sayuri, Guren exhaled loudly before he let himself drop on the bench as well. His behavior was far from elegant, but right here in the middle of the city he was just a stranger with no one judging or offending him.
"You were back early." He said looking up to Sayuri, who seemed to have calmed down by now.
"I was kicked out by his apprentice." She replied, a hint of irritation remaining in her tone. "Seems like I am not the right kind of clientele. I guess he wants only the rich coming to his store, saying I couldn't afford any of the goods anyway."
Clearly she was not dressed like a noble woman, wearing leather pants, a vest and a flax shirt under a cloak instead of beautiful dresses; it wasn't surprising Akure had driven her away. The old man made a fortune reading the wishes of his female customers off their lips and being the understanding soul women would turn to. But with someone in man's clothes like Sayuri in his store, who looked like she had never been to the richer districts of the city, he saw his business as well as his good reputation going downhill.
Guren's subordinates were both dedicated to their work and had been trained as thieves all their lives. They were used to look roughed up or even like homeless beggars, all for the purpose of disguising themselves and to gather information. But Guren wondered from time to time, if they had ever wished for a different life, whenever they watched the clients or targets. A life without hiding and following orders, just once being the center of attention. Of course they would never admit to it, even if he asked.
"Lady Valery seemed really fond of the necklace. She must like this man of the Nii family."
"Either that, or she was just proud of herself for receiving a gift from him instead of her rivals."
Right now the second son of the Nii family was about to choose a bride and additionally to being among the ten families he was also very handsome, having the ladies marveling at him wherever he went. In the woo of their future husband Valery Inuoka had received an expensive necklace from him, much to her rivals distress. One of those ladies however was in a league with Lady Agatha and so an entire society of noble women had turned against Valery. One could almost feel sorry for her.
"This is just tiring." Guren said, eyes wandering over to the market as he thought about the unimportant and unnecessary fights those women seemed to hold so dear. They didn't need to struggle for surviving day after day – having their loving husbands and dear fathers supporting them – and certainly had too much time on their hands, causing trouble for one another as well as different parties. He needed to stop taking on these jobs, dragging the Moon Order into a mess he feared was soon about to escalate. And he needed to stop soon.
Guren resumed watching the people, as Sayuri sat down on the bench next to him. Even with the rain coming down every hour now and then, it was quite busy these days. And masses of people attracted pickpockets of all kinds, moving elegantly through the bulk like being part in a huge swarm, trying to become some of the most peaceful members to not be noticed. Drive their focus somewhere else; be quick and silent like a predator. If you wanted to survive with stealing, there was more required than just reflexes. Watching your target, studying its every move, hiding in its blind spot. In the beginning relying on reflexes and speed might be enough, but over the time one needed to think, since targets started learning as well and if you got caught everything could be over. Guren remembered the days when he was taught all this by his teachers and had made his first clumsy attempts right on this market place. He wondered how many were trying to do the same right now.
As he saw two kids hand in hand fighting their way out of the mass and disappearing into a street at his right, an unpleasant thought returned in his mind.
It's time to call the youngsters together again. His shoulders sunk in defeat as he remembered a room full of hyperactive kids and his eyes closed tiredly. He had never been the kind of human who could teach well, but somehow they still got all excited whenever they had a session with him. He had lost count of how often Sayuri and Shigure had taken care of these matters and as much as he wished to shove it off to them again, once in a while he had to take responsibility as the leader of the Moon Order.
"Guren-sama." Sayuri's strained voice caught him by surprise and he looked up, right as another figure diverged from the swarm of people.
"Is that-?"
"Yeah it's him." Guren replied bewildered, watching the man in rags passing by.
"The last time I saw him he was one of the richest merchant in this city. What on earth happened?" Sayuri asked in a kind of wonder, as she watched one of their former targets leaving the market. Lucal Wesker had once been a wine merchant, delivering even to the palace. His appearance was always extravagant even for the taste of the nobles, but what had once been powder on his face and self applied charcoal under his eyes was now exhaustion and sleep deficiency. He used to wear the finest clothes, designed especially for him. The rags that covered his body now made this former merchant look like a beggar.
"Desmodus." Guren answered her question. They had kept a profile on Wesker in case he would start searching for them. Guren knew the merchant had started to take the drug, which circulated through the population and spread like a disease, but never had he imagined to see a man like Wesker in that kind of state in such a short period of time. The liquid with which the Imperial Demons controlled the people in huge parts of the city, was applied in tiny dosages to the eyes, instantly calming the mind as well as triggering the efficiency of the human body. People became quicker in their reflexes, the body responding better to their surroundings and will, but to keep the effect going they needed more and more portions of the drug. And soon the weird side effects formed as well.
"There should be enough poor souls out there from which he can draw blood. Some sources say they have seen him visiting Sangiunem more frequently as well. Living like this sure wastes the money." Still he had never expected to see a person ruined this much by Desmodus. Guren knew the drug was a powerful weapon, but maybe he had still underestimated it. For once he was glad the Moon Order hadn't felt the need for such means, putting their effort in training the recruits instead of helping out with remedies. In the end they would just have been enslaved by it.
This is not possible.
Frozen in place from the shock, Guren again eyed the stack of paper being placed at the edge of his desk. If he was about to sit down in his chair, he wouldn't even be able to look above it. He had just finished up the old one two days ago, so how on earth could such an amount of documents be passed on to him in the short time, which had passed since then? Unless…
Slowly he took the first few records and skipped through them, his expression visibly darkening as his eyes hurried over the paper. And he had just wondered about the Demons the other day…
"Guren-sama we could lend you a hand. In times like this you might find our help useful." Shigure offered, looking at the reports that bound her master to his desk like an enemy she was about to slice into pieces with her hidden knives. They had probably skipped through a few reports as well, already knowing who was responsible for this, even though the letters had been addressed to Guren only. What reliable retainers he had, indeed.
He sighed in defeat, placing the pieces of paper back on the stack while trying to figure out how much time he would need to finish this work. The Imperial Demons had given him some time off, but of course that wouldn't have lasted forever and now the blackmailing and power struggle had started again as it seemed. But did they really have to attack that many of his stores? It was almost as if someone was trying to give him a hint.
His expression hardened, his eyes becoming stern and unmoving as he remembered a certain person, who would use these kinds of means to deliver a need or message. Why couldn't he give him an order directly for once, without the representation of the enormous power this organization had at its disposal? Maybe it ran in the family.
"No, that is something I have to attend to on my own." He answered, looking at both Shigure and Sayuri and hesitating for a moment before giving out new orders. "I need you two to stop anyone from disturbing me. And I really mean anyone. Even if it is someone who thinks highly of themselves and uses the name of the Demons. I don't want anyone to enter this room during the next hours."
If Kureto wanted to force him to obey an order he hadn't even heard of, then he should do it properly without involving the Ichinose's innocent merchants. Guren wouldn't just comply with such a behavior. If the Imperial Demons thought the Moon Order would just jump at any order they received, he could give up their integrity for good and become a tool to the syndicate right away. And he knew his people would want for him to do the same thing, after all they also had some form of pride swelling in their hearts for this organization. Forcing this guy to send a second messenger might also not be bad, after all he had already robbed and damaged Guren's property. For all he knew of Kureto, taking the next step would actually require for the Moon Order to act against the Demons, which they weren't planning on. So letting the guy hang in thin air once in a while might knock him off his perch and back to reality.
"Also contact the other families of the Order. I might be planning another session for next week. The youngsters need to get beaten into shape once in a while, or we will never be able to use them. They have rested long enough."
At this both his subordinates stopped in their tracks and looked at Guren with wide eyes.
"You are planning on teaching again?" Sayuri was the one who spoke up first, even though Guren could see the same confused question being reflected on Shigure's face. Was it that much of a surprise for him to fulfill one of the duties his father had left him with?
"Yeah. And rest assured, I'm not going to pass it on to you this time."
He exhaled loudly, as Sayuri clapped her hands in excitement.
"That's wonderful Guren-sama! I'm sure the children will look forward to the lessons as well. It's going to lift their spirits and encourage them to train even harder."
They left his room before they could see him rolling his eyes. There was nothing to get excited about, since Guren was literally the worst teacher ever. How these kids had picked up some of his tricks was still a miracle to him. He mostly spent the time with sleeping while they were attending their given tasks, picking difficult locks and having Sayuri and Shigure explain the different tools to them. They needed to learn the basics before they could actually start pickpocketing and night raids. How could one decipher encrypted documents? What to look out for at observations? How to disguise themselves as a different person, imitating a different behavior or lying right to the target's faces? Guren had neglected the kids for too long, but with the upcoming turbulences he already foresaw, it was important to have more ears and eyes at his disposal.
He sighed, making a mental note to complete their education by the end of this summer. It would require one hell of work for the studying and teaching side. But right now you could consider them mature enough to trust them with some responsibility, so completing their final exams at sixteen still seemed to be a possible option.
Talking about work…. Guren sighed and sat down behind his desk. It was still early afternoon, so he should be able to get a good amount of it done by the end of the day.
He had finished half of the work by nightfall. The remaining sunlight had vanished an hour ago, the days still being rather short, even though the cold season slowly made way for warmer ones. At some point Guren had lighted a lamp, its light now constantly flickering and producing dancing shadows on the walls. It was peacefully quiet.
As expected the Imperial Demons had come to collect their protection money this morning, rampaging his stores in different districts all at the same time. At least no one had gotten hurt, but the material losses added up to quite a sum of money. It was usual procedure how the leader of the syndicate planned to get the attention of his prey and the Moon Order hadn't been the first of those cases.
Internally Guren cursed the guy and hoped for someone to send him down to hell one day.
It was right when the young Ichinose finally thought about taking a short break, when his ears received a knocking sound coming from the door. He hesitated for a second, a grin flashing across his features, before he called out to the other side. At his words the door opened carefully, much too slowly, the light of the room not reaching far enough to illuminate the hallway as well, letting Guren's visitor stay invisible in the darkness. No voice rang over from the other side and no person entered the room. Complete silence filled his study wouldn't it have been for the constant scratching sound of Guren's quill, as he kept putting down his signatures.
Then, like a lightning spreading out in the night sky, the arrow flew through the air at a speed not visible to the naked eye. It passed by Guren only a few millimeters away from his face and finally hit the wall behind him; the shaft swinging from the force of the impact as the missile got stuck, leaving an unmistakable hole in its target.
Guren however hadn't even looked up once since calling out to the visitor, still continuing his work dutifully and in silence.
"You know, I actually really liked that wall. I was even thinking about hanging up some family portraits." He finally said, still not granting the attacker a single look.
"Oh come on! No reaction at all? That is just boring." The voice replied playfully, with a teasing undertone mixed in. A figure moved in the shadows of the hallway, making the first steps into Guren's study. The man was dressed in black, making his shining snow-white hair stick out even more. He was covered by a coat from which Guren could tell had many secret pockets to hide weapons, messages as well as tools and that distracted from his otherwise skinny body. However, even though he looked weak, the intruder was far from helpless, implied by the sword hanging from his belt at his right side, as well as the small takedown bow, which was already demounted by now, the parts sticking out among the arrows in the quiver.
"Don't say you expected me already." Shinya said, raising his hands and shaking his head in disbelief as he walked over to Guren's desk.
"I was hoping for it not to be you, but since the Gods hate me there was no other option."
"Mean! But I know you are just shy Guren. Since you haven't seen me in a while you must have really missed me." Shinya gave him a wide, wicked grin before he took the seat in front of Guren's desk, not asking for any permission as he made himself at home.
"Go die." The other gave a short answer, placing the quill back in the ink glass, catching himself cursing the second Hiragi on this day.
"Is that how you greet an old friend? Seriously, to think that the Head of the Ichinoses has no manners at all. I'm a guest. So be nice to me at least."
"What kind of friend or guest shoots at his host?"
"One who is familiar with you."
Guren sighed. Meeting this guy always meant trouble.
"You know I got better stuff to do than to babysit you."
"No you don't~"
"The perfect Hiragi right there. Thinking the world revolves around them."
"Doesn't it? Last time I checked this statement was still accurate."
"Just go die somewhere, where nobody sees you."
Shinya's laugh was like a melody as it sounded off the walls in the room. Guren tried really hard to keep a serious expression on his face, after all he had to stay the dignified head of his clan, but somehow a smirk sneaked its way in. He should have known better. No matter how hard Guren always tried to shut the Hiragi up, the banter usually ended up with his heart becoming a bit lighter after it, just forgetting the burden he was carrying for just a moment.
"I've been gone for almost a year and that's how you welcome me after all this time."
"Actually after the first few months I thought you had gotten yourself killed somewhere."
"Really? Did you moan me? Did you cry?" Why was this stupid guy always laughing?
As a reply Guren grunted.
"Hell no."
"Ahhh that's what I thought. Keeping it all inside and not showing your real emotions. But that is not good Guren, you know? It will slowly eat you up from within. I'm here if you need a shoulder to cry on. You can let all the sorrow of the last months run free and get swept away. After all I'm still alive and kicking."
"Yeah, that is indeed something to cry about."
Shinya opened his mouth for a reply, however –
"Guren-sama!"
The voices of Guren's subordinates could be heard in the hallway, coated with panic and uneasiness.
"There might be an intruder-" Shigure called out, stepping into the light and stopping herself as well as Sayuri, when her eyes took in the situation before her. Shinya who was still seated comfortably in the middle of the room crooked his head and waved over to both women.
"Shigure, Sayuri. Long time no see. I'm sorry for the unannounced visit, but as you can see I already made myself at home. Not much help there from Guren, however."
If glares could really kill people, Shinya Hiragi would have dropped dead right there. Still, instead of answering Shinya, both women exchanged a look of understanding, before taking a few steps forward, finishing in a bow.
"We are very sorry for our incompetence Guren-sama." Sayuri said, her tone dead serious. "Even though you ordered us to keep out any visitor, this man escaped our eyes and infiltrated your home. We shall dispose of him, if you wish so." Both of them stayed like that, awaiting his next orders.
"Look up." Guren said. He understood how important Sayuri and Shigure saw their positions, with how much pride it filled them to follow someone like him, resulting in them taking the job as a grave matter. He had never wanted them to act this clingy, but being drilled to protect and serve him since childhood, those two had dedicated their lives to the duty.
"There was no mistake on your side." Guren reassured them as they met his gaze. "This guy sneaks in and out of places with a much higher security than we could afford. Just like a rat."
"Oi!"
"Even I have trouble to stop him when he gets serious and it was no harm done. And since it is my job to deal with the irritating Hiragis anyway, you can leave this guy to me." As if to prove his point, Guren's fist shot down on the table, barely missing the hand of said Hiragi, who had just tried to shift one of the letters in his direction. He glared at Shinya with eyes like daggers, but the other just grinned at him and took the report anyway, crossing his legs and leaning back in his chair to get into a comfortable reading position.
"But Guren-sama!" Both women spoke up in unison, being that much in sync it made Guren wonder if they had actually practiced it. Of course they would complain. Would it have been anyone other than Shinya, a security breach like that one could have easily cost Guren his life. Even though he was sure they had taken the necessary measurements to protect this place and – had it in fact been any other person than Shinya – his subordinates would have certainly stopped them.
Smirking, he shook his head at them, moving his hand to wave them off.
"We will talk about it later. Now resume to your work, while I take care of this guy."
Shigure and Sayuri stared at him for a moment as if waiting for another confirmation, before they nodded and left the room without another word. Once the door was closed behind them, Guren escaped a sighed and he leaned back in his chair.
"Did you seriously just say 'No harm done'? You still know of the fact that there is an arrow piercing the wall behind you?" Shinya glanced at him from the side, still reading the text on the piece of paper in front of him.
"How could I forget your lovely present?" Guren replied bored, without looking at the other. A second later he shot forward, leaning over the table and snatching the report out of Shinya's hands. Even though the guy was his friend, having a spy going through the intern secrets of the Order might not really be the best idea.
"Seems like problems have just come up." Shinya said innocently, looking at the paper on Guren's desk as well as the report which had just left his grasps. His tone sounded so casual Guren might have believed the subliminal question delivered with it to be real.
"Don't say something stupid like this, when you guys are the ones responsible for it." He replied, and for the first time that evening the stupid smile left Shinya's features and to Guren's own regret he didn't know if he was happy or sad about it. "So tell me, what does Kureto want? He must be damn serious if he sends you to persuade me."
Shinya closed his eyes and held his breath, before he exhaled sharply, straightening up in his seat and turning around to fully face Guren. In his stern gaze, worry and determination fought a battle with no definite winner in the end.
"How much do you know about the Hyakuya Church?" Shinya asked, his voice calm and grave, the complete opposite of his usual tone when he spoke to Guren. The sudden question took the young Ichinose aback, but he didn't even flinch as he met the other's eyes, being determined to not give his confusion away in an unnecessary reaction.
"Just as much as anyone else. They are a religious cult, their tenets and beliefs being widespread among the common folk, giving them immense power. Since they are accepted this much by the people, the Imperial Family could not make a direct move against them until now, without angering a huge part of the population."
It was a vague explanation of the organization, since many knew that the Sect wasn't all they pretended to be, using the faith and hope of people to manipulate them. Much to Guren's bother, Shinya clearly didn't seem to be satisfied with his answer.
"Guren, I know you have robbed at least one member of the Ten Families until now and Kureto-nii knows it as well. So there is no point in hiding it. And while I might be Kureto's messenger and spy, I'm also your friend, so don't think I will share information with him which will get you guys into trouble."
Guren hesitated, letting his gaze drift through the room. This man had saved his life multiple times before and ever since Shinya had become Kureto's messenger, the Moon Order had stayed a target much too small to bother in the Demon's eyes. He wasn't sure how much his friend was responsible for it, but Shinya had already proven to be a friend of Guren's people.
"I found a document in Rikudou's study, sent by Tenri Hiragi and addressed to the heads of the Ten Families. It stated about a gathering in which the future cooperation with the Hyakuya church should be discussed, considering the achievement both parties have made during the last months. He was satisfied with the results until now and hopes for them to be completed by the end of next year. Of course the letter never said what in fact they were doing."
"So father called for a gathering, huh." Shinya repeated the just said absentmindedly, his expression darkening as memories clouded his eyes. In the end he had never been fond of his family, back then just trying to survive every day of his childhood – much like Guren.
"The two greatest rivaling organizations in our country suddenly stop facing each other and start working hand in hand. The result could be terrifying. And the cause for those circumstances even more so." Guren spoke his mind, the fear for the future haunting him during the last days. What were those former enemies trying to accomplish? Who would they turn their combined power against? He just hoped – when the day of their action finally arrived – that the members of the Moon Order survived the ordeal.
Shinya sighed, turning away as he hesitated. Guren figured he knew more about the case, but evaluated whether he should or should not avoid the question.
"I need you to act carefully with the information I'm about to give you. If word got out I shared a confidential Hiragi secret with the outside, I could be executed for it."
The heavy silence that followed was almost suffocating, as they stared at each other, a million unspoken words between them. They had depended their lives on one another many times before, so for Shinya to act this cautious in front of the other was unusual and meant the circumstances were severe.
"Discretion is my work." The words were directed rather to a client than to a friend and conveyed a gravity that nailed them both to the ground of the inescapable reality.
"The Imperial Family and the Hyakuya Sect have worked together some time before. Their collaboration stopped four years ago."
"With the end of the war, huh?" Guren replied in thoughts. A few years ago Caelumos, the country they lived in, had been at war with their neighbor Perdue. It was the basic power struggle concerning territories and resources and since the Hiragis were even feared by ruling families outside of this country, conflicts were common and predictable. The main battle ground had been outside of their territories, the development of the fights mostly unknown to the folk and one day resulted in the Hiragis' victory. However not many troops had made their way back from the border and those who did never spoke of the war again.
"I don't know what they did to win the war, but remember that barely any person of royal blood and higher ranking had to join the fights? It's still a mystery what happened in those lands."
"So you think they have some kind of amazing weapon and are now producing more?"
"That's what Kureto-nii wants to know. We got information on the Imperial Family staying in contact with the Hyakuya Sect, but what they are doing exactly is still a secret."
So Kureto is fearing his own father for once.
"So?" Guren raised an eyebrow, finally understanding the situation. "The Imperial Demons want us to investigate what those two sides are planning. And because the job involves the possibility of making the two most dangerous parties of our country my enemy, as well as being executed for treason once I unravel the mystery, Kureto wrecks my stores to prove a point and force me to accept his orders. No wonder he was sending you."
Shinya's smile was sad as he turned around and for some reason Guren's heart turned heavy as he reminded himself of the positions they both held, working for different sides and being forced to turn against each other, if one terrible day called for it.
"This turns our happy reunion rather dark, doesn't it?"
"Have you ever delivered no bothersome messages to me?"
"Mmmh, do you remember that one time, when we got rid of –"
"Yes, I know! There is no need to remind me of that."
"But you looked so relieved afterwards. It's strange because any other person would have enjoyed –"
"Alright, shut up already!"
The idiot started laughing again and even though Guren tried very hard to glare at him, he couldn't fight down the grin forever.
"So what can I tell Kureto-nii? Will you accept the mission?" The Hiragi asked, finally rising out of his chair.
"Do I have another choice? With the circumstances this severe, I doubt Kureto would just let me off the hook, maybe even seeing it as betrayal if I decline and hold back important information. He would probably start killing my subordinates to prove his seriousness and get rid of the entire Moon Order, looking for someone different to gather information for him, should I still refuse." Guren's voice was calm, already having accepted the situation as it was. They avoided death day after day, always aware of the possibility to be crushed any second, to disappear without anyone left to remember them. Another calamity added to his personal hell was not something to grow desperate about, since keeping a clear head and analyzing any situation throughout was paramount.
"Then I guess I'm looking forward to work with you again Guren." Shinya answered cheerfully, not really fitting with the heavy atmosphere which still lingered in the air. At least someone was trying to make the best out of it. The man turned around, ready to leave but stopped in his tracks a second later.
"Ah I almost forgot." He said casually, before turning around in a fluid movement and throwing something in Guren's direction. For a split second a flash appeared as the object spiraled through the air, giving Guren enough time to move his hands out of the way before the tiny knife landed on his desk, stabbing the table top.
Seriously, what is up with those guys always damaging my property?
He glared at the tiny object, which had just left a hole in his desk, before he took the small piece of paper attached to it.
"I was asked as a favor to deliver this message to you. Seems like we both can never say 'No' to that person."
Before Guren could fully read the message, the other was already at the door, ready to leave.
"Shinya." He called out, stopping his friend before he disappeared in the darkness of the hallway. The Hiragi leaned back his head and raised an eyebrow at him, a silent question forming in his eyes.
"It's good to see you back. Really."
"Took you long enough to say it. Don't worry; I'm not planning to disappear for another year."
I do hope so. Guren thought as he stared at the door Shinya closed behind him. Although he would never say it out loud, he had missed the guy's presence and support during the last year. But having him back might also make things more complicated.
Finally our all time favorite Hiragi shows up! Took you long enough Shinya!