Reviews:
Cobalt Striker Gundam: Love this story so far I just hope we can see Rei in action on the first chapter
Thank you! And the wait for some action from Rei is over!
Guest: Like it. Looking forward to see how far you will go. Only request is that you give Shizuna Rem Misurugi a large role, if not outright pair her with the OC
I'm glad this caught your interest. And don't worry, I have plans for Shizuna since she really, really had limited screentime in Kuro and she's one of my new favorites, juuust below Elaine. Please look forward to it!
[03/ 19/ S. 1204]
-14:05-
Marduk Total Security Company HQ, Ored
With his hands in his pockets, twenty-year-old Rei Liafall walked down the hall of the MK Company's main headquarters, escorted by a light cyan-haired woman wearing a blue maid outfit. If it weren't for her earpiece and the way she kept her guard up, the man would have assumed she was just a regular maid. He did question why a security company would make their service concierge wear a maid uniform, though…
The man adjusted his loose ebony coat while he continued following the woman.
Four years passed in a blink of an eye for the ex-Zephyr jaeger, yet his search for answers remained fruitless. He had ended up in the different cities and towns of Erebonia and Liberl. He even went to Crossbell during the course of his journey. But Rei not only failed to get some answers but ended up with more questions. For better or worse, his wandering also led him to meet all sorts of people and develop connections. Those same connections allowed him to discover that his former corps commander perished in a battle against the War God.
Word is that their battle lasted three days and three nights before both jaegers were considered dead.
That was so like the boss, fighting till the end even if he knew he would die.
The news was an unexpected blow to Rei, sorrow and guilt weighing on his heart for a time.
But the ex-jaeger remained strong and continued his travel around Zemuria, taking care of any fights that came his way. The years were kind to the young mercenary, and it showed. His growth in height and muscle was apparent. He was not as buff as Leo or Rutger, but his build was the perfect amount of muscle for him.
His escort noted the sigh he heaved as she glanced over her shoulder.
"Is there something wrong, Master Rei?"
"It's nothing, don't worry about it." He waved a hand dismissively. "You sure Thorndyke's free to see me right now? I did come here unannounced."
"Ah, yes. You actually came at a perfect time. The general manager was taking a break after his meeting was over when you arrived, so he's more than willing to accommodate your request." She chuckled before making a turn, Rei following after her. "He has been eagerly waiting for you to accept our offer to become another external tester of ours."
Someone became a weapon tester before him, huh? Ignoring how Gilliam Thorndyke really wanted the black-haired mercenary to accept their contract, Rei was a little surprised that there was another external tester. He wondered if they were testing out the same weapon Marduk was about to give him.
"Not like I had much of a choice. My old weapon is pretty much irreparable after I used it on stolen military tanks." He whipped out a damaged blade rifle strapped around his waist. "Without the help of an old... acquaintance, I can't really make a similar weapon, even if I take out the custom parts."
Encountering those jaeger dropouts was one of the unluckiest things that happened to him during his journey. He was forced to put in some effort in order to destroy those tanks, but he had to sacrifice his weapon to achieve his desired result.
Rei could still salvage some of the parts, but the man knew the weapon was too banged-up to be usable. Because he couldn't continue his journey without a suitable weapon, he gave in to the general manager's offer and went to Ored to accept it.
'Xeno's gonna be pissed if he ever finds out I broke it...' Rei shivered slightly, aware of how the Zephyr jaeger would react. It wouldn't be pleasant.
"Ah, did you and your acquaintance make that blade rifle yourselves?
"Yeah. It's the first weapon I ever made back when I was still with my old corps. My acquaintance is well-versed in weaponry, so he helped me build this." Rei's lips morphed into a nostalgic yet bitter smile.
"I see..."
The service concierge said nothing else as the two arrived in front of the GM's office.
"General Manager Thorndyke, Rei Liafall is here to see you."
"Please let him in, Miss Twinings." A smooth voice came from the door as the cyan-haired woman nodded, opening the door and gesturing for the mercenary to enter first.
Rei scratched his cheek before he went inside the office, Twinings heading inside after him.
A dark silver-haired man sat on a desk, piercing green eyes greeting Rei's amber ones. He wore a black shirt, white necktie, black trousers, and a black-red coat jacket with silver trimmings. Yup, the guy was wearing the same clothes he wore back when they first met.
Those garments strangely made Rei assume he was a jackass. But he'll keep that to himself.
Standing beside the general manager was a tall man with purple locks who looked like he was in his late twenties, hands behind his back and hair tied up with two red bandanas around his mane. The white long-sleeved jacket over a dark armored shirt covered his well-trained physique, and his appearance gave an air of a veteran warrior and professionalism.
Eyes narrowed; Rei's lips curled downward. 'What the hell is he doing here?
"It's good to see you again, Rei Liafall! Let's get straight to business; you're here to discuss with me the finer details about my past offer to you, correct?"
"That's the only reason I came here. But before that..." The dark-haired mercenary trailed off as he turned to the purplette. "Why's the Blazing Whirlwind of the Khurga Clan standing beside you? He wasn't around you whenever you came to persuade me before."
The general manager merely smiled off his hostility as he gestured at the tall warrior with a hand.
"He's our newest head of security. I'll let him formally introduce himself to you."
The Blazing Whirlwind turned to face the ex-Zephyr jaeger as the two eyed each other, gauging each other's strength. The older man's stoic face broke into a faint smile as he closed his eyes.
"Kasim Al-Fayed. It's a pleasure to meet Zephyr's Beowulf in person." The older man said, offering a hand for a handshake.
The twenty-year-old mercenary blinked before rubbing the back of his neck. "I... didn't expect that; not gonna lie." He awkwardly shook his hand and smiled wryly. "I'm Rei Liafall— Former jaeger of Zephyr."
"Ah, we are the same in that regard." His stoic countenance returned, his hand retrieving back to his side.
His statement made Beowulf take a step back. Does he mean...
"You're not a Khurga jaeger anymore?"
"That's right. I'm no longer associated with the Khurga Clan," Kasim stated matter-a-factly. "I am the head of security of Marduk now."
The shock on his face died down as his palm met his face. His olive streaks covered most of his eyes as the service concierge raised a brow in concern.
"Master Rei...?
As she approached to check on him, she heard a snort from the jaeger.
"Pfft... Ahahaha!"
The black-haired ex-jaeger cackled as he held his side, surprising Twinings and prompting Kasim and Gilliam to raise a brow.
"Ahaha... I see. We have something in common, after all." Rei wiped his eyes as if there were tears, calming down after his laughter.
"I suppose so. It seems we have a lot to talk about regarding our past as jaegers."
"Maybe." The mercenary smirked before he heard a chuckle from the general manager.
"Well, Mr. Liafall, you two will have all the time in the world to chat since Kasim will be acting as your combat instructor during your time training here in headquarters," Thorndyke announced with a smile.
The former jaeger stopped himself from clicking his tongue and nodded in response instead. It must be part of the contract. Nodding approvingly, Gilliam shot Kasim a glance as he took a large locked suitcase, setting it down on the general manager's desk. The silverhead disabled its locks and opened the case.
Rei stared in awe at the content of the suitcase. A slick, orange and black bladed weapon rested in the case's cushioned interior. The glimmer of the ebon metal took his breath away, and the orange that ran down the weapon's base complimented its dark color scheme. His amber jewels noticed a barrel built inside part of the bladed weapon, a nuzzle just above the blade, and a trigger built in the hilt.
Swallowing a lump in his throat, Rei continued to admire the craftsmanship of the modern weapon, missing the cyan service concierge's smile.
"As part of your contract as an external tester for the Combat Research Department, you will be issued two prototype weapons our company has developed. You are to use them to collect data on their efficiency and effectiveness in combat. Unfortunately, we have only completed one of the two weapons. The GM gave an apologetic smile... or at least one that he considered to be apologetic. "But this one is specifically designed for your use, using your previous weapon as a base for its design."
Rei grumbled as his eyes shifted into an annoyed glare. Marduk must have collected data from footage of his jaeger days, or someone must have stalked him during his travels to record his skirmishes. The young man was almost certain it could be both, though.
His amber gaze wandered to the small box that was below the Marduk weapon. Only a few items he could think of would be in a small container next to a blade rifle.
Gilliam's smile grew slightly, motioning Rei to pick up the weapon.
The former jaeger was more than happy to oblige as he grabbed the hilt. He noticed all the weight the weapon possessed, but it didn't stop him from picking it up. It was heavier than his old blade rifle, yet the heaviness was just right for him.
Twinings softly giggled when she saw the man inspect the bladed firearm with childlike fascination.
"We call it a longsword rifle. That model, in particular, is called the Longsword Rifle: Hrunting. As the name suggests, it's designed to act as a sword or firearm depending on the situation." The woman explained as she walked toward the case, taking the box from the contained and turning to the black-haired mercenary. "Hrunting is capable of using arts, traditional, and non-lethal bullets. However, those aren't the functions that make this longsword rifle unique."
Hearing all of this info about the bladed firearm made Rei stop his inspection. His face was dumbfounded. "There's more? I'm assuming it's related to that box you have there."
"You'll have to wait and see for yourself." She quipped with a faint playfulness in her eyes that stopped Rei from scowling.
"Miss Twinings is right." The GM agreed. "It's better you get a feel of your new weapon yourself instead of us explaining what it can do. We can finish discussing your contract after you're done giving Hrunting a test run."
Rei couldn't help but agree with their reasoning. Information about weapons is handy, but the hands-on practice was more reliable than the words of others.
"Sounds good to me. Let's see if it's up to my standards." He grinned, Kasim showing another display of a faint smile.
"It's good that you're enthusiastic. You'll be fighting against me." The Blazing Whirlwind looked at his superior for approval, to which he bobbed his head. Doing the same, he faced the attendant. "Please guide him to the training room on the fourth floor, Miss Risette."
"Understood, Chief Kasim."
The older ex-jaeger made a sound of acknowledgment before bowing to Thorndyke and leaving his office. Rei hummed to himself as he returned Hrunting to its suitcase, Risette following suit as she placed the box beside the weapon and closed the case.
"I'll have to make a new strap for Hrunting. It won't fit my old one."
"Do you want some help, Master Rei? I'm more than happy to offer my assistance to you."
The mercenary grabbed the suitcase, carrying it. "That'll save me some the trouble of measuring it myself. Thanks." He then turned to Gilliam. "We'll be going now."
"Yes. I'm looking forward to seeing the first set of data you'll collect for us."
Rei scoffed but smirked soon after as he and Risette left the GM's office.
The woman guided the ex-jaeger to the nearest elevator, pressing the up button. As the door opened, they both went inside as Risette pressed the button for the fourth floor.
The elevator shut closed, beginning its ascent to the fourth floor.
'I'll be facing one of the strongest jaegers in the continent. Even if it's just training for them to collect data, I can't half-ass fighting the Blazing Whirlwind." Rei mused as he closed his eyes.
Noting the new external tester's silence, the service concierge looked over her shoulder and glanced at his features.
His medium-length black locks kept themselves unkempt; olive-colored streaks dyed a good portion of his bangs. Risette only met Rei twice whenever he visited HQ, so she knew those streaks were a new addition to his style. The ex-jaeger's eyes were closed with arms crossed, a finger tapping his left elbow.
"Are you nervous?" She asked the obvious as the man gave a low chuckle.
"Yeah." He didn't bother denying it. His lips curled into a wry smile, "I'll be fighting against someone who's on par or maybe stronger than my old corps commander. If I count all the times I fought with him, I lost thirteen times and had one draw. If I can't beat my old boss, I wonder if I have any chance of beating Al-Fayed."
She softly gasps in shock and understanding.
GM Thorndyke told her when she first met Rei that all information gathering about the ex-jaeger would be handled by him and a few others. That meant the woman knew next to nothing about Beowulf's history other than he was once a part of Zephyr and his title. The general manager went so far as to inform Risette that there was no need to look into Beowulf.
She might be a Marduk employee, but even the woman saw the company as suspicious at times.
The two heard a ding, signaling their arrival as the elevator door opened. Rei and Risette left the lift as the attendant began escorting him to the training room.
"I believe it's understandable for you to be nervous. But please remember that your battle against Chief Kasim is only training, and it's for you to get used to wielding Hrunting and for us to obtain data of its usage."
A sigh escaped his lips as the mercenary ruffled his hair.
"I'm still gonna try to kick his ass, Twinings."
"Very well. I wish you luck then." Risette stifled a giggle as she smiled at the young man. "You can call me Risette if you wish."
After those words parted from her lips, the pair finally arrived at the training room. The door automatically slid open as they went inside.
Kasim Al-Fayed stood at the center of the training field with his own weapon in hand: a large two-handed bladed lance. Death looked like it shimmered through the ebon and magenta equipment. Its size was comparable to the Jaeger King's Buster Glaive or Trap Master Xeno's Blade Rifle.
It was enough for Rei to do a double take. What is up with some jaegers always preferring to wield overly large weapons? On second thought, he shouldn't talk. He used a blade rifle like Xeno, albeit slightly smaller.
"So that's your weapon, eh?" The former Zephyr jaeger set the suitcase down, opening it to grab Hrunting.
"Correct. It's called the Buster Lance." The older ex-jaeger said, lifting his weapon with one hand. "You can think of it as something similar to your new weapon. It doesn't just serve as a bladed weapon."
"It can do more than just cut and pierce things, huh?"
To be able to lift a weapon that big with just one hand... It was clearly a show of intimidation. Luckily for Rei, he was all too used to seeing his former comrades lift similar size weapons with one limb.
Beowulf lifted his longsword rifle the same way, perching the blunt edge on his right shoulder as he picked up the small box. Risette took the suitcase off the ground and went to the sidelines to spectate. Opening the box, his eyes widened.
An array of bullets was inside the box, all varying in color and shape.
Rei glanced at Risette as the woman just flashed her service smile. A grin crossed his visage as he shoved a handful of bullets in his pocket.
"Are you ready to commence your training?" Kasim asked, slowly shifting into his combat stance.
The black-haired mercenary rolled his neck and drew his blade to his right side, his amber eyes starving. "You bet I am."
The man chuckled as his aura flared up. The mere pressure of his energy was enough to send a gust of hot air at Rei. His title was literal, it seemed.
"You can have the first move."
"Better not blink then!"
In the next instant, Hrunting was a few reges away from Kasim's nose, catching both him and Risette by surprise. His shock would only last for a moment as he effortlessly parried the blade before thrusting the Buster Lance. The close proximity of the attack would force Rei to dodge, and the purplette would use that chance to go for a follow-up attack.
But the former Zephyr jaeger just loved defying expectations.
Grinning ferally, Rei tilted his head to the side as the Buster Lance barely grazed his cheek, blood trickling down. Seeing how he avoided a deadly strike, Kasim pulled back. But the younger warrior wouldn't let him get away.
He darted up to Al-Fayed as Hrunting met the Buster Lance, both weapons clashing against each other.
"As expected of the Blazing Whirlwind, I can't even make you budge!" The olive-streaked male grunted, pushing his weight against his foe's weapon. The head of security held his ground while smiling slightly.
"The way you avoided my attack before was dangerous and reckless, but it was impressive all the same. It was as if you knew the direction of where I'd attack." Kasim observed as he knocked the younger male back a few rege.
"What can I say? I have good instincts!"
Running with his lips curled upwards, Rei met Kasim's lance once more as the two started trading blows. The weight behind the Blazing Whirlwind's strikes was just as heavy but far quicker than the boss. But that's why Rei could keep up with the man's higher physical abilities.
Nostalgia washed over the dark-haired mercenary with each brush of their weapons.
Every time Kasim looked like he was about to land a hit, Rei would narrowly evade the attack. Risette, who was observing from the sidelines, compared the strange movements to an animal depending on its survival instincts.
The thought became more believable when Risette saw the almost animalistic way Rei fought. His swings were too wide and wild, and his movements were unpredictable and almost animal-like. However, the more the service concierge watched, the more she understood the man's style of fighting.
'On the surface, it looked like he was making unnecessary movements to be perceived as unrefined but unpredictable... But in reality, Master Rei's movement and actions were all calculated, almost like he knows how the flow of the battle will go.'
As Kasim swung for his head, Rei bent his torso backward to dodge before he knocked the ex-jaeger's Buster Lance up, loading Hrunting with a blue bullet.
"How about taking a little chill pill?!" He smirked and pulled the trigger, a blast of ice firing from the nuzzle, forcing the head of security to leap back.
"That's strange." He mumbled. "There should be a recoil after firing those septium bullets."
The black-haired mercenary hummed to himself.
"So, these are called septium bullets?" Rei pulled out a few of the ammo from his pocket, loading in an emerald-colored bullet. "They sound like a stronger version of arts bullets to me."
"Interesting. Were you not affected by the recoil?" The stoic man questioned with intrigue.
"Didn't feel a thing." He said and held Hrunting's trigger, hearing a piece being unlocked as the ex-jaeger pulled the grip downward. "Huh. So, this must be its rifle mode. Okay..."
Rei aimed at Kasim with a mischievous grin as his older counterpart held the Buster Lance with both hands and pointed back.
"It's good that you're getting familiar with your weapon." Energy started to gather around the muzzle of the Buster Lance. "If we were born at the same time and fought, I wonder who would come out on top."
"That's some high praise coming from the Blazing Whirlwind himself." A bitter and wry smile briefly flashed on Rei's face. "But compared to you, I'm just a talentless mercenary. I don't have any unique skills or talents that would make me different from anyone who finished the same training I once did."
His negative declaration caused Risette to frown. The eyes of Beowulf were too focused and glued to his opponent to notice.
Kasim closed his orbs with a neutral countenance and uttered, "You belittle yourself, but I suppose we'll save our talk after training."
" If I feel like talking!"
Rei fired a green stream of wind septium energy as his right hand flinched. Kasim's keen eyes noticed the twitch of his hand but remained in his spot, pulling the trigger as he released a large condensed beam of orbal energy.
The power of the energy blast surpassed Rei's as it consumed the emerald beam as though it was food.
Clicking his tongue, Rei threw himself to the side to avoid the blast and darted towards the Marduk employee's flank, loading a red bullet this time. Kasim turned his body in reaction and slashed downward.
"Gah!" His older counterpart forced Beowulf to guard with his blade. "You swing... hard... But!"
Pulling the trigger twice, a part of Hrunting's blade extended as a burst of fire septium energy coated the weapon. This sudden display caught Kasim off guard, but it was all that Rei needed as he exploited his surprise. The former Zephyr jaeger struck his Buster Lance upward, staggering his opponent back.
"This is something I learned from my training in Gehenna!" He shouted and went crazy with his slashes, clashing with Kasim with each hit getting harder.
An upward strike pushed him back.
A left downward made him dodge.
A full three-hundred-degree slash forced him to block.
The force and weight Rei put in his consecutive attacks increased with each swing. He left no openings for Kasim to use to turn the tables, forcing him on the defensive. The savage grin stitched on Rei's face widened and appeared a few reges to his face, sword drawn back and gripped with both hands.
"?!"
"Jackknife!"
As steel clashed with each other, an explosion erupted.
...
GM Thorndyke's Office
...
Gilliam Thorndyke stared at the screen of the orbal laptop on his desk, eyes glued to the live feed from the training room. The silver-haired manager wore a satisfied smirk upon witnessing Beowulf's skills with Hrunting. The dark clouds of smoke caused by the explosion prompted the man to turn at the monitor on his left.
Several images of blueprints were displayed. While each one differed in terms of detail and design, they all had one thing in common.
They were all gauntlets.
The Marduk GM stroked his chin as he reviewed the blueprints of the various gauntlets.
"It's unfortunate we couldn't complete the gauntlet in time, but using it in its incomplete state is too risky. There's no reason to let our external tester get hurt because of a faulty product." He looked back at his laptop to see his head of security and the mercenary come out of the smoke field. "I suppose the data from Model: Hrunting will suffice for now."
His musing was followed by the sound of a knock on his door.
"Excuse me, GM. The Combat Research Department is requesting your presence."
"Project E.A., I assume?" Thorndyke asked for confirmation as he got up from his seat.
"Yes. Professor Hiege requested your evaluation of the new fire output. They have finished integrating the new parts into the gauntlet." A man's voice said from the other side of the door before it opened as Gilliam stepped out.
"Then let's head to the research department right away. Knowing the professor, he must be eager to show me the results."
The Marduk employee nodded and led the way to the research department. Gilliam followed from behind, hands on his back.
'The external tester of the Stun Caliber and Zero Striker should be sending the data sometime this week. I wonder how he's faring at his interesting occupation...'
[03/ 19/ S. 1204]
...Same Time...
Old Town, Capital City of Edith
A man with bluish-black hair stared in front of a bistro. His sapphire eyes were glued to the sign "Montmart" as he stretched his neck. He wore a long cobalt blue jacket with a fleece-lined collar and a red undershirt under a grey vest. His legs were covered by his dark trousers and two belts around them, along with blue-grey loafers for his feet. The man's sleeves were slightly rolled up, exposing a red band around his left wrist.
The glare of the sun was reflected by the dog tag around his neck and the earring on his right ear.
"I hope I'm not too late for lunch." He grumbled as he entered through the door.
The voices of the patrons filled the small establishment. Some were just getting lunch while others were finishing their meals, having a light chat as they ate. There weren't packed with customers, but those who came were lively and kind.
A rose-haired woman was going around with a notepad in hand, taking down orders before her emerald eyes met the newcomer, a smile gracing her face.
"Finished with your morning work, Van?" She asked with a soft tone that could melt one's heart.
The man gave a sheepish smile, rubbing his neck. "Yep. Sorry, I'm a little late, but do I still have...?"
The sweet waitress patted his shoulder, her motherly smile plastered on her visage as she gestured to a free table.
"Just wait and relax. I'll bring you your lunch."
Van sighed in relief as a genuine smile crossed his face this time. He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to eat his lunch in the bistro, considering he was all too aware of how the chef would react if he was ever late in claiming his food. The dark-haired man took his seat before he felt a weight pressed against his leg.
"W-Whoa!"
"Hehe, Van!"
He looked down to see a rose-haired girl with a ponytail cling to his leg. A chuckle escaped his throat as he patted her head.
"Heya, Squirt. You helping out Paulette today?"
"Yep, yep! I need to help mama as her daughter and Montmart's poster girl!" The little girl beamed with a giggle, parting away from his leg. Her expression soon changed; her eyes narrowed as she placed her hands on her hips. "You're late for lunch again. You said you wouldn't be late this time!"
The dark-haired man sweatdropped, sighing. "I can't help it, okay? The last request took way longer than I expected to complete."
"Hehe, still getting used to your job?" The resident Madonna came back with a tray of Van's lunch, setting it down on his table.
Van's eyes lit up, eyeing the chicken curry with white rice laid beside it. His stomach voiced its complaints as Van sighed and picked up the spoon. Little Yume snickered at the rumbling tummy as she tilted her head.
"What were you again? A springgan?"
"Spriggan." He corrected the little girl with an amused chuckle. "I can't deny I'm still learning the ropes, but I prefer this style of living. Dealing with all sorts of requests is just part of the job, even if some are troublesome."
Paulette stifled a chuckle as Van took a spoonful of curry and rice. His countenance brightened, almost like sparkles appearing around the hungry man. Yume couldn't resist the smile growing on her face whenever she saw Van eat. This troublesome man had a talent for making any food look scrumptious whenever he ate.
"Well, don't push yourself too hard. Remember to always take breaks." Paulette advised as she received a nod from Van. "What would you like to drink?"
"I'll have an iced tea."
"I'll go get it!" Yume said with glee as she ran off toward the kitchen.
As her mother tittered, a well-built man wearing a chef's uniform came out from the kitchen. His reddish-brown hair was tied into a low ponytail with a thick mustache on his face. His stern emerald gaze could make even the toughest of men freeze for a second. His hair and eye color bore a striking resemblance to Paulette and Yume.
His sights went to the dark-haired man as he harrumphed.
"You better not be causing any trouble, Arkride. I heard rumors of a guy with black and blue hair visiting the Dark-Light District." He stated with a stern glare. "Don't do anything stupid if you continue to go there, you hear?"
The man, referred to as a Spriggan, waved a hand to dismiss the older man's worries.
"C'mon, Victor. I wouldn't go to that district unless I had a good reason." Van said as he took another bite of his meal. "And what makes you think I was the one who went there? I'm not the only one with black and blue hair in the world." He showed a not-so-innocent smile.
Victor grumbled and groaned, fully aware that the Spriggan was evading confirmation. That was fine, though. He was used to his evasions at this point. Letting a fixer like him live on the second floor of his bistro seemed like a terrible idea, but it wasn't so bad. Despite his "shadiness", he got along with his daughter and granddaughter. And as long as Van paid rent, the older man didn't mind him setting up his office upstairs.
He exhaled in exasperation. It felt like it was only yesterday when Victor and his family first met Van. Clothed in a ragged and dirty cloak, he wondered if anyone else would have helped the tired wanderer. His old appearance raised red flags, and his suspicion and hostility were understandable.
But when the old chef saw the joy that beamed through his countenance when Paulette offered him food, all initial qualms he had with the man vanished.
After thanking them for the meal, one thing led to another, and Van now had his office and living quarters set up on the second floor.
"Lousy fixer..." Victor half-heartedly scoffed as he watched the Spriggan happily eat his meal.
"Here's your iced tea, Van!" Yume shouted, coming out of the kitchen. Faster than anyone could blink, the older man's stern visage was gone, replaced with a kind and almost goofy face.
"I'm so proud of my precious little Yume! You're still so young, yet you've already been a huge help to us." Victor exclaimed, hands on his waist and a huge smile. "It warms grandpa's heart to know you're growing up just fine!"
"Hehe, I love helping grandpa and mama!" She set the drink on Van's table before puffing her chest out proudly. And I'm also Montmart's poster girl. I gotta help out!"
"Oh!"
If it was possible to have a heart attack because of cuteness, the rose-haired chef would have had one twice.
Paulette kindly smiled, stroking Yume's hair as she giggled. Van watched the whole exchange with his lips faintly curling upward. Somewhere deep inside of him, there was a tug to make his smile falter. He had to hold back, closing his eyes.
'They're a great family...'
A strange warmth filled a part of his soul at the thought, but the man thought nothing more of it. The Spriggan finished his meal and drink, sighing in satisfaction as he got up from his seat; the waitress turned to look at him.
"Ah, will you be going out again?"
"I think I'll stroll around the city one more time before calling it a day." He replied, rolling his neck around. 'I still smell something fishy... not to mention there's that faint stench of a wolf's corpse again...'
It's been four years since the last time his nose took in the unusual smell. Van did not go around smelling wolf corpses, but the scent lingered in his mind for the rest of that day. No corpses of the animal were around in the outskirts, yet his nose managed to register its stench.
He never thought of it again, but he knew it would always be in the back of his mind. It was strange...
How can he smell the scent of an animal's dead body without it being present around him? It was absurd.
His old master, however, thought differently, remembering his words back when they were training.
Hmph. You aren't the first one to experience something like that. There have been similar cases in the past, but the sensation varied from person to person. Some would feel a strange shiver different from the norm, or some would feel headaches while receiving vague images. In your case, you're smelling the non-existent scent of a wolf's corpse because of your keen sense of smell.
His master said the Septian Church called it a fate link. A phenomenon where one would experience a sensation that had a connection with an individual they were destined to meet. It did not mean they were a soulmate, nothing like that.
But his master stated they are a person whose fate intertwined with his.
'No use thinking about that crap right now. I better get a move on.'
After saying giving his farewells to the Montmart family, the dark-haired fixer left the bistro.
...
Seiden District, Capital City of Edith
...
The smell guided Van to the Seiden District of Edith, letting his nose lead him. The bluish-black Spriggan walked toward the post-board with a hand in his pocket. His eyes frequently flickered to his sides. It was a little bit of a paranoid action, but he had a hunch a pair of eyes were watching him.
He couldn't pinpoint where they were. They were good, but not good enough for Van not to notice their gaze.
Arriving in front of the bulletin board, the Spriggan checked behind the usual flyers and whatnots as he picked out the one with a 4spg written on it.
"I knew there was still one more. Now, let's see here..."
[Assistance for Extermination: Seiden District, Upper Waterways]
I would like your help in exterminating a monster in the upper waterways in Seiden District. An important belonging of mine is currently being guarded by a strong monster because of my careless mistake. Please come see me in the lobby of Hotel Maserati for a more detailed explanation.
- Charles
"Just an extermination request? This could be done by the guild..." Van was dumbfounded how anyone would request a Spriggan to deal with something like exterminating a monster. That's usually the Bracer Guild's job. "Then again, their 'important belonging' might not exactly be legal."
With that line of thought, it made sense for the client to request the Spriggan's services.
If the guild took the request and discovered what exactly the item was, they'll confiscate it for sure.
Sighing, Van stored the paper into his pocket and rolled his neck, his nose still picking up a dubious feeling.
As he walked to the hotel, his mind wondered why he was still feeling unease. It might have been only the feeling of being watched because of earlier, but…
Just why did he feel so uneasy?
Van went inside the hotel and looked around for his client, keeping his guard up the entire time.
When the fixer spotted a middle-aged redhead seated on one of the sofas waving at him, he walked up to the man. Van made his way over but froze when he heard a familiar voice.
"There were rumors about a Spriggan running around and taking up requests if the client knew how to contact them. I had a feeling, but I'm still surprised to know it was you."
A glasses-wearing brunette in a mulberry suit stepped out of the column behind the sofa. The man's silver jewels locked with the neutral expression of Edith's Spriggan. His countenance grew a brief smirk as he adjusted his glasses.
"René..."
"Don't call me by my first name." He sighed, but a small smile soon crept its way to his face. "It's good to see you're well, Van."
The dark-haired man's surprised eyes shifted into a glare before shooting a glance at the supposed client, flinching the man.
"Tch. I knew I smelled something fishy, but I didn't expect this shit." He scowled. "You used that guy to make a 4spg so you could confirm the identity of the rumored Spriggan."
Van gave the middle-aged redhead a once-over, noting the uniform-like suit he wore, scowl deepening on the Spriggan's face.
"Son of a... I can't believe I just noticed. My 'client' is part of the CID, isn't he?"
"Still sharp as ever, I see." René pushed back his glasses and bobbed his head in confirmation. "Correct. He's one of my subordinates from my workplace. Rest easy; we didn't trick you into coming because of our superior's orders. I took advantage of my subordinate's predicament to lure you here to meet me instead of myself finding you."
He clicked his tongue in irritation as he averted his sights. It was annoying how he managed to trick him, but if anyone could, it was the four-eyed bastard.
His nose gave him a warning, but it was Van who decided to come to the meeting place of the 4spg, even knowing of the possibility it might have been a trap.
And now, he was caught by that trap.
"You made a fake 4spg just so you can confirm some rumor? Give me a break..."
"I did say I used my subordinate's predicament to make you come here, no?" He reminded the Spriggan, much to his annoyance. "Initially, instead of submitting a 4spg, he was planning to do the job himself."
The four-eyed CID agent signaled for his subordinate to explain as he nodded.
"While a few agents and I were investigating the waterway for a case, a strong monster came out of nowhere and attacked us. We were already exhausted due to clearing a few monsters in the area and running around Edith for several investigations, so we had no choice but to flee, or else we would have gotten injured." Kincaid's subordinate looked down in shame before continuing. "But because of that, a suitcase containing important files from various cases slipped off my hands. I tried to get it back, but the monster, unfortunately, got to it first."
"As you can see, Van, the 4spg he made isn't a false request. We might have tricked you into meeting me, but Charles' 4spg is a genuine request of his." René didn't give Van a chance to speak as he elucidated. "If you're planning to say that my subordinate can just deal with the problem himself now that I've seen you. Then allow me to clarify that he is in no condition to engage the extermination target."
Van almost threw another protest until he noticed the way the 'client' was holding his arm. He slowly inhaled before exhaling, pinching the bridge of his nose. It wasn't obvious at a glance, but now he understood why his childhood friend said that. These damn CID agents are even good at hiding pain, huh?
"Dammit, fine!" The Spriggan relented as he ruffled his hair, a sigh parting his lips. "Just let me ask you two more things before I do this."
"Very well. What do you want to ask?"
"You had a few of your subordinates stalk me earlier, didn't you?"
"That's right." The brunette shamelessly admitted. "It was to confirm your appearance and to see if you were going to Hotel Maserati."
Van let out a grumble and groan. There was something about how easily René admitted the claim that irked the Spriggan. Memories of his time with the bespectacled man resurfaced as a conflicted smile crossed his visage, only for it to fade away the next second.
Exhaling deeply, the Spriggan's expression returned to neutrality before parting his lips to speak.
"Have you told her about your speculations about me?"
"I would," Kincaid began vaguely, shoving his hands in his pockets. "But I chose not to. Don't get me wrong. The thought crossed my mind, but I thought it was better for her to see you herself. But knowing you, I presume you've been doing everything in your power to avoid her, us?"
"..."
His silence was the end of their discussion. Kincaid fixed his suit as his subordinate got up from his seat. The supposed client bowed to the brunette before taking his leave, the man following suit.
René stopped his track just before his pass by Van, patting his shoulder.
"I won't ask you why you left that day. I know you had your reasons, but I hope you know that you can't keep avoiding her forever. Sooner or later, you'll have to confront her."
A fist clenched, and pearly whites gritted against each other in silence. His gaze dropped to the floor, shutting his eyes tight.
René said nothing more and left Van to his own devices, drowning in his own thoughts.
'Easier said than done, four-eyes...'
The image of a blonde-haired girl flashed before his eyes. A memory of the two resting underneath the tree at the memorial park, her head resting on his shoulder. The gentle and sweet smile she would give him now felt like a dagger through his chest.
"Ha..."
Van took a breath and shook his head to rid himself of the thought.
He can't get distracted; there's a monster that needs exterminating.
The bluish-black Spriggan departed from the hotel, heading toward the direction of the waterway.
He noticed the lock was already opened for him as the man went inside. His nose detected a nasty scent lingering in the room and the presence of monsters in the area.
"Guess they didn't clear all of the monsters here, but the big guy should be further in."
Van mumbled to himself, drawing out a swordlike weapon with blunt edges. Its color scheme was greyish-silver and navy blue; the engraving of M.T.S.C. etched on edgeless steel. A blue gem was installed into its pommel and trigger in its hilt.
"This is the perfect time to gather data for the Stun Caliber."
The Spriggan stretched his neck and began his trek through the sewers. The route to the depths was not very complicated, and the monsters weren't as strong as he thought. Strikes from his edgeless blade were enough to deal with most of the creatures in the waterway. For the big platypus-like monsters, mixing a bit of his unorthodox martial arts with his attacks made quick work of them.
Crossing over bridges and clearing out the smaller monsters, Van navigated his way to the deeper parts of the waterway.
The pungent stench of the target attacked his nostrils as he stifled a groan.
He was getting close, and if the bridge on the right was any indication, the beast awaited him on his right turn.
"That's definitely the scent of a drome. That's gonna be a pain in the ass to deal with without arts..." He complained as he walked on the bridge leading to a door.
The Spriggan opened the metal frame, slowly peeking through the gap, eyes widening in surprise.
"What the hell..."
Van muttered as he went inside the room to see no monster present. The suitcase of the CID agent lay on the floor, green slime covering the case. His nose still detected the odor of the target, yet its form was nowhere to be seen.
His sniffer suddenly smelled another scent in the room, much more akin to an animal than a monster.
As he approached the suitcase, he heard whimpering coming from behind it. Coming to a stop, Van saw brown paws step out from behind the metal frame. A small puppy made itself known, fear plastering the little pup's features.
"What the... How did a puppy get down here of all places...?"
He got on one knee as the pup warily looked at him before running to his side, shaking. The dark-haired Spriggan petted the dog's little head to ease its fears. His eyes noted the collar around its neck and assumed the dog was a girl.
"Bella, huh? Your owner must be worried sick." She whimpered softly as Van picked her up in his arms before grabbing the slimy suitcase, grunting slightly in disgust. "I should take her to the police station. Her owner must have already filed a—"
"Van...?"
At the call to his name, his whole body froze in an instant. His heart skipped a beat, increasing its pace as the sound of the running water of the waterway turned silent for his ears. The voice that uttered his name stiffened every muscle in his body, but his head still managed to turn to face the owner of the voice.
A young woman clad in a green bust dress with long tails stood in front of the Spriggan. Her beautiful flaxen hair reached her back, now sporting two braids in the front instead of one. The woman's wrists were covered by silver wrist guards as she held the blue scabbard of her blade with her gloved hand. An ivory handbag with a gold cross buckle was slung over her shoulder.
Her baby blues eyes were as wide as plates as they stared at his azure blues. Both orbs were painted in an array of conflicting emotions. He felt a crushing grip around his heart as a name escaped his lips.
"Elaine..."
I know that the spreadsheet said Comprehensive Security Company, but I'm going with total since I won't be changing M.T.S.C.
The obvious change would be the date of events that happened as you have probably read. Since there wasn't a clear date when Van became a Spriggan and finished his training with Kasim, I decided to write my own take. I've also made Van and Elaine's reunion earlier than canon, of course, I have my reasons for doing so. I initially wrote this chapter to be the start of Kuro's prologue, but I have chosen to rewrite and start off this way so it'll be easier for me in the long run. All I can say is that a few more backstory chapters and then the main plot will begin.
For now, I'll see you all in the next chapter. Thank you for reading!