DISCLAIMER: SKIP BEAT! and its associated characters are the creations of Yoshiki Nakamura. This author claims no ownership of Skip Beat or any of its characters. All other rights reserved.
Word: The word-prompt for this one-shot is 'Zap.'
Author's Note (June 29, 2022): This was inspired by the recent 'Dark Heroes' illustration that Nakamura-sensei published in The Hana to Yume magazine for June. In it, Ren is depicted as 'Deeper' and Kyoko as 'Raiya' (or Lyre, or Liar, depending on whose translation you're using). I have not read Tokyo Crazy Paradise, so this is a reaction fic based entirely on the latest events from Chapters 306 and 307.
Hell's Soldiers
Of course she agreed to it.
Kuresaki-san's request had been a surprise—they had a full complement of Japan's most brilliant actors on-hand. What did they need her for? Still, she trudged dutifully to the dressing room to see what role they had in store for her.
She blushed when she saw the costume. It wasn't so bad, she told herself—Setsu's clothes had been just as daring. The costume even had pants…er, if they could be called pants. She knew that her weapons would be animated later in CGI, but she still admired the craftsmanship used to make the chain and claws that attached to her hands and her waist. She watched as the makeup artist put the wig on her head—a hairstyle swooped over to the side, making her look dangerous, deadly, and…sexy.
She would have to play an antagonist again—and this time, she'd be attacking Moko's character. And this time, she would slice through men and minions like a scythe through the wheat, keeping only the most desirable boys as her playthings. She took long, leonine strides towards the soundstage, feeling like a predator.
The first test came quickly as she came back on-set. Moko, taking a drink of water…looking over at her.
"Kyo—"
She steeled herself and glared at Moko, and was gratified when her name died on Moko's lips.
You are Raiya, she thought to herself. And that is not Moko-san. That is your enemy. She saw Moko's mouth fall open as she glared at her, but Kyoko was determined not to fall out of character. She would make Raiya her own, just as she'd made Mio, and Natsu, and Setsu. She would be attacking Moko with Ren. The thought shouldn't have excited her so much, but it did.
She strode past Moko without a word.
Kyoko could apologize later. Raiya would do no such thing.
Raiya was well and truly capable of ignoring the stares of lesser beings she passed along the way.
Yashiro was blushing on her behalf and looked as if he'd die from excitement.
She ignored him.
Koga was watching her with a small smile on his lips.
She ignored him.
She was going to ignore Ren, too. She was prepared to walk right past him and take her place on-set, awaiting direction from Kuresaki. It was the proper thing, the reasonable thing, the only thing she could do—even if he was shamelessly shirtless, even if she couldn't help but replay the night she'd felt those muscles under her hand. Her traitorous heart gave a ba-dump as she approached him.
Their eyes met, drawn helplessly to each other.
Zap!
A sudden burst of electricity coursed between them, and on his face she saw the Emperor hiding behind Deeper's cold eyes. Staying away from him was impossible, really. Even with Koga watching her, she couldn't help the small ways she gravitated towards him. And now, they were comrades. Hell's soldiers, awaiting battle.
"Raiya," he said. She felt the hairs on her neck rise. He smiled at her—a cold, wolfish grin, a grin she'd never seen on his face before.
"Deeper," she answered.
They were interrupted by Kuresaki's cough. "Take your places on set, please," he said.
They took their places on a set made to look like a clearing in the midst of rubble, standing back to back. He drew his sword. She readied her claws.
And just before Kuresaki called action, she heard—
"I'll have your back. Always."
"I have yours too," she answered.
