Elena couldn't possibly suppress this overwhelming excitement; her every vein was brimming with joy. Even if there was a thick layer of smog coating the sky, that fizzled out a portion of the artificial lights that shone from every street in sight.
So, even as the rain crashed down on her and Roland- or Arnold as he'd insisted- nothing could possibly ruin this moment.
"You look like a kid in a candy store." His eyebrow raised and a curious smile on his lips. No longer could she see that deep-rooted hatred that dulled his eyes– and that baleful look, like he'd wanted her dead by any means necessary, hardly ever slipped onto his face.
She hated seeing him like that, it was scary, intimidating –even pitiful– seeing such a broken look, considering he must have been younger than her. Yet she swallowed those thoughts; her confusion and questions would have to be put to the side temporarily. She needed to adjust to this City, this grandiose beacon of light and life that she'd longed for since first seeing the brimming illumination of these structures.
Then her words hit him, and she realised she'd been staring. "A… Wha-?" Of course, there was the terminology she'd never heard of. He'd gone on and on about things she hadn't a clue about, only nodding as to avoid drawing that malignant look. "Nevermind that." She waved off any growing concerns. "This is all so much to take in. I'm so excited~! I've been awaiting this day since I was a meager child!"
"Not the first time you've said that. I think that's about the only thing you've said since we've got here. And close your mouth, would you? The rain's probably got some poison in it…"
The next few minutes were filled with the immediate need to know facts he'd decided to lay out for her. Workshops, fixers, syndicates, the Night in the Backstreets, and the 25 MegaCorps, as well as their nests and the like. Roland but a strong emphasis on how much it mattered that they were indoors and safe by the time 3:13 came. Such a sudden influx of exposition was nothing she couldn't handle however, nodding along and imagining such scenes in her head.
Roland started off with a quick idea, trying to get her out of this tourist-awe and into a more grounded reality– the reality that they would be dead in a day if they didn't start getting their shit together. "So, our best bet is to go raid a low level syndicate and either take their stuff…Or beg some charitable souls to show us some pity and shelter us for the night."
They exchanged looks.
Elena's face had scrunched up
"Eh… shouldn't be too hard to find. We can rough up some rats and then follow the trail." Roland's view turned to his sword, smiling before grimacing. "This is this and that's that. Rat's probably won't survive too long, so it shouldn't matter much if we kill them or not."
"How are… rats going to help?" The vermin had been of use for her den. Using the blood from similar rodents to feed, and the marrow and fat to keep their livestock alive enough to produce blood. Human blood always tasted better, everybody agreed.
"Rats are… desperate people who're willing to do anything in order to get themselves on some stable footing. Not the animals. Like everybody else, they'll go to some pretty disgusting lengths to do that. The megacorps and associations don't really count them as 'people', so there's no real consequence to killing a few as long as you're thorough enough and don't waddle into a huge group." He grimaced ever so slightly, clutching the hilt of his weapon.
"How convenient for us." Her mind quickly filled with possibilities— such a large holding of humans, ones she could kill without consequence? This City truly is paradise!
Unable to fully withdraw the joyous images spurring in her head, she allowed an unsettling grin to spread itself over her mouth causing the fixer's eyes to draw away at the sight. The thirst she felt racking her body… There would be more than enough to quench it here! She could feast and drink for days on end– feel crimson ichor slip between her teeth and tongue and tear vein from muscle and–!
"You're… drooling." He snorted. "Guess you must be really hungry too, eh? I'd suggest we take care of business quickly before this gets any worse. I haven't eaten in days~ what a shoddy boss you are."
"Oh, quiet would you? The thirst grows ever more restless. I concur– in that we should find sustenance quickly." She added. She could feel her char coloured insides dance at the thought of fresh blood– human blood– after so damn long.
In a few quick minutes, and after Elena had cannibalised –and subsequently traumatised– a handful of rats, Roland found himself easing up. Back in familiar territory, even if his venture into the Outskirts wasn't all too dangerous in the end– and the idea that the Purple Tear had intended to put him in such a peaceful part of ruins or not had been circling around his head.
"Dawh… they're so flimsy." The drained husk of a rat could barely keep itself upright, a large gash wound where Durandal had sliced their neck left the head hanging on by a sliver. The other two rats looked on in horror, barf dribbling down one of their chins. Roland kept his head turned and a fake smile plastered on his face.
"You two know any syndicates around here? Ones that aren't under a finger, preferably?" Roland crouched down, covering their view of the… abomination.
"Th-there's none out here! A-corp is– they cleared everybody out so they– so they–" Wide eyes turned to the shambling corpse Elena was cheering on as it slowly stepped forward. The Rat held a hand to his mouth, bile pouring through his fingers and making the fixer back off in disgust.
"Oi. Er… Elena. I think you're distracting them. Think I can get some privacy?" The bloodfiend turned to him. She pouted for a moment before piping up.
"I think I'd do a better job interrogating them." She placed her hands on her hips. "I clearly have them rattled. I don't think they'd have the gall to attempt to lie to me, lest I give them a more painful end than their brethren."
"Eh." DId she think they were related? "Go ahead I guess." He sent the two rodents a pitying look, yet nonchalantly put his hands into his pockets. "I'll give you some privacy in that case. Don't wanna be around to see whatever's about to happen."
"Wait! No! I-I'll take you right there! Th-They're protected by the middle but they're the closest so please don't leave us with this thing!"
Roland hid a smirk as he turned around, unsheathing Durandal. Intimidating people like this was an old technique he'd done with Angelica, actually. She tended to be both more brutal and apathetic than him– on the surface– causing people to… be more open to suggestions. It worked a lot better when you know you were about to become some vampire's plaything. "Right then. Lead the way."
"That means we don't need this one, right?" When Roland turned around, Elena had already gutted open their throat, devouring the squirts of blood the still writhing rat that continued to desperately flail about– the fresh liquid pouring from the wound that Elena failed to gobble up, dripping down as it coalesced onto an already forming puddle.
A tongue whipped from her lips, catching some stray droplets as she turned to him. "Hm? I'll catch up~ Just give me a minute would you?"
Roland tasted bile at the back of his tongue. Pitying the soul who'd just been butchered like some farm animal.
'In the end, Elena was still a bloodfiend. 'It's natural. She's done nothing out of the ordinary. That rat was probably going to die anyway. At least there won't be anything to bite us in the ass from this.'
Because this was the Blood-red Nights. The Star of the city that evaded the twelve associations for five years. The woman that managed to shake both him and Angelica to their cores.
Despite his past, and his previous witness to such scenes…
Roland could only scowl at how little she cared.
[-]
"I suppose that could work…" Juniper sent a pitying look toward her son, who was busy weaving the stems of flowers into a knot. Too adorable– she wanted nothing less than to fawn over him all day like she had been before. Her heart fluttered at the thought.
"I'm surprised you're on board with this. There's a chance it'll end up ruining everything you've worked so hard to build for him. I wonder if you can really go through knowing that." Juniper nodded along, Nikolai's words going through one ear and out the other.
She drew a cigar, heavy duty and packed with drugs, lighting it up and watching the smoke escape her lips. "The last thing I want is for my boy to die in some tragic fixer incident. But I can't just stamp down on his dreams, no matter how dangerous it is…Hah~ being a mother is so hard. If only there was somebody else I could coincide with."
"..."
"Ahem."
Nikolai took a long draw on her cigar, eyes darting around in wait of the purple gash in space that Iori might appease from. Juniper found her arms crossed, tapping away impatiently. The rain had turned to a light drizzle and Juniper had been quick to dress Mars up in his raincoat.
…
"Iori came to me a few days ago– used a portal into my house and made a mess. I'm guessing you two talked before that? We didn't exactly part on the best terms if you can recall. I suppose she never specified she came to see you, I'm just assuming." She pulled a cigarette from her coat, drawing a breath from it. "Hah~ she had a custom made sword for Mars too, so sweet of her." Her tone betrayed her voice. She sounded livid; the same type of venom Iori had used back when Nikolai spoke her feelings.
"I don't see the problem with it. As a colour she has access to certain workshops we don't– and Hana's funding above that. Aren't you happy Mars will–"
"NO!" She screeched. "I don't want Mars to be a fixer–! I don't want him to be in danger– even if it's his damn dream." She scowled. "He doesn't know what it's like and I don't want him to know! I'm not going to let him be a fixer. He's a smart boy, determined too. He'll be a great feather one day— I'll make sure of it. He's not going to be like us."
Nikolai hid her smirk.
"That's why… I'm so fucking pissed you pulled him out to the Ruins! You know what lurks out there better than I do but you still decided to bring him?!" Juniper looked as if she wanted to curse her out more, but the sudden outburst had brought some attention onto them– including her son's.
The shepard spoke quietly. "I had to. I missed the opportunity, but there's something out there that will save us from the future Iori predicted for us. We spoke of it in our office, and we've come to terms with helping one another."
Juniper flung her arms up in exaggeration. "Is that why you brought him out? So you– so you could get my attention? We're friends, Nikolai! I'd listen to you. I trusted you with Mars for heaven's sake."
'You wouldn't.' She wanted to respond. Juniper had been so lost in taking the utmost care of Mars she could look a foot past him. He was her world, and so, endangering him was the only way to fully show her friend the extent that finding this fixer would go to a better future.
"I know. The area of the Ruins was previously cleared out by R corp. Leaving him in the hands of a Rhino or Rabbit would have been too risky, I only command a handful personally. A small detail like that wouldn't be enough to stop a determined grade two. Besides, cramped corridors are where assassins thrive. Out in the wastes, where the land is barren as far as the eye can see, it's impossible to hide. Aside from that, I know how much he means to you. I'd have thrown myself in front of anything that would bring him harm."
"That's… ridiculous. Surely R corp has security. I don't believe you."
"Security is the issue. Fourth pack's barracks are filled to the brim with drunks. Nobody bothers guarding the place because nobody's stupid enough to try and break in. There's a few Reindeer and Rabbits patrolling sure, but how many of them do you think are keeping an active eye out for Shi of all people?"
The rhetorical question steeled Juniper's gaze.
"Dammit…" She scowled, throwing away the cigarette that had been burning away in her hand, crushing it under her heel. Nikolai took another drag. "It can't really be that bad. R corp is the biggest up and coming mercenary SuperCorp. People know more about the first pack than they do grade one Fixers. They have to at least be able to warn one another!"
"It's hardly suited for spotting infiltrators on the grade of Shi. An early warning on syndicates or large scale attacks, but every officer is expected to be able to fend for the set against a grade three at minimum." Nikolai ruffled her coat. She'd gone through a far greater deal if training than studying while working to get into R-corp. While she was confident in her ability to defend Mars regardless, it worked out better this way.
"I still think it's bullshit. Rogun was–... I just want to protect Mars. I don't care if I have to crush his dreams to do so— He won't become a fixer."
June's hands were shaky as they reached for another cigarette. Nikolai's gaze turned to Mars, and spoke up before she could light it.
"I got a few hours to spare. You seem like you've got something to rant about. They serve some good bulgogi. My treat."
"Yeah, sure." She sighed. "I hope they have a kids menu."
Finding this fixer would need to be put on hold- whilst important, Nikolai didn't think so little of Juniper as to simply use her as needed. She was a friend, and so finding this fixer helped the both of them. It was a pity Iori hadn't been eavesdropping, or perhaps dropped in. The three of them hadn't been together on friendly terms in just under a five years now.
"Ah, it's your anniversary soon, isn't it?" Nikolai had found fit to bring it up as they crossed a street.
"It really touches me that you remember." Her face quickly went from annoyance to a solemn, grieving look she'd seen on many.
Yes, that would explain why Iori hadn't shown her face- especially so close to their anniversary.
The Purple Tear was the one that killed her husband, after all.
