Roanapur Nights

A Rosario+Vampire and Black Lagoon Crossover

Chapter 11

Revy felt uncertain in the dress she was wearing. It wasn't that she didn't wear skirts. Hell, she wore them in Tokyo, and then she wore one right after they had finished delivering the Huang family to their destination. She wasn't overly superstitious about things, but she did notice that both times she wore a skirt purposefully some bad shit happened afterward. With the Tokyo skirt it had been the Yakusa princess taking her own fuckin life that nearly ruined Rock.

It'd come close to killing off what was good inside of him. It if hadn't been for the Lovelace brat and that damn maid she was sure that he would have slipped into the darkness. Instead saving them had been enough. It'd brought him back, and he had managed to beat the odds. The second time he'd taken a bullet meant for her. It'd nearly killed him, but then again some good came from it. He, and Roxy, were both immortal now. The grim fuckin reaper couldn't touch him or her baby.

That tyrant was out of two more servants, and she would be damned if she didn't give them the kind of protection they needed while she was able to do so. Still, it made her wonder exactly what kind of shit storm was going to come of her wearing a dress again. Especially since the reason was far less than official.

She looked at Rock as they both walked behind Fang Fang Huang and Cassandra Dimitrescu. The two of them were talking, simply conversing, and they were heading into a restaurant that was owned by Hotel Moscow. The restaurant was well run, offered western style dishes, and while takeout orders were allowed for pretty much anyone to actually come inside and sit meant that the person was connected.

It reminded her that Fang Fang and his undead sister Ling Ling were both serious players when it came to the criminal world. What surprised her most of all was the fact that Cassandra looked nervous. It was the little things, the little tells that she had when they talked. As someone that played poker fairly often with Eda she knew tells when she saw them. Cassandra had a hell of a poker face most of the time, but right now it was gone. There was just a girl there, and one that seemed to be interested in a boy.

"They seem interested in one another," Rock said as they walked into the restaurant, "I mean they really haven't seemed to run out of things to talk about."

Revy nodded, "Yeah, they're getting on like a house on fire," she admitted as she looked around, "So, fryface really went all out on this place huh?"

She saw Rock take a look around the building. It was designed to look similar to how the Kremlin looked in Moscow. The furniture, the carpet, and the tables were designed with a heavy influence from the Russian aesthetic. It was almost a perfect example of the odd melting pot that Roanapur was. The smell of the food was another thing. It was rich and heavy, almost like walking into a bistro and bakery all at the same time.

"It's impressive," he admitted after a moment, "I'm guessing that she dropped some serious money on this place. But then again I understand that a lot of the official meetings take place here."

She nodded, "Yeah, explains why it isn't something that's usually open to the public," she said as they were finally led to their seats. Once there they all took a seat and she watched as their waitress came over. She was certainly Thai. Revy could see that. She was slender, her bust wasn't overly impressive, and yet she was dressed in a more western style of clothing. Oddly, it made her far more attractive than she had a right to be, "So, she's got locals serving?"

Rock looked at the girl, and then he shook his head, "Revy," he replied, "That's not just a local."

It took a moment to look again, and she recognized her. She was someone that had been a free agent, one of the would be assassins that went after Benny's girlfriend. She was also damned good at what she did. She'd seen her land hits with her throwing knives each time, and she had been taking out the men that were rivals going after the same goal. She was just lucky enough that she didn't throw something at her when her back was turned, "Yeah, I know what you mean."

The woman gave a slight bow, "Welcome to Khoroshiy Restoran," she said, "I am your hostess Kayna. Please, take a moment and let me know your drink order."

Revy watched as Cassandra studied it for a moment, "This, the sunrise, does it really contain the ingredients it says it does?"

The woman nodded, "Yes, it is contains all that is there."

She saw Cassandra study it for a moment, "I wish to take that as my drink."

Revy ordered herself a simple beer, Rock did the same, and Fang Fang actually ordered some mixed drink that likely would have some of the bartenders going into convulsions. She watched as their hostess took their order and then left. She looked at both Cassandra and Fang Fang. The need to know was getting to her, "So, not that I mind going and sharing a drink, but why did you guys want me and Rock to follow along?"

Fang Fang shrugged, "In truth I wanted to have a chance to converse with both of you. I know that Ling Ling has officially welcomed you into the Huang Family, and I am personally glad that she has. I feel you are both assets that we need," he replied as he looked at them, "More importantly I feel that you both have become friends to us, and I thought that Cassandra might feel more at ease if this was a double date."

Revy raised her eyebrow, "So, dating?"

Cassandra gave a nod, "Mother did not tell me to refrain from dating, and Fang Fang has caught my attention."

Revy looked at her, and then she looked at Fang Fang himself. She wasn't going to fault her for liking him. Hell, as far as she knew the two of them might be really good for one another. She wasn't worried about Cassandra slacking off on teaching Rock or Roxy. She had proven that she would certainly obey her mother's orders. The one thing that she did wonder was what it could mean for her.

"So, if you hit it off well enough do you plan on staying in Roanapur?"

She saw the slight reaction, and it was enough to answer the question, but it didn't stop Cassandra from opening her mouth, "I'd like to," she admitted after a moment, "I'd enjoy that. I don't know if it will be allowed though."

She took a moment and looked at Revy, "This is a city of monsters, but more than that it is a monster. The city lives and breathes as well as any of us. It is a giant monster that exists for feeding itself," she said as she looked at her, "I feel at home here, and I enjoy staying with you and my brother."

She breathed out as she looked toward Fang Fang, "But when I am finished teaching both my brother and my niece, I will be called back home. My mother will want me to return, and for the first time I question if it is what I want. I want to see my sisters, to see my mother, but there is more that I want now."

Revy grinned at her, "So, let her know that you'd like to oversee business here," she said as they sat across from one another, "Look, it's obvious that your mom plans on continuing to have business dealings with the Huang and Miao families. She needs a proxy, and while I know that Rock can do it I bet that she'd like to have someone else here too. Maybe someone that can ensure that stupid idiots don't have a chance to muck up the works."

Cassandra gave a faint smile, "Yes, much like that one man at the bar," she said, a small smile crossing her face, "He was a foolish rat that chose to stick his head out when he shouldn't have."

Revy saw Rock looking at them, "Happened at the Yellow Flag, and yeah the guy deserved it. He was a rapist piece of shit."

Rock nodded, "Did he do anything?"

She knew that question and she shook her head, "He got handsy with Cassandra, and she taught him why that was a piss poor decision."

He looked at her, and then back at Revy, "Just be careful."

She rolled her eyes, "Rocky baby, we live in Roanapur. We're all just waiting for our bullet. I ain't gonna make it easier for the gun, but when the bullet comes it comes."

He looked at her, "Which is why I want you to be careful," he said, his voice dripping with concern, "Revy, I want you to be able to see Roxy grow up, and hell I want you there to threaten her first boyfriend. I already know that you'll do it better than I will."

She grinned, "Yeah I will, I'll make him piss himself."

Rock smiled at her, and she enjoyed it. A few moments passed and their hostess returned. She brought their drinks, and placed them down for them. Revy took her beer, and she planned on it being something local. She had figured that it would be one of the many knockoff brands that got relabeled as an American beer, but instead it was an actual German Lager. The taste of it was far better than she expected, and she took a deep pull from it.

"Damn," she said, "That's pretty good."

"Da, it is."

Revy looked up to see Balalaika herself walking toward their table. As she neared a chair was grabbed by the hostess and brought over for her. It was placed at the edge of the table and she took a seat, "Kayna, bring me my usual."

The hostess didn't argue, and she simply turned and walked back from her. Balalaika looked at those seated and waited for the Thai beauty to return with a bottle of chilled vodka and a small shot glass. She poured one for her and Balalaika took the glass, lifted it, and downed it, "Good, thank you."

With that Kayna left, and Revy didn't miss the clearly worried expression she wore. The girl seemed to be unnaturally beautiful, and she didn't doubt for a moment that she was certainly some kind of monster. That said, it was smart of her to be worried about Fry face. She wasn't someone to fuck with, and Kayna likely knew that.

"It is good to see you Rock, Revy, I suppose that my goddaughter is being looked after?"

Revy nodded, "Yeah, she's safe back at home, and I know that there's plenty of guards between her and idiots that would try anything."

She nodded, "Good," she replied before she looked at Fang Fang, "I am sorry to disturb your meal, but I felt it necessary to come over. The very thing that your sister has indicated to be put into motion has been started. While I personally have kept my hands clean of it I have watched it. As long as it does not break the truce we have here then Hotel Moscow will not interfere."

Fang Fang looked at her, "It will be completely inline with the truce. We would not do anything that would destroy the balance that exists. We would however work to make it more balanced. Such a thing would only benefit those that find honor more important than simple numbers, right?"

She nodded, "It would," she replied as she took another shot, "Which is why we will not interfere as long as it holds to the truce. Now, please excuse me, but I fear that I have duties in other places."

She stood, and Revy watched as she began to walk off. Whatever could be said about monsters held true for her. Balalaika was just as vicious as any of the monsters, and likely more deadly. She shook her head. She would end up wondering and worrying about whatever it was that was happening, but she also knew that Rock was part of it. He'd told her that he'd come up with a way to help make things a little more safe here.

Safe and Roanapur were two words that didn't go together. There was safeish, a sort of an illusion of safety, but there wasn't any real safety here. The safest that existed here was having a gun, knowing how to use it, and being better than the other guy. Still, right now she was on a date with her husband. The date, her time with Rock, and of course short stack back at home was more important to her than anything else.

One thing she knew for certain was that she was never going to screw this up, "So, I know that we don't want to talk too much shop, but I got a feeling that there's something going on that's going to shake things up, right?"

Fang Fang looked at her, and then he looked at Rock. There was a slight nod, and she watched as Fang Fang leaned back, "To put it simply, your husband came to us with an idea of how to put a small vacuum into the power structure here. It would be one that would deal with an element that has proven to be volatile."

She cocked an eyebrow, "You're talking about Chang," she whispered, "I mean I know that's who you're talking about. The Triads pretty much run the slave market here, and that's about as volatile as it gets."

Fang Fang nodded, "Exactly, I do not want to go over the specifics about it," he said before glancing around, "It is better to assume that there are ears listening. I am certain that your husband will be willing to fill you in on it, but please understand that once you are involved you will be made part of the situation."

She looked at him, "I'm already about as involved as it gets. If my Rocky baby is part of it then I know that I am."

He nodded, "Very well," he said before he turned his attention back to Cassandra, "I am sorry about talking business while we are on a date."

She shook her head, "I spoke to someone else as well," she replied, her voice demure, "So I hold no ill will."

She gave him a slight smile, "Besides, we have a long night ahead of us, and there is much life to see here."

As they toasted their drinks another vampire stood on the balcony of the suite he was given while in Roanapur. Tsukune Aono looked out over the city and breathed in the night air. He could sense the life around him, something that had become far more present after his fight with his dark father. More to the point, he had come to understand exactly what was happening.

Ling Ling had explained that his place in the Huang Family was that of a placeholder. He wasn't exactly expected to be part of their organization. She didn't expect him to help do some of the more criminal work that they engaged in, but rather just his presence was enough to ensure that they had some sense of status.

He looked over the railing of the suite and at the darkened alleyways below. Even from here he could smell fresh blood. Someone had been hurt, possibly killed, and he could smell them bleeding out. His first response wasn't what someone like Ria would probably have. He wasn't thinking about the easy meal, but instead he was actually worried about whoever it was that was bleeding out.

Without thinking he moved over the edge of the balcony, and fell. His hands stretched out and he gripped the copper pipe that ran down the side of the building. His new found strength caused him to stop without ripping away his skin and muscle. He climbed down the pipe and turned into the alleyway. He could see someone slumped against the wall, and on the other side of the alley were two individuals in black suits. Both of them appeared to be speaking quietly to one another.

"Hey!" he shouted, causing them to look toward him. He had expected them to run, or shout back, but instead they lifted their hands, and he saw the flash of the barrels as they fired at him. It took a second to take in the action, and that second was almost too long. He moved, causing himself to go flush with the walls.

"Shit, one of the fuckin' Huang saw us," a voice said, "Kill him, and then finish the bitch off!"

One of them moved toward him, and he looked at the one that slumped. He'd seen her before. She worked downstairs, and she was fairly nice. An old protective streak awoke in him, and he found himself moving with his new found speed. He moved toward the first one, striking him on the side of the head. It had been meant to be a small tap, just a gentle nudge, but it knocked him into the brick wall causing him to fall to the ground.

He didn't have time to worry if he was dead or not. The other turned the gun back toward the girl. He'd seen that sort of determination on a person before. It was the kind of determination that said that even if it took their life they would fulfill their mission. He moved as quick as he could, his hand striking the other man's hand causing the gun to barely miss the girl. The sound of bone breaking was his reward. The other man turned toward him, his hand reaching behind him, and before Tsukune could do anything else the man stumbled forward.

He looked to see him stagger slightly before falling, a blade sticking from his back. He looked up to see another young woman stepping out. She raised an eyebrow at him, "Hmmm, my lover said to come and see, that he felt there was problem, and there was problem."

Tsukune nodded, "They attacked her, and I happened to see it."

"Yes I saw, you fast, almost as fast as Two Hands," she replied, "Nearly as fast as me, surprising."

She looked at the girl, "Ah, gut wound, come, we take her inside, I explain that I help, you explain that I no do, and then I go get drink and enjoy reward from lover."

He smiled and walked with her, "I'm Aono, Tsukune," he said, "Nice to meet you."

She shook her head, "Another Rock," she said, "Good men come here, find women, make them fall for them, sorry, spoken for."

He laughed, "Not my intention, but thanks for helping."

She shrugged as they stepped inside, "No need for thanks, Huang Family and Miao Family have good relationship, makes sense to help, and besides, I was asked to."

With that they stepped into the lobby and pressed the intercom. He heard Ling Ling, and he began to tell her what happened.