Disclaimer: I own nothing of the properties within this story. All rights go to the creators and companies of said properties.
Beta by Slothful and Old man of the mountain
Chapter 3: Rumors
{Silver's P.O.V.}
It has been a couple of weeks since I met Beige and encountered the strange living doll, Kakuya. It sucks that Kakuya forced me into playing some ghost-hunting game or die, but to say everything went to shit would be a complete lie. My living situation has drastically improved, and I have gotten some sweet, petty payback on my old landlord by chucking my keys right in his face and telling him I'm canceling my lease. Of course, the old racist fuck tried to get under my skin by commenting that his pest problem finally took care of itself, but his words didn't wipe off my grin then, and they sure as hell don't know. I still smile whenever I think back to how his annoyed expression changed to one of stunned silence when he realized I had decided to leave his shithole. After that, I moved my belongings to Beige's house, which was easy as I didn't have much, and Beige and I began our search for the Cat Man.
And that's where our problems begin.
"Why couldn't that Kakuya brat give us a ghost we can find more easily?!" I shouted in frustration. None of the books are in Beige's library because this place has to have a massive library, and it has nothing on the Cat Man. Whenever we look it up online, most search results are articles about Faunus with cat traits in a medical sense, some websites asking advice when dating a Faunus, and some websites advocating anti-Faunus beliefs. But no mention of a ghost.
"Kakuya probably chose this ghost for just that reason. She is perhaps enjoying watching us struggle to find anything about the ghost as we speak." Beige said, causing me to shiver, my arms covered in goosebumps. Beige told me how Kakuya can drag people through mirrors to bring them to the Land of the Dead. Since he told me that, I have limited the time I spend in front of a mirror, covering it whenever I am not using it. Even then, I still feel like she is watching me.
"How can something that looks like a kid be so messed up?" I whisper to myself.
"There is no being more cruel than an innocent child." Beige answers. I raise a brow. What does he mean by that? As if seeing my confusion, Beige continues to speak. "It means children can do ruthless things because they don't understand what they are doing is cruel. These include things like pulling off the wings and legs of insects and leaving them alive, hurting and chasing scared animals because they find their reaction funny, and saying brutal stuff without knowing the weight of such words. Kakuya is just like that. While we fear our impending deaths, to Kakuya, we are just playing a game. If we die, she will see it as more her breaking a toy. She will just move on and find a new playmate, possibly forcing them into the same situation as us. Kakuya embodies the philosophy of a cruel but innocent child."
"A cruel child," I mutter. Yeah. That fits Kakuya very well.
"Still, I have to agree with you. I wished Kakuya at least had given us a lead." Beige sighs. "You won't know any occult fanatics by any chance, Silver?"
"If I did, I would have already called them," I answered with a dry smile. "While horror movies, stories, and games aren't illegal, they are heavily frowned upon as negative emotions attract Grimm. There have been groups who even demand such material to be outlawed, stating such material might as well be a sign telling Grimm to kill us."
"They sound like a fun bunch to be around," Beige said sarcastically. "They sound like the type of people who would push for meds that would drug people into a happy state."
Beige isn't wrong. Some groups think we should consider mixing drugs that increase the production of our brain's dopamine and serotonin. Thankfully, the council rejects the idea of drugging the masses, though I think it is more due to them wanting to protect their reputation than being concerned about the long-term effects such things would have on the general public. If they were, they would have made steps to improve the lives of Vale's less fortunate inhibits.
But now isn't the time to be political. With every day wasted with us finding nothing is another day closer to our deaths. However, despite knowing this, we have nothing to go on. What does Kakuya expect us to do? Aimlessly comb the entirety of Vale, and I hope we get lucky.
I let out a groan, realizing the hopelessness of our situation.
What are we going to do? What is there that we can do?
"Are crime podcasts popular in Vale?" Beige asks.
I only shrug at the question. "I don't know. I have never been one to follow trends that will fade into obscurity in a couple of months, but I can't deny the possibility of them being popular." Again, while horror media isn't entirely favored, it isn't illegal either. Plus, I can see some teens consuming that stuff for a rebel phase.
"Then let's find out." Beige got up from his seat. "How late are the clubs and bars open?"
"Two in the morning. Why?" I asked, getting up from my seat.
"Because, Silver, we are going clubbing."
{Beige's P.O.V.}
I was never one for dance clubs. The music is so loud you can barely hear yourself or your thoughts. People were obnoxious, either because they had too much to drink or because they were a bit shit. The club's bar only sells cocktails that are way too sweet and strong for my liking. And whenever I did try to dance, I would end up being dry-humped by members of both sexes.
The only times I would go clubbing was because a friend wanted to.
But here I am, actively clubbing—or as close to clubbing as one gets when asking people questions about ghosts. And unsurprisingly, my questioning resulted in nothing. The people I tried asking asked me if I was trying some new pickup line, ignored me, or fled while giving me a creeped-out expression.
I decided to call it for now as I would rather not have someone calling a bouncer on me and meet up with Silver, who is sipping a drink at the open bar.
I took a seat next to my partner. "So, you managed to gather anything?" I asked an edge of desperation in my voice.
"A few guys offered me their numbers, and one tried grabbing my ass," Silver said bluntly. "However, the guy felt so bad about his actions that he left us his card for our tab tonight."
I turn my head, raising a brow at my partner. "Are you admitting to mugging someone?"
"No. All I did was grab the guy's hand and lightly squeeze it. Then he said he was sorry about trying to cup a feel and handed me his wallet, saying he would cover my bill." Silver answers with a smug grin. "And you?"
"Nothing. All I got were women telling me they weren't impressed by my attempt to hit on them. Some even used the old I'm a lesbian line on me. At least you managed to acquire something. How you acquired it is debatable, but it was something." I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. How can we start an investigation without knowing where we are supposed to look? Why couldn't this system have a hint option?
"This entire thing was a waste of time." I groan.
"Would a complimentary drink and meal help? I know it certainly helps my mood." Silver said, turning away from her drink and starts eating a burger. Where did that come from?
After watching Silver eat for a moment, I shrug my shoulders. I might as well go with the flow. "Do you have the menu for this place? Because I doubt this place serves a Cuba Libra."
"Cuba Libra? What's that?" Silver asks, her tone slightly brighter than before. Silver wanted to change the topic away from our failed information hunt. Not that I can blame her.
"It's a cocktail. It's a mix of coke, rum, and lime. It isn't anything fancy, but it's better than some of the crap my friends forced me to drink." I explained. Memories of my college days, where my friends forced me to drow Jager Bombs to help me get out of my shell, only for me to end up puking my lungs out two hours later, surfaced. "There are better cocktails, but I like the story behind it."
"Please, don't tell me you are one of those types that explain the history of a certain liquor or drink," Silver said.
There was a tense silence that felt like it went on for hours.
"There are some interesting facts behind certain cocktails and liquor." I simply said, with Silver sighing.
Silver says nothing as she pinches her brow. "It's fine," Silver said after what felt like an eternity. "It could be a neat ice-breaker. You can even tell me about them. Just please try to limit it." Silver said.
"How about I tell you about when I make them." I offered. I'm no bartender, but I can make a Margarita or Red Eye.
Silver is considering it for a moment. "Sure. I will just consider it a lesson with a drink. Now, I think we should enjoy ourselves now. It has been ages since I last went dancing and had fun, and thanks to that asshole, we don't have to worry about blowing a hole in our wallets." Silver cheered.
"I'm down with that, though I will leave all the dancing to you," I said, scanning the menu the bartender handed me. Follow the Yellow Brick Road? What kind of cocktail is that?
"Oh! Now I'm getting you on the dance floor. Will you beat my dad, the world's worst dancer?" Silver teases.
"Hey. I have you know I can do one hell of a Robot." I smirked. A part of me knows we shouldn't waste what precious little time we may have, but another part of me knows that if we don't destress in some way, Silver and I will snap. "Is the Golden Ticket any good?"
"Yes. I like it. However, it is a little on the strong side. But I think you would like it." Silver said.
"Then I guess I will try it-" The sound of shattering glass cut me off.
However, before we even had a chance to locate the sound source, several people, Faunus and what appeared to be people with robotic limbs, rushed out of the club. Though my attention was more focused on the sound that broke through the music—the sounds of a shotgun.
While I was trying to find the shooter, Silver grabbed my shirt by the collar and forced me over the bar, causing me to land on my back.
"Ow." I tried getting back up, but Silver forced me back down.
"What are you thinking?! Do you want to be shot?!" Silver harshly whispers.
"No, but I still think we should know where the shooter is," I argue. "I'm not going to stand up completely. Just enough to look over the counter."
Silver's expression sours before nodding. "Try to keep quiet. The last thing we need is to get involved in this mess. We already have enough on our plates." That's something I can agree with. Silver and I slowly raised our heads to look at the scene beyond the bar, and it was indeed a scene.
Men in black suits and red sunglasses were tossed aside like leaves in a raging storm. The source of the storm was a young woman who was probably still a minor.
The girl has long blonde hair, wears an outfit that exposes quite a bit of skin and can clearly handle herself in a fight, judging by how she deals with dozens of men, all armed with red handaxes or katanas, without breaking a sweat.
I was momentarily confused because the girl wasn't holding a shotgun. Still, the answer quickly revealed itself as the girl delivered a devastating uppercut to some poor soul, with the signature roar of a shotgun blast following behind the blow.
"That girl must be a huntress-in-training." Silver whispers to me. "Shotgun gauntlets. Not a bad weapon for a brawler-type fighter. However, the blasts have a better range than the standard-issue shotgun gauntlets on the market. Perhaps she knew a weapons expert and had them upgrade it for her or did it herself."
"Excuse me, but did you say shotgun gauntlets? That's a thing here? Who would design something like that? And she must be using rubber rounds as there is no way she can be using live rounds on people-" A shelf above our heads, the metal pallets you would find in a shotgun shell embedded in the wall. "Is that girl wanting a murder charge?! Also, how are those guys still alive after taking a shotgun blast point-blank in the face?!" I whisper to Silver.
"Obviously, they had their aura awakened. However, considering none of them are using a semblance, they either did not have their aura awakened for a long time, or they don't have enough. I'm personally leaning more towards the second option." Silver reasons.
Aura. I read about it in my library books, about some of the things it can do, but I thought it was exaggerated. Making someone faster or stronger is believable, but things like making copies of oneself, controlling luck, and turning an object's molecular structure into gold are absurd. And all of those were derived from some soul power.
However, the same could be said for changing a part of one's body into a weapon, but Silver showed me she could do that in our first encounter with Kakuya. Still, seeing and reading about what aura can do is entirely different. Words can't express the powers of aura.
But one question has been going through my mind since this scenario started.
"Why aren't the cops here yet? I doubt none of the people who ran out for their lives hadn't called the police. And even if they didn't, then a passerby would have. Shotguns are not exactly quiet, after all. Is this a normal thing in Vale?" I asked.
"Oh yes. This a typically Tuesday night in Vale." Silver answers.
Oh. If that is the case.
One of the men landed in front of the bar, slamming his back, but seemed conscious. I grabbed one of the bottles behind the counter and slammed it on top of the man's head, shattering the bottle, knocking the man out, and soaking him in liquor.
"What the fuck, Beige?! Why did you do that?!" Silver questions, her eyes wide with shock.
"You told me it was part of Vale's culture, and I wanted to participate," I explained.
"That was sarcasm!" Silver yells.
"Oh. I always had trouble telling the what is and what isn't sarca- FUCK!" I yell, grabbing my shoulder before pushing me down once again, screaming for me to get down. "The fuck just happened?" I asked through the pain.
"What do you fucking think Beige?! You got shot! Our budding huntress isn't the only one carrying extra firepower." Silver said. "What I'm going to do will hurt like a bitch, but considering it the price of being a dumbass!" Before I could ask what Silver was doing, she plunged two fingers into the hole in my shoulder.
"Don't mess with the bullet!" You don't need to be a genius to determine what Silver was doing. "That bullet might be the only reason I'm not bleeding out right now!"
"I have taken first-aid classes before, asshole!" Silver yells back, pulling her fingers out of my gunshot wound and flicking her bloody fingers, where my ears picked up a slight click sound. That was likely the bullet.
However, a burning string quickly replaced my thoughts of whatever Silver was pouring into my wound, probably alcohol, with a high purity. At this point, I was barely holding onto consciousness, a high-pitched ring ringing in my ears, and my vision could scarcely focus on Silver, whose lips were moving, but I couldn't hear a single word she was saying.
Then, the pain begins to dull. That can be good or bad. It means that either the pain is dying down or that I, myself, am dying. But considering that I'm not seeing any bright lights or gates opening, I'm going to assume that I'm not dying.
[Aura] - The manifestation of one's soul. To help us bear our burdens and shield our hearts. Aura allows the user to heal from bruises in seconds and broken bones in days. With proper training, one can unlock a Samblance.
Due to unlocking your aura, your strength (STR) upgrades from F- to F.
I let out a groan as I pushed myself up, seeing Silver glaring at me, with small tears welling up in the corner of her eyes. Damn. Now I feel bad.
Before I could even muster an apology, several loud explosions paused our fight. Silver and I look at the continuing battle. We are seeing the blonde now fighting a bearded man.
"Is that a rocket launcher?" I asked in bewilderment. Where are these people getting these weapons? Then, the rocket launcher changes from a bazooka to a freaking bat. "Seriously, who design these weapons? Who thought combining a bazooka with a baseball bat was a good idea." I asked Silver.
"I don't know. I was never a fan of Mecha Shift Weapons. Maintaining those weapons costs way too much money and time. That's why I stick to simpler weapons. They are not as cool-looking, but they are certainly more reliable." Silver comments as we watch the blonde throw a heavy punch at the bearded man's chest, causing him to stumble backward, holding a handful of the girl's golden blonde hair. Seeing the torn hair, the girl exploded as in literally. The girl releases a fiery explosion, not sure how, and shatters the remaining glass around her with the explosion. The man was stunned, and the girl took the opening to score a very painful right straight, causing the man to fly through the upper-level window, the one about the entrance/exit to the club.
"I'm guessing messing with her hair is a quick way to piss her off," I said, looking around and taking in the damages. Part of me feels sorry for whoever owns this club. Repairs and clean-up aren't cheap.
"I can't say that I blame her. Judging by how it shines, you can tell she puts a lot of lien into her hair. And I know I would do the same if someone yanks out my hair." Silver said, hopping over the bar counter. "But that doesn't excuse what she did." Silver's voice turns ice-cold and storms towards the blonde. I quickly follow behind Silver, reaching the blonde who noticed us.
"Oh~. Are you two wanting to get revenge for your boss?" The blonde smirks, clearly ready to continue fighting.
"No. But I have half a mind to turn you to the police and tell the cops about how your fight could have killed my friend. And don't try saying that they throw the first punch. Because they did, the bouncers would have swarmed you before you could have even made a move." Silver said calmly, but her tone was full of bite. The blonde was confused, but her eyes widened when she looked at me, or in reality, my bloody shirt. "Thankfully, my friend was lucky enough only to get shot in his shoulder, and he had a friend who could awaken his aura because if that bullet hit something important, like his head, then his death would have been on your hands. What went through your head to think that fighting with guns while civilians are around? What if one of your shells hit someone? What if the falling glass cut someone to ribbons? Did they stop teaching hunters-in-training about not bringing civilians into the crossfire since I graduated?"
The blonde looked a little ashamed. "Sorry. I guess I could have handled it better. I was hoping Junior could have helped me with something because people told me that he knew everything, but that turned out to be a lie; then, I got a little pissed and wanted to blow some steam. I didn't mean for your friend to get hurt."
"It's fine. As long you are more mindful about where you are before unleashing a can of whoop-ass. But if you don't mind, can you tell me what you asked Junior? Maybe I can be of some assistance." I said. Silver shot me a heated glare while the blonde looked unsure before sighing.
"It's about my mom. I have been trying to find my mom since I was a kid. All I know is what my dad and uncle, my mom's younger brother, told me. And it's barely anything outside her name." The blonde girl pulls out her scroll from her pocket, showing us a photo of a woman who looks like a carbon copy of the blonde, only with paler skin, black hair, and red eyes. "Her name is Raven Branwen."
New Case Unlocked
Finding the Disappearing Raven
Objective: Located Raven Branwen and the Branwen Tribe
Reward: One Detective Skill
Bonus Objective: Figure out Raven's secret
Bonus Reward: ?
Bonus Objective: Convince Raven to meet Yang
Bonus Reward: ?
"I can give you a hand. I have been trying to find my sister for years with little to no luck, but maybe having an extra set of hands might help your case." I said, noticing Yang's eyes widen when I mentioned my sister. "But I can tell you there is a tribe with your mother's last name, the Branwen Tribe. So, maybe we can start with that."
The blonde's eyes widened before regaining her previous positive demeanor. "I guess this trip wasn't a complete waste of time. Since you're helping me find my mom, I think I should tell you my name. The name is Yang."
"Nice to meet you, Yang. I can say that you leave a lasting impression. I'm Beige, and this is my partner, Silver." I said, introducing myself and the still very pissed cat woman.
"Hi," Silver said bluntly.
"Now that introductions are out of the way, we better get out of here before the police show up," Yang suggests, ready to leave.
As Yang was about to leave, a thought suddenly entered my mind like a bolt. "Say, Yang, have you ever heard of the Cat Man?" I asked. It was a stretch, but I figured there was no harm in asking.
"You two are into that ghost story crap?" Yang asks, her brow raised.
"Wait. You heard of the Cat Man?" Silver asked, her previous rage disappearing.
"My best friend in Signal loves that stuff. She even made a DustPipe channel talking about ghosts and the like. She doesn't get many views, but who am I to judge if it makes her happy?" Yang asks with a shrug. "She has been telling me about the Cat Man for months. I probably know the entire story by heart at this point. I think I'm starting to hear it in my sleep."
Silver and I look at each other, giving each other a quick nod.
"Can you tell us the name of your friend's channel? And maybe tell us the story about the Cat Man?" I asked.
Yang, for her part, simply shrugged. "Sure. I know my friend wouldn't complain about getting some views outside me, my family, and her family." Yang clears her throat, readying herself to tell us the tale of the Cat Man.
"One day, two girls were returning home from school. However, they decided to feed some of the neighborhood's stray cats that day. Perhaps they simply wanted to pet some cats, or they wanted to do a good deed. So, they went to a local grocery store and bought a couple of tins of wet cat food, leaving them out on the street for the strays to eat. By the time their bags were almost empty, the sun had already set, and they realized they had gone farther than they should have, winding up on Stray Street, where several stray cats made their home. Seeing it was late, the two girls decided it was best to return home after leaving the last few cans of cat food they had left before their parents began to worry. However, just after they finished opening the cans and were about to start their journey home, a strange man stood at the end of the road, barely in view from the light of the streetlight and not moving from his spot. Feeling something was off about the man, Girl A suggested to Girl B that they should take a different route and avoid the man, but her friend decided against that. Girl B chose to confront the strange man, believing that the man would coward away in the face of confrontation. Girl B was also an inspiring huntress-in-training, emboldening her decision to confront the man. Girl B quickly approached the man, ignoring her friend's pleading. Girl B demands the man to leave them alone before he gets into serious trouble, either from the police or her. However, the man didn't respond to her threat. He just continued to stand there in silence. But before Girl B could make another threat, the man said, or rather, asked something."
"Where is he?"
"Girl B, obviously confused by the question, tried to ignore it, but the man continued to ask."
"Where is he? Where is my buddy?"
"Girl B, quickly becoming frustrated by the man's repeated questions, yelled that she didn't know where the man's friend was. Girl B was about to make another threat, but the man's behavior changed, going from calm to hostile.."
"Where is he? Where is he? Where is HE?! WHERE IS HE?! WHERE IS HE?!"
"WHERE IS MY BUDDY?!"
"Then, before Girl A or B could react, the street was full of the screeches of hundreds, maybe even thousands, of cats. Not knowing what to do, Girl A could only cover her ears and close her eyes, desperately trying to block out the cries of countless cats."
"Then, after what felt like hours, there was silence. After hesitating momentarily, Girl A removed her hands from her ears and opened her eyes. When she did, the man was gone, as if he was never there in the first place. But then, she remembered her friend and looked at where her friend was once standing, now lying on the ground, letting out weak cries. Girl A rushed to help her friend, who was clenching her right leg; her friend's expression clouded with pain. Girl A managed to pry Girl B's hands away from her leg, seeing four long, ugly slashes going from her thigh to her ankle, looking oddly familiar to a scratch one would receive from an angry cat. Girl A was able to call an ambulance for her friend, but while in the hospital, Girl B's leg became heavily infected. The doctors did not determine what caused the infection or how to treat it. Despite the doctors' best efforts, Girl B had to have her right leg amputated, ending her dreams of becoming a huntress because her family couldn't afford a Huntsman-grade prosthetic."
"And that is the story of the Cat Man." Yang finishes. "Oh. Can I see your scroll real quick? Usually, I don't give my number to random guys, but seeing that you're helping me find my mom and have given me a proper lead, I will make an exception." Yang teased, but I didn't respond as I gave her my scroll.
After returning my scroll and seeing Yang send me a text message with a link to what I assumed to be her friend's DustPipe channel, Yang gave us a quick wave goodbye and left the club. Something Silver and I should probably do since getting tied up with the police is the last thing we need right now.
I have to admit this went better than what I was expecting. Sure, I could live without being shot, but I can't complain about the results. Silver and I got information on the Cat Man, but we also got a possible source of information for future ghosts, and my strength stat increased. Yes. The increase was from F- to F, but an upgrade is an upgrade.
I give Silver a satisfied smile, who gives me a sharp elbow in the gut, knocking the wind out of me.
"Okay. I deserve that." I managed to say after regaining my breath.
"You deserved more than that, but considering we finally got a lead, I will settle with elbowing you. But seriously, first Kakuya and now getting shot? I'm honestly starting to think that some thugs didn't jump you. I'm now beginning to believe you just stick your nose somewhere it doesn't belong. At this rate, forget about being partners. We will become like a babysitter who has to deal with an annoying child." Silver complained.
"I'm sorry." I apologized.
After a second of silence, Silver lets out a heavy sigh.
"It's okay. It isn't my first time dealing with guys who leap before they think." Silver said somberly. "But you do need to start being more careful because I'm not always going to be able to save your ass, especially when we go ghost hunting." Silver's frown then turns into a smirk. "But if you want to start making it up for me, you can make me some cocktails you know how to make."
I let out a small chuckle. "Sure. We need to go shopping anyway."
"Why? The house makes practically everything." Silver argues.
"It doesn't make cat food," I said. Silver's expression changed into a serious one and nods.
The time to be looking for clues is over. Now is the time for action.
Author's Note
Sorry for the delay. My sister had a baby in August and my family and I had been busy.
I'm also part of the SGO server, so if you want to join and chat, here is a link
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I also started my server for anyone who wants to ask me about my fics or to hang out.
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