"V.V.!!!" Lloyd shouted.
V.V. who was held in place between two guards, looked up at the call of her name. She wanted to struggle but the two guards kept a firm hold of her.
"Why is she up there? And where's Reo???" Glenn said in hushed tones.
"Let us start the bid at a thousand dollars."
"Thousand and five hundred!" A man said.
"Two thousand. She's just too cute." A blonde woman said.
"Francis, can you bet on her?" Glenn said desperately.
"I can try." Francis said. "But it won't be easy." He then made his way to the rows of seat.
"Glenn, can you find Reo with your vamp senses?"
Glenn took a deep breath, letting his body feel light as he concentrated on finding Reo. He did not manage to find him, but he just picked up a strange aura. It seems demonic yet human at the same time.
"I sense something funny. Demonic...yet human at the same time."
"Where?" Lloyd demanded.
"Somewhere... up there."
Without hesitating, Lloyd pushed his way through the crowd with Glenn hot on his heels, leaving Francis to bid on V.V.
"Two thousand and seven hundred dollars!" Francis shouted, raising his paddle.
V.V. eyed Francis in shock, but she kept her eyes on him. It's like she's shrieking a telepathy that keeps shouting, "HELP!!!!"
"Three thousand!"
"Four thousand!!!" Francis raised his paddle.
"Francis, what's going on?"
Vargas had came over, the prized Eye of Horus in his hand like a treasured jewel, which in a way, it is.
"I need to rescue my friend up there!" Francis jabbed a finger at V.V.
Vargas frowned. "You made friends with an item?"
"That item is a she. And SHE is a friend of mine."
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have a bid of eight thousand dollars from the woman in the first row. I repeat, I have a bid of eight thousand dollars from the woman in the front row."
"Francis, is that she really worth anything to you?"
"Screw you, you old man." Without warning, Francis raised his fist, tightly clenched, ready to slam the ground to cause an earthquake when Vargas stared at him coldly and said, "Nine thousand dollars!!!"
Fifteen minutes later, V.V was rubbing her freed arms with relief in Francis's arms. He noticed her arm had a huge hold in it, but it's already slowly healing, though the cracks are still there.
"Vivian. What happened to you?" Francis had never seen her injured and pained before, not to mention nearly being sold off.
She grabbed Francis weakly by the collar. "W-Who are- Francis?"
"Yeah."
"Where's Lloyd?" She swayed slightly.
"He and Glenn just went up. Why?"
"Help them." She said weakly. "They can't just strike him head on. He got Reo and he's out of our league."
"What on earth are you talking about, V.?"
"He's an...Ultima." That was all she managed before swaying down to the floor.
***********
Reo was tied with his hands above him with chains. He's hanging above a huge pit which seemed to be dark murky water. It's so pit black till you can't even see what's underneath it.
Great, just great. He thought bitterly. If Revarie and Guy were here, they would be laughing their heads off right now.
Fazar seems to enjoy people who are suffering, or to be more precise, going to their death. He is practically salivating. Kujaku seems to be rather interested.
"You made a great mistake attacking me, boy." Fazar said. "And now you'll pay for being meddlesome."
"What are you going to do, drown me?" Reo couldn't help being sarcastic.
The water seems to be bubbling, erupting like molten hot lava. That is when something emerged out of the water. And he feel a spasm of terror in his stomach.
A sea serpent. Over six feet long and as thick as a man's thigh. Its gleaming scales shone teal and cerulean in the dull light. Its head looks like a cross between a seahorse and a dragon. The three rows of yellowed teeth stained with blood. What's even more crueler is its eyes. Blood red with tints of amber. He thought he could see a human bone trapped in between its jaws.
"Say hello to Leviathan." Fazar crowed.
Leviathan seems to sense his prey, because the next thing that happened was it tried to bite his legs off, but thank goodness he raised his legs at the right time, drawing them up to his knees just as Leviathan snapped at him.
"I wonder how long can you stand?" Fazar said as Leviathan swam around lazily, its shape a dark shadow in the water, though he can't see clearly. "Your muscles will be exhausted as the minutes go ticking by. Sooner or later you won't be able to dodge Leviathan."
Reo ignored his taunts. Part of his training with Revarie, Allen with Mind's Shadow, Guy and Dario was to never show your emotion to your opponent because your emotion gives away how you feel inside. Whether it is fear, anger, rage or terror...
A loud banging sound startled Fazar but not Kujaku. Brandishing his gun, Fazar waved it around wildly and got the shock of his life. A kyuubi with her golden nine tails spread out behind her was snarling at him. It seems that she has smash through the wall due to some of the rubble falling into the pit.
"You-you-"
"You thought you diminished my powers just because you hold my hoshi no tama? Bakayarou." Inari the kitsune snarled with rage and fury.
What? Reo thought dazedly. Isn't that Inari?
"You sly kitsune." Fazar roared. "I swear, this time I'll finish off the job!"
Inari swooped down upon him, her teeth bared. Blue fox fires shot out from her nine tails and blasted away towards him like a gattling gun. Reo had to twist himself upwards to avoid being blasted. Leviathan, annoyed by being disturbed, gave a whale-like hum and tried to reach Reo, heaving itself upwards. Reo heaved himself higher, his legs twisting around the chain to get a better grip.
Some of the fox fires had caught Fazar's shirt, spreading its blue flames. He quickly beat it out but was caught off guard just as Inari, turning back into a human, shoved him hard, sending him off balance and with a yell, he fell into Leviathan's pit, but he managed to cling onto the edge of the pit with his hands. His gun had went spinning down and into Leviathan's mouth.
Inari was staring down at him coldly. Her dark eyes hard like iron. Although there is no breeze, her golden hair whipped around her face, giving her the look of a truly magnificent radiant Goddess of Vengeance. Even the floral kimono seems to be spinning in the air, causing the flower patterns to be swirling with such brilliance.
"You lose..." She said quietly to Fazar who was gazing at her with -for the first time- fear.
"Y-You-How-"
Inari, without saying anything, brought her arms up to form a X. With a sharp cracking sound, there was a slashing motion and Fazar's hands from the forearms were chopped off, blood spraying like fountain in the air; causing him to give an ear-splitting scream as he fall into Leviathan's mouth. Reo, who had been hovering on top, turned away as the munching started. There was the sound of bones snapping and the screams stopped.
And he's next.
Leviathan, clearly tired of all this, gave a hum and heaved itself up again, causing Reo to swing himself out of the way like Tarzan, minus the Tarzan yell. There is absolutely no way he's going to be fish chow, which driven him to reach into the hollow part of his shoe and brought out a sharp dagger. His wrists are screaming with pain as the metal cut into them. Gritting his teeth, he jabbed at the keyhole repeatedly as Inari and Kujaku squared off against each other. Fox fires hurtled in the air like will-o-wisps. Kujaku's claymore is slicing cleanly the fox fires in the air. What surprises him is Inari's hair is growing rapidly, yards and yards of it. Her hair, like Medusa's, lashed out at him, snake-like. But what halted her is Kujaku suddenly holding out a star ball.
Her star ball.
"My hoshi no tama!" She cried. "That's mine! Mine! MINE!!!"
"Legends has it that the holder of the hoshi no tama allows the holder to control the kitsune." He taunted, holding out the transparent crystal ball. "Let's find out whether it's true, shall we?"
The star ball then glowed softly as it reacts to Inari, whose eyes slowly turned blank. But then she shrugged it off. "How dare you."
Kujaku then twirled it around three times with his fingers.
Without warning, Inari gave a piercing scream, clutching her head, her hair whipping around wildly. The star ball does reacts to her, forcing her to bend her will.
A bullet shot past him. A thin line appeared on his cheek where the bullet had gone whizzing by.
Glenn was standing with his legs apart, his center of gravity in the middle. His Sauer ready in hand.
"Inari-san, are you alright?" Glenn asked in Japanese.
Leviathan suddenly emerged from the water, giving a whale-like hum. From above, Reo swung like Tarzan -again- and aimed a kick at Leviathan's jaw, snapping one of the teeth in process. It gave a whale cry and submerged itself into the water. Reo then threw himself onto land and sighed with relief. His wrists are covered with red marks where the chains had hurt him.
"You alright?"
"I don't need your concern." Reo said, dusting himself.
"How about a word of thanks?" Glenn tossed over his briefcase, which he caught neatly with his good reflex. His gunblades were neatly packed in, most likely by him when he was making his way through here. He picked them up and tossed the briefcase aside.
"Before you face me, you had better consider your situation, moronic fools." Kujaku said.
Inari, who was thrashing around wildly just now, is now facing them with a deadpan expression on her face. Her yards and yards of hair are floating around her, snake-like. The cyan tips lit up as though they're on fire.
"Inari-san?"
Inari's hair suddenly grabbed them both, wrapping itself tightly. There are also yelps of pain as the blue flames licked up to their garments.
"Inari-chan. Why not feed them to Leviathan?" Kujaku said with mockery. "It seems that he's not satisfied with his meal."
Before anyone could react, Lloyd threw himself high up, his blade swinging down onto her hair, rendering them useless. They quickly beat out the scorched part, but there's no way to disguise the burns that had appeared on their skin.
"You both okay?" He asked.
Inari leapt into the air, her hair becoming sharp and it speared down like javelins being hurled. Lloyd diced them again before they could get close to them. Something gleamed brightly as Inari's hair were chopped off. She was merely a distraction as the claymore went shooting straight towards him, though he knocked it aside just in time before it went stabbing him.
"Impressive." Kujaku said, his hands poised into a hand seal. "Not many people can deflect my telekinetic claymore."
Lloyd swung his blade and said, "So you were the one pulling the strings behind all of this?"
"I do have to cover my tracks." Kujaku said with fake modesty.
Lloyd swung his blade to his fighting stance. This guy, he thought silently, he's not an ordinary fellow that's for sure. He took in the claymore. It's huge and heavy, with a gold hilt decorated with lapis lazulis and rubies. The blade is wide in diameter and big, though he's holding it easily with one hand.
Leviathan suddenly leapt itself out of the pit, trying to reach Glenn but Reo spun with lightning speed and shot rapidly at Leviathan. It gave a pained hum and hid back in the water. Inari is sparring off Glenn, her hair like writhing snakes. Glenn was dodging every movement to avoid the burning cyan tips, although his Sauer is ready in hand, he could not get a chance to shoot her And she was being controlled by the star ball. He couldn't bring himself to shoot her in cold blood.
"Lloyd, get the star ball!" Glenn shouted, dodging the hair. "He's controlling her with the star ball."
Lloyd charged towards Kujaku, trying to swipe the star ball that he had tucked into his coat pocket, but Kujaku deflected him and gave him a thrust kick at the stomach, sending him flying to Leviathan's pit, its mouth wide open to chomp him.
"Oh no, you don't!" Lloyd held his blade in front of him and at the last minute, he fixed the blade in between Leviathan's mouth, so that the blade was stuck between the rows of teeth like a steel bar being fixed in between the jaws of death. It tried to close is mouth but it is unable to due to his blade being made out of the strongest and durable adamantium mineral.
"How you like that, you...fishy?" Lloyd said with an air of triumph.
"Allow me to give you a little hand to hell." Kujaku chanted a strange mantra and two demons appeared. Unlike Legions, they are bigger and stronger. They seems to resembles gargoyle statues, complete with horns and canines. Their skin are a mix of pale greyish blue. Their wings are gray, thus bringing their gargoyle-like appearance closer. Except their face is skull-like and demon-like. The eyes seemed blank and hollow. Their hands are folded across their bulky chest as though they are observing, with sharpened claws that shone like silver.
"Daimones..." Lloyd whispered while struggling to keep the blade intact in Leviathan's mouth. "You are... an Ultima?"
"Someone did study their demonology well." Kujaku smiled, his different coloured eyes gleaming brightly. "That sweet girl in blue also called me that. An Ultima. She put up a good fight when I sold her to Desmond Knox, the master of the auction house." He added at Lloyd's blank look.
Girl in blue? "Do you mean...V.V.?" He said hoarsely.
"Was that her name? Strange name. But I guess that's expected from the bio weapon of Stellar Inc." He then leaned over to face him. "And here's a little something for you to take to your grave. I asked Fazar to steal the star ball, oh yes, and to make sure it can't be linked to me, I had him pass it to Desmond Knox. That way, he will be the one who get blamed, not me." He then gave a twisted grin.
This guy...Lloyd thought savagely. It's a total psychopath. The heterochromia meant something though. But he couldn't seem to figure it out because at that moment the two Daimones swooped above him, surrounding him from both sides, cutting off his escape route and forcing him to face the Leviathan.
Lloyd gnashed his teeth together and without thinking, grabbed his blade and impale it through the roof of its mouth, the blade drenched in scarlet. Instead of humming, this time it gave a loud wail that seems to amplify around them. Drops of scarlet orbs mixed into the dark murky water. Lloyd pulled out his blade and impaled it again, this time through the throat. It gave a final wail and crashed back into the water, with him using its corpse as a stepping stone.
As soon as the Leviathan sank , the Daimones took over. Their great wings beating hard in the air. Instead of attacking, they shot energy orbs right at him, causing him to spin in the air to dodge them. The corpse is slowly sinking, the water is slowly seeping into his socks and shoes.
The sound of bullets made him look up. Reo was shooting at the Daimones with pinpoint accuracy. The Daimones turned their attention onto him, giving Lloyd the chance to jump back up. Glenn had just dodged Inari's snake hair and had managed to punch her in the stomach, causing her to crash onto the floor. Kujaku gave a wordless snarl and was swinging his claymore viciously at him. The blade caught a hold of his shirt, ripping the fabric.
"You mess with the wrong person." Kujaku said softly.
Someone suddenly swooped in and threw a vicious punch onto his jaws. Had he been a normal human, his jaws might have snapped, but being an Ultima, it only threw him off balance. As he clasped his jaws in pain, Francis, in his kickboxing stance, was facing him. Behind him, stumbling slightly and wincing slightly in pain, was V.V., the cracks haven't fully healed yet from beneath her dress.
"What- But you're just a normal human!" For once, Kujaku was not smiling nor grinning, but twisted with rage.
"If you kill him, then you'll have to deal with me." Francis said, his eyes blazing.
"Francis, right on time." Glenn said, staring at his ripped shirt.
"It took us forever to find the right room." Francis said. "V.V. wasn't feeling too well yet."
"If you want to die, then you can die together." He chanted another mantra and Daimones appeared.
"How many can you take on?" Glenn asked, loading blessed bullets into his Sauer.
"It depends." Francis said.
Simultaneously, as if on cue, the Daimones charged towards them, shooting energy orbs. One of them tried to claw Francis, who gave it a jab, combined with his super strength, the Daimone went soaring into the wall and laid still. Glenn shot it another one with a blessed bullet right in between the eyes. It gave a roar and crashed landed into the pit.
Meanwhile, Lloyd and Reo, who had just finished killing off his Daimones, were trading blows with Kujaku who is on equal level with them despite the fact that he's alone. V.V. had staggered over to Inari to watch over her. Though whenever Inari moved, or even as so much as a twitch, she knocked her out to make sure that she doesn't try attacking them.
"Why bother fighting for humans?" He taunted. "They're nothing more than weaklings."
That was when Lloyd realized. The thing that had been nagging at the back of his mind all the time. His heterochromia...
"I get it now..." He said. "You're not fully an Ultima, aren't you?"
Kujaku's face showed a little shock. "What did you just say?"
"You're not fully an Ultima." Lloyd repeated calmly. "Ultima-ranking demons are known for their crimson eyes and human-like appearance. Just like Daimones-ranking demons resembles beasts such as gargoyles. You're half-human, aren't you?"
Kujaku suddenly went berserk. One moment he was looking a tiny bit of shock, next moment, he let out a howl of fury and raised his claymore in front of him. The blade glowed red with ancient writings on the blade.
"You'll never understand the humiliation I go through!!!" He roared, charging towards Reo, the blade catching him in the abdomen. The wound wasn't deep but he had pierced a vein, causing blood to flow out. "Even as an half-Ultima, I was laughed by the Demon World!!!! Even Legions-ranked demons jeered at me!!!!"
Lloyd tried deflecting his blows but the claymore was piercing through the air viciously. His arm got a scratch from the edge of the claymore which is unusually sharp.
Suddenly, cyan-coloured hairs danced in the air and bound his arms and legs. He slashed it viciously and glared at V.V. whose hair is growing rapidly and turning into blades.
"You bitch!!!!" He screamed, rushing towards V.V. whose grabbed his claymore with her bare hands. Some cracks appeared at the palms where she had gripped the claymore tightly.
"Get it!" She shouted.
It took him a while to get what she's saying, but he nodded. Reacting with the grace of a panther, he jumped onto Kujaku's back, his arms and legs looped around him tightly, pinning his arms in place. As Kujaku attempt to shake V.V. off, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out Inari's star ball. It is warm to the touch and glowed softly in his hand.
"You-" He screamed.
Lloyd hurled the star ball to Francis, who tossed it to Glenn, who run to Inari. Daimones appeared, attempting to stop him. But he jumped above them and shoved the star ball to Inari.
The star ball, in Inari's hands at last, glows brightly, rejoiced for being reunited with mistress at last. Inari's eyes fluttered open and she gave a smile. A warm smile, her strength fully returning to her. She wrapped her hands around the star ball, it shimmered in front of their eyes and a mark appeared on her forehead. It looks like an ancient symbol of a red flame.
"My hoshi no tama, it's finally mine again." She said, her head high, as proud as a queen's.
In blind rage, Kujaku broke free of V.V. and Lloyd, who fell though Francis managed to get him in time.
"You okay, Lloyd?" He asked.
Kujaku charged towards Inari, his claymore telekinetically charging towards Inari, who stopped it with a finger.
"You will suffer a lot." She said coldly, painting a pentagram symbol in the air. At first, nothing seemed to happen.
And then it did.
The whole earth seems to shake violently like an earthquake hitting the States. Rubble from the ceiling started to trickle down. The water in Leviathan's pit also shook violently, occasionally splashing like many droplets of water. A huge steel gate suddenly appeared, decorated with a pair of skulls grinning down at them. Although they're part of the gate, they looked evidently alive.
"GET DOWN!!!!" Glenn yelled. "EVERYBODY GET DOWN!!!!"
Francis shoved Lloyd to the ground before getting down himself. V.V. and Reo flung themselves just in time as the gate opened. A black hole vacuum was on he other side of the gate and it started to suck everything in. Kujaku was not so fortunate. He was pulled into the vacuum, screaming in rage. Only when the gate closed itself and disappeared, his screams finally stopped.
"My God..." Francis gasped.
"I sent him to a one way trip to Jigoku." Inari said softly.
"He deserved it." V.V. said bluntly.
"V.V.!" Lloyd gasped, shocked.
Reo threw them all a glance and walked off.
"Wait a minute, Minamio." Glenn said.
"Our truce is done." Reo said coldly. "I only wanted to help Inari get her hoshi no tama back."
Glenn seems to hesitate, struggling for the right words. Just as Reo was about to leave, he spluttered, "Thank you."
Reo gave no sign that he heard him, but instead he just walked off, loosening his tie as he went.
"You helped me retrieve my hoshi no tama." Inari said. "On my honour as a kitsune, I will grant your request."
"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Lloyd said.
Moments later, they were all in Tifa's room. Tifa was lying on the bed, still in a comatose. She looks like a deathly zombie. Or vampire.
Inari held out her star ball near her forehead. The star ball gave a soft glow and started to use some of its magic to give some of her life back, bathing her in a soft cyan glow.
Though she still didn't wake up.
"What's wrong with her?"Francis asked, who had followed them. "Why isn't she awake?"
"It will take some time." Inari said softly, her head bowed. "However, I can assure you that she's no longer in danger. She'll awake eventually." She then turned to the open window. "I had done what you're requested. Time for me to back to my temple and...keep my hoshi no tama safe."
"Well, it has been nice knowing you..." Lloyd struggled within himself. "Inari..."
Inari gave a laugh and threw her arms around him. "Anata wa todemo kawaii desu! I want some sake and gohan for my services."
"NO!!!!!" All of them yelled.
"I'm just kidding!" She did a little pirouette like a child. "Well then, sayonara."
She then turned into her fox form and leapt through the open window.
"Kawaii huh?" Glenn said teasingly. "Looks like the kitsune has a crush on you."
"Stop that." Lloyd said.
"Kawaii kawaii Lloyd-chan,
And Inari-chan on the windowsill,
All cosy in the upper skies,
Cuddling and hugging-"
"SHUT UP!!!!!!" Lloyd roared.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Supernatural Demon Slayers : Chapter 22 - Auction ( オークション )
King's House is located at Manhattan Upper East Side. You definitely can't miss it. It's a huge towering structure made out of white marble with graceful arched windows made out of coloured glass and tall pillars. The filthy rich, wealthy aristocrats often gather here to outbid each other for the various rare items that is sold. The items are brought in from different countries and markets, including the Black Market, because King's House holds an open auction which means Mafia, Yakuza, Triads and various other crime lords are allowed to walk in freely to bid as well, without using violence or harassment, but through fair game. This is King's House strict protocol, all bids are fair and square. Cheating is prohibited.
Lloyd, Glenn, V.V. and Reo stood outside, taking in the people who are entering the auction house. Powerful-looking men in smart suits, beautiful ladies dressed in their finest gown with rich fur shawls and expensive jewels and many others. Lloyd had put on his suit which looks thoroughly second handed, complete with leather shoes. His blade is kept inside a guitar case to avoid eyes on him. Glenn had dressed himself with a crisp white shirt, red tie and dark pants which makes him look a lot like a waiter. He had kept his gun out of sight by tucking it into his sleeve where there's a spring mechanism attached that allows him to draw his gun out with lightning speed. Reo wore a dark blue tuxedo which makes him look like a buisness man. He carried a briefcase which stored his two gunblades. And as for V.V., she wore her usual white gown with blue trimmings though she accesorised a ribbon brooch in her hair (She had flatly refused to put on cocktail dresses nor any jewelries). Despite the fact that they had followed the dress code, they attracted some attention because they seemed to be the only ones who are not over the age of 30 or 40.
"Ready?" Lloyd said.
"Let's just get this over with." Reo said.
The four of them made their way into the auction house, stepping into a large ballroom that has been converted into a banqueting hall. Tables were set up at all sides, laden with luxury food such as rack of lamb, veggie rolls, smoked salmons, buttered lobsters, deviled eggs, canapes, quiches, truffles, piles of salad, slabs of meat and many more. A chocolate fountain stood on the dessert table with a wide variety of biscuits to dip into. Waiters dressed in white and gold were pushing their way carrying trays of vintage champagne, cocktails, wines, juices and spirits. In the middle, a table full of typed photocopied catalogues were stacked in neat piles, which people are scanning and marking. Each of them took one as well.
"Right." Lloyd said in a low voice. "Glenn and I will check out at the Black Market side. V., you and Reo take here."
"Alright." V.V nodded. Reo didn't say anything, but scanned his copy under the object section.
"Glenn, are you alright?" He asked as Glenn gave a violent sneeze.
"I'm...okay. Really." He sniffed, getting out a pack of Kleenex.
Lloyd sighed. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
"If it wasn't for me, he would've lost his head right now." He gestured at Reo.
"Okay. You win." Lloyd then dragged him to a doorway where powerful-built men smoking cigars are gathered.
V.V. turned to Reo, who turned back to her. Both of them stood so still til a waiter broke the silence by saying, "Any drinks for you, sir and miss?"
"I'll have vintage champagne." Reo said.
"Orange juice, please."
The waiter handed them their respective drinks and Reo toasted her. "Your good health."
V.V. nodded and they both took a sip.
"So," Reo said. "Where should we start looking?"
"The star ball should be under the Japanese section." V.V. nodded at a door which reads Japanese artifacts. "Maybe we should start there."
"Good thinking." He nodded.
They both entered the room. It's a huge room furnished with thick velvet curtains and ornate portraits of powerful looking men. A makeshift platform had been set up on one end and there are rows of comfy chairs arranged in the middle, occupied by some people.
"Lot 125, we have a 23.6 inches katana donated by the local museum." The auctioneer is a tall thin wiry man with a thin mustache, dressed in a smart suit. "It's blade is made out of the finest steel and forged by an expert blacksmith in Japan. Let's start the betting at three hundred dollars."
"Three-fifty." A woman dressed in an azure blue dress said, raising her hand-fan.
"Three-eighty." A man in black said.
"Four hundred." A man with a thick Scottish accent said.
"Five hundred." An elderly man said.
"Five hundred for Lot 125, a 23.6 inches katana. Ladies and gentlemen, I have a bid of five hundred. Any further bids on five hundred? No? Going once, going twice, SOLD!" His gavel came slamming down. "To the elderly man in the second row!"
Reo and V.V. silently took a seat in the back and watched as each item is up for auction.
************
Lloyd and Glenn had made their way to a hushed up corridor where crime lords from all sorts of organization gathered, talking in low voices on which item should they bid on. Unfortunately, the auction room to the Black Market requires a VIP Pass. And neither of them have one, much to their dismay.
"We can't enter without a pass." Lloyd muttered as a man held out a gold pass to the big bulky man who is standing guard at the doorway.
"Should we try to nick one?" Glenn whispered, eyeing a few men, scanning for the gold pass.
"No, unless you want to risk starting a gang fight." Lloyd hissed.
"Glenn, my man. I thought it was you." A familiar voice said.
Glenn, stunned, turned to the source of the voice. It can't be-
"I knew it! It is you!" The speaker is a boy, around Glenn's age, dressed in a navy coloured suit that has lapels on the shoulders and matching pants.
"Francis???"
They haven't been in contact since the Blaze incident because Francis had left urgently due to family emergency.
"Why so surprised? Don't you recognize me?"
Glenn, dazed, took in his appearance. He seems to have gotten a tan, but what changes the most is his orange hair. Originally wavy, it had grown longer and it's now straighten with spikes.
"Y-Your hair-"
"You like it?" Francis laughed, curling one of the spikes with his finger. "I got it styled. Hey, Lloyd." He nodded at him who is equally stunned.
"What are you doing here?" Glenn asked, after giving him a brotherly embrace.
"My dad." Francis pulled a face. "He wanted the Eye of Horus."
"Your dad? What does your dad have to do with this?"
At that moment, a muscular man, almost seven foot tall, with the built of a pro wrestler with broad shoulders and arms approached them. He has Francis's cyan eyes and sharp features. Instead of orange hair, he has dark brown hair that hung loose over his eyes.
"Friends of yours, Francis?"
"Glenn, Lloyd, this is my dad." Francis said with a slightly pained expression in his face.
"Vargas McCain." His father said, holding out a huge hand. "You are Glenn? Francis had told me much about you."
Vargas McCain??? They both have to contain their horror. Vargas McCain is one of the top 50 Mafia leaders. He is ranked number 16, his organization known for its brutal methods, illegal smuggling of weapons and gamblings. Francis's surname is Hills, for God's sake. Most likely from his...mother, perhaps?
"Er, h-how do you do, sir?" Glenn stuttered, shaking his hand.
"Very fine, thank you. And you must be Glenn's boss, Lloyd, is it?" They both shook hands. "What brings you both to King's House?"
"We want to bid on a rare Japanese item, a star ball." Lloyd said. It couldn't hurt to tell a little of the truth.
"Ah, you'll need a VIP pass for that." Vargas said. "But perhaps I can loan you mine." And just like that, he handed over a gold card that is cold to the touch. It is actually made out from a plate of pure gold, and crafted into the shape and size of a exact credit card. The words, printed by some clever method in jet-black letters, reads KING'S HOUSE - VIP MEMBER.
"You can have that one." Vargas nodded to Lloyd, who had taken the card in awe. "I got a couple of those."
Nodding at them, he then went to a room where Egyptian relics are being bid on.
"This is great. Just great..." Lloyd was practically breathing with excitement, no longer scared of Vargas.
"Geez, Francis, you never told me your dad is one of the top 50 Mafia leaders." Glenn asked Francis, who was shoving his hands deep into his pockets.
"What is there to say?" Francis muttered. "My mom divorced with him 6 years ago and had been hiding ever since. I was raised in Canada through my mom's Jewish side. After I finished high school, McCain had finally tracked down where we're staying. He then persuaded me to take on the family buisness-" He made quote marks with his fingers. "-As if I will. I just want to finish in Columbia and be a pharmacist for God's sake. Not running a Mafia. And since I'm studying in Manhattan, I have no choice but to turn to him for financial services."
"Gosh, Frances, that's really tough." Glenn said.
"'S okay. I always get on his bad side whenever I told him I never want to be a Mafia leader." Francis shrugged. "Aren't you going in?" He nodded at the Japanese relics room.
"Do you want to join us?" Lloyd asked.
"Sure."
*************
Fazar is sitting in a private room, sipping a glass of red wine, opposite of a man who doesn't look human. He has blond hair that is nearly white, which hung to his back, a devilishly handsome face with a pointed chin and has the condition of heterochromia. His left eye is blue as lapis lazuli, his right eyes is red as garnet. Fazar couldn't help but shudder. He looks like the devil.
"Well, I got what you asked." Fazar tried to sound confident, but he couldn't help but shake a little. "I even bribed the auctioneer to make sure that you will have it."
The man's gaze fell onto him, sucking him in with those different coloured eyes.
"You have done well, my friend." He said dreamily. He looked drunk, except he wasn't. "You never let me down when I asked you to steal the Kitsune Goddess's star ball."
"Heck, she thinks she is so powerful just because she is a Goddess." Fazar giggled. "But the Post-It notes took care of that. I even got her on the back with one of the blessed bullets."
"Impressive..." The man said softly. "You even managed to hurt the Kitsune Goddess. However..."
"However what?"
"The star ball will be rendered useless if the kitsune is dead." The man's gaze had frozen on to him.
Fazar is licking his lips nervously. "Wait a minute. I didn't kill her, if that's what you're thinking. She had allies."
"Allies?"
"A man and his accomplice. One of them got me in the wrist with his gunblades." Fazar's gaze then widened. "There!"
The room has been installed with tons of mini televisions, all taken by hidden CCTV cameras. Each television shows a different room. Even so, every image is captured and easily identified. Fazar jabbed his finger at the one at the far right. The CCTV shows a recording of a room where Japanese artifacts are being auctioned. But what Fazar is actually pointing at is Reo's image at the back.
"That's him! The one who shot my wrist!" Fazar snarled at Reo's image.
The man examined Reo's image calmly and said, "Is that so?"
"Yes."
The man then turned to him. "Why don't you go and greet him?"
"With pleasure." Fazar said. "Payback time."
*************
"Next, Lot 189 which I know attracted a great deal of interest. A 24 carat blood diamond ring, the band is made out of pure white gold nugget." A girl dressed in teal
from head to toe, held the ring in its black box, laid in a velvet cushion. The auctioneer was pleased to know that it drew gasps from the audience, especially the women. "Let us start the bid at-"
"One thousand dollars!!!" A man in the front yelled.
"One thousand and five hundred!" A woman shouted.
"Two thousand dollars!" An elderly man shot back.
"Three thousand!" A man in the back shouted.
"Four thousand and five hundred dollars!" An elegant woman said calmly.
V.V. and Reo were silently watching as each bidders place a higher bid to trump over the other. It seems that men and women alike are determined to win the blood diamond ring no matter what the cost is. Even the auctioneer seemed impressed.
"Eight thousand dollars." A man with a thick German accent said.
"Eight thousand dollars." The auctioneer said. "I have a bid of eight thousand from the German gentleman in the front. Any more further bids?"
"Ten thousand dollars."
Everyone gave a huge gasp as a newcomer in the back wagered his bid. He is devilishly handsome, with long nearly white hair and heterochromia. Everyone were gawping at him who had just named his price.
"Ten thousand dollars!" The auctioneer said. "The gentleman in the back had offered ten thousand dollars for the blood diamond ring. Any more further bids? No. Ten thousand it is, then. Going once-"
No one offered a bid. In fact, they are too stunned by the amount.
"Going twice-"
Reo and V.V. realized they were holding their breath tightly as the auctioneer began to count. By far, the blood diamond seems to be the most priceless object among all the others.
"SOLD to the gentleman in the back!"
His gavel went slamming down.
At that moment, something poked Reo hard in the ribs from the back. He wanted to turn, but at that moment, a voice leaned in and hissed into his ear.
"Don't you dare turn, boy." A voice growled. "We are going to have a little fun together. Don't try to scream for help or call for reinforcements. You will do as I say unless you want your friends to scrape bits of your brains."
Reo felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Darn. He had let his guard down. He never though that Fazar would dared to show up in a place where there's full of people. But then again, crime lords of the Mafia, Yakuza and Triads dared to show up, so a wanted thief for hire is no exception.
"You see the door at my right? You're going to walk out of here and act normal. Try anything dumb and I will not hesitate to put a bullet into your head."
Reo nodded and turned to V.V. "Hey, V. I need some fresh air. Will you be alright on your own?"
V.V. gave him a silent nod, her expression blank. He then got up and head out as instructed, aware that someone is following behind him.
"Now, go to the second floor. There will be a private room for guests."
Reo nodded and did as he was told. Hopefully, someone would noticed that something is not right.
Or he could always think up of a plan B.
*************
"Anything?" Lloyd whispered at Glenn, both are holding the catalog to hid their faces.
"No. Francis?" Glenn turned to Francis, who had accompanied them.
"Nothing." He sighed as a devilishly handsome man entered.
"Lot 465 in the Black Market, a valuable priceless kitsune treasure." The auctioneer, a tall, thin woman smartly dressed in a suit with her hair tied into a severe bun and square framed spectacles that made her look more like a stern school teacher. An assistant is holding the star ball, a transparent crystal ball, laid snugly in a wooden chest with a faded purple cushion. It gleamed softly with a luminous light. "The hoshi no tama is said to have been shipped from Japan and it is actually a genuine treasure possessed by the Kitsune Goddess, Inari. Let us start the bid at-"
"A thousand dollars!" Someone in the front shrieked.
"Um," the auctioneer blinked. "I haven't even started on the reserve-"
"Who cares? It's the kitsune's priceless treasure. Thousand and five hundred!" A man raised his paddle.
"No way am I letting this chance slip! Two thousand!" A woman shouted.
"Darn it!" Lloyd muttered. "We have to bid on it! And it's more than two thousand!"
"I'm on it!" Francis said. They had given him the briefing about the star ball, which he had staggered in shock though he had quickly recovered. He raised his paddle. "Two thousand and five!"
"Two seventy five!" A Triad member said.
"Three thousand!" A member of the yakuza said.
"Four thousand!" Francis shot back, much to Lloyd and Glenn's nervousness. They need the star ball urgently or else Inari might go on a rampage and they DO NOT want that to happen.
"Is that him, McCain's kid?" A Mafia crime boss said loudly, causing several heads to turn to their direction. "Well, I'm not losing this one. Four thousand and seventy-five."
"Hell." Lloyd swore under his breath.
"Five thousand!" Francis shouted.
The Mafia crime boss, tired of this, took out his cheque book and read off the total amount. "Ten thousand dollars and eighty-nine cents."
There was a large number of gasps as everyone heard him wager. Clearly, no one else is able to beat that amount.
"I have a bid of ten thousand dollars and eighty-nine cents. Ladies and gentlemen, I have bid of ten thousand and eight-nine." The auctioneer said. "Any more bids further than ten thousand and eighty-nine?"
"Twenty thousand dollars."
The number of gasps that drew around was incredible as everyone stared at the devilishly handsome man in the back, smiling confidently.
Lloyd, Glenn and Francis stared in amazement. It's incredible. Someone else had managed to triumph over the Mafia crime boss's total amount.
"I beg your pardon, sir, twenty thousand?" The auctioneer gawked.
"That's right." The man nodded.
"Ladies and gentlemen, twenty thousand dollars. Anymore further bids, no? Going for twenty thousand then. Going once, going twice. SOLD to the handsome young man in the back!!!"
And the gavel went slamming down.
***********
Reo is sitting on a straight-backed chair, his hands tied to his back. His gunblades are tossed onto a heap. But thank God Fazar didn't check his sleeves nor shoes, because it is always handy to hid a few knives right into the hollow soles of your shoes and some hidden in your sleeves. Fazar had taken no chances. Even as Reo began to think of a plan B, as soon as they were all alone in the private room, Fazar had tied him up and disarmed him.
"This is a gunblade?" Fazar was holding one of the gunblades in his hands, weighing it in hands, and examining the elaborate design of the blade. "This is my first time seeing one. I could even put it in the auction for a good price. Just where did you get one of those?"
"Do you think I would tell?" Reo said, trying to reach into his left sleeve for a knife.
"I know you wouldn't. But what if I put it in the auction?"
Reo forgotten about breaking free for a moment as Fazar's words. "You wouldn't dare..."
At that moment, the door opened and the devilishly handsome man entered, holding the hoshi no tama in his hands.
"Ah, so this is he." He said, his smile so dazzling til it sickened him. The first word that came into his mind is narcissist.
"Who are you?"
"Oh, how rude. I didn't introduce myself." The man tossed the hoshi no tama into the air lightly and catches it. "My name is Kujaku, the Dark Assassin."
"Sounds like something out of a comic book. And Kujaku means peacock." Reo commented, trying to reach his sleeve again.
"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you..." Kujaku said, grabbing one his wrists lightly, causing the knife to clatter onto the floor. "You may have fooled Fazar, but you can't fool me."
"He's also an assassin just like you." Fazar said, holding out a file. "Reo Minamio, aged 18, studies engineering in Columbia University. Born in the Gifu Prefecture and lives with a grandmother. I read your files."
"I see you did your homework." Reo said lightly.
"It does help a lot when you're examining your prey." Kujaku flashed him a 250-kilowatt smile that will make girls swoon over him.
"Halt, who are you?"
The voice came from outside. It was the guard that Fazar had posted outside to keep out nosy intruders. But apparently, someone seemed to have figured him out.
CRASH!
The entire door crashed open as V.V., hair turned into a mallet, smashed it open.
"Reinforcements?" Fazar drove his knee into Reo's stomach, causing him to gasp. "You're rather sneaky, aren't you?"
"Let him go." V.V. warned, stepping in, the mallet held out right in front of her.
"How-"
"I'm not exactly human, you know." V.V. tapped her ears lightly. "I was infused with demon blood."
Kujaku who was standing on Reo's other side, looked silently interested.
Fazar then looked a little stunned. "You are the one, aren't you? Stellar's finest weapon?"
V.V. looked a little stunned herself. "You knew?"
A huge claymore, with elaborate designs, hurled towards her out of nowhere, narrowly missing her heart, though it hit her right at the shoulder. Had she had been a normal human, she might've been fatally wounded, but since she's not, the part where she got stabbed just crack like glass.
"Oh, they really did make you 'immortal'..." Kujaku smiled.
"You..." V.V. glared at him, her hair turning back to normal.
Kujaku then pulled her over with his claymore and said, "Hey, do you think we should ask Desmond to sell her, my friend?"
Fazar considered this for a moment. "Do I get half of the profit?"
"If that's what you wish."
"Then I say, yeah."
************
"I'm getting worried..." Lloyd said.
Glenn pulled out another pack of Kleenex and went, "What???"
"V.V. and Reo." Lloyd pulled out his cellphone. "They were suppose to call if something comes up."
"Minamio is here???" Francis's eyes became round.
"Er...It's a long story..." Glenn said.
"What has been going on since I went back?" Francis asked suspiciously.
"Like I said, Frances, long story."
"I have enough time to kill off." He replied lightly.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, Lot 567, a perfect bio weapon in the shape of a human." The auctioneer's voice came from the Black Market auction for weapons. "This is a hastily thrown in lot by the Master of King's House."
As they all involuntary turned to the stage, their jaws dropped in shock.
Standing in between two huge guards, bound with chains and a duct tape across her mouth to prevent her form crying out for help, was V.V.
************
Inari was just about to slip out of the house when Dr. Chang caught her. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Urusei. I can feel my hoshi no tama." Inari said, her face ill and ashen, but her hair is still a brilliant gold with cyan tips. "I must go there..."
"You can't leave! Your body isn't fully healed."
But Inari took no heed of him as she transformed into her kitsune form and took off into the night.
Lloyd, Glenn, V.V. and Reo stood outside, taking in the people who are entering the auction house. Powerful-looking men in smart suits, beautiful ladies dressed in their finest gown with rich fur shawls and expensive jewels and many others. Lloyd had put on his suit which looks thoroughly second handed, complete with leather shoes. His blade is kept inside a guitar case to avoid eyes on him. Glenn had dressed himself with a crisp white shirt, red tie and dark pants which makes him look a lot like a waiter. He had kept his gun out of sight by tucking it into his sleeve where there's a spring mechanism attached that allows him to draw his gun out with lightning speed. Reo wore a dark blue tuxedo which makes him look like a buisness man. He carried a briefcase which stored his two gunblades. And as for V.V., she wore her usual white gown with blue trimmings though she accesorised a ribbon brooch in her hair (She had flatly refused to put on cocktail dresses nor any jewelries). Despite the fact that they had followed the dress code, they attracted some attention because they seemed to be the only ones who are not over the age of 30 or 40.
"Ready?" Lloyd said.
"Let's just get this over with." Reo said.
The four of them made their way into the auction house, stepping into a large ballroom that has been converted into a banqueting hall. Tables were set up at all sides, laden with luxury food such as rack of lamb, veggie rolls, smoked salmons, buttered lobsters, deviled eggs, canapes, quiches, truffles, piles of salad, slabs of meat and many more. A chocolate fountain stood on the dessert table with a wide variety of biscuits to dip into. Waiters dressed in white and gold were pushing their way carrying trays of vintage champagne, cocktails, wines, juices and spirits. In the middle, a table full of typed photocopied catalogues were stacked in neat piles, which people are scanning and marking. Each of them took one as well.
"Right." Lloyd said in a low voice. "Glenn and I will check out at the Black Market side. V., you and Reo take here."
"Alright." V.V nodded. Reo didn't say anything, but scanned his copy under the object section.
"Glenn, are you alright?" He asked as Glenn gave a violent sneeze.
"I'm...okay. Really." He sniffed, getting out a pack of Kleenex.
Lloyd sighed. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
"If it wasn't for me, he would've lost his head right now." He gestured at Reo.
"Okay. You win." Lloyd then dragged him to a doorway where powerful-built men smoking cigars are gathered.
V.V. turned to Reo, who turned back to her. Both of them stood so still til a waiter broke the silence by saying, "Any drinks for you, sir and miss?"
"I'll have vintage champagne." Reo said.
"Orange juice, please."
The waiter handed them their respective drinks and Reo toasted her. "Your good health."
V.V. nodded and they both took a sip.
"So," Reo said. "Where should we start looking?"
"The star ball should be under the Japanese section." V.V. nodded at a door which reads Japanese artifacts. "Maybe we should start there."
"Good thinking." He nodded.
They both entered the room. It's a huge room furnished with thick velvet curtains and ornate portraits of powerful looking men. A makeshift platform had been set up on one end and there are rows of comfy chairs arranged in the middle, occupied by some people.
"Lot 125, we have a 23.6 inches katana donated by the local museum." The auctioneer is a tall thin wiry man with a thin mustache, dressed in a smart suit. "It's blade is made out of the finest steel and forged by an expert blacksmith in Japan. Let's start the betting at three hundred dollars."
"Three-fifty." A woman dressed in an azure blue dress said, raising her hand-fan.
"Three-eighty." A man in black said.
"Four hundred." A man with a thick Scottish accent said.
"Five hundred." An elderly man said.
"Five hundred for Lot 125, a 23.6 inches katana. Ladies and gentlemen, I have a bid of five hundred. Any further bids on five hundred? No? Going once, going twice, SOLD!" His gavel came slamming down. "To the elderly man in the second row!"
Reo and V.V. silently took a seat in the back and watched as each item is up for auction.
************
Lloyd and Glenn had made their way to a hushed up corridor where crime lords from all sorts of organization gathered, talking in low voices on which item should they bid on. Unfortunately, the auction room to the Black Market requires a VIP Pass. And neither of them have one, much to their dismay.
"We can't enter without a pass." Lloyd muttered as a man held out a gold pass to the big bulky man who is standing guard at the doorway.
"Should we try to nick one?" Glenn whispered, eyeing a few men, scanning for the gold pass.
"No, unless you want to risk starting a gang fight." Lloyd hissed.
"Glenn, my man. I thought it was you." A familiar voice said.
Glenn, stunned, turned to the source of the voice. It can't be-
"I knew it! It is you!" The speaker is a boy, around Glenn's age, dressed in a navy coloured suit that has lapels on the shoulders and matching pants.
"Francis???"
They haven't been in contact since the Blaze incident because Francis had left urgently due to family emergency.
"Why so surprised? Don't you recognize me?"
Glenn, dazed, took in his appearance. He seems to have gotten a tan, but what changes the most is his orange hair. Originally wavy, it had grown longer and it's now straighten with spikes.
"Y-Your hair-"
"You like it?" Francis laughed, curling one of the spikes with his finger. "I got it styled. Hey, Lloyd." He nodded at him who is equally stunned.
"What are you doing here?" Glenn asked, after giving him a brotherly embrace.
"My dad." Francis pulled a face. "He wanted the Eye of Horus."
"Your dad? What does your dad have to do with this?"
At that moment, a muscular man, almost seven foot tall, with the built of a pro wrestler with broad shoulders and arms approached them. He has Francis's cyan eyes and sharp features. Instead of orange hair, he has dark brown hair that hung loose over his eyes.
"Friends of yours, Francis?"
"Glenn, Lloyd, this is my dad." Francis said with a slightly pained expression in his face.
"Vargas McCain." His father said, holding out a huge hand. "You are Glenn? Francis had told me much about you."
Vargas McCain??? They both have to contain their horror. Vargas McCain is one of the top 50 Mafia leaders. He is ranked number 16, his organization known for its brutal methods, illegal smuggling of weapons and gamblings. Francis's surname is Hills, for God's sake. Most likely from his...mother, perhaps?
"Er, h-how do you do, sir?" Glenn stuttered, shaking his hand.
"Very fine, thank you. And you must be Glenn's boss, Lloyd, is it?" They both shook hands. "What brings you both to King's House?"
"We want to bid on a rare Japanese item, a star ball." Lloyd said. It couldn't hurt to tell a little of the truth.
"Ah, you'll need a VIP pass for that." Vargas said. "But perhaps I can loan you mine." And just like that, he handed over a gold card that is cold to the touch. It is actually made out from a plate of pure gold, and crafted into the shape and size of a exact credit card. The words, printed by some clever method in jet-black letters, reads KING'S HOUSE - VIP MEMBER.
"You can have that one." Vargas nodded to Lloyd, who had taken the card in awe. "I got a couple of those."
Nodding at them, he then went to a room where Egyptian relics are being bid on.
"This is great. Just great..." Lloyd was practically breathing with excitement, no longer scared of Vargas.
"Geez, Francis, you never told me your dad is one of the top 50 Mafia leaders." Glenn asked Francis, who was shoving his hands deep into his pockets.
"What is there to say?" Francis muttered. "My mom divorced with him 6 years ago and had been hiding ever since. I was raised in Canada through my mom's Jewish side. After I finished high school, McCain had finally tracked down where we're staying. He then persuaded me to take on the family buisness-" He made quote marks with his fingers. "-As if I will. I just want to finish in Columbia and be a pharmacist for God's sake. Not running a Mafia. And since I'm studying in Manhattan, I have no choice but to turn to him for financial services."
"Gosh, Frances, that's really tough." Glenn said.
"'S okay. I always get on his bad side whenever I told him I never want to be a Mafia leader." Francis shrugged. "Aren't you going in?" He nodded at the Japanese relics room.
"Do you want to join us?" Lloyd asked.
"Sure."
*************
Fazar is sitting in a private room, sipping a glass of red wine, opposite of a man who doesn't look human. He has blond hair that is nearly white, which hung to his back, a devilishly handsome face with a pointed chin and has the condition of heterochromia. His left eye is blue as lapis lazuli, his right eyes is red as garnet. Fazar couldn't help but shudder. He looks like the devil.
"Well, I got what you asked." Fazar tried to sound confident, but he couldn't help but shake a little. "I even bribed the auctioneer to make sure that you will have it."
The man's gaze fell onto him, sucking him in with those different coloured eyes.
"You have done well, my friend." He said dreamily. He looked drunk, except he wasn't. "You never let me down when I asked you to steal the Kitsune Goddess's star ball."
"Heck, she thinks she is so powerful just because she is a Goddess." Fazar giggled. "But the Post-It notes took care of that. I even got her on the back with one of the blessed bullets."
"Impressive..." The man said softly. "You even managed to hurt the Kitsune Goddess. However..."
"However what?"
"The star ball will be rendered useless if the kitsune is dead." The man's gaze had frozen on to him.
Fazar is licking his lips nervously. "Wait a minute. I didn't kill her, if that's what you're thinking. She had allies."
"Allies?"
"A man and his accomplice. One of them got me in the wrist with his gunblades." Fazar's gaze then widened. "There!"
The room has been installed with tons of mini televisions, all taken by hidden CCTV cameras. Each television shows a different room. Even so, every image is captured and easily identified. Fazar jabbed his finger at the one at the far right. The CCTV shows a recording of a room where Japanese artifacts are being auctioned. But what Fazar is actually pointing at is Reo's image at the back.
"That's him! The one who shot my wrist!" Fazar snarled at Reo's image.
The man examined Reo's image calmly and said, "Is that so?"
"Yes."
The man then turned to him. "Why don't you go and greet him?"
"With pleasure." Fazar said. "Payback time."
*************
"Next, Lot 189 which I know attracted a great deal of interest. A 24 carat blood diamond ring, the band is made out of pure white gold nugget." A girl dressed in teal
from head to toe, held the ring in its black box, laid in a velvet cushion. The auctioneer was pleased to know that it drew gasps from the audience, especially the women. "Let us start the bid at-"
"One thousand dollars!!!" A man in the front yelled.
"One thousand and five hundred!" A woman shouted.
"Two thousand dollars!" An elderly man shot back.
"Three thousand!" A man in the back shouted.
"Four thousand and five hundred dollars!" An elegant woman said calmly.
V.V. and Reo were silently watching as each bidders place a higher bid to trump over the other. It seems that men and women alike are determined to win the blood diamond ring no matter what the cost is. Even the auctioneer seemed impressed.
"Eight thousand dollars." A man with a thick German accent said.
"Eight thousand dollars." The auctioneer said. "I have a bid of eight thousand from the German gentleman in the front. Any more further bids?"
"Ten thousand dollars."
Everyone gave a huge gasp as a newcomer in the back wagered his bid. He is devilishly handsome, with long nearly white hair and heterochromia. Everyone were gawping at him who had just named his price.
"Ten thousand dollars!" The auctioneer said. "The gentleman in the back had offered ten thousand dollars for the blood diamond ring. Any more further bids? No. Ten thousand it is, then. Going once-"
No one offered a bid. In fact, they are too stunned by the amount.
"Going twice-"
Reo and V.V. realized they were holding their breath tightly as the auctioneer began to count. By far, the blood diamond seems to be the most priceless object among all the others.
"SOLD to the gentleman in the back!"
His gavel went slamming down.
At that moment, something poked Reo hard in the ribs from the back. He wanted to turn, but at that moment, a voice leaned in and hissed into his ear.
"Don't you dare turn, boy." A voice growled. "We are going to have a little fun together. Don't try to scream for help or call for reinforcements. You will do as I say unless you want your friends to scrape bits of your brains."
Reo felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Darn. He had let his guard down. He never though that Fazar would dared to show up in a place where there's full of people. But then again, crime lords of the Mafia, Yakuza and Triads dared to show up, so a wanted thief for hire is no exception.
"You see the door at my right? You're going to walk out of here and act normal. Try anything dumb and I will not hesitate to put a bullet into your head."
Reo nodded and turned to V.V. "Hey, V. I need some fresh air. Will you be alright on your own?"
V.V. gave him a silent nod, her expression blank. He then got up and head out as instructed, aware that someone is following behind him.
"Now, go to the second floor. There will be a private room for guests."
Reo nodded and did as he was told. Hopefully, someone would noticed that something is not right.
Or he could always think up of a plan B.
*************
"Anything?" Lloyd whispered at Glenn, both are holding the catalog to hid their faces.
"No. Francis?" Glenn turned to Francis, who had accompanied them.
"Nothing." He sighed as a devilishly handsome man entered.
"Lot 465 in the Black Market, a valuable priceless kitsune treasure." The auctioneer, a tall, thin woman smartly dressed in a suit with her hair tied into a severe bun and square framed spectacles that made her look more like a stern school teacher. An assistant is holding the star ball, a transparent crystal ball, laid snugly in a wooden chest with a faded purple cushion. It gleamed softly with a luminous light. "The hoshi no tama is said to have been shipped from Japan and it is actually a genuine treasure possessed by the Kitsune Goddess, Inari. Let us start the bid at-"
"A thousand dollars!" Someone in the front shrieked.
"Um," the auctioneer blinked. "I haven't even started on the reserve-"
"Who cares? It's the kitsune's priceless treasure. Thousand and five hundred!" A man raised his paddle.
"No way am I letting this chance slip! Two thousand!" A woman shouted.
"Darn it!" Lloyd muttered. "We have to bid on it! And it's more than two thousand!"
"I'm on it!" Francis said. They had given him the briefing about the star ball, which he had staggered in shock though he had quickly recovered. He raised his paddle. "Two thousand and five!"
"Two seventy five!" A Triad member said.
"Three thousand!" A member of the yakuza said.
"Four thousand!" Francis shot back, much to Lloyd and Glenn's nervousness. They need the star ball urgently or else Inari might go on a rampage and they DO NOT want that to happen.
"Is that him, McCain's kid?" A Mafia crime boss said loudly, causing several heads to turn to their direction. "Well, I'm not losing this one. Four thousand and seventy-five."
"Hell." Lloyd swore under his breath.
"Five thousand!" Francis shouted.
The Mafia crime boss, tired of this, took out his cheque book and read off the total amount. "Ten thousand dollars and eighty-nine cents."
There was a large number of gasps as everyone heard him wager. Clearly, no one else is able to beat that amount.
"I have a bid of ten thousand dollars and eighty-nine cents. Ladies and gentlemen, I have bid of ten thousand and eight-nine." The auctioneer said. "Any more bids further than ten thousand and eighty-nine?"
"Twenty thousand dollars."
The number of gasps that drew around was incredible as everyone stared at the devilishly handsome man in the back, smiling confidently.
Lloyd, Glenn and Francis stared in amazement. It's incredible. Someone else had managed to triumph over the Mafia crime boss's total amount.
"I beg your pardon, sir, twenty thousand?" The auctioneer gawked.
"That's right." The man nodded.
"Ladies and gentlemen, twenty thousand dollars. Anymore further bids, no? Going for twenty thousand then. Going once, going twice. SOLD to the handsome young man in the back!!!"
And the gavel went slamming down.
***********
Reo is sitting on a straight-backed chair, his hands tied to his back. His gunblades are tossed onto a heap. But thank God Fazar didn't check his sleeves nor shoes, because it is always handy to hid a few knives right into the hollow soles of your shoes and some hidden in your sleeves. Fazar had taken no chances. Even as Reo began to think of a plan B, as soon as they were all alone in the private room, Fazar had tied him up and disarmed him.
"This is a gunblade?" Fazar was holding one of the gunblades in his hands, weighing it in hands, and examining the elaborate design of the blade. "This is my first time seeing one. I could even put it in the auction for a good price. Just where did you get one of those?"
"Do you think I would tell?" Reo said, trying to reach into his left sleeve for a knife.
"I know you wouldn't. But what if I put it in the auction?"
Reo forgotten about breaking free for a moment as Fazar's words. "You wouldn't dare..."
At that moment, the door opened and the devilishly handsome man entered, holding the hoshi no tama in his hands.
"Ah, so this is he." He said, his smile so dazzling til it sickened him. The first word that came into his mind is narcissist.
"Who are you?"
"Oh, how rude. I didn't introduce myself." The man tossed the hoshi no tama into the air lightly and catches it. "My name is Kujaku, the Dark Assassin."
"Sounds like something out of a comic book. And Kujaku means peacock." Reo commented, trying to reach his sleeve again.
"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you..." Kujaku said, grabbing one his wrists lightly, causing the knife to clatter onto the floor. "You may have fooled Fazar, but you can't fool me."
"He's also an assassin just like you." Fazar said, holding out a file. "Reo Minamio, aged 18, studies engineering in Columbia University. Born in the Gifu Prefecture and lives with a grandmother. I read your files."
"I see you did your homework." Reo said lightly.
"It does help a lot when you're examining your prey." Kujaku flashed him a 250-kilowatt smile that will make girls swoon over him.
"Halt, who are you?"
The voice came from outside. It was the guard that Fazar had posted outside to keep out nosy intruders. But apparently, someone seemed to have figured him out.
CRASH!
The entire door crashed open as V.V., hair turned into a mallet, smashed it open.
"Reinforcements?" Fazar drove his knee into Reo's stomach, causing him to gasp. "You're rather sneaky, aren't you?"
"Let him go." V.V. warned, stepping in, the mallet held out right in front of her.
"How-"
"I'm not exactly human, you know." V.V. tapped her ears lightly. "I was infused with demon blood."
Kujaku who was standing on Reo's other side, looked silently interested.
Fazar then looked a little stunned. "You are the one, aren't you? Stellar's finest weapon?"
V.V. looked a little stunned herself. "You knew?"
A huge claymore, with elaborate designs, hurled towards her out of nowhere, narrowly missing her heart, though it hit her right at the shoulder. Had she had been a normal human, she might've been fatally wounded, but since she's not, the part where she got stabbed just crack like glass.
"Oh, they really did make you 'immortal'..." Kujaku smiled.
"You..." V.V. glared at him, her hair turning back to normal.
Kujaku then pulled her over with his claymore and said, "Hey, do you think we should ask Desmond to sell her, my friend?"
Fazar considered this for a moment. "Do I get half of the profit?"
"If that's what you wish."
"Then I say, yeah."
************
"I'm getting worried..." Lloyd said.
Glenn pulled out another pack of Kleenex and went, "What???"
"V.V. and Reo." Lloyd pulled out his cellphone. "They were suppose to call if something comes up."
"Minamio is here???" Francis's eyes became round.
"Er...It's a long story..." Glenn said.
"What has been going on since I went back?" Francis asked suspiciously.
"Like I said, Frances, long story."
"I have enough time to kill off." He replied lightly.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, Lot 567, a perfect bio weapon in the shape of a human." The auctioneer's voice came from the Black Market auction for weapons. "This is a hastily thrown in lot by the Master of King's House."
As they all involuntary turned to the stage, their jaws dropped in shock.
Standing in between two huge guards, bound with chains and a duct tape across her mouth to prevent her form crying out for help, was V.V.
************
Inari was just about to slip out of the house when Dr. Chang caught her. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Urusei. I can feel my hoshi no tama." Inari said, her face ill and ashen, but her hair is still a brilliant gold with cyan tips. "I must go there..."
"You can't leave! Your body isn't fully healed."
But Inari took no heed of him as she transformed into her kitsune form and took off into the night.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Supernatural Demon Slayers : Chapter 21 - A Visit from Inari ( 稲荷からの訪問 )
A cold draft of wind blew into the deserted streets of Manhattan. The windows of the shops all shone brightly underneath the street lights, illuminating the deserted streets.
Or so it seems.
The draft of wind seemed to gather in one place, and then slowly materializing into a figure. The figure walked past silently through the streets, barely glancing at the windows.
"Where is it? Where is it? I need it. I need it."
The figure stopped for a moment and seemed to take a deep breath. The figure then raised its palms, seemingly to concentrate. The next moment, it disappeared.
Like the cold draft.
*************
In an apartment in Manhattan midtown, things doesn't seem to be smooth sailing.
Glenn was lying on his couch, dressed only in a pair of grey shorts. His forehead covered with a pack of ice. Lloyd was sitting next to him, taking his temperature.
"You have a cold." He said, staring at the thermometer.
"But it's not even September yet." Glenn moaned, adjusting the ice pack. "How can I get a cold at a time like this?"
"Well, maybe we should not have encounter demons near the port."
Glenn gave a wince. Last night, a client had called for their assistance. Apparently Legions had been spotted near the port trying to hijack hard worker fishermen's ships to avoid them from setting sail. Thus, they had taken an all night watch to keep guard on the Legions. Unfortunately, one had pulled him into the icy cold water. Although he had given him a bullet in between the forehead, he was soaked shivering like mad.
A delicious smell drifted in from the tiny kitchen and V.V. emerged, holding a tray piled with a bowl of shchi (cabbage soup), two pancakes, coated with warm sweet syrup and a mug of green tea.
"What's that?" Glenn mumbled.
"Shchi, it's cabbage soup in Russian." She set the tray beside him. "It's good for your health."
"Gee, thanks." Glenn pulled himself up and took a small sip of soup. "Very...cabbagey."
Then there came a knocking on the door.
"I'll get it." Lloyd said, getting up and heading to the door. As soon as he touched the door knob, the whole door banged opened and he yelled as whatever was behind the door forced its way in in a blur of gold and blue.
"What the heck is that?!" Glenn yelped in alarm.
The thing whooshed around in a blur, knocking over the chairs and scattering the stationery onto the floor with a clatter. The cabinets burst open and bottles of holy water, stakes, iron bars, amulets and protective charms all bounced onto the floor, though the bottles smashed into pieces, spreading water all over the floor.
Lloyd jumped over the desk and rugby tackled the thing when it whooshed past him. The thing is a fox. But unlike any other normal foxes, it's has sleek gold fur trimmed with silver. Spreading from its back, instead of one, there are nine tails, gold tipped with firey blue.
"Is that a fox?" V.V. said in hushed tones.
Suddenly, there came a girlish voice, silvery and light.
"Fox? I dislike that term. I am a kitsune."
Lloyd was so surprised that he let go off the fox, or rather, kitsune. The kitsune turned to them, the tails spreading out like a fan and said, "Quite a place you have here."
Lloyd crossed his arms. "You thrashed our place, kitsune."
"Don't call me kitsune. I have a name." The kitsune said. "It's Inari. Yoroshiku."
Glenn sat up on the couch. "Did you come all the way from Japan?"
"You know Nihon-go, yes?" The kitsune said, suddenly turning her eyes on him.
"I'm studying it."
"Then do you know about our legend, the Hoshi no Tama?"
Glenn gave a frown. "The Star Balls?"
"That's right." The kitsune said, her tails swishing behind her. "Someone foolish had disturbed my shrine. I would not have bothered but then that person stole my star ball. Yurusenai! Zettai ni yurusenai!" She launched into Japanese.
Lloyd looked really peeved. "Somebody, translate what she's saying!"
"Yurusenai means unforgivable..." Glenn said, rubbing his nose which had turned red. "And she does have the right to be mad. Kitsunes dislike their star balls being stolen from them."
"Very wise of you, you did pay attention in your class, I see." The kitsune then seemed to twitch her head a little. "I hope you have sake and rice."
"I don't drink." Lloyd said coldly.
"Well, I hope you have green tea, then." The kitsune seemed to twist and shimmer in front of their eyes.
The kitsune seemed to shrink and sprout out like a blooming flower, blossoming into a figure. A woman with unusual beauty. She's tall, taller than Lloyd, slender and graceful, just like a woman with elegance. Her moon-shaped face is young, proud and haughty, someone who idolizes herself a lot. Her hair is like the kitsune's, a bright golden blonde with fiery blue tips. Emerging out from beneath her hair are two delicate fox ears, as gold as her hair. She also has nine tails matching her hair, sprouting from behind. To complete her appearance, she wore a violet kimono which is decorated with floral patterns, with a huge white obi knotted loosely around her waist.
"Surprised?" Her girlish voice is exactly the same. Silvery and light. She was giggling at Lloyd's face, which seemed to have dropped. "Now that I reverted to my human form, what about the green tea and rice I asked about?"
************
"Oishii." Inari maybe a fully-grown woman, but she seems to have a little childish personality. "I never knew that the rice in America is just as oishii as the ones in Japan."
"You mentioned about your star ball being stolen..." Lloyd said, looking annoyed. Well, of course he is. The office is still thrashed, as though a whirlwind had blasted the place. And Inari is sitting in the middle of it as though it's not her fault, enjoying a cup of green tea and some rice coated with soy sauce, hastily prepared by V.V.
"Of course." Inari took a sip of tea. "As I have mentioned earlier to your sick colleague over there-" ("Hey!" Glenn yelled, but then a cold cause him to flop back on to the couch.) " -The hoshi no tama is an important item to a kitsune, we often use it to hold our magic." Her gaze then darkened. "Many foolish humans attempt to steal our hoshi no tama for their own selfish deeds. That is why we guard it closely. I do not know who stole it, that is why I have come for your help."
"Look, kitsune-" Lloyd said.
"Don't call me kitsune. It's Inari." Inari cut in.
"-we run a service of slaying the supernatural, not treasure-hunting, alright?" He finished as though there's no interruption.
Inari's gaze darkened. "You want a price for your service, right? Name it."
"Uh, no, we don't." Glenn piped up from the couch where V.V. was taking care of him. "It's just that it's not job-related."
Inari's fox ears drooped a little, signifying a tinge of disappointment. "You mean...it's a no?"
V.V felt a little sorry for the kitsune woman. So, she said in a gentle voice. "Well, it is a no, because we don't do these kinds of things, you see."
Inari's fox ears drooped even more. "Is that it? Does this mean I have to sit back and watch the dorobo use my hoshi no tama for his own selfishness?"
Now Lloyd felt bad. Inari doesn't seem to be a bad person. So, he said, as kindly as he could, "Is it really that important?"
"Hijo." She nodded.
"It means important." Glenn translated.
Lloyd leaned against the wall and said, "This service doesn't come in free, you know."
Inari's ears stood right up. "Is that...a yes?"
"On a condition." Lloyd warned.
"Name it."
It wasn't Lloyd who spoke, but Glenn. "Kitsunes are often known for their powerful magic and enchantments. You can heal, can you not?"
"Someone does pay attention in our tales." Her laughter are like delicate wind chimes. "Yes. You want me to heal you from your cold?"
"No. I want you to heal a friend."
V.V perked up. "You do?"
Glenn met Inari's gaze steadily, despite the fact that his eyes are watery. "She's still in danger of becoming a vampire. Can you get rid of the vampirism?"
"Kantan desu." She said. "If you can find my hoshi no tama, then I will fufill your demand."
Lloyd gave a sigh and said, "Alright, where do we start?"
************
Muhammad al-Fazar glanced back and forth wildly. After making sure no one is following him, he dug into his hands and brought out what look like a bunch of Post-It notes, all scribbled with Japanese characters. This he slapped them all over himself, though he added more on the pouch he's holding, which contained what look like a round transparent crystal ball that shone softly in the luminous light. A Japanese character with the name kitsune was on top of the ball.
"Soon. Ill be a rich man."
There was a sharp cracking sound and he gave a yelp of pain. His left wrist was shot. Blood oozed out where the bullet had struck.
"Who is it?!" He yelled in Arabic.
A figure stepped into view. A blade shaped like a gun was pointed at his head.
"Who are you?!"
"Hand it over." Reo said coldly.
"You think I will?" Fazar laughed. "Get real, my dear child. It took me lots of trouble to steal it from the shrine."
Reo aimed the gunblade at his head and said, "I won't repeat a second time. Hand it over."
Fazar leap away just as a bullet whizzed past him, narrowly missing him. He took out a mini Uzi with a silencer attached, firing three shots from different angles. Reo swung his gunblade to guard himself, the bullets bounced off the blade and onto the floor. As he straighten himself up, he gave a silent curse.
Fazar is gone.
***********
Dr Chang was just about to head out when the doorbell rang.
"Coming." He slid back the bolt and gave a yelp of fright.
An Arabic man armed with a mini Uzi stood outside the porch. His face is twisted with pain. One of his wrist is bleeding rather badly. But what's even odd is that he covered with what looks like bits of Post-It notes with Japanese characters written all over it.
"Wh-What do you want?" Dr Chang stuttered.
"You are the famous Dr Chang, are you not?"
"Y-Yes?"
"I want you to heal my wrist right now." The Arabic man growled. "A bullet is lodged in it."
"W-What?"
"You heard me. Do it!" The Arabic yelled, wildly swinging the mini Uzi.
"Alright! Alright!" Dr Chang yelped in fright. "Just let me get some antiseptic."
"Don't try anything funny, Doctor. Or I'll put a bullet in between your eyes." Fazar trailed behind him.
Dr Chang headed to his personal office where he store his medicines. Thank God Blaze and the others are not around. They had went out to shop for groceries. Only Tifa is alone upstairs, resting. But she might not be able to wake up from her comatose. She had lost too much blood. It might take a miracle for her to wake up again. Even when Glenn had drained most of Revarie's blood from her, she might still die from blood lost. The least he could do right now is to give her regular blood transfusion and nutrients via IV.
Dr Chang took out some antiseptic and nodded, holding a bright scalpel that shone in the light
************
Inari's ears jerked upright. "My hoshi no tama!"
Lloyd, who had been surfing the net on star balls, went, "What?"
"My hoshi no tama!" Inari's voice rose into an octave. "I can sense it. But it's faint."
"Lead the way." Lloyd said, grabbing his coat as Inari dashed out, her kimono flowing behind her.
Glenn and V.V. were about to get up too, but Lloyd said, "V, take care of Glenn. I'll follow kitsune."
"What???" Glenn exclaimed, outraged.
"I want to go too." V.V. wailed.
"You are in no condition to move around." Lloyd said to him. "V, take care of him. If anything comes up, call me."
Before any of them could protest, the door had swung shut.
"Well, that's just great!" Glenn gave a violent sneeze and flopped back onto the couch.
"It's just not fair." V.V. shook her head angrily. "Not fair at all."
"I agree with you, V." He said, glaring at the shchi as though it offends him. "What about him? His injuries are ten times worse than mine."
V.V shrugged and went, "That's the way he is." She reached over for a Number One Noodle Son takeout phamplet and went, "Might as well make the best of it. What do you want to order?"
"Let's order Japanese."
"You serious?"
"Yeah. In case Inari comes shouting for sake and rice." Glenn tossed a Japanese take out menu over to her.
"Good plan." V.V. nodded and dialled the number.
*************
"Hayaku! Hayaku!"
"Kitsune, I don't understand Japanese!!!" Lloyd yelled, pressing the accelerator.
"It's Inari. And I'm telling you to go faster!" Inari said with a tinge of impatience.
"Can't you see how fast I'm going?!"
"It's...too...slow..." Inari screeched into his ears.
"ALRIGHT!!!" He yelled, letting the needle run past 100.
"Left!" Inari shrieked.
Lloyd did a sharp turn to the left, nearly colliding with the other lane, but he managed it.
"If I had known how slow this object is, I would've just turned into my fox form to run fast." She suddenly looked alert. "We're here!"
"That would be a lot of help." Lloyd said, killing the engine. Inari had jumped out of the Land Rover before the vehicle had even come to a stop, her nine tails trailing behind her.
"Wait a minute!"
Lloyd had taken in the street surroundings. This is Dr Chang's street. Why on earth would Inari's star ball would be here?
His heart seems to plummet when he saw Inari hopping up and down impatiently in front of Dr Chang's house.
"Come ON."
"Are you sure this is the place?" Lloyd asked, looking uncertain.
"I'm certain sure."
Colette growled at her, causing Inari to let out a hiss that sounds inhumane, causing Colette to whimper and retreat into her kennel.
"Dr Chang is a nice man, kitsune." Lloyd protested as she walked towards the house. "There is no way he would steal your star ball."
"I'll believe it when I see it with my own eyes." Inari opened the door magically and stepped in with Lloyd followed behind. The place is rather homey, like Blaze said. Although the place doesn't give much away, a sofa in the living room with a television set. A plain white kitchen, spotlessly clean, and a stairway leading upstairs.
Inari led him to a room at the far end of the hall. The door is ajar, and they could hear voices coming from inside.
"...How far to the auction house?"
"Not far. About 45 minutes by train."
"You are going to keep your word, Doc...."
"A-Alright..."
Inari stepped into view, causing Dr Chang and an Arabic man to yell in fright, though the Arabic man recovered fast.
"You!!!!" The Arabic man yelled.
"My hoshi no tama." Inari shrieked, her cyan tips seemed to smolder around her, like blue flames. "Sore o kaesu!!!!"
Lloyd had emerged from behind. "Doc?"
Inari gave a shriek of rage and lunged at the Arabic man and Dr Chang - who ducked for cover - her nails suddenly becoming claws. The Arabic man held out some Post-It Notes and brandish it at her, slapping it on her outstretched hands. She gave a hiss of pain as the notes burned her hands, leaving a nasty burnt mark.
"Do you think I am unprepared, Kitsune Goddess?" The Arabic man taunted, holding out a pouch covered with the same notes. It's round and shaped like a crystal ball, causing Inari to glare at him with hatred.
Lloyd was about to take out his blade but the Arabic man took out a mini Uzi and pointed it Inari's head.
"You must be...her accomplice? Let me pass through safely and I'll spare the kitsune. Try to attack me and I'll put a blessed bullet into her head."
Inari in pain, stared at the gun pointing at her head. She couldn't stop grinding her teeth at the man who had stolen her star ball, which is only inches away from her, but covered with powerful protection that repels her.
Lloyd dropped his hands to his sides and stepped away from the doorway.
Without hesitation, the man ran for it, but not before shooting around his shoulder. One caught Inari in the back, next to her left shoulder. Her legs folded underneath her and she fainted onto the floor, the blood seeping into her kimono.
"You snake!" Lloyd yelled, chasing after him.
Dr Chang hurried over to the kitsune, whose face turned skeleton pale. Without hesitating, he ripped open her kimono and tore the sleeve of the thin kimono she wore underneath. The bullet seemed to have chip her bone. The skin was bright red and puffed up around the hole.
"Hang in there." Dr Chang said to the weakened Inari.
*************
Lloyd went after the Arabic man through the silent streets. Now he realized. This man is Muhammad al-Fazar, a professional Arabic thief who steals rare goods to be sold in the black market. He can't believe he didn't recognize him sooner, and he cursed himself for it.
Fazar fired a few more shots at him, which he ducked.
What happened next was completely unexpected.
The sound of a motorcycle roaring took him completely by surprise. A black and silver Suzuki GS500 sped past him and the rider, holding out a gunblade, shot towards Fazar who gave a curse and said, "You again?"
That was when Lloyd felt a jolt of surprise. It's Reo Minamio, one of Dario's lackeys.
"You're Reo, aren't you?"
Reo glanced at his way but didn't say anything. Instead, he just aimed his gunblade at Fazar, who threw a smoke bomb at them. When the smoke had finally cleared, he's gone.
"Blast it." Reo muttered, stashing his gunblade into a compartment.
"You are after him too?" Lloyd asked.
"None of your buisness." Reo kicked the engine to life. "Fazar is my prey. You stay out of it."
"Wait a moment. My client is after the star ball that Fazar had stolen."
That caused Reo to hit the brakes and go, "What did you just say?"
"My client is after the star ball that Fazar had stolen." He repeated patiently.
Reo brought out his gunblade again and said, "Tell me."
Lloyd gave a frown and said, "You're after Fazar too. Why do we have to fight?"
"Because we're on different sides." Reo said simply.
Lloyd eyed him steadily. "Since we're heading towards the same goal, how about a truce?"
"You and me, a truce?"
Lloyd nodded.
Reo stepped off his Suzuki and killed the engine. Now that he could see him clearly for the first time, he is shorter than Glenn by a few inches, but he is lean and has the grace of a dancer, maybe assassin is the more appropriate word. He has Asian eyes, silt and chocolate brown around the iris with feminine lashes. Although his hair is dark, you can catch some strands of chestnut and hazel in the light. He is the kind of guy that reads bad boy even from a distance. The kind of guy that attracts girls unintentionally because of his good looks. With a silver chain around his neck and and an earring on his left ear, he could pass off for a model.
"Why should I?" He asked, lowering his gunblade slightly.
"Because Fazar is our main target, that's why."
The gunblade went even lower. "You have a point."
"So do we have a deal?"
Reo eyed him steadily. Lloyd waited patiently, holding on his gaze. In the end, Reo said, "Very well. So, where do we find him?"
Lloyd had a flashing vision of what he overheard. "...Auction house...45 minutes by train..."
"What's the nearest auction house by train in 45 minutes?"
Reo gave a frown. "That would be King's House. It's usually big for its auction. Sometimes, it has dealings from the black market as well."
"Then, I guess that's our next stop. But first..."
************
Inari is wearing a thin piece of kimono instead of the floral patterned one. Her shoulder is bandaged where the bullet had struck. Dr Chang had cut out the bullet and had dispose of it. When Lloyd entered bringing Reo with him, she was sitting up on the couch, her fox ears perked up at the sight of them, full of eager hope.
"Did you get it, my hoshi no tama?"
Lloyd shook his head and immediately, her gaze turned back to glumness again, like a wilted flower.
"Yuresenai... Yuresenai..." Inari scowled darkly. Each word dripped with venom, or like glass piercing the wind. It's really creepy.
"We'll get it back." Lloyd said. "We know he's heading to King's House to put it in an auction-"
The books that are stocked in the shelves shook violently as though a earthquake is hitting. Inari seems to be changing by the minute. Her hands and feet becomes paws. Her hair grew longer and turned into fur. The bullet wound that was visible slowly sealed itself up, recovering. Her nine tails glow brightly behind her, spreading like some majestic fan that will put peacocks to shame.
"A kyuubi?" Reo was in awe.
"I will not wait any longer." Inari the fox said. "If I can't get my hoshi no tama back, then so be it. I'll turn this state into a Shisha no Shima."
Reo's eyes widened in shock. "You can't be serious!" He said in Japanese.
Without hesitating, Inari charged towards them in a blur of blue gold, knocking them both off their feet. Lloyd crashed onto the wall, dazed.
"Yuresenai. Zettai ni YURESENAI!" Inari screeched, leaping over them. Her tails glowed brightly as she channeled her powers.
"Calm down!" Reo said in his native tongue, but Inari is fueled with rage. She pounced onto him and tried to chomp his head off, but he shove his gunblade in front of him in time to block her.
"Oh my God, what is he doing here?!"
There was a sharp cracking sound and Inari whirled away from him and said, "How dare you."
Glenn was at the doorway, holding his SIG Sauer P226 aiming at Inari, who is glaring at him. V.V. is by his side, her hair shifted into a mallet.
"Why are you both here?" Lloyd gasped. "How-"
"Dr Chang called." Glenn said, holding out his cellphone. Although his nose is still red from the cold, his eyes are determined.
"What's this? Reinforcements?" Inari's tails flared out. "You think you can hold me? I'm a kyuubi!"
"Heck, so what?" Glenn said, holding out some Post-It notes, which in reality, is an amulet to repel kitsunes. "Kyuubi or kitsune goddess, the one thing you all could not stand is this."
"If that's the case, then I'll start with you, danshi. Since you're so sure of yourself."
Glenn raised his gun as Inari with lightning speed knocked the gun out of his hand, sending it spinning across the room. V.V. jumped in, swinging her mallet, which knocked her. Glenn then slammed a few amulets on to her head, which seems to emit an energy that zap her. Slowly, she shifted from her fox form to human form. Golden fur became golden hair once more, four paws became hands and feet and she's finally back to her original self. Weakened and furious, trying hard to fight against the amulets.
Glenn slapped a few more for good measure and said, "Why is he here?" He is eyeing Reo with distaste.
"Glenn, thanks." Lloyd said. "And anyway, Reo and I are having a truce."
"WHAT???" Despite the fact that Glenn had a cold, his jaw dropped about a mile.
"What did you just say?" V.V. squawked.
"We are after the same person who stole Inari's star ball." Lloyd answered. "It's Muhammad al-Fazar."
"Why is he after Fazar for?" Glenn threw a look of dislike to Reo, who shot it back at him.
"Fazar is well known for stealing rare objects and treasures to be auctioned to the Black Market. King's House is also one of the best place to auction for valuable pieces."
"Then, that should be our next stop." V.V. finished for them.
"Is he coming with us as well?" Glenn jerked his head at Reo's direction.
"Yep."
"WHAT????"
"He could be useful." Lloyd shrugged.
Everyone is staring at each other in silence til V.V. broke the ice by saying, "Alright. Who's up for an auction?"
Or so it seems.
The draft of wind seemed to gather in one place, and then slowly materializing into a figure. The figure walked past silently through the streets, barely glancing at the windows.
"Where is it? Where is it? I need it. I need it."
The figure stopped for a moment and seemed to take a deep breath. The figure then raised its palms, seemingly to concentrate. The next moment, it disappeared.
Like the cold draft.
*************
In an apartment in Manhattan midtown, things doesn't seem to be smooth sailing.
Glenn was lying on his couch, dressed only in a pair of grey shorts. His forehead covered with a pack of ice. Lloyd was sitting next to him, taking his temperature.
"You have a cold." He said, staring at the thermometer.
"But it's not even September yet." Glenn moaned, adjusting the ice pack. "How can I get a cold at a time like this?"
"Well, maybe we should not have encounter demons near the port."
Glenn gave a wince. Last night, a client had called for their assistance. Apparently Legions had been spotted near the port trying to hijack hard worker fishermen's ships to avoid them from setting sail. Thus, they had taken an all night watch to keep guard on the Legions. Unfortunately, one had pulled him into the icy cold water. Although he had given him a bullet in between the forehead, he was soaked shivering like mad.
A delicious smell drifted in from the tiny kitchen and V.V. emerged, holding a tray piled with a bowl of shchi (cabbage soup), two pancakes, coated with warm sweet syrup and a mug of green tea.
"What's that?" Glenn mumbled.
"Shchi, it's cabbage soup in Russian." She set the tray beside him. "It's good for your health."
"Gee, thanks." Glenn pulled himself up and took a small sip of soup. "Very...cabbagey."
Then there came a knocking on the door.
"I'll get it." Lloyd said, getting up and heading to the door. As soon as he touched the door knob, the whole door banged opened and he yelled as whatever was behind the door forced its way in in a blur of gold and blue.
"What the heck is that?!" Glenn yelped in alarm.
The thing whooshed around in a blur, knocking over the chairs and scattering the stationery onto the floor with a clatter. The cabinets burst open and bottles of holy water, stakes, iron bars, amulets and protective charms all bounced onto the floor, though the bottles smashed into pieces, spreading water all over the floor.
Lloyd jumped over the desk and rugby tackled the thing when it whooshed past him. The thing is a fox. But unlike any other normal foxes, it's has sleek gold fur trimmed with silver. Spreading from its back, instead of one, there are nine tails, gold tipped with firey blue.
"Is that a fox?" V.V. said in hushed tones.
Suddenly, there came a girlish voice, silvery and light.
"Fox? I dislike that term. I am a kitsune."
Lloyd was so surprised that he let go off the fox, or rather, kitsune. The kitsune turned to them, the tails spreading out like a fan and said, "Quite a place you have here."
Lloyd crossed his arms. "You thrashed our place, kitsune."
"Don't call me kitsune. I have a name." The kitsune said. "It's Inari. Yoroshiku."
Glenn sat up on the couch. "Did you come all the way from Japan?"
"You know Nihon-go, yes?" The kitsune said, suddenly turning her eyes on him.
"I'm studying it."
"Then do you know about our legend, the Hoshi no Tama?"
Glenn gave a frown. "The Star Balls?"
"That's right." The kitsune said, her tails swishing behind her. "Someone foolish had disturbed my shrine. I would not have bothered but then that person stole my star ball. Yurusenai! Zettai ni yurusenai!" She launched into Japanese.
Lloyd looked really peeved. "Somebody, translate what she's saying!"
"Yurusenai means unforgivable..." Glenn said, rubbing his nose which had turned red. "And she does have the right to be mad. Kitsunes dislike their star balls being stolen from them."
"Very wise of you, you did pay attention in your class, I see." The kitsune then seemed to twitch her head a little. "I hope you have sake and rice."
"I don't drink." Lloyd said coldly.
"Well, I hope you have green tea, then." The kitsune seemed to twist and shimmer in front of their eyes.
The kitsune seemed to shrink and sprout out like a blooming flower, blossoming into a figure. A woman with unusual beauty. She's tall, taller than Lloyd, slender and graceful, just like a woman with elegance. Her moon-shaped face is young, proud and haughty, someone who idolizes herself a lot. Her hair is like the kitsune's, a bright golden blonde with fiery blue tips. Emerging out from beneath her hair are two delicate fox ears, as gold as her hair. She also has nine tails matching her hair, sprouting from behind. To complete her appearance, she wore a violet kimono which is decorated with floral patterns, with a huge white obi knotted loosely around her waist.
"Surprised?" Her girlish voice is exactly the same. Silvery and light. She was giggling at Lloyd's face, which seemed to have dropped. "Now that I reverted to my human form, what about the green tea and rice I asked about?"
************
"Oishii." Inari maybe a fully-grown woman, but she seems to have a little childish personality. "I never knew that the rice in America is just as oishii as the ones in Japan."
"You mentioned about your star ball being stolen..." Lloyd said, looking annoyed. Well, of course he is. The office is still thrashed, as though a whirlwind had blasted the place. And Inari is sitting in the middle of it as though it's not her fault, enjoying a cup of green tea and some rice coated with soy sauce, hastily prepared by V.V.
"Of course." Inari took a sip of tea. "As I have mentioned earlier to your sick colleague over there-" ("Hey!" Glenn yelled, but then a cold cause him to flop back on to the couch.) " -The hoshi no tama is an important item to a kitsune, we often use it to hold our magic." Her gaze then darkened. "Many foolish humans attempt to steal our hoshi no tama for their own selfish deeds. That is why we guard it closely. I do not know who stole it, that is why I have come for your help."
"Look, kitsune-" Lloyd said.
"Don't call me kitsune. It's Inari." Inari cut in.
"-we run a service of slaying the supernatural, not treasure-hunting, alright?" He finished as though there's no interruption.
Inari's gaze darkened. "You want a price for your service, right? Name it."
"Uh, no, we don't." Glenn piped up from the couch where V.V. was taking care of him. "It's just that it's not job-related."
Inari's fox ears drooped a little, signifying a tinge of disappointment. "You mean...it's a no?"
V.V felt a little sorry for the kitsune woman. So, she said in a gentle voice. "Well, it is a no, because we don't do these kinds of things, you see."
Inari's fox ears drooped even more. "Is that it? Does this mean I have to sit back and watch the dorobo use my hoshi no tama for his own selfishness?"
Now Lloyd felt bad. Inari doesn't seem to be a bad person. So, he said, as kindly as he could, "Is it really that important?"
"Hijo." She nodded.
"It means important." Glenn translated.
Lloyd leaned against the wall and said, "This service doesn't come in free, you know."
Inari's ears stood right up. "Is that...a yes?"
"On a condition." Lloyd warned.
"Name it."
It wasn't Lloyd who spoke, but Glenn. "Kitsunes are often known for their powerful magic and enchantments. You can heal, can you not?"
"Someone does pay attention in our tales." Her laughter are like delicate wind chimes. "Yes. You want me to heal you from your cold?"
"No. I want you to heal a friend."
V.V perked up. "You do?"
Glenn met Inari's gaze steadily, despite the fact that his eyes are watery. "She's still in danger of becoming a vampire. Can you get rid of the vampirism?"
"Kantan desu." She said. "If you can find my hoshi no tama, then I will fufill your demand."
Lloyd gave a sigh and said, "Alright, where do we start?"
************
Muhammad al-Fazar glanced back and forth wildly. After making sure no one is following him, he dug into his hands and brought out what look like a bunch of Post-It notes, all scribbled with Japanese characters. This he slapped them all over himself, though he added more on the pouch he's holding, which contained what look like a round transparent crystal ball that shone softly in the luminous light. A Japanese character with the name kitsune was on top of the ball.
"Soon. Ill be a rich man."
There was a sharp cracking sound and he gave a yelp of pain. His left wrist was shot. Blood oozed out where the bullet had struck.
"Who is it?!" He yelled in Arabic.
A figure stepped into view. A blade shaped like a gun was pointed at his head.
"Who are you?!"
"Hand it over." Reo said coldly.
"You think I will?" Fazar laughed. "Get real, my dear child. It took me lots of trouble to steal it from the shrine."
Reo aimed the gunblade at his head and said, "I won't repeat a second time. Hand it over."
Fazar leap away just as a bullet whizzed past him, narrowly missing him. He took out a mini Uzi with a silencer attached, firing three shots from different angles. Reo swung his gunblade to guard himself, the bullets bounced off the blade and onto the floor. As he straighten himself up, he gave a silent curse.
Fazar is gone.
***********
Dr Chang was just about to head out when the doorbell rang.
"Coming." He slid back the bolt and gave a yelp of fright.
An Arabic man armed with a mini Uzi stood outside the porch. His face is twisted with pain. One of his wrist is bleeding rather badly. But what's even odd is that he covered with what looks like bits of Post-It notes with Japanese characters written all over it.
"Wh-What do you want?" Dr Chang stuttered.
"You are the famous Dr Chang, are you not?"
"Y-Yes?"
"I want you to heal my wrist right now." The Arabic man growled. "A bullet is lodged in it."
"W-What?"
"You heard me. Do it!" The Arabic yelled, wildly swinging the mini Uzi.
"Alright! Alright!" Dr Chang yelped in fright. "Just let me get some antiseptic."
"Don't try anything funny, Doctor. Or I'll put a bullet in between your eyes." Fazar trailed behind him.
Dr Chang headed to his personal office where he store his medicines. Thank God Blaze and the others are not around. They had went out to shop for groceries. Only Tifa is alone upstairs, resting. But she might not be able to wake up from her comatose. She had lost too much blood. It might take a miracle for her to wake up again. Even when Glenn had drained most of Revarie's blood from her, she might still die from blood lost. The least he could do right now is to give her regular blood transfusion and nutrients via IV.
Dr Chang took out some antiseptic and nodded, holding a bright scalpel that shone in the light
************
Inari's ears jerked upright. "My hoshi no tama!"
Lloyd, who had been surfing the net on star balls, went, "What?"
"My hoshi no tama!" Inari's voice rose into an octave. "I can sense it. But it's faint."
"Lead the way." Lloyd said, grabbing his coat as Inari dashed out, her kimono flowing behind her.
Glenn and V.V. were about to get up too, but Lloyd said, "V, take care of Glenn. I'll follow kitsune."
"What???" Glenn exclaimed, outraged.
"I want to go too." V.V. wailed.
"You are in no condition to move around." Lloyd said to him. "V, take care of him. If anything comes up, call me."
Before any of them could protest, the door had swung shut.
"Well, that's just great!" Glenn gave a violent sneeze and flopped back onto the couch.
"It's just not fair." V.V. shook her head angrily. "Not fair at all."
"I agree with you, V." He said, glaring at the shchi as though it offends him. "What about him? His injuries are ten times worse than mine."
V.V shrugged and went, "That's the way he is." She reached over for a Number One Noodle Son takeout phamplet and went, "Might as well make the best of it. What do you want to order?"
"Let's order Japanese."
"You serious?"
"Yeah. In case Inari comes shouting for sake and rice." Glenn tossed a Japanese take out menu over to her.
"Good plan." V.V. nodded and dialled the number.
*************
"Hayaku! Hayaku!"
"Kitsune, I don't understand Japanese!!!" Lloyd yelled, pressing the accelerator.
"It's Inari. And I'm telling you to go faster!" Inari said with a tinge of impatience.
"Can't you see how fast I'm going?!"
"It's...too...slow..." Inari screeched into his ears.
"ALRIGHT!!!" He yelled, letting the needle run past 100.
"Left!" Inari shrieked.
Lloyd did a sharp turn to the left, nearly colliding with the other lane, but he managed it.
"If I had known how slow this object is, I would've just turned into my fox form to run fast." She suddenly looked alert. "We're here!"
"That would be a lot of help." Lloyd said, killing the engine. Inari had jumped out of the Land Rover before the vehicle had even come to a stop, her nine tails trailing behind her.
"Wait a minute!"
Lloyd had taken in the street surroundings. This is Dr Chang's street. Why on earth would Inari's star ball would be here?
His heart seems to plummet when he saw Inari hopping up and down impatiently in front of Dr Chang's house.
"Come ON."
"Are you sure this is the place?" Lloyd asked, looking uncertain.
"I'm certain sure."
Colette growled at her, causing Inari to let out a hiss that sounds inhumane, causing Colette to whimper and retreat into her kennel.
"Dr Chang is a nice man, kitsune." Lloyd protested as she walked towards the house. "There is no way he would steal your star ball."
"I'll believe it when I see it with my own eyes." Inari opened the door magically and stepped in with Lloyd followed behind. The place is rather homey, like Blaze said. Although the place doesn't give much away, a sofa in the living room with a television set. A plain white kitchen, spotlessly clean, and a stairway leading upstairs.
Inari led him to a room at the far end of the hall. The door is ajar, and they could hear voices coming from inside.
"...How far to the auction house?"
"Not far. About 45 minutes by train."
"You are going to keep your word, Doc...."
"A-Alright..."
Inari stepped into view, causing Dr Chang and an Arabic man to yell in fright, though the Arabic man recovered fast.
"You!!!!" The Arabic man yelled.
"My hoshi no tama." Inari shrieked, her cyan tips seemed to smolder around her, like blue flames. "Sore o kaesu!!!!"
Lloyd had emerged from behind. "Doc?"
Inari gave a shriek of rage and lunged at the Arabic man and Dr Chang - who ducked for cover - her nails suddenly becoming claws. The Arabic man held out some Post-It Notes and brandish it at her, slapping it on her outstretched hands. She gave a hiss of pain as the notes burned her hands, leaving a nasty burnt mark.
"Do you think I am unprepared, Kitsune Goddess?" The Arabic man taunted, holding out a pouch covered with the same notes. It's round and shaped like a crystal ball, causing Inari to glare at him with hatred.
Lloyd was about to take out his blade but the Arabic man took out a mini Uzi and pointed it Inari's head.
"You must be...her accomplice? Let me pass through safely and I'll spare the kitsune. Try to attack me and I'll put a blessed bullet into her head."
Inari in pain, stared at the gun pointing at her head. She couldn't stop grinding her teeth at the man who had stolen her star ball, which is only inches away from her, but covered with powerful protection that repels her.
Lloyd dropped his hands to his sides and stepped away from the doorway.
Without hesitation, the man ran for it, but not before shooting around his shoulder. One caught Inari in the back, next to her left shoulder. Her legs folded underneath her and she fainted onto the floor, the blood seeping into her kimono.
"You snake!" Lloyd yelled, chasing after him.
Dr Chang hurried over to the kitsune, whose face turned skeleton pale. Without hesitating, he ripped open her kimono and tore the sleeve of the thin kimono she wore underneath. The bullet seemed to have chip her bone. The skin was bright red and puffed up around the hole.
"Hang in there." Dr Chang said to the weakened Inari.
*************
Lloyd went after the Arabic man through the silent streets. Now he realized. This man is Muhammad al-Fazar, a professional Arabic thief who steals rare goods to be sold in the black market. He can't believe he didn't recognize him sooner, and he cursed himself for it.
Fazar fired a few more shots at him, which he ducked.
What happened next was completely unexpected.
The sound of a motorcycle roaring took him completely by surprise. A black and silver Suzuki GS500 sped past him and the rider, holding out a gunblade, shot towards Fazar who gave a curse and said, "You again?"
That was when Lloyd felt a jolt of surprise. It's Reo Minamio, one of Dario's lackeys.
"You're Reo, aren't you?"
Reo glanced at his way but didn't say anything. Instead, he just aimed his gunblade at Fazar, who threw a smoke bomb at them. When the smoke had finally cleared, he's gone.
"Blast it." Reo muttered, stashing his gunblade into a compartment.
"You are after him too?" Lloyd asked.
"None of your buisness." Reo kicked the engine to life. "Fazar is my prey. You stay out of it."
"Wait a moment. My client is after the star ball that Fazar had stolen."
That caused Reo to hit the brakes and go, "What did you just say?"
"My client is after the star ball that Fazar had stolen." He repeated patiently.
Reo brought out his gunblade again and said, "Tell me."
Lloyd gave a frown and said, "You're after Fazar too. Why do we have to fight?"
"Because we're on different sides." Reo said simply.
Lloyd eyed him steadily. "Since we're heading towards the same goal, how about a truce?"
"You and me, a truce?"
Lloyd nodded.
Reo stepped off his Suzuki and killed the engine. Now that he could see him clearly for the first time, he is shorter than Glenn by a few inches, but he is lean and has the grace of a dancer, maybe assassin is the more appropriate word. He has Asian eyes, silt and chocolate brown around the iris with feminine lashes. Although his hair is dark, you can catch some strands of chestnut and hazel in the light. He is the kind of guy that reads bad boy even from a distance. The kind of guy that attracts girls unintentionally because of his good looks. With a silver chain around his neck and and an earring on his left ear, he could pass off for a model.
"Why should I?" He asked, lowering his gunblade slightly.
"Because Fazar is our main target, that's why."
The gunblade went even lower. "You have a point."
"So do we have a deal?"
Reo eyed him steadily. Lloyd waited patiently, holding on his gaze. In the end, Reo said, "Very well. So, where do we find him?"
Lloyd had a flashing vision of what he overheard. "...Auction house...45 minutes by train..."
"What's the nearest auction house by train in 45 minutes?"
Reo gave a frown. "That would be King's House. It's usually big for its auction. Sometimes, it has dealings from the black market as well."
"Then, I guess that's our next stop. But first..."
************
Inari is wearing a thin piece of kimono instead of the floral patterned one. Her shoulder is bandaged where the bullet had struck. Dr Chang had cut out the bullet and had dispose of it. When Lloyd entered bringing Reo with him, she was sitting up on the couch, her fox ears perked up at the sight of them, full of eager hope.
"Did you get it, my hoshi no tama?"
Lloyd shook his head and immediately, her gaze turned back to glumness again, like a wilted flower.
"Yuresenai... Yuresenai..." Inari scowled darkly. Each word dripped with venom, or like glass piercing the wind. It's really creepy.
"We'll get it back." Lloyd said. "We know he's heading to King's House to put it in an auction-"
The books that are stocked in the shelves shook violently as though a earthquake is hitting. Inari seems to be changing by the minute. Her hands and feet becomes paws. Her hair grew longer and turned into fur. The bullet wound that was visible slowly sealed itself up, recovering. Her nine tails glow brightly behind her, spreading like some majestic fan that will put peacocks to shame.
"A kyuubi?" Reo was in awe.
"I will not wait any longer." Inari the fox said. "If I can't get my hoshi no tama back, then so be it. I'll turn this state into a Shisha no Shima."
Reo's eyes widened in shock. "You can't be serious!" He said in Japanese.
Without hesitating, Inari charged towards them in a blur of blue gold, knocking them both off their feet. Lloyd crashed onto the wall, dazed.
"Yuresenai. Zettai ni YURESENAI!" Inari screeched, leaping over them. Her tails glowed brightly as she channeled her powers.
"Calm down!" Reo said in his native tongue, but Inari is fueled with rage. She pounced onto him and tried to chomp his head off, but he shove his gunblade in front of him in time to block her.
"Oh my God, what is he doing here?!"
There was a sharp cracking sound and Inari whirled away from him and said, "How dare you."
Glenn was at the doorway, holding his SIG Sauer P226 aiming at Inari, who is glaring at him. V.V. is by his side, her hair shifted into a mallet.
"Why are you both here?" Lloyd gasped. "How-"
"Dr Chang called." Glenn said, holding out his cellphone. Although his nose is still red from the cold, his eyes are determined.
"What's this? Reinforcements?" Inari's tails flared out. "You think you can hold me? I'm a kyuubi!"
"Heck, so what?" Glenn said, holding out some Post-It notes, which in reality, is an amulet to repel kitsunes. "Kyuubi or kitsune goddess, the one thing you all could not stand is this."
"If that's the case, then I'll start with you, danshi. Since you're so sure of yourself."
Glenn raised his gun as Inari with lightning speed knocked the gun out of his hand, sending it spinning across the room. V.V. jumped in, swinging her mallet, which knocked her. Glenn then slammed a few amulets on to her head, which seems to emit an energy that zap her. Slowly, she shifted from her fox form to human form. Golden fur became golden hair once more, four paws became hands and feet and she's finally back to her original self. Weakened and furious, trying hard to fight against the amulets.
Glenn slapped a few more for good measure and said, "Why is he here?" He is eyeing Reo with distaste.
"Glenn, thanks." Lloyd said. "And anyway, Reo and I are having a truce."
"WHAT???" Despite the fact that Glenn had a cold, his jaw dropped about a mile.
"What did you just say?" V.V. squawked.
"We are after the same person who stole Inari's star ball." Lloyd answered. "It's Muhammad al-Fazar."
"Why is he after Fazar for?" Glenn threw a look of dislike to Reo, who shot it back at him.
"Fazar is well known for stealing rare objects and treasures to be auctioned to the Black Market. King's House is also one of the best place to auction for valuable pieces."
"Then, that should be our next stop." V.V. finished for them.
"Is he coming with us as well?" Glenn jerked his head at Reo's direction.
"Yep."
"WHAT????"
"He could be useful." Lloyd shrugged.
Everyone is staring at each other in silence til V.V. broke the ice by saying, "Alright. Who's up for an auction?"
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