<3D: 0H: 0M: 0S>
"Where was he taken from?" Asked Eren.
"His home. Baelor had asked me to watch over him. When I went to check up on him there was signs of a struggle and blood." For a haggard man who looks as though he is one cold night away from death, he spoke with such assuredness.
"Take me there."
Baelor was left the body of the wolf man; Eren knew he would put it too good use.
"Eren, be careful. They are getting desperate. When a caged animal is backed into a er; age is sure to follow." Words from a sage such as him should not be ignored. Eren nodded, with all the due haste they departed.
Now his top priority was to find Jun and his sister. Night was at its peak a clouds still covered the moon.
"They're watg the apartment... around the er." A darkened er, the faint light of a cigarette, if the light didn't give them away, then the smell would have. Clearly, stealth skills inferior to the wolves.
Erehe man behind, taking a darkened road to avoid the eyes. Inside, was much like a crime se. Torn doors, overturned furniture, spilt rice, but the most telling of all. Spilled blood.
Along the floor in long strokes of scarlet. Two people, forced out of a home. Ereered further, wanting to find something, anything that could give him a clue to their whereabouts. Stepping through the broken threshold; his reaper eyes gave a gruesome tale, pying an image in his mind. Cshes with desperate manoeuvres with just enough luck to fend off one, only for ao step in.
Thrown against the wall leaving a crater with hair and blood. Kit ransacked in panic to grab anything within reach. Frying pan still had strands of hair and the ti spot of blood. Pan broken in two then nded on the floor with a thud. Blood skids verging until out the door.
There was nothing for Eren to work with. However, as he left for the door a brick wall of a man stepped in. Eyes meeting at the door.
"Жнец." (Reaper)
'Another ranker.' An unfamiliar fa. A different aura to the blood pad the bandits too. Where he could sehe ing and hunger of a wolf, this man.
All Ere was something that caused him to stand tall, arms loose. Wary and ever vigint, as he prepared for a fight.
Panic took one look behind the reaper, examining the damage.
"Crimson took boy, took girl. Gooo gate by o." Help?
Eren expected many things but help wasn't one of them.
"Where? When? Why?"
"Follow o till you get to склад, three ho..." Panic looked over his shoulder, not wanting the other crimson bandits to overhear. Turning bace more to the reaper, he had vanished. Just a slight flicker of shadow on the crete wall was all that remained of the reaper's presence.
"...Паника не причиняет вреда гражданскому населению." (Panic does not harm civilians)
"You killed him yet? Oi where is he?!" Hiro would appear from the er, h at Panic.
"Sir, I swear I saw him ehe residence." Another bandit rouhe er. Hiro took a deep breath their numbered days taking a toll on all.
"There is nothing." Panic left without another word; Hiro followed close behind.
'Увидимся, жнец.' ('See you, reaper.')
Eren watched them leave from the roof. Unsure what to think of the new addition to his growing list of enemies. A potential ehat refuses to kill civilians. Then why oh was he with the bandits?
A question for another day however. Right now, Jun and Mei were important. From the sound of the Russian, Eren suspected an ambush awaited.
The trek was quicker. Sliding down from the roofs onto the crete; barely any slow to momentum. Legs bent and slid along the floor, rag, no fear of catg himself on cracks or ureets. However, Panics wave halt to his sudden boost.
'Civilians.' Panics words rang over and ain.
Jun was barley a ranker and Mei most certainly wasn't. her could kill, not like him. Perhaps a ce, a ce for the w to be a foothold ierritory.
~
Baelor, do you have the number of detective Akiko Be?
Of course. What do you require?
A message.
~
***
"BHHA, that's some good shit." Mai took a heavy gulp of her beer. Four of the RFC sat in a bar near HQ, letting off all the steam from the week. Akiko, Kenji, Mai, and Luca.
"This overtime is gonhe death of us." Kenji curred, pg another order of beer.
"Tell me about it." Luca gulped down some gyoza; deep fried pyoza that always seemed to hit the spot after a long week.
"If Mai keeps drinking, she's the ohat's gonna die." Kenji kept eyeing her bottle which seemed to find itself being lighter and lighter.
The bar they sat in was a frequent spot for police personnel. Old wooden fl, warm glow of hanging lights that wobbled gently. Walls littered with paraphernalia, photographs of officers and guild members, and other souvenirs from travels long passed. This wasn't just any old bar, it was as Mai would call it, 'home.' Mainly because she would frequently get wasted enough to fall asleep on the floor.
However, they often sat separated from the main mass. Preferring io cluster in a back booth. Far fr and jeers of their colleagues. For the best maybe, for Akiko was enjoying her alcohol iive pead quiet. Trying to think about anything other than work.
"What's wrong Aki? You've barely touched your beer. Mai is eyeing it like a hawk." Kenji asked.
Aki wasn't usually the loudest but there was always a wise quip or thoughtful versation to be had with her.
"Yeah Aki, no cop shit tonight." Mai swiped away her phone, urgio drink.
"e on Mai, if she doesn't want to drink then-"
"Don't be a buzzkill my lovely Italian man. Besides... If you get me and Aki drunk... We start making out." That shut Luca up real quick, turning his cheeks a furious red. A sly smirk upon her lips as she enjoyed watg him squirm.
"Boys are all the same; try not to strain that brain of yours thinking."
Flustered cheeks from Aki and Kenji.
"MAI!" Everyone roared.
"Drinking now. 't get into trouble when drinking. Drink. Drink." Mai enced.
"Fuck. What do I care." Three cheers all joined in, beers knog against each other.
*Buzz* *Buzz*
Akiko reached for her phone, whilst Mai da high in the air.
"No, drinking now." Mai slurred. Kenji rose to grab it off her,
"Quick Aki, no shop talk."
~
Hello? Detective Akiko Be speaking
...Do you truly want to make a differen this city?
What? Who is this?
e to the harbate; Desote Dry Dock. Two i civilians are being held within.
Wait, what are you-
The Reaper will be there. Hurry along now detective.
Wait-
~
Aki stared down at her phone. 'Reaper, i civilians...' Words that called her to duty, drunk or not she knew her task. Standing abruptly,
"Huh, were do you think yoing." Mai eyed Akikh narrow, scrutinizing eyes.
"Something has e up. Urgent, sorry." Grabbing her badge and gun at her side.
"Wait their missy!" Mai stumbled over herself to stop her.
Aki couldn't risk bringieam; drunk and disorderly. Having only had a couple, she was only half impaired by its effects. Pushing herself through the masses of officers. This was her problem to deal with, not wanting to endanger another.
"Aki? Where are you going?" Kenji called.
"Sot a lead!" That was the st words Kenji, Mai and Luca would hear before the smming wooden door.
Left w where their friend had left too. 'I got this...' Aki thought, assuring herself that this was the only course of a. Her training kig in.
***
Ihe gate:
---
Gate info:
Opening time: Once a week for 3 days.
Danger level: F+++
Locatioe Dry Docks
Owners: Crimson bandits
Last clear: 6 years ago
Rewards: Fogless fish; Perfect for cooking
Gate closing time: 00: 07: 35: 15
---
Jun and Mei sat on knees; bound at the wrists and ankles; bruised. Blue and purple marks still fl across their bodies. Kept in a dank room, deep within the bowels of an abandoned ship. Sitting atop the still muddy crete.
A room filled with tools of their captors. Whips, saws, hooks, bolts, hammers. So many ways to kill, yet so little time.
"Are you alright?" Mei asked.
"Just stay quiet." A single word might bring their captors bato the room. Juhat his master would save him; his master saved him once before. There is nothing that Reaper couldn't save them from.
'He will e.' The thought drummed over and over inside Jun's mind. The only hope in a dark pce. However, Mei still shivered. Whether from cold or fear; still they shivered.
*k*
Mei jumped at the sudden sound. The metal doors unlog and dragging along the floor.
"Good evening my two little mbs." Their captor finally revealed. As with the rest of his guild, adorned with the crimson of the guild; long trench coat, bck from the side. Skinny and pale like he had gohout the sun for years. Silver eyes shoe low light, like snake eyes; shiftiween them, prey for his twisted desire.
"W-Who are y-you?" Mei, trying to speak even against the fear.
"Me? Oh, where are my manners. I don't have a name... You call me the one who paints." Firag his knife as he spoke.
'What a fug lunatic. Thee one who paints is a shit name.’
Whilst Jun was busy n to piss himself with ughter, Mei kept herself low, silent, and still. A pose not gone unnoticed by the painter.
"Are you afraid little mb? Fear not, you shall bee beautiful under my gaze. A beauty so bold they shall talk about it for years to e. The killer with no name and his bold works of art." Whilst that speech might excite a toddler, Jun was left to suppress a snarky ugh.
Mei meet his eyes for only a moment. Eyes wide in fright, then something else caught her eye. A pause on something beyond the artist, then a sly smirk. Mei's attentiouro the painter.
"A painter you say. We've never seen your works of art. Why should we care?"
"Hush, you filthy mb. They whisper about me." Leaning forward towards the siblings with his knife glinting a murderous light.
"Mei?"
'What is she trying to do?'
With the subtle shift of gaze towards a er on the roof, Jun followed. Within a darkened er was two azure eyes; gazing like daggers at the back of the painter.
'He made it.'
"Such a big knife... Think it's pensating for something." Mei got braver, much to the fury of the painter.
"Little mb, those words shall only make your suffering so much more-"
"You must have a small pecker, cause only someoh a little pecker would o peh such a rge khe paiuro Mei; eyes twitg.
"Girl, you dare mock the artistry of my-"
"Who calls themselves the painter. Your name fug sucks." Jun joined in. Now both siblings looked at each other with knowing eyes. Reaper is here and they were safe, now they could piss off their would-be killer.
"No-one has even heard of your 'works'. Spending all your time inside a-"
"Silence! Your foolish, filthy mb. You could never be enlighteo my wonders. I have painted many masterpieces-"
"Where?" Jun interrupted. "If they were any good then surely people will know of your shit name."
The painter had begun to turn; from calm and measured movements to heavy steps and ched fist. All his bravado, snobbish artistry seemed to quell to those of a small boy wanting to swing his fists but couldn't. Not yet.
"Y-you... They wanted me to take my time with you; turn you into my fi pieces. A message for that filthy reaper to stop hunting. But I see know."
Reag for a long bone saw, shining amongst the ing light. "I must create a work of croquis, quickly, so your innards be a testament to me."
The reaper nded silently behind as the painter sized up Mei's scalp. "I think I'll start with the top. Peeling off your lovely little skin will take but a mihe siblings not giving an utterance of fear; further driving the painter into frustration.
"YOU SHOULDN'T BE SMILING-" Eren grabbed the artists wrist. Squeezing until a satisfying pop and ch.
"Your here... They said that- *CH* ARGHHHH!" Wrist bending in unnatural ways. The Reaper slowly spun their killer. Turning him to face each other.
"W-Wait. Ple-" *TWHACK* A swift, blurred, iron cd punch straight to the artists temple. Instah, for a man with no name no status.
Turning to the siblings on the floor, a quick whip strike releasing the bonds.
"Thank you, Reaper." Both siblings took an embrace around their saviour. As always Eren wao push them away, awkwardly struggling to lift his arms around them.
"H-how did you find us?
No response iurning to Mei, "Why do they fear a tdown?" His words had more than their usual impact. Fear swept into her like a chilling breeze.
"Oh... Well, I thought with everything going on... I'd have a bit of revenge, for everything those bandits have done. I may have told them that a tdown was triggered."
The Reaper stood unamused by her reveal, still quiet, unmoving. "Don't worry about that now, the reaper will lead us back."
"No."
"No?"
"She will." The reaper began to leave into the shadows, leaving the siblings. "Freeze!" Detective Akiko burst into the room. Gun primed in both hands, log onto the Reaper. However, the Reaper ehe shadows.
"I said- Shit, where is he?" Akiko spun in all dires, finding no trace.
"Are you twht?" Akiko rushed over, only seeing Jun and Mei on the floor. "Yeah, thank you detective." Akiko looked on edge, despite only the three of them that remained.
"Did you see anyone else. The reaper-"
"Yeah, the reaper saved us. Good thing he showed up." Jun and Mei ughed. Whilst Akiko didn't think of it as a ughing matter. In truth the phone call had her spooked her.
'Why did he bring me here?'
An ahat would escape her for now. Yet to Eren, a firmation on what he already khe w here could not be relied upon; too slow was the detective, if not for him then who would have saved them? This world didn't need heroes. It needed fear for those in shadows.
