"STOP!"
The fierce battle between top ranked idols came to a screeching halt. Amongst roaring fires and destroyed lights, a stadium near desecrated and charred from blistering infernos or carved deep with long cuts and cracks; a woman stepped forward.
Wearing a more traditional Idol outfit made of black and white, frilly skirt and large white ribbon below her neck, with not one but two katanas strapped to her waist one black the other white, Ying and Yang. She stood up on a platform from where Shin had entered his death machine from, looking down on the squabbling Idols like children.
'What's this?! The number one ranked idol; Suzuki Ai has entered the fray!'
Ai, the current queen of the stage and the number 1 ranked Idol, the fiercest warrior that battle Idol had to offer. With a single swipe of her black left blade the fire and flames vanished into the wind, a silence that could be cut with a knife. All eyes were on her.
"Both of you. Stop this at once." Ai commanded with the authority of a queen. A cold voice that could stop an army in its tracks. Even the crowds fell silent, not even a murmur to be heard in the vast arena.
"We are idols; we do not squabble and allow ourselves to be consumed by our emotions. We set the standard for others to follow. Stand up." She ordered the two brawling Idols to rise to their feet. They obliged the queen of battle idol.
"Mizuki, you lead with your heart, without you there wouldn't be strength behind our actions." She turned to Shin.
"And Shin; Your fire and passion inspire many to reach for the top. Without you, there wouldn't be hope that it can be reached-"
As she continued Eren couldn't stomach anymore of this self-righteous dribble. "I'm gonna go get some air." Standing up; Eren turned to leave the VIP room. Lucifer calling after him.
"What's wrong my little dove? You're just about to miss the crescendo. The coda, friendship and unity always prevail." A sneaky smile on the face of the man in blonde. He was truly enjoying this. Both the idolship and his friends' reactions too.
"Enjoy it yourself." Eren couldn't had enough; the battle was good enough. A well-choreographed dance. The melodrama came and halted any momentum that could have been.
A shame too, the reaper didn't care for idolship; but a good fight was a thing to be enjoyed.
Although he did have other business to attend too. Greater than friendship and puffery of egos.
Even under the stands, you could hear the music just as clear as if you were seated by the action.
'It would be easy to hide a scream here.' a disturbed thought popped into his head. An intrusive though not his own. Rather one born from that darkness that now shared his mind.
"Those idols certainly hide their true selves well do they not." Once again, the ring that copied Eren's likeness appeared. Still, even after all this time, the Reaper could not tell when the ring was being sarcastic. Its face never seemed to change, never showed any emotion or facial tics behind the wide grimace.
"What do you want this time? All you do is speak cryptic nonsense."
"My thoughts are your thoughts brought to the light; I've only ever wanted to help. From the moment you first gazed upon me I have watched over you, cared for you. You were my salvation after all." The ring though itself a friend to the Reaper. A companion on the path to ruin that it seemed settled to drive it and Eren to.
He turned to the ring, a frown on the face. Annoyed at the constant attention seeking menace that was nothing but a sentient piece of jewellery. Always looking for a way to gain that affection from the reaper that had none to give.
"How about my council when it comes to the being that watches you as we speak." The illusion began to look behind Eren.
Shadows had overtaken all; no lights of where he had been just a minute ago. That chill returned to Eren's heart. A creeping dread of this unknown sensation that had gripped at the soul of a man that held no fear.
"What is this?" Eren said as he glanced around the new dark that surrounded him.
"The thing that watches you. He is the one known as La Sombra; I have seen him watching you all. Collecting, studying, and observing. Preparing for a cleanse. If you find this 'El Rey Sol' none that you know will be spared." The ring once again imparted some cryptic wisdom. As if it saw the end and helped prepare it.
"Why are you telling me this? What is your goal?" Eren didn't like this. Predicting the end with aloofness, assured that Eren would do nothing but watch. It didn't know Eren at all.
"I told you; my only wish is to help the one that saved me. The fall is fast approaching; all the good you have done will amount to naught. With it, the soul of a man will no longer exist-"
"And that is madness law. Find something else to say, you sound like a broken record." Eren retorted.
"..."
A smile was all that was needed in place of words. A feeling worse than the shadows that surrounded them. The ring new what he felt deep down in that strangled heart of his.
"What I know you know; deep down in there. You fear that you have already lost-" The ring attempted to sooth his centre chest, but was harshly knocked away by Eren.
"Fuck off..." Eren trekked past the visage to where Megi was, leaving the ring to dissipate and return to its home on the reaper's hand.
But those words, with every beat of his heart deep, deep down. It drummed up those thoughts of self-doubt more and more. It had begun to bring out thoughts that Eren refused to let out…
'Madness law… What if the ring… NO!' He swallowed those thoughts whole; tossed back into the abyss from where they came.
'Never…'
***
"Master, master! We've found out his... name!" Megi eagerly bounded up to her master; now wearing his reaper mask.
Although her face dropped when she saw the smiling visage enter the darker backroom next to him.
"You've done well little fox spirit." The ring began its twisted words, to patronise the fox spirit.
"You're nothing like master. You are just a parasite wrapped around his finger." She turned from the ring to Eren.
He wondered why it had appeared again so suddenly. For it to appear like that, without provocation nor to drop unwarranted cryptic advice. A power to appear without cause that grew each passing moment was a troubling notion.
"Who?" The reaper asked.
From around the corner came Guren; a bound woman in her forties and slight bruises on her face. Her rope gag temporally removed to allow her to wag her tongue.
"Tell my master what you told me. Tell the reaper who is El Rey Sol?" Megi asked again, holding a blade to her neck.
The woman stammered. Fear in her voice. "P-Please... H-He will kill us all."
*Schick*
The blade began to go deeper into her cheek. Drawing a trickle of crimson.
The ring stood by, imitating the action of the kitsune. Like an extension that controlled Megi through the shadows, a puppet forced to do the dark bidding of the ring. Her eyes went dull, as the blade went further still.
"ARGHHHHHH!" The manager wailed; Guren having to cover her mouth to stifle the cry.
"Enough!" Eren ordered, and the ring relented. Megi regained her senses and dropped the blade in shock.
"I... I'm sorry... Master I-"
"His name is Hanzo Arashi. Currently one of the chief operators of the dome. He can be found in his office in the management tower." Tears fell and mixed with the blood that streamed from a welt on her cheek.
Guren re-bounded her and took her away to be placed in some dark corner.
Megi, still shocked and horrified at what she had been made to do, turned away. She couldn't bear to look at the woman she had harmed without a semblance of control over her body.
"And just like that... The chance to end a criminal empire is within reach." The ring spoke with sarcastic undertones once again. As if this victory was pyrrhicand hollow.
"You speak as though this is a meaningless endeavour." The reaper looked over at the ring. Its face shifted slightly. A subtle frown from a false smile.
"El Rey Sol is only a name. Tomorrow there may be no head of the beast to slay. But what of the day after, or after that? How long until all the good you have done must be reprised again and again." That chilling sensation in the air. As if a great weight had fallen onto the collective shoulders of those present.
"..." The reaper had no words for the rings grim outlook. Instead opting to silence the ring once again, leaving the fox spirit and her shadowy companion to deal with the manager.
"Give me your host... I will ensure the beast is burned and buried deep. Not once will the cartel ever rise again. All others will fear the shadows we dwell." The rings desire finally came to the front; it wanted to take the body of the Reaper. For what truths and ends was unknown the reaper.
Nor did he want to know.
"No." Was all that was said as the Reaper left. He would not play this mad game, whatever the ring was planning; it would be brought to a swift end.
*Knock* *Knock*
"Yes?"
A large office that housed an equally large man. White walls that began to turn yellow at the edges. The room smelled of coffee and cigarettes, a dark brown desk that took up most of the space. With the remaining spaces occupied by photos of idols and trophies. All with the fat man front and centre.
"Excuse me... I'm Hayashi Aoi. The new rising star. You wanted to see me?" A timid voice poked her head through the thick cream door.
"Ah, yes. I wasn't expecting you until later." He stood to bring her guide her in. Belly nearly scraping the desk as he took her in.
"Yeah; I just was so excited to show off my skills for the investors. To even have a chance to be here was a dream." The girl spoke softly, a dreamy tone of a young woman who had finally found her way into the industry of her dreams.
"I'm glad you think that way, we always need more people like you. Willing and able." He took a large step around the table. His steps echoed throughout the office.
Large windows that looked down on the stage below darkened. As to not allow any eyes to view the meeting from above. Only the single lamp on the desk illuminated the room. Casting a dim light on the girl.
"I... Um, thank you for your kind words..." She could feel the man getting closer. A sinking feeling in her heart. The girl tried to back away, but instead bumped into the door and stumbled to the ground. Her skirt riding up, revealing her thighs to the delight of Hanzo.
"What's wrong? I thought you were excited for the meeting?" He managed a knee close to the girl, placing a hand on her knee and another around her waist. Pulling her up into his large belly.
"Um... Well-"
"You wouldn't want to miss out on an opportunity like this. You could really be a real star you know?" He placed a finger along her slender cheekbone and trailed it up to her chin. His fingers were rough against her soft skin.
"I'm not sure-"
"You know how this works, if you want to succeed here. I have to make sure that you can handle all that entails. Can you?"
"Wait... No... I didn't agree to that."
Hanzo moved in even closer. His breath smelled like nicotine and cholesterol. His body, heavy with a sweat that set in. He pinned the girl to the door. His fat hands began to explore her body. Starting with her waist and thighs.
"My you have such a gorgeous body..." Hanzo's eyes were wide with lust. Reaching into his pants, shuffling around until something emerged.
"I really must sample the product before I can allow it out there-" *Schick*
A moments pause. The air still, time almost stopped. A blade held by Hayashi a sliver of blood across its edge. "That's enough... You are a disgusting excuse of a human being."
Looking down his belly hid the sight; but the blood that flowed freely from below. It was gone.
"Ugh... Urgh. URGHHHHH!" The pain worked its way, slowly through cholesterol filled veins. It felt like an eternity before the pain finally hit. His skin felt like it was melting, burning off layer by layer. Clasping hold of the blood flow, rolling on the floor in agony.
"Are you alright?" The Reaper walked in. Saku, by his side. Along with Guren, virtue and vice.
"Yeah... Anything to ensure this pig can't hurt another soul." A dark tone to her voice; not her usual playful, teasing, sarcastic or even kind self. She morphed back into her kimono form, with disdain worn heavy on the face.
"W-Who are you?" Painful words escaped the slumped man's lips. He could feel blood on the carpet and the life drain from the wound.
*Splurch*
Guren crushed the tiny little worm off by the door. Much to the horror of Hanzo.
"El Rey Sol? Blood tooth cartel? You are going to tell me everything, or you won't have hands to hold yourself together. Understood?" The Reaper spoke, the voice of death incarnate, with the finish line before him.
He had climbed this chain of command, to finally find himself at the top. The final head to be cut.
"Y-Yes... I'll tell you everything... But you have to protect me-"
*Thud*
A boot came down onto the face of Hanzo.
"Protect you? You will be lucky to live out the night." Boot crunching harder on the lower part of the man's face.
'No... Please...' The words didn't form on the lips, the boot pressing further and further onto the man.
"Information, I want everything." A growl rather than a request from the mask.
"..." Hanzo looked to his computer.
"A man that keeps his secrets in the open. How did the cartel even choose you?" The boot lifted from the man's face, allowing him to get to his computer.
The reaper took to his desk, rummaging through the PC.
Their it was. Labelled 'Blood Tooth cartel.' Opening it was more files that lead into more and more information.
'This is too-'
"Too easy." The visage returned by his side once again. A smile that grew with every unwelcomed appearance.
"Why are you here?" A whisper to the ring.
"I'm here to see if you would take my offer. With this information. I can tear apart the cartel before it has the chance to regrow and fester. All you need to do is allow me to use your body-"
"No." Eren took his phone out.
Taking a photo of Hanzo and the files.
~
It's done.
Already?
Come and get him. I'll leave him by the trash where he belongs.
Can you bring him to ward 4?
No. Come and get him. I also have the cherry blossom queen and her assistant as well as others involved with the blood tooth cartel.
I'll find a spot nearby. Make sure you bring everything.
Warn me when your close.
~
Mai was sent all that was required. After the handoff the RCU will leave Eren alone.
But...
That feeling of ease wouldn't leave the reapers heart.
Something was lurking in the dark. The ring held that smile, while all the reaper could do was watch the pitch draw ever closer.