📌 Tags: Action, Urban, Superhero, Antihero Protagonist, Vigilante, Crime Investigation, Dark, Mature, Thriller
⚠️Authors Note - Mature Content
"This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, nations, corporations and events are products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real events or persons is coincidental."
It was Christmas Eve in Promise City. Near was exhausted from the previous few nights. He was battered and bruised. And tonight he found himself laying on his messy blue couch. His blue eyes weighed down and looked over at the pitiful skinny tree in the corner of his apartment. He rolled his eyes, and stared at the ceiling.
'Computer…'
He paused
'What is there to do tonight?...'
Well sir, you have the pending case concerning the appearance of a demonic santa. The Gingerbread Killer was sighted in Bridgerton District, Detective Brady is hot on their trail. And…
AI-N hesitated.
The Invitation from your family. To their annual Christmas Gala.
'Great..'
He leaned back into his couch, resting his head on the furniture's headrest.
'Can I refuse?'
That would be unwise sir.
BZZZzzz
His phone shook violently.
He peered down.
[Hey idiot. Coming tonight?]
Sender- Ayaka. His sister.
Tap tap tap
[Haven't decided.] - Edward
BZZZzzzz
[Hurry up and decide.] - Ayaka
Tap tap tap
[Then. No.] - Edward
He then flipped the phone over.
BBBZZZZzzzz
She did not like that answer. Eddie hadn't been at a family gathering in two years. He had no plans to go to this one either.
Until…
Knock knock
'Hey! Sunohara! What took you so long!?'
Eddie called out.
He opened his grey apartment door. Only to be faced with-
Reina.
Reina was dressed in a hooded red furred christmas dress. Low cut. Her neckline was decorated in jewels. Her long black hair was tied in a neat traditional bun, kept together by a golden pin.
Reina stood, hands in front of her, elegant as always. Her bust was emphasized by her stance, it being defined. Her eyes narrowed with annoyance as she looked past her son at the state of the apartment. Not for the eyes of a head of state.
Tttchhh
She clicked her tongue.
'Your room… is how do I say… a shit tip.'
Reina's Japanese accent cut the cold air.
'Hi….mum…'
The air between mother and son was awkward.
'Expecting someone else… Eddie?'
'Sunohara..?'
'And you weren't going to accept my invitation?'
Reina asked, crossing her arms, her voice becoming a hiss.
'No. I was not going to.'
Eddie muttered, avoiding eye contact.
'Well, you're joining us. Whether you want to or not.'
'No-'
'Yes.'
Reina hissed.
'You are. As your mother I am invoking my right of ordering you to join us…'
-'Besides Ayaka misses you-'
'No I don't!'
Ayaka stepped through the threshold of the apartment door.
Her sharp red heels cracked against the concrete tiles of his foyer.
She was short. In contrast to her mother she was modest. Her red Santa red dress covered her neckline, and flowed to her rear. And on her back a big red tied bow. Her black hair was in twin pig tails, with smaller white ribbons.
Fwwwoooooosssshhh
She exhaled, filling the foyer with cigarette smoke.
'Umm.. my land lord does not like ciger-'
Ayaka continued to drag on her cigarette with little regard for her brother's protest.
'... WELL, hello Aya, what can I do for you?' Eddie asked sarcastically-
Ayaka's eyes slightly squinted-
'No calls… no messages… NO contact… and you say- "hello"..'
Eddie stared at Ayaka his blue eyes twitched-
But he forced a smile, his mother was there after all. Watching like an eagle.
'Better than when I last saw you.'
'さあ,さあ...子供たち.'
(Now, now children…)
Her smooth Japanese accent was like the wind.
'私の前で子供たちが争うことは許しません.
ましてや,クリスマスの日に.'
(I will not tolerate my children fighting in front of me, especially not on Christmas)
Ayaka and Eddie stopped squabbling. They both looked at her, like they did as kids.
Reina continued
'香織は花と一緒に車で待っています.'
(Kaori is waiting in the car with Hana)
Reina turned to Edward.
'エディ,私の可愛い子.
身支度を整えてから,車に来なさい.'
(Eddie, my sweet boy, get dressed and then join us in the car)
Sometime later…
The black limo roared down the streets of Promise City, its blue illuminated interior lighting the dark snowy outside.
Inside the long limo they sat, the Kodoma's, the most powerful family in Asia and Japan.
Edward sat next to Ayaka, Kaori sat opposite, in the same dress as her mother, she was the future heir after all. Low cut, her skin slightly tanned from her vacation in Australia the week before, her beautiful silky brown hair let down to her shoulders. Her make up was perfect.
Hana, next to Edward on the other side, wore the same as Ayaka.
さすがだね,母上.国連での演説みたいだ.
(That was some speech mother. At the UN-)
Edward looked at Reina, his blonde eyebrow raised.
またロシアに手を焼いてるの?
(Russia giving you problems again…?)
新ロシア連邦は日本の北にとって厄介な存在よ,エドワード.
...でも今はアメリカ.日本ではない.
それに,クリスマスにこの話題はしません.
(The New Russian Federation is a pest to Japan's north Edward… however right now we're in America NOT Japan…. And I am NOT discussing this topic on Christmas)
The inside of the limo was extravagant, white spotless floors, side doors already filled with bottles of the finest wine. The seats, red cushion, and in the centre a small table where Reina's phone sat.
She sat with her arms folded and she was angry about something, she gazed outside into the empty streets, the decorations left behind as festivities continued inside the homes of residents. She absorbed the sight as if it insulted her.
エディ,私の贈り物は受け取った?
(Eddie, did you receive my gift?)
'No. I wasn't aware you sent me one mother.'
綾香に渡すよう頼んだのだけれど.
(I told Ayaka to bring it to you..)
Reina says, her eyes snapping at Ayaka who was busy typing on her phone.
迷ったんじゃない,母様.
(Must have gotten lost, mother.)
She said casually, not even looking at the both of them.
...盗った,の間違いじゃないかしら.
(Hmm more like you took it…) Reina growled with annoyance.
お母様,綾香お姉ちゃん,お願い,喧嘩しないで.
お兄ちゃんが来てくれること,滅多にないんだから!
(Mother, Big sister Ayaka, please let's not argue. It's not often we have big brother Eddie here!)
Hana squeaked, wrapping her arms in excitement around Eddie's neck, who placed a hand on her head.
ええ,とても大事な日ね.
洞窟からゴブリンが出てくることなんて,滅多にないもの.
(Yes. It's a very important occasion, the goblin doesn't usually leave his cave.)
Kaori hissed with venom.
Edward switched to English.
'Actually the press named me the "Goblin King" Onee-Sama..'
Eddie smirked, casually brushing his long blonde fringe.
'Is THAT why you've chosen such a lonely position as a policeman in Promise City?..' Ayaka barbed, shooting Eddie a glance.
'No. I just like where I am-'
Edward's smile grew-
'And I don't have to deal with the pressure of being a Kodoma director… and I don't need to worry about up-high windows, do I?...'
Edward scoffed, his eyes clashing immediately with Kaori who gritted her teeth.
...このクソ野郎.
(You motherf*cker.) Kaori growled, her patience fracturing.
'Kaori, Ayaka, ENOUGH.'
Reina ended the stand off then and there.
As Ayaka sneered, Kaori folded her arms and looked behind her out of the limousine window.
Hana immediately stole Edwards attention, pulling out her anime chibi covered phone-
She swiped and swiped as she showed Eddie everything she's done since he left the family home.
It wouldn't take long until the limo would arrive at the Promise City Kodoma Estate.
Kodoma Estate
The limousine rolled into the compound, it parked outside the estates grand entrance, a colossal decorated christmas tree dominated the parking lot. The entrance was long, statues lined the pathways. They were Yokai from Japanese mythology, Jizo statues lined the two mahogany doors leading into the wooden complex proper.
The clan's emblem dominated the giant Torii gates leading the way; bamboo farms filled the landscape around the estate, stretching for miles. Gardeners swept the concrete stone ground as one by one extravagant expensive cars arrived to drop off the Kodoma clan one by one…
Some of those who arrived were-
Lady Kyoko Kodoma, considered the modern Kodoma, believing in advancing the Kodoma name into the future, while shedding traditional ways of the Kodoma… and Eddie's big sister figure.
"Queen" Suki Kodoma, Reina's older sister, the eldest of the five Kodoma sisters, owner of the Miyabashi-Ume company, a Kodoma subsidiary as well as operator of the country's naval ports.
These would be only two of thousands of the Kodoma clan visiting for the Christmas gala.
All eccentric. All beautiful. All wealthy. And all are cruel.
Eddie stepped into the estates grand hall, it was wide, its ceiling was seven metres tall, stabilised by wooden beams. Hanging powerfully above were lines upon lines of banners belonging to sub branches of the Kodoma clan. Tables stretched to the far ends of the hall, and laid across them, the most expensive foods that can be found in the world.
Click click click click
Reina's heels rang out like gunshots-
The hall is filled with the most dangerous women in the world, an all female clan with exceptions. And they all without fail bowed to a perfect 90 degrees. Elders, adults, teens and children showed their respects to the Empress of iron.
And she gazed down at the crowd with a cruel, dismissing leer, her dark yellow eyes full of contempt and disgust for weakness. She knew she owned the room and she made sure they knew it.
Ayaka not far behind, groans, mumbles soon followed.
Kaori was met with nods, glances and approving smiles. They needed an "in" with the heir if they wished to remain relevant.
Hana, due to her age was for the most part ignored, however her entrance with Eddie.. That turned heads…
あれが...? あれがエドワード?
(That's him?…THATS Edward?)
...あの子供が,成長したものね.
(So.. the brat has grown up…)
もう,レイナ様の隣にしがみついてはいないのね.
(No longer hugging Reina's side…)
なかなかの男前...娘を紹介してもいいかしら.
(He's handsome… Perhaps I should introduce my daughter…)
後継候補,というわけね....
(He is a prospective heir…)
...とはいえ,所詮は"外の血".
(However he is STILL a foreigner nonetheless…)
The voices continued around the hall. Reina heard them, and instinctively she stopped in place. Gestured to Eddie to approach her. As he slowly approached, she sat down, sitting comfortably on her knees.
'Edward shall sit next to me.'
She tapped the tatami mat.
Edward stepped forwards, and sat comfortably beside his mother.
'Eddie my love, are you having Japanese cuisine or… well… yours.'
'Japanese mother.'
'Very well then, at least we know you haven't lost the ways I've taught you.'
Sometime later…
With the clanking of cutlery, the occasion giggle, smaller conversations began to die out then, Reina spoke, something that drew eyes from every end of the hall.
'So Edward, how is the police hunt for the vigilante going?'
It's called "Manhunt" mother. And it isn't the best.' He answered politely, a faint scowl masking a grin bigger than London Bridge.
'English is not my first language Eddie, you know that.' She responded, narrowing her eyes in annoyance.
Hana, Ayaka and Kaori watched like hawks.
'But anyway, you didn't answer me…'
She continued.
'I am sure that next year we will try harder…' Eddie said calmly.
'Oh I am sure darling…' Reina interjected, placing her firm hand on Edwards.
She turned to the rest of the Kodoma clan who looked on with expressions of predatory interest.
我らが愛しきエドワードが,
この佳き日に戻ってまいりました.
クリスマスは家族が集う時.
彼はこの一族への忠誠と,母への愛を示したのです.
――さあ,飲みなさい.
(Our darling Edward joined us for this occasion, Christmas is a time for family to gather, he has shown his love for this clan and love to his mother… Now drink!)
乾杯
(Cheers!)
乾杯 !!!!
(Cheers!)
The hall of dangerous women responded by lifting their cups, slamming their hands upon the wooden table.
Edward looked on, he felt out of place, but nonetheless this was his family. They raised him, though he isn't blood.