Left to right; Right to left. Baelor entered the arcade of 'Gate world' the smell of blood was prominent, a strong and distinctive odour that was unmistakable from hundreds, if not thousands of years of experience. He followed it down the rows of machines until it came upon the scene of the conflict.
Bodies of suited golden tigers lying about. Arcade machines destroyed in the wake of a battle, a war zone of flashing lights and beeping sounds. Some bodies were being attended to by paramedics. Others embedded in arcade machines; One particularly big sumo type wrestler, laid in a field of soft plushie toys from the broke claw machine.
"Eren... What have you done this time?" The guild leader sighed. Looking to see a white-haired Reaper, sitting at the photo machine. Attending to a smaller woman, a couple of bruises on her face and fists. A big blue bear that sat by her side with that wide smile.
"Ambush... Golden Tigers wanted a fight. They got one." Eren replied with nonchalance. Hands holding the smaller ones of Kaori. Checking the damage to the hands, split knuckles, bruised fists, aching bones.
"Is Mr. Reece here yet?" John Recce in charge of guild relations for the Silvermane, and the second incident he had to attend to in a few weeks involving the Silvermane's and golden tigers.
"Yeah... Over by your best friend." Pointing to John and Masa. Both locked into a fierce argument over the events that had just transpired. Baelor sighed, seeing the mess before them. Another mess to try and sweep away.
"Tch, the boss of finally come." Masa scoffed. Arms crossed, a sour look upon his face. The vice leader of the Golden tigers, and the one-sided rival of Baelor. Although, Baelor never thought of him more than a minor nuisance.
"Mr. Reece. I am terribly sorry you had to attend such an incident, but it is clear what had occurred." Baelor began.
"Yeah... A 7 v 1. It was nearly over before it even started. Our boy was jumped, but the others never stood a chance."
"What? My men are not the type to ambush someone. Do you have evidence that your 'boy' didn't attack my men first?" Asked Masa. Mocking John's American accent.
"Well, I'm sure the regulators would be happy to review all the security footage from the arcade." John replied.
The regulators; the bane of all guilds. They were like the IRS, ensuring everything was on the up and up with regards to guild activities and relations. If there were any violations, sanctions and fines would be issued to the guilds in question. If gone unpaid, they had resources to hire 'enforces' to ensure that the Regulators demands were met.
"Do we really need them? This seems like a small incident. Nothing more than an altercation between boisterous young men."
The Regulators were not a popular group within the guild circles. They had a reputation for being strict, unforgiving, and tedious with their regulations. A smart man would avoid them at all costs.
"I suppose you have a point... We could settle this between us." Baelor agreed. He too wanted to avoid them. Without an administrator present in their ranks, it would cause the guild to nearly be dismantled and likely dissolved.
"Unfortunately, the regulators are already here. Too many cameras and people saw the fight." John sighed. Two women is suits sulked around the damage, a beeper in their hands, taking notes of the carnage.
---
"You've got one hell of a punch for such a little thing." Eren complimented, wrapping Kaori's hand in bandages.
"Yeah... I'm the oldest of three girls, so it comes with the territory. But I haven't thrown a punch like that in years." She replied, her face red from embarrassment and pain. But the man tending to her wounds filled her with a bit of happiness.
"Do you have to deal with those morons every day?"
"No... People like Minato are everywhere with in the golden tigers... I try to stay in my office and avoid them." Kaori explained, looking up at the man who now sat beside her. He had taken the time to fix her hands, and now worked on the bruises to her face.
"Do you need to call anyone?" Eren asked.
"No... I live alone. I can take care of myself."
"Ah huh." Spending the afternoon with the girl seemed to tell him otherwise. Although her pride would probably be hurt if he said it.
"It's pretty weird that out of all the places in Tokyo. We just so happen to run into a group of Golden Tigers." He said, looking up at the woman. She looked away, guilt spread on her face.
A look that Eren had been dealing with the entire afternoon.
"Kaori..." Turning he chin gently back to face them.
"Did you tell anyone about our date?" He asked, voice soft and gentle. He held no anger towards her. Only a slight frustration for being jumped.
"Mmmmmm... Maybe." She nodded her head.
Eren sighed, rubbing her wounds with ointment to prevent infections and bruises from forming.
"I wanted to see you fight... And when I heard about what happened with Minato and you. Sorry." She apologised, lowering her head, avoiding her gaze.
"Listen Kaori..." Eren spoke, looking down on the woman, eyes hard, but also soft.
"You've got to be honest. I know this is our second date and all, but I can tell there is something up." He explained. It was a confusing date to say the least, from the clumsy act to the intense dancing, her intense observations and then to the conflict at the end of it. Something was up, and it was bothering the Reaper to the core.
"Do you... Still want to see me again?" A soft, but hopeful tone.
Before he could answer, Masa strode past with a scowl on the face. Eyeing down his subordinate.
"Kaori is there a reason you're on a date with a Silvermane member?" Glaring down the small woman with a firmness, akin to disappointment.
"Not really. We're just on a date."
"Tch. Fine, don't go causing any more trouble. I'll see you Monday. Make sure this one won't distract you from your work. We've got end of year reports coming up." Masa spoke. Eyes hard and tone stern.
He conveyed himself like a big brother would scolding a younger sibling for something trivial. He cared for Kaori. Even though she was a member of the guild. Begrudgingly, one of Masa's best traits. Loyalty to his subordinates.
"Don't hurt her, or I'll make sure you suffer." Masa added, walking away, back to the rest of the Golden Tigers, helping the injured men back to their feet.
"Charming man."
"He looks out for me... He would've fought those men, and won. If it meant I was safe."
'That explains why he left so willingly.' Masa likes to gloat in the presence of Baelor. Yet today he left without so much as a taunt. Maybe an acceptance that he was in the wrong? But as if he would let Baelor see such weakness.
---
"Master Baelor? I am Rena Takagi; this is my colleague Haru Ino of the regulators inter-guild relations division." The woman introduced herself to the leader of the Silvermane with the polite bow expected of all employees.
"Good afternoon. What is your judgement?" He asked. Polite and courteous in turn.
"My colleague and I are in agreement that a conflict did occur, however. Masa has taken full responsibility. Thus, the matter is concluded and no penalties shall be applied." She explained. Putting away her tablet.
"Thank goodness. I thank you for your assistance in resolving this matter." He bowed, relieved that the regulators were not too harsh with their decision. Less paperwork for him.
"We are glad to help." Rena smiled.
"However, there is one piece of business you can help with." Haru interjected.
"What is it?"
"It says here that your guild hasn't had their administrator assigned yet. We could do it right now if you'd like."
Baelor sighed. It was a topic that the man was trying to avoid. Yet to fulfill the role with an adequate administrator. A hard role to fill, especially since they required a top of the line one to fill in his guilds 'Special circumstances.'
However, the time to choose was now upon them.
"Certainly. However, currently our administrator is on business elsewhere."
"No matter. We can add their details to the guilds profile. All it needs is the name."
Caught in a lie. Baelor thought he had more time before the regulators would be involved. However, it seems like fate had caught up to them. It was either reveal the truth, perhaps bribe the women before himself. Or, choose a random guild member to have as an admin. It would be cruel, but effective to throw off the dogs in the short-term.
"Baelor. What's going on?" Eren approached the group, wondering what was happening between the two women and the guild leader.
"Ah... Eren. The regulators would like to assign our new administrator." Baelor sighed. Both women turned to the Reaper, a curious look in their eyes, examining the man from head to toe.
"Are you the new administrator?" Asked Rena.
"What? No. I'm just a standard ranker."
"Baelor. Who is your administrator?" Haru began to get impatient, tapping her foot and huffing at the man.
"Well... We are in the process of-"
"I am." Interrupted Kaori. She approached the group, standing next to Eren. An expression of pride on the woman's face.
"Kaori?" Both regulators spoke. Surprise and shock in their voices.
"Kato Kaori. I am the new head administrator of the Silvermane guild." She explained. A firm posture and confident tone. Looking to Baelor she smiled.
"It says here that you are currently the head administrator of the golden tigers. That is a conflict of interest, no?" Rena said.
"I have been head hunted and have agreed to join the Silvermane on a full-time basis effective immediately. That is why there was a fight here. They found out." Kaori replied.
"That certainly adds some context to these events I suppose." The pair entered information into a device, a large tablet of sorts. Typing away. Adding the details to the guild profile.
"Thank you, Miss Kato." Haru bowed, the pair left. A job finally completed. The Silvermane was officially whole once more.
"Miss Kato, you have saved me a lot of effort in the future. But I hope your decision was not based on a whim. It will not cause issues between yourself and the Golden Tiger, yes?" Baelor asked. Polite, yet concerned for the woman.
She had just changed jobs inexplicably, Eren didn't ask her too. She made that decision herself.
"I will make sure my affairs are in order. However, I ask that I gain something in return."
"Anything you want." Baelor smiled, happy to have such a capable woman on the team.
"I get 10 dates with Eren Heart. Each must last a minimum of 8 hours. He will pay for each date and be a courteous gentleman." She explained, looking up at the man, eyes full of joy. Her hand snaked into the grasp of the reaper, squeezing tight.
"It will be done. Eren thank you for your service."
"What? Wait. I don't get a say?"
"No. Goodbye, Eren." Baelor took the Silverman out of the room. Leaving Eren and Kaori to stand alone, in the ruins of the arcade.
"This one doesn't count. We were interrupted." Kaori added with a slight downtrodden look. Maybe the impact of what she just did had dawned on her.
Eren just looked at the small woman, perplexed by her strange actions.
"You know you didn't need to extort 10 dates from me, right? I wanted a few more anyway."
"Really?" Her face lit up. Eyes sparkling like a child that had just been given a piece of candy.
"Yes. Really."
Leaning in close, mouth hovering near her ear.
"Next time. Don't invite the golden tigers." Whispering a teasing tone. He grabbed her hand and the nearby stuffed bear.
This date was ruined; but the day was still young. Plenty of opportunities to get to know each other more.