Kaguya Tsuzuki. The cherry blossom queen.
A long career that began well before the advent of the gates. One of the few idols to remain in the battle arena well into her thirties. Damaged goods remarketed as a classic, a vintage display of a time passed that appealed to many an older fan.
A woman of grace and beauty. A title well earned from those who have borne witness to her prowess and charm. Yet a darkness lingered behind those alluring eyes, a visage that hid a rot so foul.
She sat on a large couch, back to an expansive window overlooking a ward that worshipped her. All around the world, fans looked on, waiting for her next performance, the chance to be graced by her beauty.
"What's with the sour look? You're putting me on edge." She spoke to the shadows.
Another woman, Ninki Nanka, disguised as her personal assistant. Brown dreads tied into a large bun that sat on the back of the head, a pair of glasses rested on her nose.
Almost passing as a human secretary save for her snake eyes that she choose to reveal.
"It's nothing." The serpent answered, looking around, her paranoia and uneasiness was palpable to the cherry blossom queen.
"If it's nothing then why have you come? I only ever see you when the blood tooths want something." Kaguya asked, a woman who had little time to waste on frivolous meetings. Especially when she has very little leisure time.
"Our spice routes have taken a hit." Ninki Nanka started, taking a seat on the couch opposite Kaguya.
"How much?"
"15%. One of our main gates was compromised."
"15%? We've lost at least double that when other cartels or guilds tried to muscle in on the action. This shouldn't be that big a deal, right?" Kaguya was not a stranger to the cut throat world of the drug trade. Yet her 'assistant' and associate seemed on edge.
"El Rey Sol will visit after the show tonight; he has called a meeting with all our major stakeholders in Japan. There are rumours that La Sombra has arrived as well."
La Sombra…
A name that even the fearless cherry blossom queen; a lady who has seen terror and caused terror. There are even some terrors she fears here in the abyss.
"No wonder you're on edge... Has he… made contact?" Apprehensive to hear the answer to that question.
Ninki Nanka shook her head, she skipped past that touchy subject and continued her business:
"El Rey Sol also wants a girl. To entertain them after the show tonight."
"Of course, that pig wants one... One untouched by the filth that is this world I suppose." An answer the cherry blossom queen already had.
Not like they had a choice, if not them then it would be someone else who would provide; a sacrifice either way. All though do the ends really justify the means?
"That fat pig... I swear- Tell him I've got one ready to go. A new idol, untouched and pure, and most importantly naive." Pulling herself over to her vast clothing range.
Her response came from a personal place. Pain felt long ago; but for the greater good, right?
"If there was anything else Ninki you may leave, I'm sure our other associates can handle your concerns?" Kaguya waved the serpent away. Not before she could offer some last words.
"A demon..."
"A what?"
"A creature of shadows, was responsible for the lost gate."
"You think something is hunting us? Is that why La sombra is here? They wouldn't be so brash as to openly attack the Blood tooths, have we angered a gate monster?"
*Knock* *Knock*
The women turned to the door.
Brushing it off. They were in a vital meeting right now. The staff knew not to interrupt their queen.
"He uses the shadows to attack; monsters rise from them. I saw him in the gate; my brothers and sisters..." Ninki Nanka trailed off.
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
Another knock. Louder and firmer.
"Shin! Go away. We are in a meeting." Kaguya called out.
The hotshot idol had been trying ever so hard to get into the queen's good graces. A shameless self-promoter who only wanted to reach the stairs. No response from the door.
"La Sombra is looking for those shadows as we speak. He will pay for what he did too-"
*THUMP* *THUMP* *THUMP*
The door shook on each impact; someone really wanted the queen's attention.
"SHIN! I said-" She swung open the door, right then left. Not a soul in sight.
An empty corridor unusually dark for the middle of the day.
*Thud*
"There is nothing here... Ninki?"
Around she turned, but not the serpent seen. A skull faced monster, midnight black leathers, with a hood drawn over. Azure eyes glared deep into her soul.
Kaguya, in that moment, froze. The terror, the fear, the dread. It was too late to defend herself.
A shadowed hand, bigger than her head closed around her face from behind.
A fate sealed by shadows.
***
"My lord, I believe we have extracted all the information she knows." Saku stood by his master in an underground compartment of the stadium.
A boiler room or some form of machinery room. It didn't matter privacy was needed for this interrogation.
The snake and the queen bound to metal poles with black tendrils. Every limb taught tight; mouths filled with black shadow. The slightest sign of movement or defiance would result in a sharp spike in pain. Like being pulled apart in several different directions.
Everything discussed in private between the two was now known to the monster. Now all that was left was the final push to the top of the chain.
"..."
The Reaper kept silent as he surveyed the women before him. Both looked on with mixed emotions. Kaguya, the queen had tears welling up in her eyes, her face red from the strain and the shame. Ninki a little more defiant, a hatred for what he did to her and her kin.
"What does El Rey Sol look like?" The Reaper's voice was a low growl; anger slowly began to leak through the runes designed to keep it at bay.
"Euphhh..." Kaguya tried to speak, not a single sound made it past the shadow.
"Nnngh..." Ninki tried her luck too.
Both eyes said the same thing; 'We don't know.' Thus far they had been truthful in the information they provided, so it was not a surprise to Eren.
"All the power in the world... But still our goals escape us." From behind the two. A figure emerged, that smile that could bring armies to its knees and make them worship the earth it walked on.
"What do you want..." He spoke too his illusion of a twisted Eren.
Both bound woman a little confused as the Reaper turned away and talked to the empty air.
"Is it not enough? That with every step we take, our world moves a little further away. Why do they breathe whilst the ones they harm lay beneath nameless graves..."
Eren's spectre stood by the pair; the tendrils reacting to the image as if it were its extension. Drawing dangerously close to their last airways.
"All it takes is a little tug... Just a small amount of our power to end theirs." It spoke with the same voice. Temptation and madness waited at the top.
Eren remained silent; letting the words of the phantom sink into the deepest darkest pit of his heart.
Why should he let these two live? Vile, vindictive, vicious, and venomed. The spectres words rang true; the world would be better without them.
The tendrils took their airways, beginning to strain at what little breath the women had left. Tighter and tighter, like a boa constricting around a rat.
"Master stop!" Megi in her fox form emerged from the shadows.
The reaper came back to his senses; the tendrils retreated into the shadows. Both women coughed for air, eyes and noses leaking, faces beet red, almost purple from the sudden attack and just as fast loss of oxygen.
"Master please. You can't let that thing sway you."
"Oh, the little fox came to play too..." The spectre shifted its gaze to Megi. Attempting to pat her on the head, but the little fox didn't want any part of this twisted image. Something so unlike her master.
"Enough!" The Reaper commanded, the phantom turned and looked at the man in black. An expression that seemed to know what the man wanted to say.
"There is no need to fear me. We are one after all." It smiled.
"We are nothing alike..."
"Very well. I'll wait... For when the quiet comes; I'll be here with open arms to catch you. Your madness, my madness, our madness." Its smile widened into that grim smirk. Vanishing without a trace.
"Master... You don't look okay." Megi's little paws rested against the black leather.
Eren, now free of the phantom looked down to the little fox, her face filled with concern and worry. It softened the Reaper's heart. Bringing down that detestation of all.
"What is your command master?" Saku floated close, its azure glow lighting the darkness that the shadows provided.
"A plan... This meeting is not to take place." No girl would be sacrificed at the altar of a pig. Nor would they allow this trade to continue.
Tonight, the cartel will lose footing in Japan.