"Oh, it's Tori. You want the usual?"
The rugged bartender watched as Todotori took a seat at the counter. He was a tall, bearded, mountain of a man who had become a barman after spending years working in one of the local rings, leaving the life of scum behind to mix drinks at a rundown, grimy pub. Since Todotori dropped by often, the two were familiar. His name was Weber.
"That's right."
Halo hadn't come around in days. While she was busy following her other pets around, life seemed to return to normal. For the first time in what felt like forever, Todotori's mind wasn't flooded with dread and terror, and he could spend his nights doing other things besides murdering scum.
Looking around, he surveyed the bar. It was shady, just like everywhere else in the city, but he liked the setting because it was quiet compared to many other places. Shifty types were paid the occasional visit but rarely caused any real trouble. In the darkness, everyone minded their business, fearing that one stolen glance would become an altercation.
Weber returned with Todotori's drink, placing the small glass of cheap vodka before him. The bartender crinkled his nose as he watched him take his first sip.
"I still can't believe you're able to drink that stuff," he said, shaking his head. "The only other time I use it is to kill the rats out back. Even then, I feel bad for the poor things."
Todotori smacked his lips with satisfaction and leaned back in his seat. "I guess it's a good thing I'm not a rat."
Weber cracked a smile and threw a bar towel over his shoulder. He leaned back on the counter behind him, crossing his sturdy arms in front of his chest. "One of the boys told me you got fired from the construction site," he prodded. "What's that make? Three jobs in one year?"
"You're always so nosey," Todotori said into his glass. "Why don't you be a good bartender and go bug someone else?"
In honesty, he didn't mind Weber's intrusion. The burly man was entertaining, and he meant well, completely unlike any of the other scum.
"I'm just saying," the barman shrugged. "At this point, you'd be better off working for that old, flower-planting hag you're friends with."
"She'd fire me, too."
"I don't doubt it," Weber chuckled shortly. "You know, I worry about you, kid."
Todotori didn't respond, but instead finished off his drink with one last swig. Tapping on the glass with his finger, he signaled for another as he licked the excess from his lips. The bartender stared in astonishment for a moment before sighing and moving to grab a refill.
"I haven't seen you in a few days," Weber stated upon his return, sliding a new glass in his direction. "How's Laz?"
Todotori paused mid-swallow. He hadn't seen his friend in nearly a week. In fact, they hadn't spoken at all. He'd been so distracted, constantly pulled around by that infuriating Shadow.
"Uh... I haven't seen her," he finally answered, awkward.
"What? Why not?"
"I don't know," Todotori grumped. "I think she's mad at me. I was late to her last match."
Weber smirked and shook his head, unsurprised. "That girl is always mad at everyone. I'm sure she'll get over it."
Nodding, he knew it was true. Still, it didn't take away from the fact that Todotori hadn't heard from her in days. He realized he could drop in and see her whenever he wanted, but it didn't feel right.
"Maybe," he sighed. "The last time I saw her, I gave her a necklace to make up for it and-"
"You got her a necklace?!" Weber's smile widened, appearing overly excited by the idea as he leaned closer to pry. "I didn't know it was like that between you two."
"It's not like that," Todotori turned his head, slightly embarrassed by his reaction. "It was just some thing that I hunted down for Ms. Cohan. The old lady gave it to me, and I didn't know what else to do with it."
"Right," Weber wasn't buying it. "What did she say when you gave it to her?"
"She didn't want to take it."
"What did it look like?"
"Ugly."
Weber's elation vanished almost instantly as he slumped back again, disenchanted. "Well, that's why she isn't talking to you, shithead."
Todotori thought back to that day and the necklace. He recalled the dingy pendant of stone, wrapped in feathering string, and how Laz had looked when she received it. She had been shocked, of course. He'd never given her anything like it before. Part of him wished the thing hadn't been so ugly, but she didn't seem to mind it.
When the old lady had told him to give it to a pretty girl, she was simply the first person he thought of. It didn't necessarily mean anything.
Todotori shook his head and took another long sip. "I don't know what her problem is."
"Well, you need to figure it out, kid," Weber said, serious all of a sudden. "Good friends are worth the fight."
Todotori ignored his comment. The last thing he needed was a lecture from his bartender.
The truth was, he didn't know if Lazzir was upset with him. It was purely an excuse, a fabricated justification to mask the real reason he hadn't contacted her: he was scared. Since discovering the nature of his Angel ability and the purely ruinous essence of his touch, he couldn't be sure he wouldn't accidentally misuse his power.
He knew it was silly, considering Weber and everyone around him hadn't been burnt to bits by his presence yet. However, the thought of potentially harming his best friend was something that he couldn't stomach.
Finishing yet another drink, Todotori gave Weber the signal.
The barman nodded, fixing another and sliding it across the counter. Drying his hands with a towel, Weber reached into his pocket and pulled out a box of cigarettes, packing it against his palm before flipping the top.
"You want one?" he offered.
"I don't smoke."
"Since when?" Weber asked, coffin nail between his lips. He lit it, then poked the open pack in Todotori's direction.
"Since a long time ago," Todotori cut, fanning the box away with the shake of his head.
"Well, you look like you need one. Matter of fact, you look like you need the whole pack," he replied in a grumble. "Someone could mistake you for a corpse with those damn bags under your eyes."
"And smoking is going to fix that?"
"I'm just saying."
Todotori stared at the carton on the counter. It was tempting, and after finishing his next drink, it was very tempting. Wiping his mouth dry, he finally relented and pulled a cigarette from the box.
Weber tapped his lighter on the counter. "If you're going to do it, take it outside. Only I'm allowed to smoke in here."
Pausing in disbelief, Todotori rolled his eyes and snagged the lighter from his fingers. Only Weber would work so hard to pressure someone into a cigarette, then make them step outside to smoke it.
The midnight wind was soft and chilling, gently blowing litter and dust across the sidewalk as the pub door slammed behind him. Reclining against a nearby wall, he shielded his flame from the breeze as he took in a puff of smoke. The moon was full, lighting the streets and alleys, and painting the city in dusky blue.
A few yards away, a couple leaned against the corner, whispering. At first, Todotori paid them no mind, unable to hear their conversation other than a few irritated, echoing tones here and there. From the corner of his eye, he could see the man swaying drunkenly, barely able to keep straight as the woman he was with held him upright by the shoulders. Todotori turned away with a disinterested sigh, watching the opposite end of the street.
"That hurts!"
"Come on, don't run away from me! I said 'm sorry."
With the conversation growing louder, Todotori couldn't help but look. The drunkard was now gripping the woman by both wrists, wobbling back and forth as she struggled to pull away.
"Let's just go home," the woman protested, freeing one hand from her partner's grasp.
"No, no, no!" the scum slurred, this time wrapping his arm around the back of her neck and pulling her aggressively. He yanked her repeatedly as she fruitlessly fought to escape. "I won' let you leave."
Suddenly, the back of the man's shirt was snagged, and he stumbled back, releasing the woman with a gasp.
"She's right. It's time to go."
Holding the man by the back collar, Todotori loomed over him with a blank expression, a cigarette still hanging from his mouth. Something deep down wouldn't allow him to sit and ignore the situation any longer.
"Pack it up," Todotori ordered.
The scum remained stunned at first, then his expression turned to aggravation. "Who the hell're you?" he hissed. "I'll do whatever I want, asshole!"
The man jerked himself away, releasing himself from Todotori's grip. Violently, he secured his hand around the woman's arm again and forced her forward. The woman yelped, wincing as she was dragged along with the man's wild movements.
That was when Todotori's fist found itself planted in the man's jaw. It was almost instinctual, the jab clean and swift, sending the scum before him spiraling to the ground in an instant. With a thud, the man's body hit the pavement, and he was out cold.
The woman watched in awe, gasping with concern as her partner sprawled out on the concrete. She quickly bent over, cradling the man's face before turning to Todotori in disgust.
"Hey!" She glared up at him furiously.
"What?" Todotori shrugged, confusion on his face as he swiped the cig from his mouth. "Wasn't he bugging you?"
"You should mind your own business, idiot!" she spat. "Now what am I supposed to do? Drag him home?"
Scoffing, he began to turn away. "If you're smart, you'll leave him there," he huffed on the cigarette once more, his voice slowly drifting into an annoyed grumble. "Stupid scum. I could've done a lot worse."
Spinning toward the pub entrance, he could hear the front door open, followed by several pairs of footsteps.
"What's going on out here?"
Exiting the bar, three men swaggered out onto the sidewalk. They were a shabby group, evidently on the lookout for trouble. It was laughable how their type always seemed to turn up at the worst possible time, as if they were hounds sniffing out a fight.
"Don't worry about it," Todotori sighed, walking past the group and trying to avoid more problems. "It's been settled."
Before he could brush by, one of the men grabbed him by the jacket, causing him to halt immediately.
"Has it?" the scum growled, grinning mischievously. "What, you think you're some kind of hero, pushing drunkards around for fun?"
The other two chuckled lowly, staring at him like fresh prey and nodding to their friend's words. They had him cornered, clearly itching for a fight as they inched closer.
"That's not what happened," Todotori replied, stiffly removing the man's hand.
"Then tell me," the man jeered, grabbing him by the shirt this time and pulling him face-to-face. "I'm sure I'll understand."
Rolling his eyes, Todotori took the cigarette from his mouth and dropped it to the ground, grinding its ashes into the sidewalk with his shoe. It was clear that he wasn't getting out without a brawl.
"This is what I get for smoking," he groaned, accepting his fate.
Todotori swung at the scum grappled to his shirt, trying to surprise his opponent with the sudden movement. Unfortunately, the man deflected the jab, countering smoothly and forcing him to swerve to the side.
The other two men jumped in, punching and swinging aimlessly. Todotori was able to dodge most of their attacks, using a front kick to create distance from one opponent while handling the other two. Doing this, he managed to send one of the men into the wall with a calculated hand combo.
His body had grown used to the flow of fighting in the past week, moving more fluidly than before. He was relaxed, able to dodge and roll without effort. Part of his lack of fear also came from knowing he could end the fight whenever he wanted.
He had a weapon they didn't know about and was practically begging for a reason to use it.
Rolling, countering, and striking, Todotori knocked two men down with little struggle. The last one standing was left out of breath, fairly beaten, and swaying off balance from the jab he'd taken to the temple. Clutching the wall, it was clear that the scum had lost the fight.
"What a headache," Todotori groaned, glaring at the man without pity as he turned back toward the pub door. Although it was over faster than he thought, it was still a nuisance.
Reaching for the entrance handle, a crisp sound echoed off the wall and through the air.
Click, click, click.
"Don't turn your back on me, you prick."
He turned his head cautiously, the scum still several feet away. Immediately, his eyes widened when he saw what the man had pointed at his head.
"Yeah, you didn't know I had this, did you?" the man chuckled, stumbling back and forth and waving his gun carelessly. "You're not going anywhere."
Altered, he fired the weapon as soon as he was done taunting. The aim was off, a bullet bouncing off the street yards away from where he'd intended. The sound was deafening, likely to alert everyone in the area within seconds.
Todotori lunged swiftly as the man started to cock the weapon again, grabbing him by the arm and lifting it to the sky as another shot fired. There was no time to contemplate where the man had found such a weapon. In fact, it had become a common occurrence in the last week.
Seizing him by the neck, Todotori sharply rammed the man into the wall and plucked the gun from his hands. The scum started to scream, reaching for Todotori's wrist and clawing at his arm. His face started to char, becoming discolored and burned. Sores formed along his neck and head, and the skin slowly began to peel away.
Losing strength quickly, the man's legs buckled and he fell to the ground, writhing. He wallowed against the wall for a mere moment before his body went utterly limp. Lying there, his corpse looked just like all the others before him, inhuman.
"What's all this noise? I swear you boys are always doing something-" Weber stepped through the pub door just feet away, mumbling in annoyance. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the line of bodies on the sidewalk. "What the hell?"
Looking up, he glared at Todotori, who was still holding a gun in his hand. His expression dropped, appearing confused and distressed as he took in the scene.
"Tori... what are you doing with that?" Weber stuttered.
"No, it's not-" he scrambled to explain.
The woman, who had been watching the entire time while at her partner's side, unexpectedly let out a horrified scream. Todotori whipped his head, forgetting that she was there. He hesitated, unsure what to do as she stared at the zombified carcass that was sitting in his shadow.
"Holy shit!" Weber gasped, his attention also drawn to the defiled body. "What is that?! Did you do that?!"
"No, I-"
Another scream sounded off behind him, causing him to jolt. It was then that Todotori fully understood the gravity of his situation. He had become numb to the killing and the burning and the bodies. To him, it was nothing.
Murdering scum was nothing.
Clearly, the two before him did not agree.
Weber took a step forward, his demeanor now threatening. Todotori had never seen him so petrified, his expression showing pure revulsion.
"Get out of here, now!" the barman boomed.
Todotori flinched, gazing at his friend with eyes that begged to justify what he had done, but it was no use.
"Beat it before I call the cops!"
There was no way out of it. Todotori turned and bolted down the street without another word, tucking the gun into his pants as he faded into the shadows.
----
Midnight would soon turn into dawn, dark cerulean beams shining down through high stained windows as stone columns slid back into their original places. Spoons had kept Lazzir busy every day, working her for hours, and striving uselessly to unlock her stubborn powers. With yet another night concluding, and no new Angel abilities unlocked, she was beginning to accept that she was ineffectual.
Flopping down onto the cold, hard floor, Lazzir used her sleeve to wipe the sweat from her chin, still breathing heavily. Staring up at the painted ceiling, the words Spoons had said nights before still weighed heavily on her mind.
What was she fighting for?
She still didn't know the answer.
She watched as Spoons waved his hands precisely, directing the pews and statues to their positions within the church. Even after days of training, his Angel ability still fascinated her, the sound of stone grinding on marble as the walls and floors shifted with intention.
"That's it for today, huh?" Tilluan's footsteps could be heard approaching from behind. "You guys keep finishing earlier and earlier."
"That's because I'm starting to run out of ideas." Spoons turned as the last of the windows settled along the nave, concluding his restoration.
Tilluan stopped next to Lazzir and placed his hands on his hips. "It feels like all this training is for nothing," he sighed. "You sure you don't feel any different?"
She couldn't tell if he was antagonizing her on purpose, but she punched him in the knee just in case. "Trust me, you'll be the first one I test my ability on once it triggers," she huffed.
"I wouldn't say it's for nothing," Spoons said, giving Lazzir a faintly reassuring glance and ignoring Tilluan's nettling. "Honestly, I've never seen anyone move so fast. You might have even surpassed Mai at this point."
Lazzir had to fight not to roll her eyes. Although her improvement was undeniable, there was no way she'd gotten quicker than Mai in just a few days. The woman was a monster.
"Speaking of Mai, she said she's coming by tonight to discuss something important," Tilluan stated, changing the subject. "Who knows when she'll actually show up, though."
"Good afternoon."
Her voice emerged out of nowhere, followed by the sound of clicking heels.
Mai brushed by Tilluan, her sudden appearance causing him to jolt. "Woah! Hello..." he stuttered, looking sheepish. "Well, I guess she's here."
She hadn't come by in days, stating that she was going on some sort of undisclosed errand before vanishing without further explanation. Lazzir didn't dare question it, though she didn't really mind. She had enjoyed her absence.
"I need to speak to you two," Mai continued, ignoring her existence and addressing only the men. "There's been a change. Another one has emerged."
"What? Which one?" Tilluan's expression went tense.
Puzzled, Lazzir grabbed him by the sleeve and yanked herself to her feet.
Mai continued walking until she was positioned in the middle of the group, crossing her arms as she let out a deep, distressed breath. "I don't know. It's impossible to tell," she admitted.
"So, you haven't actually seen them?" Spoons cut in, casually leaning on the back of the last pew.
"No, I haven't."
"How do you know it's not someone we've faced before?" This time, Tilluan asked.
"I saw the bodies they left behind," Mai explained. "Their ability is definitely more aggressive than what we've dealt with in the past. If we'd encountered them before, I would remember."
Eyes darting between the three of them, Lazzir's confusion grew as the conversation continued. She was desperately curious, biting her tongue to keep from demanding answers. However, she couldn't stand it any longer.
"Wait, are you talking about another Angel?" she blurted.
Mai's glare attempted to cut Lazzir in half as she paused momentarily, seemingly gauging her willingness to clarify.
"Yes," she answered dryly, "and a very dangerous one. As you might have guessed, not every Angel has good intentions. Some use their abilities for selfish gain, stealing and killing until they get whatever they want."
Lazzir lowered her head, thinking. From what Tilluan had told her in the past, she assumed that she only had to worry about people who wanted to steal her Angel mark for its power. She never stopped to contemplate whether or not the other eight Angels were a threat. Although it made perfect sense.
Her head was still full of questions. "If the other Angels are so dangerous, why haven't I heard of them? You'd think that people like that would be killing people left and right," she questioned, placing a hand on her hip.
"Well, as far as we've seen, they are only interested in killing other Angels," Tilluan said. "They haven't shown any interest in suppressing the weak, just eliminating others of their kind to gain influence or leverage or whatever it is they are after."
"That's been the case in the past, at least," Mai added, straightening herself as her eyes went grim. "However, this new Angel doesn't seem to be playing by the same rules. They have already killed nearly one hundred men."
Tilluan's face shifted, almost turning white. "Nearly one hundred?" he repeated in disbelief. "When was this? Why didn't you tell us?"
"I had to investigate further before I involved the rest of you. I wasn't able to find a motive behind the killings, nor have I been able to track the Angel responsible. However, the bodies left behind were grossly disformed..." Mai paused, shivering slightly. "They were eaten with cancer and burned to a crisp. I've never encountered something so vile."
Mind spinning, Lazzir tried to visualize it for herself. Cancerous burns? She wasn't sure what it meant, but the expression Mai took while recalling the faces of the dead told her all she needed to know.
"Of course, the Angel only targeted scum, singling out one specific ring within the city," Mai continued. "One of those criminals likely got their hands on an Angel mark and started using it against a rival group. It doesn't seem like they are interested in harming the innocent."
"Not yet, at least," Spoons chimed in, tilting his head. "How can we be sure they won't get bored and turn on civilians next?"
"I agree," Mai nodded. "Regardless of motive or who the Angel intends to kill, such gruesome power can't be left untamed. Murder is still murder, scum or not." She looked between Tilluan and Spoons, her words stern and precise. "We must eliminate them."
The idea was exciting. Lazzir was on edge, eager to finally work towards something meaningful. Training had been futile. She wanted action.
"So, what do we do?" Lazzir asked, already aching to hunt down this mysterious, menacing Angel.
"Oh," Mai examined her, scrutinizing, "we won't need your help."
"What?" Her face dropped.
"You'll only get in the way."
She said it so frankly.
Lazzir furrowed her brow. "Get in the way?" she repeated, ridden with disbelief.
Mai's expression remained cold and blunt. "You haven't triggered your abilities yet. There's no way you could fend for yourself against another Angel if something happens. For your own safety, and to keep us from having to protect you during the mission, you won't be taking part," she commanded.
"I am perfectly capable of handling myself," Lazzir spat, her hands forming into fists. "There won't be any need for protection."
"This isn't a negotiation. You won't be taking part, end of story," Mai said tartly, her gaze unyielding.
Lazzir looked at Tilluan pleadingly, but he refused to meet her eye. Frustrated, she turned to Spoons, who also seemed to ignore her distress. Suddenly, a wave of hopelessness washed over her.
"Seriously?" Her desperation turned to resentment. "Just because I don't have an Angel ability, I'm useless? Do you have any idea how hard I've been trying? All I've been doing is busting my ass, training every day to please you!"
Finally, the truth was starting to come to her. The reason that Lazzir so badly wanted to trigger her Angel ability wasn't so that she could have more power. She didn't want leverage or fame.
She simply wanted to prove herself.
But what was there for her to prove? Clearly, no improvement or hard work was enough to satisfy, so long as she lacked an Angel ability. It didn't matter how much faster and stronger she'd gotten during her training. To them, she was still powerless, defenseless, and a liability.
They thought she was weak.
Stepping forward, Lazzir clutched her chest. "I don't need powers to prove that I'm useful. My entire life, I've been fighting without them. I might have used my strength for selfish reasons in the past, but this time, I want to help."
She looked each of them in the face, forcing them to listen to the words coming from her heart. Cruising around without much purpose, she'd been wrong in the past. Now that she'd been dragged into this world of Shadows and Spirits, she finally had something to work towards. If there really were malicious Angels out there, threatening the balance of everything they knew, she wanted to do something about it.
"I want something to fight for."