"Now tell me, who the hell are you and what are you doing in my city?" The woman said. Leo couldn't see her face, but he could tell by just looking at her that she was glaring at him, her stance tense and ready to fight at a moments notice.
"I'm no one, yet everyone," Leo replied, his deep voice resonating throughout the alleyway. "I'm you, but I'm also me. I'm the glue, yet I'm also the paper." He said, internally laughing as he watched her get all confused.
"I don't have time for riddles," The woman said as she pulled out a sword and pointing it at Leo. "Tell me what I want to know or we'll kill you just like I killed those three."
"We?" Leo asked before he heard two small thumps behind him. He turned around, only to stop as a person a couple of yards away held a crossbow at him, aiming for his head while the other also held a sword, though it was a tad bit shorter than the one the woman wielded.
All of them were dressed the same, each having black cargo pants with several blades on the side with a large grey cloak that covered their back and sides that went to a black hood that covered their faces, each having a blank white mask with two holes in them, letting them see.
"Ah, colleagues? Allies? Underlings? How fascinatingly," He drawled out as he looked back to the first woman. "Boring."
"You will watch your tone with the Mistress or you will lose your tongue," The man with the short pants said, seething behind his mask as he glared at Leo, who didn't bother even looking back, looking at the woman's blank mask.
"No, I don't think I will." He commented rather softly. "But I do have a question, you aren't an adult, by your stature and voice, which you don't bother to cover by the way, you're still in high school. Now, a high school student who goes around killing people isn't exactly ideal, so I have to ask, why?"
"I asked you a question and I am not required to answer yours until you answer mine, trash." The woman, or rather, the girl stated. Leo grinned under his gas mask.
"I'm trash huh? Can't really deny it, but," His red eyes seemed to glow even brighter than before, becoming quite visible despite the darkness. "I've accepted who I am and what I've done, and I've sworn to make people repent, tell me, do you three need repenting?" The girl looked at Leo impassively before looking at her two associates.
"Kill him," She stated as she crossed her arms. Leo smirked as he whirled around as he heard the snap of the crossbow being fired. He caught the arrow mid-air as he dodged a sword swipe from the boy in front of him before rolling on the ground and stabbing the arrow into the boy's leg, causing him to yelp in pain.
Leo then took out a quick throwing knife and expertly threw it at the person who had the crossbow, hitting it in just the right spot to disable it from firing again. He took out his own knife and parried another sword swipe from the injured boy before slapping the said boy with the hilt of his knife, making him crumple to the ground.
Leo heard the small patter of footsteps coming from behind him as he suddenly ducked and threw his arms back, latching onto the person's arm and throwing them over his shoulder, making them land on top of the unconscious boy on the ground.
"I'm starting to think that you guys suck, I've fought in a war, and there were a lot more people that were stronger than you," Leo said. "You're just children, go home and train some more."
"Do not talk to my students in such a way," The girl spoke angrily. "Do you know who I am?" Leo shrugged.
"The Vigilante of Lynchburg? I don't know, I just recently got here." He explained.
"I've fought in wars, for I am the Red Reaper!" Leo took a mock step back in shock as he could feel the girl's pleasure of seeing him act like he was scared in waves.
"I, I," He said, stuttering before he immediately regained his posture. "I know you're lying." This time, the girl took a step back, shocked. "Honestly, it's annoying really. Why does Red Reaper spark so much fear into people that other people who are obviously not the Red Reaper feel like they need to steal the name? It's not yours, you didn't fight, and you did not earn it." He said almost bitterly as if he had just been forced to swallow a rather bitter pill. "It's disgusting."
"Who do you think you are to call me a liar? A fake? I'm the real deal!" She shouted. Leo sighed before he pulled sheathed his knife.
"Then prove it." The girl charged Leo as she held her sword over her head, ready to bring it down on Leo's head, but missed as Leo just shifted to the side, watching as she missed completely.
She then jumped into the air, swinging her foot, intending on connecting to Leo's face but the teen just ducked and took a step back as her sword once again swiped through the air, the light from the lights at the end of alley glinting off of her blade.
"You're no Reaper," Leo said easily as he quickly delivered a punch to her abdomen, causing her to double over in pain before he kicked her in the chin, making her fly back and land on her back. "You see, when I see people take my identity, it sickens me and I wonder as to why someone does it? Because I'm the pinnacle of power? Or perhaps because I tend to strike fear into my enemy's hearts? Or maybe because the name just sounds badass?
"But that doesn't matter to me, I'm sick and tired of you people trying to take my name, and one way or another," He took out his knife, a certain glimmer in his eyes. "You called me trash earlier, but what in the hell does that make you?"
"W-What are you saying?" The girl spoke, this time, fear was laced in her voice.
"I'm saying," He began, walking forward. "That I am the Red Reaper!"
Flashback
"Do you know what you are?" An old man said as he looked upon a group of boys and girls alike, each on their knees in rows, looking like a small army of children.
"Yes, master!" The voice of the children speaking together without a single doubt in their collective voices.
"And what is that?"
"Prospective Reapers!" Was the cry of unison that came from the group. The old man let a smirk come across his wrinkled face as he looked down at the children.
"And how do you become a true Reaper?" This time, there was no cry of voices coming from the crowd, only silence reigning throughout the crowd, but the old man waited patiently.
Then, a child with black hair and red eyes rose from the crowd, his hair shadowing his glowing eyes.
"Be the last one standing," He answered, making the old man's black eyes sparkle as he saw the young student speak up.
"You are correct. But, would you be able to do it?"
"Without hesitation," The child voiced once again, making the old man's eyes widen once again before he let a pleased smile come across his face.
"Then prove it to me." He threw something at almost blink-like speed, but the child caught it easier. "Prove to me your resolve, Leo." The children around Leo were no longer on their knees, but in fighting positions, ready to fight to the death.
In Leo's hand, was a dagger. Leo unsheathed the dagger and looked at his old classmates before holding it in a reverse grip.
"As you wish, master."
End Flashback