Pov Kurumi.
Standing at the entrance to our hideout I look at the rope which is the only entrance to the store in front of the rope stands Copper holding the end of it in his hands and on the roof stands Neo looking down at us.
"And how do you plan to bring this into the basement? "
Asks Ash standing next to me as I continue looking at the vertical wall.
" I generally hide things in the shadows and bring them where I need them."
"If something is too heavy for me to store, I simply call on my clones to carry it, for example if there are wooden crates and other bulky items in our hiding place that I can't store, the clones themselves pull them up on the roof using ropes."
I say remembering how we normal do it .
" But it's dust and I don't want to risk exploding if the clones shake things up "
"If there was a good shadow here, I could create enough hands on the wall to carry it to the roof like an elevator.
I say again after developing my options.
"It's too heavy for you to store it in the shade and there's no shadows to carry it up, but we can't pull it up with a rope because it's too heavy and has too delicate load inside.
Thought aloud Ash.
" However, the dust should not explode just like that "
Ash says, and he is right about that however, I don't want to take any chances.
" I could try to store one container of dust in the shadow and then pull it from another shadow on the roof, after all, I already know how to control a shadow other than my own."
I say knowing that this is the only logical way without risking a boom .
" Are you talking about Teleportation?"
Copper asks.
" Teleportation? "
I ask confused because that's not what I was talking about.
" The process of moving objects from one place to another without maintaining the object's continued existence in space."
Ash says and when he says it like that the definition agrees with what I want to do.
" Have you ever done that with a shadow you can't see? "
" In my opinion we can do it normally with ropes and you just make everything more difficult."
" But well try at least it will be faster "
Ash Says.
" it's worth a try "
I say as I wave to my pink mouse and shout to her.
" Neo watch where the hand appears."
I shout then try to feel the shadows around me.
"You know that if you succeed it will be another monstrous ability to your arsenal".
Ash says. I know what is he's talking about just imagine you're walking down the street and a dust bomb appears under your feet. For the assassin, the ability to carry any object through shadows can be as broken as creating shadow clones or a well-used perfect physical illusion.
Not feeling the shadow on the roof I walk closer and closer to the wall until I feel the edge of the shadow and use it to create a hand in it. I open my eyes and look up and see Neo showing me a thumb up.
Then I turn around and see that I am perfectly halfway between the wall and the white truck with Lombard markings that Ash helped transport the dust here.
" You did it".
"Copper come here"
Says satisfied Ash calling out to his brother after which he opens a crate filled with dust containers pulls out a container and places it in my shadow where it is caught by pale arms and pulled into the shadow after which it is pulled out of the shadow on roof and Neo moves dust to the side.
Then, with the help of clones this process was repeated until we had unpacked six crates full of containers. It took us ten minute so it wasn't too bad.
"Copper go up"
Says Ash showing the cable to Copper.
"What?"
Asks a discomfited Copper.
" Do you want to leave the harsh physical labor to two little girls ?"
Asks Ash looking at his brother. Copper sighs catching the cable slowly and uncertainly.
'Cupper doesn't have to do it the clones would do that.'
' But Ash most likely wants to see what conditions we live in probably Big Mama told him to check it out .'
When Copper was halfway to the roof suddenly a creaking sound is heard coming from the antenna to which the cable is attached .
" It won't break?"
Asks Copper uncertainly looking at Neo who shrugs her shoulders not knowing the answer . Then Copper looks at me with the face of a frightened puppy .
" For us rather not but you are quite heavy ".
I say liking the expression on his face.
'Even if the cable were to break one day in the store we have an extra rope and there is another spare hidden in the alley I'm not stupid enough to leave us without the option of a backup entrance'
' It's not that we need a rope I and Neo are able to get in without one'.
With this thought I watch Copper climb the rope to the roof. Then after him we climbed to the roof together with Ash. After which we picked up the single dust containers and went inside .
" It's awfully clean up here,"
Cupper says.
" Because we clean here every day"
I say as we descend to the first floor, entering the clock room, which Neo and I illuminated with battery-operated lights.
" Wow this is... "
Copper says.
" expensive"
Adds Ash and at his mention I look at him to explain.
" Hand carved and hand tinkered clocks each of these can be considered an antique collectors would fight over them and the biggest one is about two million lien if it works."
Says Ash walking up to the largest clock however I don't care because my thoughts are going crazy.
' How much?'
I think looking at Neo who looks at me as if she already knows they cost that much.
' I forgot she is the daughter of the city manager'.
Recalling this I look at Ash.
"And how do you know about it ".
I ask just to be sure.
" Our family runs a Pawn Shop so I know what is expensive and will sell".
' Right.'
' But that means that if I fix and sell these clocks I will be rich'.
" I see it's not working do you have parts of it?"
Ash asks.
" Yes I keep it in one of the cupboards upstairs"
I say answering the question
" Okay I understand expensive clocks but can we carry the dust already"
Copper says.
' Copper idiot this is more important than the dust'.
I think however me and Ash have no option but to agree and after struggling to get down the ladder in the kitchen we got into the dark bunker.
" Copper help Kurumi pour the dust into the generator".
" Neo show me were to put the dust "
Says Ash as I holding the flashlight , guide Copper to the generator. Lighting up the entire bunker. Emerging from the control room, I see the astonishment on Ash's face and Copper's fascination.
"Ash do you remember how we always wanted a hideout like this when we were kids ".
Copper says looking at the colourful laps around him.
"Yes"
Says Ash looking at the crates scattered around the room.
"Why do you need them? "
Asks Ash.
"We keep dry food and canned food in there."
"Apart from that, other stuff we don't have room for ".
I reply without hiding anything.
" It's a bit hot in here "
Copper says after a while.
" The city heating pipes run around the bunker from what I was looking at, and if you destroy the wall in the bathroom you can go directly into the sewers"
I say as a curiosity .
"Are you stealing the heat? "
Asks Ash, with a foxy grin .
" We're borrowing "
I reply with the same smile.
"You know that until you buy this building you should not put all your security on it ."
Says Ash as his smile disappears.
"I know if someone buys this building ,it's the end of our paradise but I don't have the money to buy it. Besides who is going to sell two homeless kids an entire building."
I say to Ash a little flustered .
' I knew that but I didn't want to worry about it unnecessarily'.
"What about our Dad's gang ? "
Copper asks.
" What?"
I ask looking at the brothers.
" You know what the morriatti gang does".
Asks Ash.
" Real estate and loans".
' This is it !'
'but...'
I say when this is reaches me.
'However'
" Remember Father is the highest authority there ".
"Father can arrange it for you without any problem, it's up to you, of course you will still have to pay it back but it will be on fair terms Father will see to it ".
Says Ash for sure Knowing what I'm thinking about .
' Probably Big Mama and Big Papa made it up.'
' They help us without restricting us they give us independence by giving us opportunities.'
Looking at my pink mouse she looks happy ,nevertheless she looks at me and I know what she wants to say.
" We have to think about it".
I am saying this because I know it will be a plan for several million lien, after all it is a historic building in the middle of the Vale. But still, such an opportunity.
' We have a fairly source of income. If we additionally had the a house to own I won't have anything more to worry about'.
' However, now the debt repayment will come in. But we are already have to tight a belt.'
' There's nothing to think about now I'll talk together with the pink mouse and then we decide. '
Pov 3 person
And so after half an hour of constant carrying the dust was stacked in the crates. Now Ash and Cupper are sitting on the crates drinking tea as they sit across from Kurumi and Neo .
" You have the tasks there already selected for you however if you want to earn money I recommend this last one"
Ash says. Kurumi, after a quick glance at Ash, starts to look through the tasks on scroll, but her face doesn't seem interested in them.
" Murder for a thousand Lien?"
Kurumi says while looking at the brothers.
" The life of a assasin is hard, that's the reason why we live with our parents."
Says a resigned Copper.
" See that last one"
Says Ash as Kurumi scrolls her finger on the scroll until she stops unsure of what she is looking at .
" This is a bit ... difficult and dangerous"
Says Kurumi when Neo looks over her shoulder to look at the scroll.
" Gathering information , it is not as difficult as it seems . Besides I know you have your own ways of gathering information and you've done it more than once . I believe that with your skills it won't be a problem"
" What may be an issue is the level of this task as you can see , it is a game between big players . Something is going on and it is dangerous. Also, you have limited time, what can cause stress and looking at this task it doesn't help "
Ash said.
"Orders the Xiong family itself "
Says Kurumi with uncertainty about the safety of this assignment.
"If you make a mistake on this job there will be big consequences for both Xiong families as well as De La Rose ."
Ash says.
"So why are you showing us this task? "
Kurumi asks.
"As I said I trust your abilities and you need money .Besides, this job is not difficult , for that you have a lot of responsibility if you take it . Of course in case something happens , mom and dad will help you , and you know it well."
Ash says and there is no wavering on his face then he finishing his tea and wait for Kurumi decision . Cuppera, on the other hand, sat quietly throughout the conversation and nodded from time to time in confirmation on his brother's words . Kurumi ponder while reading everything on the scroll and then she looks at Neo waiting for her decision. The two girls look at each other then nod in agreement.
"We accept that "