'Why do I always dig myself into this kind of hole?'
Fate really was cruel to me, decided to craft the path that led to the unknown. I certainly the me, that was now would shock the past self. How can a very bright, young energetic woman become a person like this? People said ignorance is a blessing and perhaps what they said was true after all. It was a blessing...
"I WISH THAT I KEEP DREAMING..."
(A year ago...)
Riz POV.
That is what my thoughts were saying after Ben saved me. I ask him to meet me at the usual place. It was a cafe in a quiet inner city of Illusia, it was a hidden gem because It was my childhood place where I always spent my after the school sessions ended. When there you must have some cake or the dessert that was served there. The cake that was made here was delicious, the blueberry cheesecake was Luska's favorite. Meanwhile, I preferred their pudding because of its texture which was silky and bouncing. Every bite that came into my mouth was like a firework dancing on my taste buds.
As the two of them walk into the cafe, their nose is hit with the smell of the bread and cake that was freshly baked out of the oven. It makes their stomach grumble from just the smell. Riz heard Ben's stomach growling causing him to blush out of embracement of the sound he made.
"Sorry I didn't eat at all this morning..." he said helplessly shy as he covered his stomach.
"It's alright, just think of this as a thanks for saving my life back then."
There stands a young man with blue hair wearing a frilly apron, smiling happily and greeting his customer.
"Welcome..." just he said when he realized that the person he greeted was Riz.
"Ah! Miss Riz welcome! It has been a long time since you came!" A cat's ear and tail seem to pop out. He leaped toward her and gave a huge hug and was purring from excitement seeing her.
"Hey now!, yesterday is not that long Tabby..." She came near him and patted his head which he gladly received.
"But for me is long! By the way Miss Riz what can I SERVE FOR YOU TODAY!!!" he was really excited that he was able to talk with her without realizing his excitement was leaking from his word.
"Well the usual, meanwhile this guy will have...." she looked back at Ben who had been standing there looking at the both of them conversation. Inside his head, he seems to see something cute because there is someone who adores her. He was grinning at the sight that caused Riz to stomp his feet causing him to shrink from the pain.
"I don't mind anything you recommended Riz..." he said while trying to ease the pain on his feet.
"Then make him Blueberry crush set....."
"Alright! Your order will take some time to make please have a seat!" he said while rushing toward the kitchen to prepare the food.
Both of them walked toward the narrow place and decided to pick a seat that was out of sight of other customers who were there. He sat on the opposite side of her just as he was about to say something. The pudding that was ordered was served on the table, meanwhile the drink 'The Blueberry Crush' was filled till the glass couldn't hold the fruit, and the blue as the sky was very tempting to people who saw the drink. There seemed to be a cake transparent and was color blue the same theme as the name of the food set.
The pudding was scoped with the spoon and put into my mouth. The taste of its caramel melted, and the aftertaste of the soft texture of pudding made her mood happy. After, her head has been aimed; also almost separated from her body, a little bit of something sweet won't hurt her by having it. Ben only gazes at her, who seems to be still enjoying the delicious pudding; he just lets out a loud sight of sound and puts out a file that he has held since they came here. The file, states a big red top secret writing on it. He pushes the file slowly and it stops in front of me.
"After you have done please read what was inside this file...and tell me what you think."
She ate it until the very last bit of the pudding before opening the file right away, without hesitating a bit she took it out and began to read it slowly. Ben seemed to be sweating a lot from the tension that they had there. Both of them didn't make any conversation at all after being in this café, except order the food as their butt seat on the chair. She sneaks a peek at him from time to time, He has been playing with his nails. It was his habit when he was anxious, there must be a reason. But... Why? does he need to be nervous right now after teasing me before on the phone?
"What a weird man…" He was startled by her sudden outburst of the word, yet he still kept his mouth quiet and still gazed at her. He then decides to take a sip of the drink to ease his anxious from the pressure. He took a sip and seemed to be enjoying the taste of the drink. There was a slight effect of a flower floating around him.
"You like it did you?" it caused her to chuckle at the sight, meanwhile ben nodded in agreement on her statement. Well, Ben is a Dog and he acts like one right now. She could see his beast's ear pop out and his tail was wagged from drinking it. That was a cute sight for her...Well, that is enough for her daily dosage of cuteness, it time to be serious that was her heart said.
The file contains some photos of corpses that look fresh and seem recent. The corpse seems around the age of early adulthood and mostly people who were rich and wealthy. There were no other signs that indicated they were experimenting. The flesh has a tree and flower growth out and attached it root inside of them. The violet and purplish color was so beautiful to make her eye stare at the flowers that bloom on them. After fully inspecting the photo, there were weird symbols on the left side of their body on each of the corpses that was found dead.
Seem like ancient writing, felt like seen them before....
When I noted this, it seem like this is not just any ordinary case that I have done before. My mind became clouded by the sight and feel uneasy by the sudden request to investigate this. "Ben this…" as she look upon at him after fully inspecting the photo and placing it back into the file. He has been making a funny faces at me. If only, I can smack his head right now, but I won't do it yet….maybe.
'Take a deep breath....'
"I'd see, you have a lot of nerve by making those faces while I was seriously doing the job; that you have been to ask me," she state it with a stern voice and annoyed by his remark, which push her toward decided to punch the table that seems shake his attention and the other toward me. "Sorry..."
He saw that I was not happy with it and begin to talk seriously " 'Ehem'…sorry too much pressure make me nervous." He takes back the file and put it into a safe place. "HUH, REALLY? BAD BOY!" She just replies it with a fake smile and stern voice. Ben dog ear just pops out and he put his head lower. Which seems to indicate his instance as a dog when been scolded that he was sorry. His ear and tail suddenly to drop down and can be seen by others. Ben is a beastman of a dog, similar to dogs if you scold them then they will be sad.
This makes her feel bad, when seeing a full grown-up to be in this state.
Seriously? If I can just ditch him and this case. Ben eye was round and pleaded at her for compassion, after being scolded just now. 'But my heart is not made of stone to do it, but this seems like troublesome.' After a long hard of arguing with her inner-self, she had decided while patting his head to re-ensure him that she was not mad at him. "Fine, I take care of this just tell Evan, that I settle this out but in exchange don't ask me for any other work." He seem to be happy with my word and his tail can be seen wiggle side to side of excited.
He seem cute when he was happy but as soon as she was thinking Ben current state, his tail that have been wiggling suddenly stop moving. "Are you really sure Riz? This time you have other work to settle first right? Won't it make you more venerable since this event will be held?" he look worried for her.
She was surprised by his worried 'Well, he got the point.'. This event will make this case more challenging. Since she needs to avoid those that want my head. Yet still, this thing will keep getting messier if just let it spread. After all this case happened on her territory as a leader she has to take action. "It's fine, better than ignoring it." He just look at her and grab my hand that was laying on the table. In her hand, he gives her a piece of the lollipop. She shows a soft smile at the sight "You still remember it".
"Yeah~ I still know that you have a sweet tooth. Even if you are a territory leader you are still a kid in the heart" as he blushed at it. "The girl that was sweet and Stronger than others. That's what you are Riz." His tail begins to wiggle back. She and Ben, knew each other since she was still a kid. He was one of the instructors that trained her, as a teacher he has always been the one that look out for her health and her education when she was on the camp. she was one of the children that had been chosen to further her education in combat in special unit enforcement beast-man under Evan. Ben who never judges me just because she a girl, never gives up to teach her. Without him she would not be here right now.
It was a hot summer day, she was been sent there to learn how to fight and she hope one day. she was able to be one that can stand next to Luska. She decide to protect her, and became strong. She was still a rookie, unlike Luska who was the granddaughter of the war hero and also the chief of the secret organization that helps people in shadow, to be able to serve her as her partner. She need to be strong so, she asks Evan to send her there to get trained. She remember it, As if it was like yesterday. Every day was harsh with intense training and being bullied by others who much older than her, even worst she was the only girl there. They told her to give up and went back where she came from since she was weak.
Her state at that time was really large, where she was so skinny that her bone can be seen. Even she was so weak that the gust of wind can knock her down. Yet her beauty was never been denied by others when she was staying there. her pale skin make all the men want to eat her. Ben have to keep his eye close to her, to ensure her safety. Ben never said that and protected her from them, yet still she know it and feel like she can't keep up with this, at that time.
She felt she was a burden.
she ran away on one afternoon from a training session, no one even realize it when she went missing, even for Ben that time who was on guard. The field with a lot of sunflower growth there is the only place I can feel safe. Running as fast as I can, for a little tiger cub that seem lost hope trying to find the meaning of life in the harsh world. Not only have been abandoned by her own father, but she has also then been sold as a servant was a lot to deal with by her little heart. Being betrayed by her loved one that said they going to protect her. But after being saved by Evan and alive, still yet can't do anything to be repaid it was the worst feeling that numbed her little cub's heart. That is what she felt at that time.
Until a meowed sound can be heard nearby inside the field that time. The tear that have been flowing out from the eye has been wiped. She still cried that time because that is the only way to let out my burden and feeling that had been buried deep inside her heart. She look upon the sound and found a little black kitten in a box, The kitten curl into a small ball and meowed toward me as his eye lay upon my sight. I was still sobbing and decided to hold the kitten and look at the surroundings to see if its mother were nearby. The little kitten meowed at me as it show affection toward her. The little kitten make her remind of what her mother told me, that a strong woman must never shed a tear. That little softball kitten makes her stop crying, those innocent eyes stare into her eye. Her pupil's eye turns into the same shape as the kitten as she let out her roar. She decide that time she going to take the kitten back with her as her family. Also, show them that she was strong.
"You coming back with my kitten."
"Mew" the kitten let a small mew out.
That is how she meets her cat Midnight, a black cat as black as the night day.
After that, she was promoted and became the top fighter in the camp. That which makes all the men there drop their jaws down. A year after that she became Luska assistant and work under her wing.
That was the past and yet here she was remembering it, that still fresh in her memory…she stand up and walked toward the door. Just before she held the doorknob, she turn her head for the last look at Ben. He seems to be shocked by her sudden action to leave him. "Oh, by the way, can you have to paid it " she give him a big warm smile while walking out from there. Ben who is speechless by Riz just let out a big sigh and calls the waiter to pay it.
So because of it, that took us here at Night territory. Why? Well night territory more to the red light district was the right place to be when you need some information. Well, more like, when there is evil lurk; there is a where valuable information were. Since he was the boss; of this black alley place and his territory, you just name what you need and he has all in his gasp. That even the unavailable or non existed yet item can gain here. This place seems like the place that you need to avoid but since we need to meet him and I don't have any choice but to begin.
The busy street with a neon light can blind people's eyes. Talk about some massive smoke that people pipe down that illegal substance. Busy street with loud noise and people calling other to come in for fun. This was that kind of place, to begin with, but without this place, Illusia might have collapsed a lot early. He did a lot of flavors to make sure some of the illegal stuff won't be sold to certain people so he is not that kind of bad guy. Just this territory economy is a messy bunch of right and wrong that need to be balanced out. Like light and darkness must exist to ensure the balance of nature. No wonder he has been called the black mamba. Yes, he is a snake and the black mamba, which is the deadliest snake in the world. He loves to play with his prey perhaps what he call off of his potential customer?, it seems his hobby is making, Seven mad by playing a prank on him.
Just as she put her leg on the road of his territory, she can feel someone has been following her even before she arrived there. Her sense never let her down which was one of her abilities as a carnivore beastman, her six sense. 'Huh….Talk about my luck', just because she was in a very avoided territory by most other people, doesn't mean she needed to be in this situation and have to fight. She walking pace became faster as she try to avoid this fight, but it seem whoever follow her is indeed has the intention of fighting with her and she kind of impressed by that person's fast accuracy to follow her step.
'I need to shake him off my trail, maybe by walking into the busy road with many people and then going into the near alley to avoid others; that might get caught in this fight.' she hate when civilians got caught in this territory fight or whatever this person intention was as long she can keep other safe she have to find a safe place to fight back. she then jump as fast as she can and wait until that person came into the alley for a surprise attack. As that person arrived inside the alley. It seems was looking for her that just suddenly disappeared from sight.
"Huh? Where she goes?" Said the person wearing dark hoodie.
She sneaks behind him as she retracts her claw from the finger and put it on his neck. "Are you looking for me?" she whispers near its ear.
" I'm don't want to fight right now, if you love your life better went back to where you belong."
"…"
Meanwhile, a certain snake feels his tail vibrating tingling with excitement....
"Well look like my guts tell me certain 'someone' has come to my territory this time! I can't wait to meet them" as he picks out the best outfit he has in his closet. He hums a sweet tune while twirling from excitement. The scale that had been dragged around echoed throughout the room. He was still in his butt-naked state, right now. He let out a loud chuckle and laugh as his tail swinging aggressively almost hit his servant.
"Sir, please just wear anything as long it was cloth," said his servant that was in an uncomfortable state while carrying a pile of cloth that he has tried. The servant just sighs from it and just hopes their boss wears any cloth this instant.