Date: September 11
Place: Kyoto Headquarters
[Rei]
Butch and Noel were chatting away about the new adjustments for his katana which were a bit chipped from his fight a few days ago.
I was browsing the numerous stocks and designs that hung on the wall. Every blade is sharp, precise, and has its own unique design. Then I stopped at a scythe that was almost identical to mine.
The only difference I could find was the number of blades connected to the snath.
"Four blades," I murmur as Butch suddenly appeared behind me.
"What do you think?" his smile reached both ends of his ears.
"This isn't mine perchance?" too curious, I couldn't hesitate. My eyes kept hovering towards the blue gem crafted on top of the shaft.
"It looks like yours doesn't it," he was itching to present it. Opening the glass frame, he carefully handled it and passed it onto my palm.
The smoothness of the metal pole and the sharpness of every blade, but it was too light for my taste.
"It was commissioned by someone in the 'Mist', they actually showed me a picture of your badass fighting using your scythe," he giggled, reminiscing. "He was super shy to ask for it, I even asked if he wanted the exact same copy," he cleared his throat and stood up straight.
"He said—" Then he dropped his shoulder and his hands hid behind him.
"I don't want for people to think that we're a thing because of the couple's weapon," Butch mimicked how deep but embarrassed the boy's tone was. "It would distract her and lose her focus in the battle," even the movements when he only looked at his foot as he shyly said those phrases.
Butch then burst out laughing, smacking my shoulders on the process countless times. "I think he has a crush on you," he nudged my arms with his elbow.
"A what on who?"Cedrick walked towards us, swaying a tiny thing caught between his fingers.
"Watch out Ceddy, someone might steal Rei away," I gave Butch a slight glare after he looked back when he teased Cedrick.
He only rolled his eyes and sarcastically let out a giggle while I handed over the massive scythe back. "Is that your new weapon?" Cedrick couldn't help but stare as I unconsciously lay my palm open for him to put what he wanted to hand me.
"No, it's from somebody else," Butch cackled, putting it safely back into the glass container and walking towards our temporary recruit who was chatting with Noel.
"That's apparently a camera," Cedrick explained as he noticed me examining the black stud piece of earring he got me.
"Only one?" I glanced at his right ear checking if he had one too.
"It had two sets and I thought that it'd be better if we all had one," his eyes wandering at the display too. I put mine on the left side before noticing his left ear where he had several piercing holes but only one had a stud. "What?" he suddenly played his ear lobes when he saw me staring too much.
"What's with three pierced holes," I walked beside him towards where everyone was gathered.
"I was quite rebellious back in my senior high school era," his words confused me as I knew that he, along with Haru and the others was all Yui's friends from their junior high school year. But hearing him using the senior year as something that has already finished, made me think for a hot minute. "What?" he hesitantly asked as I only stared but did not utter a single word about the topic.
"Nothing," I replied, seeing Butch running back towards his workshop happily with an anxious Noel and a smiling Kikoe being left behind.
"Will it hurt?" Noel nervously asked Kikoe, shifting the question towards Cedrick as we approached.
We only needed to glance at Kikoe, trying to ask him indirectly.
"He didn't have any pierced holes so Butch offered if he wanted one for this," he then proceeds to show us the gadget that Cedrick had told me about. "I told him it was probably fine if he didn't want one"
"Everyone has it," Noel tried to reason. "I don't want to be left out," pouting while feeling uneasy as Butch cheerfully ran back to us.
"Let's do it in there," Butch grabbed his wrists and slowly pulled him to one side as Noel attempted to delay it by fighting and pulling back.
"Will it hurt?" his clear request for help echoed in the room as his one arm reached for anyone's hands to hold. "Cedrickkkkk," he called out whimpering.
"Don't worry, it'll hurt like a bite of a dinosaur," Cedrick yelled as it was already quite a distance and we watched the both of them slowly disappearing into one of the curtained spaces.
"AHHHHHHHH" we heard a loud yell in the next minute, the three of us stared at each other and laughed loudly. Noel slowly emerged from the curtains, sniffing his pain away, Butch feeling proud of the perfectly centered pierce around his lobe.
"See?" Cedrick put his arms around Noel's shoulders. "It didn't hurt, did it?" he giggled.
"Yeah, like a dinosaur," he struck Cedrick's side with his elbow.
"You look good in it though," Kikoe tried to lift his mood as I pitched in my nods and two thumbs up.
After a few more minutes of fooling around, we finished our business here by getting everything we needed before heading onto the mission.
"Noel, I bestow upon you your new and freshly adjusted katana," Butch knelt on the ground with the katana in a scabbard, laying on his palms and offering it to Noel who was still red in the eyes and nose.
"I shall take your work in my journey to slay the monsters," he joined in on the fun along with Kikoe and Cedrick standing on the side, their right hand on the hearts and half bowing to show their respect to the 'legendary' blacksmith.
"It is lighter and easier to swing than before," he explained normally, standing and pointing at it.
Then suddenly back to his kneeling pose but this time, in front of Cedrick as he was holding a bag full of magazines. "I humbly beg you to use these as your spares as thy refuse to permit this lowly servant to forge a unique weapon," he did not break character and so did Cedrick as he only took it and then cleared his throat before answering.
"You have my gratitude," he replied, trying to deepen his voice to fit the theme.
I only stood there, using a table to lean on as I watched them continue.
"And for thy new one," he turned, still kneeling to Kikoe. "That witch over there," he pointed at me with a matching monotone voice then went back to continue the role. "I wish good fortune will find you on your venture along with them," he handed him a safety pistol with one full magazine and a small knife in a leg holster.
"I'm forever in your debt," he bowed with every item on his hand touching his chest, close to the heart.
Then they burst out laughing and hit each other in the process.
I gave them a full minute to finish their business until I walked over to them.
[Kikoe]
I never met so many people who are fun to be around with.
And as I heard my name being called, I instinctively turned toward the voice, "Yes?"
I saw Rei holding a piece of black cloth. I only figured out what it was when she came a little bit closer and shook the clothes.
It revealed a black hooded cloak that is only an elbow-long fabric with the logo of the 'Reapers' embroidered on the left side and a button near the neck for it not to fall off easily as we move a lot.
"I know it's not official yet," she sighed, "But I need you to look the part," her eyes lingered behind me but mine kept staring at what she was holding.
"Thus I hereby present," I gasped at how she suddenly knelt that I thought she collapsed on the floor. "And enlighten you to wear our limited edition uniform just for thy," she continued as I heard chuckles and loud gagging behind me.
"I shall accept thy offer," I followed.
Cedrick helped me straighten the wrinkles on the back as I was putting it on.
She slowly stood up, everyone congratulating and welcoming me warmly.
"You look great," Noel clapped at the sight of their cloak on me.
"Even though you're only a temporary member, you'll still have to dress like us," Cedrick gave me a wide smile, lightly hitting my back which led me to take a glance at Rei.
Her expressions weren't as pleasant as I had hoped, uninterested glints as she quickly turned to chat with Butch.
"I just noticed your hair," Noel pointed out as Cedrick chocked from endless laughter as he narrated every detail.
Then they both burst into laughter which made the other two curious to hear the story too. But all of the fun and silliness were just for now...
How unlucky.