Emi stood over the kitchen bin, emptying out packages of a red powder, 'Crimson spice' was its street name. An off shot of cocaine and some kind of gate material. The new IT drug, multiple uses and multiple effects depending on the dosage and the person. This bag would be worth at least $2000 on the streets.
"Emi? What are you doing?" Eren snuck up behind her. Dropping the packages out of fright; straight into the bin.
"Um... Just cleaning."
"No, you're not." Eren looked inside.
"What is this?"
"Dad's..." She admitted with an embarrassed and saddened look.
"Oh. Are you alright?" Emi didn't answer; instead, tears began to roll down her face.
"It's okay. I'm here." Eren brought her into a tight hug.
"H-he stole my savings to buy it... A-a-and-"
"Emi. It'll be alright. I will-"
"OI! WHO TOOK IT!?" Mr. Hearts voice could be heard from his room. Followed by a crash of a bottle smashing.
"Go. I'll deal with him." Eren gave her one last tight squeeze before their dad came down in a huff and rage.
"Where is it?"
"You mean this?" Eren pointed into the bin.
"You... What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Mr. Heart grabbed the boy by the collar and threw him against the fridge. Eyes of withdrawal began twitching, a junkie that needed his fix.
"Get off me you drugged up fuck. What would mum think if-"
*Whack*
"A swift punch across the nose."
"You ungrateful little prick. She wouldn't dare touch my spice." The man pulled back another fist, but was stopped by Eren.
"You can hit me all you want. But you don't steal from EMI!"
Mr. Heart almost looked like a child after being chastised by their father. Eyes that were once filled with withdrawal and anger were now of guilt.
"Fine. I'm going out." The man huffed. Leaving in a skittish rush; slamming the door so hard that the walls began to shake.
"Are you okay?" Emi asked, looking over Eren with concerned eyes.
"I'm fine." He had taken plenty of hits before; way harder and more damaging than what that man could do. His focus was his sister.
'This needs to stop before he hurts Emi.'
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
Scampered pounds on the door drew their attention. No one would knock that frantically if it was something good.
Eren opened to see two of his students; the duck tailed Dai and the built like an ox Toshiro. Both were out of breath from rushing to get to their teacher.
Eren had given his place of residence to the boys. If they ever needed to talk. This; was the time they needed to talk.
"Dai, Toshiro? What's wrong?"
"Mr. Heart. My cousin has been taken." Toshiro said.
***
The night sky; it was cold. The streets were empty of any life; save for a lone figure who stood atop a rooftop. The Reaper eyed a small building; a simple apartment complex. No lights on, no movement inside, just a silent stillness that seemed to engulf everything around it.
Eren took Dai and Toshiro to the Silvermane guild hall. The two students followed their teacher, all while trying to explain what they had seen and heard.
Toshiro's cousin a small girl of 8, had been reported missing by her older sister. Something about their parents selling them off. It was enough to bring Eren's wrath forth.
Baelor promised to use his link to the Reaper to bring swift justice. It put the boys at ease. Although they had little idea that the Reaper was their teacher.
'Let's do this quickly then.' In truth Eren wasn't in the mood for playing the reaper. Personal issues were driving him and the Reaper tonight.
*Knock* *Knock*
A girl opened the door. No older than 13, only just starting to grow into a young woman, but not quite yet. Her hair a tangled mess; with no care put into it. One eye black and blue, a cut along her lip. The other eye opened in shock at the being that stood before.
"Wait outside." The Reapers words were cold and sharp like a winter's edge.
The girl nodded. Leaving the apartment to the Reaper.
Inside; Piles of trash bags littered the floors. Stench of alcohol, garbage and rotting food hung heavily within. Breaching through the Reapers mask.
"Yeah!" A man's voice echoed through the apartment.
"This our lucky day Miura, that's three in a row." This time a woman's voice followed. Both were young and full of energy; laughter and cheers echoed through the apartment as they watched something on the TV. Baseball; they were clearly placing high stakes bets on the game they were currently watching.
On the kitchen counter were 4 keys of crimson spice. It was starting to become clear what their income source was.
*Rustle* *Rustle*
"Hey. What are you doing in our-"
*SLAM*
The garbage bags gave away his approach. Or he chose to not sneak. Grabbing the women by the pony tail and throwing her into the TV.
"AAHH!" The man cried out in shock at the sudden intruder. The woman lay motionless through the broken TV.
*CRACK* "ARGGHHH!!!"
With both arms now twisted in ways they should not be; the man cried out in pain.
Azure eyes bore into the soul of the man before it. No words, no motion, no sound save for the pained screams of the one now cowering before the Reaper.
"P-p-please." The man pleaded with the spectre of death itself, begging to be spared the agony of the Reaper's judgement.
"Where is the girl?"
"My daughter? I gave her to some suits. Please don't kill me." The man's black and rotten teeth clattered together as shivers of pain ran up and down the man's broken body.
*CRACK*
"Where?"
"ARGGGHHH! A warehouse in- ARGHHH! Old industrial area!" Another bone was snapped. Knee kicked inwards.
"Old city. Where?"
"Please. I told you everything."
*Crack*
The Reaper broke the man's ankle. No hesitation or mercy. The spectre was done with this pathetic creature before it.
"Follow the river; three warehouses, one of them has the name 'Mitsuguchi'."
"Anything else?" The spectres voice grew colder. A warning that it was done playing games.
"No... NO. Please that's all I know."
*THUMP* *CRACK*
With his usefulness now spent; The reaper sent the man into the plaster wall head first. He too joined the women in the land of the dead.
"Mom, Dad?" The girl stood behind. A face of shock; her parents lay dead before her eyes. Her entire world had changed in mere moments. But she didn't cry, she just looked at the Reaper with empty eyes.
"Wait here. Two men from the Silvermane will take you to safety." Azure eyes looked back at the child, who just nodded in return.
This was a problem that had gone on within the ward for far too long. People, children going missing. Likely sold by their parents into slavery or worse. It was time that this problem was solved. Permanently.
"Please. Wait. It's not what it looks like." A man dressed in a black suit begged. Strung up by the feet; blood dripped onto the concrete floor below. Two more to his left and right, both dressed in equally expensive suits; just like the man in the centre.
Each suit was beaten bloody and bruised, their once expensive clothes now torn, dirty and stained red. They were no longer men; they were mere sacks of meat that hung from a metal hook in the rafters.
"I have money. Connections, anything you want."
*SMACK*
The reaper's fist met with the man's face. Blood spewed from the mouth, teeth flying from a broken jaw.
The Reaper followed the river as instructed by the girl's father. 3 warehouses, one with the name 'Mitsuguchi' written in bold red letters on its side. Inside was the usual. An abandoned industrial park, with only three men and a van to occupy a concrete slab. Now they were hanging like meat ready for the butcher's cleaver.
"The girl."
"W-we don't know what you mean." One of the thugs lied. His face still filled with fear, yet something else kept that tongue from wagging.
*WHACK*
"The girl. First one to speak lives." The Reaper punched another in the gut, bringing forth another round of cries from the other two.
The men who had badges hidden on their person; were clearly more afraid of the one above them rather than the monster before them. Middle men in a much greater hierarchy.
"Fuck you!" The defiant right man yelled out again, spitting blood at the Reaper, only to have it land on the black cloak. He was braver than the two too the left. Evident by steely eyes.
*Slick*
Bravado would however, not save this man. With a swift motion, the reaper cut the jugular of the man to the right. He didn't cry out in pain, there was no time. Only a gurgle of blood as it spilled like a waterfall.
"Shit. Shit. Shit. I'll talk. Please don't kill me." The middle one begged with fear in his voice.
"You idiot keep your mouth-hughhh!" A whip strike directly into his mouth silenced the left man; blade lodged deep within.
"Talk."
"We take them to the station house. Captain Matsuo is a pig, selling them to those sick rich fuckers. They pays us to bring them in." The Reaper knew that likely she was there. He just wanted to confirm it. Punish the middle men in the process as well.
"She is there right now. We hold them for 24 hours. They like em fresh." He spoke as if this was common practice. Which only made the Reapers festering wrath grow.
"Your information has been useful. Join your friends." With that; the blade was yanked from the mouth of the left thug, ripping flesh and bone.
"You said I could live!?" The man begged again.
"I lied."
*SPLURT*
Bone whip took the man's head clean off. It may be a quick death in the eyes of many. But for where he and all his friends were going. This would be a last mercy from the man who knew.
His final stop. The station house of ward 4.
***
"Good night Mr. Tanaka, good night Mr. Koga." The officers of the day shift waved at the girl at reception. The night shift had only just begun.
At the front sat one lone officer. With a nameplate that read 'Aika Nakano.' A fresh-faced recruit straight out of the academy. Black hair neatly kept in a bun, posture like an elegant princess and an aura that screamed perfectionism.
Not even 20, she took this job to pay for her family's high bills. The night shift plus the 'bonus' from Captain Matsuo to keep everything else quiet was a good way to do so.
'I hope they don't come in today.' She thought, looking at the clock that read 11pm.
Her thoughts were too the shady men that would often enter the station; leaving with girls of various ages. All of them scared out of their minds and not daring to say a word. Each time they left, the captain would give a hefty 'bonus' to those on staff.
'If not me. Someone else would be here.' She thought, trying to rationalise the evils she witnessed.
'Maybe when I have enough money. I can get out of this place.'
She began her long shift. Her task was to keep all the paperwork looking legitimate and hide anything that was less than savoury.
'I hope that god can forgive me.' The girl prayed. Looking down at the paperwork that was on her desk.
*Ding*
"I'm sorry the station is currently not open at the moment. Please come back tomorrow morning." Aika spoke without looking up, her other job was to keep out any unwanted attention.
But no one responded. Instead; the sound of footsteps, almost silent and barely noticeable filled the room. An ominous presence seemed to follow that silence; growing heavier and colder.
"I'm sorry. We are currently not-" As she looked up from her work, the words froze in her throat, her chest tightened, and her heart stopped. For standing before the girl, was a shadow; white skull mask, black cloak, azure eyes that seemed to stare into her soul.
God had come tonight. He was not merciful nor forgiving.
"I-I'm s-sorry."