Welcome to The Duality of Man, an original animanga role-play that features numerous supernatural creatures. Unfortunately, these various species have distanced themselves because of the war that occurred thousands of years ago, plaguing some with eyes that only see their dualism. While others meddle themself with their differences, two groups fight, each attempting to eliminate the other in for their definition of worldly peace. These two groups of the Terror Response Syndicate (TRS) and the Assembly of Phantoms (AP). With individuals fighting merely over their differences, it brings uncertainty to the outcome of this war.
We happily accept all role-players as long as they obey the rules and are capable of meeting our word count of 50. This does include those who are unfamiliar with this style of role-playing. The staff of The Duality of Man are willing to happily help those who are new to the role-playing world so they feel comfortable on site. Feel free to message the staff if you need help, they can be found here or in the site Discord and will gladly answer questions alongside calm concerns. If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them; guests may use the support board as a suggestion area as well. Should you decide to join, may I say welcome to the site and we all hope you enjoy your time here.
Yours Truely,
The Staff
season
Summer 2024
Heat has broken through into a glorious summer. The snow has entirely dried through the spring, leaving to the brilliance of the warmer months. Terror activity has risen as people are brought out of their homes, leaving the TRS in a position of consistent work. Each are attempting to maintain victory in the endless struggle for power.
Since the wonderful members of TDOM enjoy the site enough to play around on it, this thread is to assist with the site's tidying! Functionality is important and we want to make the site functional even if its activity will be minimal at best!
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Work on weekdays was usually fairly monotonous for Mikaela. Most of the players that dedicated time to gambling outside of the weekend were either true addicts or had far too much money for their own good. That meant there were far less drunk idiots making exclusively reckless moves. She was still on the lookout for cheats as she dealt round after round, but she knew most of the faces at her table and knew that they were smarter than that. They knew that what would happen if they were caught. [break][break]
She eyed each of the players carefully. Some of them she knew from her own criminal dealings while others seemed completely innocent of such things. She knew that would be too much to hope for. Part of what the Casino was there for was to protect people when their past came knocking. It was why she had chosen to make a home there. People could chose to make whatever stupid choices they wanted to, but if they stirred up any trouble within the casino there was a legal team in the wings to pin a million crimes on them, plus a fair amount of dealers who preferred to take things into their own hands. [break][break]
Mikaela was very aware of the near inaudible click of the door behind her, and she finished collecting all of the cards before handing the deck over to the next dealer and slipping out. It wasn't hard to pick up on the footsteps following behind her, but she paid them no mind. At least, not until their owner spoke up. [break][break]
"Kaylie, it's been a while." Mikaela paused misstep and pinched her eyes shut. Lately work had been anything but peaceful, but she had been hoping things would settle back to normal this week. She couldn't identify the voice itself, but no one outside of her local family called her Kaylie. She had made the mistake of showing a dislike for the name long ago and now they used it when they wanted her attention. [break][break]
Mikaela took a deep breath and forced herself to take a calm approach about this. She didn't care what her family did, but they were powerful enough that she didn't want to irrationally piss them off. She had to at least maintain a guise of diplomacy. "As long as you're spending your money I won't make you leave, but don't you dare talk to me about anything family related. I'm not going to whatever little get together grandpa wants me at." she said, then continued walking. She didn't want to see which cousin they'd sent this time. "If you disrespect that request you will find yourself in a world of pain." [break][break]
The footsteps didn't stop and she could sense the man was only a few feet behind her now. "You always say that." he growled. He smelled of smoke, meaning he could only be one of three people. Two of them were relatively benign, but the third was a sadistic jerk she'd made a point of avoiding. Despite herself she glanced back and confirmed it was the third. [break][break]
She pressed her lips into a thin line. "And I mean it every time. You can't do anything here to make me listen, so goodbye." Her voice was cold and when she walked away this time the footsteps following were further back. [break][break]
Mikaela made a beeline for the bar, craving something to kill her headache. "The usu-" as she looked up at the bartender she cut herself off. "You're not the usual bartender. What did you do with her?" she asked, slipping behind the bar to grab her order herself. She pulled open a drawer and selected a bottle of pills, pouring two into her hand before turning to look at the martini glasses which were behind the awful bartender replacement.
A loud, feminine laugh coupled with the subtle slide of gambling chips across a soft surface. Someone across the table coughed in response, likely the victim of the most recent play.
Daichiâs fingers moved deftly across the bar while holding a clean, white rag. Polishing the multitudes of germs around the bar was always a good way to survey the crowd without being too obvious. Sadly, heâd tamed his hair into a tight bun-like structure behind his head so hiding his face from others wasnât happening. He did, however, sport-colored shades that kept out the gross neon lights illuminating the bar behind him.
Whomever did this job on a daily basis mustâve been incredibly bored. So far, itâd consisted of very little bartending and mostly making drinks for the hostess team to distribute to patrons. It was good that most people wouldnât be remembering his face anytime soon though. He was midway through another evaluation of the floor when someone sauntered up to his bar, far too confident to be a customer.
Dark chestnut hair flashed against the light, signaling Daichi that his recent obligation had arrived. He doubted she would give him trouble tonight though. A little bit of incentive in her drink and sheâd be out cold for the whole assassination if all went well. At best he could convince her to go home early, assuming the casino could find a quick replacement.
The sage-gazed assassin didnât bother to listen to the person in front of him. Amery could really just talk forever. Daichi groaned internally at the thought of how long sheâd chatted at him last night. Thankfully tonight would be different. Heâd be sleeping in his own bed again.
The thought powered him into behaving in-character and he swept over to the other side of the bar with cat-like grace, a wide seemingly mischievous smile on his face as he approached the woman. Amery would leave him alone if he gave her a bit of affection to keep her through the shift and, considering the nature of tonight, it was better to do it sooner than later.
âI thought you said you wouldnât be drinking tonight,â he laughed, practically scooping her up in his arms and pulling her close. He rested his chin on her dark locks before planting a light kiss on the nape of her neck.
Vanilla with a slight undertone of citrus filled his scents, unusual for Amery. Daichi gave her a squeeze, using the gesture to survey the floor once more. Almost time to kick this plan into action.
âAlright, what do you want then? Iâll make it quickly before anyone sees,â he began to pull away, thinking that this would be the best time to slip something into Ameryâs drink, âIâm sure its going to be a long night with the crowd coming in today.â
Hopefully her replacement would be late. Less eyes on the floor meant more time for him to locate his target. Daichi kept his expression innocent, a slight smile of a genuinely friendly person. It was difficult of course; he hated these kinds of places. No indulgences here, how boring.
MADE BY â MEULK OF GS
[googlefont=Lato][googlefont=Fira Sans Extra Condensed]
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
After years of the overstimulating atmosphere at the casino, Mikaela had grown accustomed to the noises and the lights. In fact there was very little at work that really shocked her. A sorry excuse for a bartender's replacement pulling her into an embrace and kissing her neck managed to break the tedious monotony. Very aware that there was no way her cousin had left the casino yet, and her distinct lack of weapons, she quickly decided making a scene would be a bad idea. [break][break]
Not that she would have had the reaction time to make a scene anyway. Her heart was racing in her chest and she was completely frozen in place until he stepped away. The lingering smell of smoke made her stomach turn uncomfortably. "You are lucky," she said through a faked smile that didn't cover the growl in her voice, "that I'm not in a position to make you suffer for that like I should." Her face was burning and she debated whether she was coming down with something. Or maybe she was just more pissed than she thought. The nerve of the man was amazing. She was sure he had no idea who she was, but that didn't make it much better. [break][break]
She kept her face as straight as possible as she actually took a moment to actually look at the bartender. He was vaguely familiar, but many people that passed through here were. "No offense, but I don't trust a man who wears sunglasses to make me a drink." she decided, brushing past him to grab a cocktail shaker. As she passed she muttered quietly enough that only he would hear, "Then again, I doubt you're here to make drinks. None of the temps ever are." She had nothing to base that assumption on, but she wanted to see just what type of person she was dealing with and asking about motives always revealed a lot, even if the answer would inevitably be dishonest.
Instead of Ameryâs sing song voice spilling over to assault his ears, a much sharper tone snapped at him instead like the zesty bite of lemon hidden in a drink. Refreshing usually but in this case, it was more concerning. If Amery werenât here then heâd have to actually watch out for the person in her position. Why wasnât she on shift? He vaguely recalled the night before. There had been a lot of drinks involved, mostly to make her tired enough to stop talking.
As his mind readjusted to this new information, he quickly gave a healthy distance between them. At least this woman was logical enough not to draw attention to his faux pas. That would have made things a lot more annoying for sure. Though at the rate at which she was slinging insults he was certain this was going to be a difficult night.
Good, he liked a challenge.
When grumpy squared off in front of him, staring him down in a way that would make a murder proud, Daichi did the same. He didnât startle when he realized who he had just embraced. Near centuries of training had ruined that instinct thankfully. But inside something akin to red hot panic flared â Mikaela Lye⊠Ruby. Here he thought heâd waltzed out of her life forever and now she was back to complicate things further.
There was something else beneath the surface of his thoughts, something he didnât dare acknowledge. This wasnât time for idle thoughts, this was time for business and Ruby was standing (literally) directly in his way. He didnât drop his act for a second, not when it seemed sheâd forgotten all about him. Good. It wasnât like heâd been thinking about her at all anyways.
âOh, you must be, uh, Sarah,â she most certainly was not and, in fact, heâd picked the most annoying person that Amery had mentioned, âsorry. I thought you were Amery but I shouldâve known better. I thought that hug was kind of boney, less in the chest I guess.â
Perfect way to inflame a woman and get himself slapped. It was a stupid, vulgar strategy but he wasnât playing a nice character here. Ameryâs reputation for beautiful, mean, idiots was notorious of course. He shrugged as he headed back to the other side of the bar.
Wearing emotions that werenât really his had been a lovely educational gift of Anzu and his upbringing as an assassin. Unlike his sister, the more he did it the more he hated it. Maybe it was a side effect of getting old or maybe he just simply hated dealing with people. Both viable possibilities.
âWhere is Amery by the way?â he quirked an eyebrow, feigning interest as he set up a glass with ice, âdid you stuff her in your locker on the way in? Donât worry, I wouldnât be mad. I just need to know if I need to get my own ride tonight, walking anywhere in this city is always a pain.â
Daichi quickly finished the drink he was making and slid it over the bar at her. A simple mint and lemon mojito, perfect for the queen of sour. Despite her lack of confidence in his drink-making skills he was actually quite good. A hobby of owning a fully stocked liquor cabinet and having too much time no doubt. He forced himself to hold her gaze as he waited for her to either storm off or pluck the glass from the bar top.
Only a fool would hang around after those insults after all.
MADE BY â MEULK OF GS
[googlefont=Lato][googlefont=Fira Sans Extra Condensed]
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela tensed at the pseudo-bartender's words. Sarah. She knew the name, of course, and she was pretty sure she could place it to a blonde- Her thoughts cut off as he went on. "Oi! You know, Zucchi would kill to be as thin as me! Seen that first hand actually, though it clearly didn't do her much good." Between Amery, Sarah, and the fact that she didn't like this new bartender her indignation quickly faded to contemplation as she leaned against the bar and watched the infuriating man scutter back and forth making a drink she hadn't asked for. [break][break] She studied the drink as she debated his question. He wanted to know where Amery was. Whatever the reason was, it couldn't be good. "Just get out of my way, I'll make my own." she sighed, returning behind the counter and filling a cocktail shaker with water, careful to block it from the view of anyone on the other side of the bar then grabbed a few empty bottles and pretended to pour them in. "I don't drink alcohol, but tonight..." she allowed her gaze to trail across the casino, picking out her cousin from the crowd as she shook the foux drink. "Well, I need someone to think I am." [break][break] She poured the drink into a martini glass and dropped in the two pills she'd grabbed earlier. "Back to you, though," she said as she leaned against the counter behind the bar. "If you're associated with that other guy that came looking for me I already told him I'm not interested in working for a group of pathetic cowards. His words not mine. Also I don't torture puppies. Or people! Nor do I murder them." [break][break] While he'd been asking an awful lot about Amery, she didn't think that was why he was there. He had called her Sarah, a name once hers that had become a swamp of rumors and myths. It didn't add up, there was no reason someone would associate Sarah Murray with Amery Atonal. In fact, anyone who knew Mikaela as Sarah wouldn't be genuinely enjoying time spent with Amery. Plus, he clearly had to have been predisposition to block her out if he'd accidentally embrace another woman. The only real resemblance between Mikaela and Amery was the hair. [break][break] Who would be digging up the past again? It seemed unlikely, but it was far more unlikely that he would have mistaken her for her blonde, overly peppy co-worker. Maybe one of the mafias had sent him. That would explain why he looked somewhat familiar. That didn't seem quite right, though.
A whole bunch of words and not a single answer. Infuriating but this was to be expected from the woman whoâd been so protective of her name. Daichi forced himself to look a little bored at Rubyâs words whereas in reality he was simply devouring him.
An entire year free from Ruby and on one of the most important marks of the Black Orderâs recent dealings she just pops up while pretending she doesnât recognize him. Daichi was only half buying it.
Was he happy to see her? Violet tresses tossed against strong wind; those fiery centers focused on him as she released a pitiful cry for help. It had been a disappointment really and a reminder that this woman was not to be trusted. Not that he would ever trust anyone. He shifted against the bar, watching his drink go ignored. Shame, it was a good mix.
âLady,â he started, pretending to be focused on minor organization of his bar, âyou have problems. Iâm just filling in here for a week or two and I donât care about whatever drama youâre stirring up.â
Daichi released an audible sigh.
âGuess Iâll be walking home tonight,â a half-truth really.
He shot a look at the untouched drink and, with a shrug, grabbed it. Three quick swallows and it was gone, a lemon-lined aftertaste in his mouth. Not bad. In fact, heâd gotten really good at this drink-making thing. Well, drinks other than the traditional ones he was used to. Daichi began to clean the glass in the sink while keeping his attention on the door. Anytime now.
âAny reason why youâre sticking around? Some of us have a job to do,â he jabbed dryly at her, channeling his overall irritation at finding Mikaela Lye in his hunting grounds. She seemed mostly immune to his earlier insults and, from personal experience, he knew she was going to be hard to get rid of. Nekomata were truly infuriating.
Regardless, he decided to go for the jugular, resting his arms on the bar as he looked across at her. A sly smile spread across his face as he channeled his inner jerk. It wasnât hard, that side of him had always been lying underneath but Daichiâs true nature was an uncaring and cold demeanor. This was red hot and significantly irritating to be wearing in general.
âUnless you want to get more personal,â he smirked haughtily at her, âAmery isnât around after all.â
No sense in worrying about oneâs soul when it no longer existed right? Daichi kept his expression still, focused on Ruby mixing a âdrinkâ before him. Most women with faced with someone as annoying as his perceived personality would just leave.
Hopefully Ruby had a shred of common sense. Doubtful but he still held hope.
MADE BY â MEULK OF GS
[googlefont=Lato][googlefont=Fira Sans Extra Condensed]
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela swirled the water in her glass, watching as the two pills slowly dissolved into a fluffy cloud. When she was a child, before it became blatantly obvious how terrible she was in the area, she'd been taught what poisons went best with what drinks. Very few of them blended inconspicuously with water, but that didn't stop her from trying. And even then, she was always too impatient to wait for it to dissolve. If she'd been made into an assassin she would have been terrible at making it look like natural causes. [break][break]
The pseudo bartender was talking, but she didn't bother reacting to his words. She didn't really care what lies he had for her. It wasn't like she couldn't guess his whole cover anyway. People rarely bothered getting creative. It was much safer to go with the same, plain, exterior every time. There was nothing she could learn from it and she had more important things to be worrying about. Like Sarah. Whatever that name drop had been, he clearly wasn't going to keep pressing the matter. Not yet, at least. He would wait until her guard was down or he needed to distract her from something. She'd rather know who she was dealing with, but no matter what she wasn't going to let him out of her sight as long as he stayed at the casino. [break][break]
"Heaven forbid I enjoy a drink after my shift," she rolled her eyes. "I'm not leaving. You may, though. I can cover for you if you want to slip out the back. I wouldn't want work to stand in the way of you smuggling alcohol to Zucchi. I never did support her attempts to quit drinking, it would be too much of a pity to lose her fun side. Oh the fun I've had with your girlfriend... If she were treating you half as well you wouldn't be hitting on other girls. Maybe she doesn't really like you." Mikaela smirked. "Be that as it may, you should know that I care about her and I'm sick of seeing worthless scumbags like you take advantage of her, so if she comes crying to me at two in the morning again whoever caused it will pay in blood." As she took a sip of her water she debated whether she would follow through on that. It was a threat so she wouldn't let it slide entirely, but there was a lot of interpretation left in there. It was hard to say how much she actually cared about Amery, but she knew that she didn't like the idea of this guy being with her.
Had he struck a nerve or did this kitten suddenly bare its fangs? Daichiâs eyes were focused on Ruby in front of him but his periphery was tracking the floor. It seemed livelier today as if the world were already celebrating the elimination of his mark. They should really, this person was terrible. He stepped casually to the side, leaning down to give the appearance of checking a shelf.
âNo gin? What is wrong with you people here,â he grumbled, genuinely offended by its absence as Daichi straightened back up again to see Ruby swirling her drink with a semi-threatening look across her already dangerous features.
Look at her, trying to lean into him like she wasnât a short, temperamental nekomata with several unlisted problems. He couldnât really see her as dangerous but Daichi had learned better than to make deals with her. In one swift motion he snatched the glass from her and downed the entire contents in two gulps then slammed it on the counter with a clink.
âLook, youâre done your drink. Now you can go do your job which, if my understanding is clear, is to actually watch the floor,â he said curtly, âand that might require you to face the floor instead of interrogating the bar tender.â
Daichi shouldâve left it at that but for some reason, likely involving whatever mysterious Ruby-powers that had left him to not ignore her the last time, he felt as though he needed to drive this point home further. The nerve heâd hit was there and maybe one more drill would send her away for good. Even if she allegedly wouldnât be leaving his bar anytime soon.
âAs for Amery, kitten, you can mind your own business. Sheâs a grown woman making her own choices and I doubt she wants you pretending to be her mother behind her back,â he dug a little deeper, hoping that this would be close enough to hit home but not close enough to trigger her memory, âand donât think your threats fell on deaf ears. Would you truly hurt someone just to prove a point? That would make you a monster you know. What if you got someone else killed? Could you live with it? Someone as vanilla as you, I doubt it.â
He shot her a convincing glare, left hand once again gripping the cleaning cloth for the bar.
âNow get the heck away from my bar, Iâve got customers to serve and your smoldering denial is scaring away all the fun,â Daichi snapped, hoping that the act would be enough to dissuade Ruby from further dialog. If this didnât work, he might have to resort to more drastic measures but that involved showing his cards. Besides, his target hadnât even showed up yet.
MADE BY â MEULK OF GS
[googlefont=Lato][googlefont=Fira Sans Extra Condensed]
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela growled as the brunette stole her drink and downed it in one go. The nerve of the man to drink her water. As though that would tempt her to be nicer or do her job. She wasn't at a table so the definition of her job was a bit looser, and pestering the bartender seemed to be a large part of it on that particular night. [break][break] She was starting to think the pseudo bartender wanted to get rid of her. Not that he would succeed. She knew that he just wanted her gone, so nothing he could say would get under her skin, no matter how irritatingly familiar it all felt. She pressed her lips shut and slipped through a door behind the bar, grabbing a pill bottle stronger painkillers that she hadn't bothered asking her dealer the name of from her locker and a bottle of gin from the storage cupboard. [break][break] She returned a moment later and slid behind the fake bartender to place the gin where it belonged on the shelf. "You must be really bad at your job if you don't even know where the extra supply of alcohol is." she commented smugly. The casino's gin supply was pretty low, the supply space in the back was meant for the private rooms more than the bar itself. There had likely been a problem with the most recent incoming shipment no doubt. She made a note to ask the casino's owner about the inventory. Without a fully stocked bar people would get restless and that couldn't be allowed to happen. Although she didn't want to dip her toes back into that world and contact them, she had her own set of suppliers if something was truly wrong with the current ones. [break][break] As she grabbed her previous glass from the surface of the bar, she crafted a small, thin blade from shadows in her mind and materialized it into reality. It was a tactic that took far too much attention to be useful on an actual playing field, but the casino was different. There was plenty to distract from her as she gave her attention to the task. Then she passed behind him toward the water faucet and made a smooth move to jab the blade into his back. "Of course I wouldn't hurt someone just to prove a point. I don't need a point to prove to be willing to make someone miserable. In fact, I find it quite entertaining." she mused, "As it is the only reason I have not to put you in a whole lot of pain is that Zucchi would be upset and then she might not play with me anymore."
Daichi could feel his nerves grating as she brushed off his pointed attempt to get her gone. Right, this was Ruby he was dealing with. Of course, she could be persistent and stubborn. Poking the bear had only begot more misery. A point noted for the future should he ever have the misfortune to encounter her again.
Ruby weaved seamlessly through the barâs anatomy as though it were a place she practically lived â a bad sign for him really. If one thing had kept him alive in his business, it had been several sets of rules he always followed. One such rule indicated that anyone stepping behind him was an immediate no. Especially Ruby.
He kept one eye on her as she plucked her glass up defiantly and headed towards the sink. The smallest move of muscles accompanied by a slight glint of porcelain skin sent red flags running through his mind.
The assassin whirled on one foot in a smooth motion, sending his hand out to counter the assault. It was a messy move but a calculated one. Daichiâs hand connected with her wrist but not before the blade bit into his forearm with a neat slice. He hissed through clenched teeth and stepped back, the motion sending his sunglasses flying from his face so that they clattered uselessly on the floor.
âIs that a shadow blade?â he did his best to sound both surprised and offended, which wasnât very hard considering this was the second time Ruby had almost stabbed him. Maybe this was a theme with her.
Surprisingly enough the noise of the sunglasses skidding over tile had been entirely swallowed up by the lively din of the casino around them. Sheep oblivious to the wolves that prowled within. One of which, was apparently Ruby. What sane person drew a knife on a complete stranger? He knelt down to pick up his sunglasses, ignoring Ruby.
She could try and stab him again if she really wanted.
âAw shit, the lens is broken,â not that he was truly saddened by that, âyou owe me another pair Kitty and these werenât cheap.â
Daichi tossed them at the nearest garbage bin, slightly irritated by her audacity. This woman was going to make this night incredibly difficult. He took a long, hard, unamused look at her while deciding what to do. It was almost like sheâd stabbed him to prove a point⊠no, nobody was that ridiculous. Daichi let out a sigh, a true sigh, and grabbed the bar cleaning rag from the countertop.
âI need a smoke after that,â he grumbled, the actual truth, and tossed the rag at her, âhere since you seem so keen on haunting my bar and trying to give me permanent spinal damage you can run the bar while I take a break.â
The assassin didnât give her time to respond but brushed by abruptly, headed for the front entrance. At least here he could watch the casino guests enter. It might be easier to spot his target without being stabbed in the back by a crazy nekomata out for his blood.
Maybe he shouldâve played it more like heâd seen very little knives in his life but Daichi had wanted to avoid making a scene. Heâd muse over it with a smoke in hand.
MADE BY â MEULK OF GS
[googlefont=Lato][googlefont=Fira Sans Extra Condensed]
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
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Mikaela had stabbed plenty of people in the back. She never went into a fair fight expecting to win, so when one of her various jobs expected her to capture someone her go to strategy was to approach them as though to make a deal then catch them off guard when they went to walk away. It was as simple as luring a mouse with a bit of cheese then letting it fill its stomach and grow complacent before pouncing. She had long since gotten over the reminder of the first person she'd stabbed in the back, a friend in a time before she understood what friendship was. [break][break] Something about this was different. He was lying in wait and when she went to make her strike he whirled around, throwing her back into that memory she'd been able to block out for so long. Her eyes widened as she recalled a much slimmer hand thrown towards her wrist, momentarily covering the snake tattoo that at the time had been as much of a mark of her loyalty as a chain binding her to a world she despised. Her eyes widened at the sight of blood as it began to well up in the cut her blade had made. That wasn't how it had gone in her memory. She glanced up at a different face than the one in her mind. Different but just as familiar. Her grip on the glass loosened and it clattered on the ground, piercing her ears louder than the din of the casino and breaking her free of her mental stupor. [break][break] She franticly tried to recall his question, though the words at the time had floated over her without any meaning. It was something about the blade... "Beautiful, isn't it? A friend made it." she smirked. She did her best not to look like she felt any guilt as she slid the knife into an empty sheath as though it were an actual object. [break][break] As he gazed at her, an anxious feeling gnawed at her stomach, but she met his eyes with a practiced rueful expression firmly plastered across her own face. She had nothing to be sorry for. He had challenged her and it wasn't like there was anything else she could have done to prove her point. Arguing would have blown over his head. Besides, he'd made it out of the way. When he finally gave up on staring her down, she watched him with a careful curiosity. Most sane people would react in some way so she kept her guard up, but it seemed he was quite done with her. As though it were that simple. Now that she'd recognized him she certainly wasn't going to let him have free reign over the Casino. She cared about her clients' safety and he was a threat to it. [break][break] Her mind whirled with ways to tie him back to the bar. The first plan that formed solidly involved deciet and slight of hand, of course. As he brushed past rather rudely, she allowed her hand to dip into his back pocket, smoothly removing a cardboard box she was hoping she'd correctly guessed the contents of without looking. "Fifone!*" she called after him, sighing loudly before tossing the carton on the bar, followed shortly by the rag he'd thrown at her. Even in their little box, the sight of the cigarettes staring up at her would be enough to make her nauseous. [break][break] Mikaela was confident he would be back soon enough, but just incase she caught the eye of one of the other employees and ran a hand through her hair before jerking her chin subtly in the departing assassin's direction. It was one of the many communications she'd memorized like the back of her hand within two weeks of starting work at the casino. This one usually denoted a possible cheat, but it was close enough that she was sure they'd get the message to keep an eye on him. [break][break] When she was sure he was far enough away, she let the blade in her sheath disperse back into nothing. She ignored the man that approached the bar as soon as the former threat was out of sight. She'd recognized her cousin by his step and she didn't really care what he had to say. She picked up the discarded glass which fortunately hadn't shattered and filled it with water, retrieving the pills she'd stashed in her pocket and swallowing them down quickly. [break][break] Her cousin, not one to be ignored for long, opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off. "You're an smug, spineless lowlife and therefore not worth my time. You e mortacci tua* too," she said bitterly. "Now run along. I've already made one man bleed tonight, and I liked that one far more than I like you." [break][break] "I'm just here to extend an invitation, cousin, you're free to decline." he drawled, immediately catching her full attention, though her gaze remained trained on her glass as she wiped at an imaginary smudge. "It's funny, I could have sworn your grandfather had a deal with you regarding your stay here. Something along the lines of not settling down with anything that would keep you in Canada indefinitely without joining the family. We do have someone else that would do just as well in your place." Mikaela's gaze snapped up to his, and she immediately regretted it. She did not need the memory of that cruel haughtiness in his face to exist in her memory. She hadn't been thinking and somehow her bumbling relative had managed to checkmate her. It was initially Touri's fault for that stupid misplaced display of affection, but she should have known better than to go with her initial instinct to play along. She silently prayed the assassin would return soon to give her an escape from this conversation. [break][break] * Fifone (Fee-Foh-Nay) - Whimp[break] ** e mortacci tua - and your ancestors (typically an insult)
Daichi didnât look back as he pressed his hands against the swinging door that would lead him to a back alley of the club where most of the employees smoked on their free time. A no smoking casino wouldâve been considered odd just a decade ago but now it was nearly the norm. Strange how societal shifts happened in such droves. He listened to the door clunk shut behind him and reached for his lighter, flicking it on with a practiced hand.
Nobody was out here today thankfully. The last thing he wanted after another âchanceâ encounter with Ruby was more small talk. He let his facial expression fall to something more akin to his normal nothingness as one of his hands reached towards his back pocket. Where there should have been a familiar box-like shape there was only, well, pocket.
A slight twitch at the corner of his mouth started as he quickly realized that heâd been pilfered.
âRuby⊠you are really trying my patience todayâŠâ Daichi muttered under his breath.
For a very brief second, he considered just staying here out of spite and waiting for someone to show with a smoke. It wouldâve been the smarter option for sure. But there was something about Ruby that made him less than smart in a way that had him turning around with an irritated expression. Why was she making this so difficult for him? She didnât even recognize who he was.
Daichi wondered just how anyone could willingly stand this woman.
It was unsurprising to Daichi that Ruby was now at the bar likely annoying someone else. Chasing his customers away. Why was it that she drew so much attention? He found that trait to be the most annoying. As the time passed alongside Mikaela Lye, Daichi knew his assassination was bound to be less and less successful. How irritating.
⊠and yet, also a bit exciting.
Had there been something in that drink? Or had he really grown that bored? Daichi sauntered back over, this time wearing a smirk on his face. If Ruby wanted to play then who was he to deny her. Since she had so rudely interrupted his business, he was about to return the favor.
Affection, what a bother, and yet he approached the woman from behind and draped his arms over her shoulder affectionately before resting his chin on her head.
âAre you bothering my woman here?â he shot a sly expression at the man she had been talking to, âI understand she can be quite endearing but sheâs helping me fend the bar tonight so Iâm going to have to ask you to try and pick up a different worker today.â
Daichi drew away before Ruby could bite him, patting her head affectionately.
âIsnât that right Mikky?â to seal his death ticket, he ruffled those dark chestnut locks and prepared himself for a full-blown stab in the gut. To his credit he didnât break eye contact with the person across from Ruby.
MADE BY â MEULK OF GS
[googlefont=Lato][googlefont=Fira Sans Extra Condensed]
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela could hear footsteps approaching and her mind raced with ways she could play this. If it were someone else she might deny the claims altogether, but this cousin would report what he wanted and what he thought would cause her the most problems, not what he had actually seen. He had found the perfect weakspot to use against her and he wouldn't let go of it. Unfortunately that meant no matter where this conversation went she'd be force to actually talk to her grandfather. There was something about the situation that bothered her. She could have easily been backed into this corner before, but they had held off. Perhaps something more important was happening behind the scenes. [break][break]
Very suddenly, she was no longer alone facing off against her cousin. In fact, any semblance of personal space was entirely shattered as the assassin placed an arm over her shoulder. She tensed and felt her cheeks heat, but didn't pull away. He was really making it difficult to find a way to prove he was nobody. And that nickname... [break][break]
As he pulled away, she turned and wrapped him in an embrace. Silly in love was a role she'd had to play plenty of times in her youth, blending in to crowds that would question a stranger's presence otherwise. Her cousin cleared her throat and she moved far enough away to look up at the idiot towering over her. "Mon chou, we're available on Friday next week for dinner, right?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at the assassin. "I think my grandfather would be a lot easier to deal with if we told him of our intentions before the wedding." [break][break]
She placed a hand on Touri's shoulder and leaned in close to whisper gently enough that her cousin wouldn't hear. "I suggest you make a scene of breaking up with me, otherwise you probably won't make it through this mess in one piece. It would be such a pity to see someone sooo..." she hesitated as her mind grasped for a suitable word to positively describe the bastard of an assassin in English. Handsome and likeable were definitely wrong. "So captivating getting in over his head," she smirked.
He was swiftly denied his escape when Ruby turned the tides, wrapping her arms around him as though they were suddenly something out of a film noir. There wasnât really time to recoil but Daichi couldâve sworn he felt a quick jump inside his chest at the action. Damn nekomata always full of unpleasant surprises.
Thankfully, a disapproving noise from the third party caused Ruby to undrape herself and Daichi suddenly felt like he could think again. Regardless, it took longer than usual for him to process her insinuated request. Daichi shifted to kill time â swallowing his initial refusal as Mikaela whispered what mightâve been considered words of encouragement to him.
Captivating. The barbed wire on those words couldâve cut metal it was so sharp. Daichi eyed the person in front of him. Whatever plans Ruby had, he didnât think having Ruby or any of her associations trailing him was a good idea. Despite the forced hand sheâd made him play, Daichi couldnât help but smirk.
When had life become so boring? He hardly knew.
âWomen,â he laughed, genuinely amused, âalways finding ways to twist you into an idea that they want you to think was entirely your own. I need to give you a ring first.â
Daichi played into the act, grabbing her hand lightly and showing it off to her less-than-amused cousin. It would probably be enough to get the person gone so long as he agreed to a random dinner with a bunch of strangers. Well, it wouldnât be the first time.
âLook at these beautiful, delicate hands. Made for all sorts of stabbing. Weâll have to find something fitting of them this week,â he brought Mikaelaâs fingers up to his mouth and planted a light kiss, cringing a little at the PDA before he let her hand fall from his grips, âitâd be a shame to leave them undecorated.â
The assassin let his eyes linger on Ruby as though to see right into her.
âFriday works for me,â Daichi said simply, turning his pointed gaze at the individual across from Mikaela.
Heâd regret that later for sure.
MADE BY â MEULK OF GS
[googlefont=Lato][googlefont=Fira Sans Extra Condensed]
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext1]I'm not ready for the truth to see the light
[attr=class,Mikredheadertext2]Make it up, Make it pretty, I don't mind
[newclass=.Mikredimage]width:500px;height:200px;background-image:url('https://i.ibb.co/hxzNqkk/download.png');border-left: solid 10px #8f0505;border-right: solid 10px #8f0505;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhover]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;height:200px;width:500px;margin-top:-200px;[/newclass][newclass=.Mikredhover:hover]opacity:0.4;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff;[/newclass] [newclass=.Mikredhovertext]font-family:Arial;color:#4c306a;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
Mikaela figured she knew what to expect. He would either play along and end their imaginary relationship or call her out on trying to lie in the first place. Either way it would become obvious they werenât together. Unfortunately, she had not accounted for how much of an idiot Touri might be. She could barely even fake a smile as he went on mindlessly about getting her a ring, her hand trapped by his. That was what the smile that had spread across her face was. An act necessary for her cousin. So was the flush forming in her cheeks. None of it could possibly be real.
[break][break]
As Touriâs gaze remained fixed on her for a bit too long, she remembered that she should add to the dialogue rather than just blushing like an idiot. âChe cavolo,â she chided teasingly, âNow youâre just telling me what I want to hear.â She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear before taking a step away from the assassin to lean against the bar. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, even as she tried to act completely calm. She was playing a dangerous game here, pretending to have a heart that could love for the sake of a family that couldnât be allowed to see beyond her act. And it all depended on a bumbling oaf playing a part heâd only chosen to get under her skin.
[break][break]
Next came four words that she hated more than any others. Friday works for me. Those four simple words were enough to condemn both him and her to a hellish evening in the not so distant future. What sort of foolish halfwit would agree to a dinner with strangers and no other context? Especially when someone like Mikaela was involved? The conversation went further out of her control as her cousin replied before she could think of what to say. âPerfect. You know where to go?â he asked her a bit too smoothly. She eyed him suspiciously, trying to figure out why he was so content. Usually he was more interested in the hunt than the actual prize, which meant something really bad had to be coming next. Or maybe that was just her paranoiaâŠ
[break][break]
âWait, no.â Mikaela said obstinately after a moment. This wasnât what was supposed to happen. She was weary about dealing with her family at all, but with an assassin whose loyalty seemed to be to screwing her life up it would be suicide. âI- That is⊠Youâre too happy about this! What would it take for you to just tell me whatâs really going on?â she stumbled through the words, not caring that she was speaking far less eloquently than usual. The whole situation had her flustered but sheâd never admit to it.
[break][break]
Her cousinâs eyes flickered to the assassin behind her and he proceeded as though he hadnât heard what sheâd said. âKaylie, are you not going to introduce me?â he asked.
[break][break]
She shook her head, more out of stubbornness than anything else. âNot my job to make introductions, and youâre not really worth his time anyway.â she replied, earning herself a piercing glare. âMi amour,â she drawled, turning large crimson eyes toward the assassin, âAre you sure you donât want to go play a round of cards or something?â
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