Later that day, Susanoo was back at HQ. She was blowing off some steam in the training room. She was practicing on her kendo while using a training dummy. Mainly, doing headshots.
“It’s not a baseball bat, Halberstam!” a strong female voice with a sharp Japanese accent echoed. “Use the katana as if it were an extension of your body and follow through with leverage. Not just power.”
“Funny, you went from player to coach. Now you are instructing me, Leiko Aoibara.” Susanoo said.
She could hear a noticeable thud and rustling on the other side of the room.
“Are you the new weapons master here?” Susanoo asked.
“With many have been dismissed by your daddy, we now making do with what we have,” Leiko said. “Now, choose your blade!” she ordered.
Without even turning around, she would stroll over to her gym bag to get her water bottle, “It’s been a long day, Aoibara. But I could use one of your ice cherry flavored coffees though.”
Susanoo picked up her stainless-steel water bottle for a drink, only for it to be skewed, knocked out of her hand, and nailed to the wall with an ice sickle. Her hand was trembling and not from the sudden chill that immediately filled the room.
“That was uncalled for…” she said to herself.
Susanoo would turn around to see Leiko charge at her with a swing. Using her instincts she would dodge and roll out of the way. She knew Leiko was pissed off about something, so Susanoo wasted no time rushing to the table.
There were so many edge weapons that she was not familiar with. She is doing this on purpose! Susanoo screamed to herself, relenting on taking anything. Unbeknownst to her knowledge, a Bidor Malaysian Golok.
She barely turned around and Leiko lunged at her again with an overhead attack, in which she dodged again.
Finally, Susanoo was somewhat ready, gripping the weapon with her dominant right hand. In front of her was a strong chiseled Japanese woman with short light cyan hair and piercing light red eyes who was taller than her. The smirk and determination on her face. She was holding an icy-blue colored Scorpion Sword.
Of course, she had to make light of the situation, “Hubby on his long business trip again?”
Leiko only responded to violence as she attacked with controlled anger.
Susanoo has always been a defensive mastermind when it comes to swordplay, but only with a katana. The slight shortness and heaviness of the Bidor Malaysian Golok was hard to adjust. Leiko’s skills in Filipino Martial Arts like Kali, Eskrima, and Arnis became legends as her yuki-onna tribe created their unique fighting style while using pyromancy.
To say that Susanoo was overwhelmed was an understatement.
Leiko's hand trapped her wrist holding the weapon. It was enough pressure to loosen the grip and disarm Susanoo’s weapon. Putting the cold icy blade to her neck, claimed the easy victory, “Bidor Malaysian Golok. A broader handle requires less pressure and a curved grip.”
Shoving her back, Leiko could feel Susanoo’s pride dwindling.
“I wonder if you treat your daughters this way!” Susanoo throwing shade.
“Do worry about them. Unlike most females I know, they don’t let their parents or their genders give them a free ride! Now, fight!” Leiko ordered.
Enraged, Susanoo would pick up any long blade and charge at Leiko—only for Leiko to break it in half. Recovering from the shock, Leiko swung at her neck but quickly dodged. Susanoo would quickly retreat by sliding under the table, coming out the other side to pick two identical tantos.
“COME ON!” Leiko roared.
Susanoo would jump on the table, jump, and lunge at her—Only for Leiko to easily sidestep and give her an elbow to the neck while she was in midair. This will send her tumbling to the floor.
“Dogs usually have their paws on the ground!” Leiko criticized as she rushed a downed Susanoo.
But Susanoo would quickly get on her feet. She would improvise her defense as Leiko easily adapted to her dual-wielding techniques. There were some instances where Leiko could have taken an arm, stabbed a leg, or even worse.
Then, Susanoo did something clever. Leiko was about to parry one of her tantos, but Susanoo would let go on purpose. Susanoo would rush in and do a belly-to-belly suplex and hold her remaining tanto to her neck.
Gaining her confidence back, “Yield.” Susanoo demanded.
“You didn’t kill me. You sacrificed sure defense for a killing stroke.” Leiko motioned down, for Susanoo to see Leiko’s icy blade to ribcage. “Be lucky this blade isn’t sharp. I had you dead before I hit the floor.” She chuckles. “This is what happens when you get frustrated for nothing.”
Susanoo’s frustration was more at herself than Leiko's. Both of them disengaged as Leiko got back up and Susanoo tried to relax.
Trying to get her second wind, Susanoo asked a burning question, “Everyone hates me that much?”
Leiko scoffed, “You don’t understand, Susie,” Leiko mocked. “160 years. 160 years we haven’t had this much separation between Society and Order and between ourselves. And coincidently, this happens when we are headed to another world war that would lead to millions of us being dead!” She then got into Susanoo’s face. “And Marky can talk his shit all he wants about the Third Rev. He never saw the depths of depravity and violence like we have as he looks at spreadsheets on Facebook Pages. So yeah, I need to see what kind of dog you are! We are called monsters, but they have no problem discriminating, enslaving, and killing their kind. So just imagine what they will do to you, little girl. They don’t give a shit— they are brutal!”
Susanoo tried her hardest not to cry since it was the truth.
At least, Leiko shared some kind words, “You are strong and smart, but that doesn’t mean anything. If you don’t know how to use your power effectively, then why even bother? We need to be ready.”
Showing a mother’s compassion, she gently rests her hands on her cheeks.
With a nod, Leiko leaves so Susanoo can collectively think about it.
After ‘training’ Susanoo would have to delegate Marco’s ongoing cases. In her office, she had to go to every case and hand them off to the next Daemon Knight. In this case, Susanoo had to reassign a good number of scouts to cover her tracks. Nonetheless, like anyone would ever question the Imperial Knight's daughter.
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Cynthia would come in and make herself known, “Susanoo!”
She would raise her head and look at her friend, “Cynthia, close the door.” She instructed as Cythina did just that. “Well?”
Cynthia approached the table. “Marco’s files have all been in digital form, so it was easy to gain access to them.”
“And?” Susanoo probed.
“She has been in contact with some heavy hitters since week one. Ever since the Baxton investigation.” Cynthia said. “She was working alongside the Cerberus roundtable and a missing persons case.”
“I know, Dante told me. What else?” Susanoo said.
Cynthia was thrown off by her ‘proactivity’ but she continues, “We have names in the US Marshals, NYPD, Mi-6--”
“You mean to tell me this little faker got both Jervis’ and Christopher’s number? Who the hell did she give a BJ to?!” Susanoo complained.
Her jealousy was stifling to be the least, as Cynthis had to say something, “there has been an epidemic of kidnapping and sex traffic sweeping Europe with no connection of the incidents. She was in the trenches finding leads.”
“Fighting a losing battle over hide and seek,” Susanoo showed Cynthia her first knight insignia on her uniform, “they don’t give this out if you make your heart too big.” She mocked.
“I had to call the numbers and tell them about the reassignment,” Cynthia relents.
Susanoo smiled, “Good!” Then her phone rang and she answered it.
Before Susanoo could say anything, Marcus would speak, “YOU, MEET WITH ME DOWNSTAIRS IN CONFERENCE ROOM A! AND BRING CYNTHIA WITH YOU!” Then, Marcus would hang up.
Cynthia had good enough hearing to catch that, “That sounds urgent…”
Susanoo and Cynthia would sprint downstairs to meet up with their superior in Conference Room A... which had dozens of filled paper boxes and multiple dry-erase boards.
Marcus would face the young girls in bewilderment, “CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME WHO THIS ALL BELONGS TO?!” He yelped.
Susanoo would peek inside one of the boxes, “it looks like Marco’s, sir!” she loftily identified.
“You mean to tell me; she used the main conference room for how long with pictures of dead naked bodies and shit sprawled around here?!” he shouted.
“She said she needed the room. I guess this is what she meant,” Susanoo said.
Get maintenance—I mean, no! Just... get this stuff out of here! Now!” he ordered as he hurriedly left the room.
Susanoo couldn’t help but laugh. She would get some of the recruits to do the grunt work.
In the meantime, they will meet up with Marcus as was having a much-needed drink in his office. The picture was indeed disturbing as he tried to erase it from his memory.
“I knew she was weird, but now I don’t’ guilty sending her home.” Marcus took a sip of his drink. He was drinking Irish bourbon with a hint of apple cinnamon.
“Makes you feel any better, she has a copy of everything, so it’s all going to the incinerator,” Susanoo informed.
“No!” he denied. “Just pack it up and put it in storage. That stuff is evidence and will be our backup.” He said.
Then, a Japanese wolf kemonomimi would let herself in. She was tall and had long jet-black hair with white highlights and green eyes. She wasn’t wearing a uniform but had on a casual red sweatshirt and matching leggings with black high heels.
“Looks like someone needs their eyes cleaned out with bleach!” she joked.
“I don’t want to hear it from you, Kiva! Just get out!” Marcus shouted.
Kiva Samanoske is a seasoned Daemon Knight who is well-versed in infiltration and grand theft. By our police reports in various others in different law enforcement agencies in Europe. She is well-versed in shadow operations and usually works solo.
“It’s not my fault you have throttled an ongoing investigation with three other law enforcement agencies?” Kiva said with a smile. “She must have pissed you off, Susie Q!”
“We had to make room for the other scouts, okay?” Susanoo stepped in.
“Oh, I get it!” Kiva patronized. “Little Marco Bennett was sent back home across the country, because... she was a threat to you--”
“As of right now, she can work the case in Lancashire and she can correlate with her contacts there!” Susanoo snapped. “And I don’t need to say anything to you. This conversation is over!”
Tending to break up another unwanted fistfight, “If you have anything to say, then leave,” Marcus ordered Kiva.
“Actually yes. Alpha Crucis of the Crux demands—sorry... requests your immediate council, sir.” Kiva informed.
This made Marcus rise to his feet as this made him anxious, “He brought his wife here?! Oh, I am so fucked!”
“No, sir. The current Alpha Crucis of the Crux requests your immediate council, sir!” Kiva corrected with a smile.
This vexed Marcus, “then why did you say so?!”
“She retired for many years and they found a new one, sir. I thought it was obvious,” Kiva said.
And it was obvious that he was scared.
“Well, tell her I am busy!” Marcus said as he sat back down.
“Told her you were here with Arcana and Rev Tigra, sir,” Kiva said.
“Well, then how about--?!”
“She’s right outside your door, sir!” Kiva said.
Marcus glared at Kiva, “Send her in, I guess...” he growled.
Kiva took humor in his anger as she went to the door and summoned the current Alpha Crucis.
In reality, it has been years since he had seen a Crucis Sentinel. But this would make his day seeing a statuesque, chocolate-skinned, busty, hourglass-shaped beauty in a yellow Crucis Sentinel uniform with her rapier sword holstered in one side. Her long shiny black hair, beautiful brown eyes her stoic demeanor.
Simply, he already fell for her.
And she was getting too close...
“You can stay over there, sentinel!” Susanoo warned, but Alpha Crucis didn’t listen. “What are you deaf?!” she threatened.
She stood in front of Marcus with her steely stare as it aroused him. He had to cross his legs in embarrassment.
Boy, I can see your boner from here, Kiva thought watching in the background. “Imperial Knight Morpheus, Arcana, Rev Tigra. I present to you Alpha Crucis of the Crux.”
Alpha Crucis said nothing but stood there, staring at Imperial Knight Morpheus... who was trying to get his wits together.
“Alpha Crucis. It is nice of you to come at short notice,” Marcus greeted.
Alpha Crucis would then lean over the coffee table and pour herself a full glass of Irish bourbon from the tray.
She takes the glass and downs the drink in one gulp. And throws the glass into the fireplace.
This startles Marcus as Susanoo is about to fight, but…
“Salud, Sentinel!” Kiva stops everything as she approaches, “As a tradition to have a stiff drink with the Imperial Knight before we talk important business.” Kiva would pour herself a drink, “so our tongues will loosen and heighten our common senses.”
Kiva would drink in gulp and throw it into the fire.
Marcus hesitantly refilled his glass. He was already toasted, so it didn’t matter. But did take his time downing his drink and carefully tossed his glass in the fire.
“Alpha Crucis, I have heard you have something to discuss with me,” Marcus said.
“We had a connection named Marco Bennett here who was immediately reassigned and kicked off the case with no explanation.” Alpha Crucis stated.
“It’s true...” Cynthia admitted.
“My administrator, Arcana, has been delegating Marco’s workload to other Daemon Knights. And yes, she has been reassigned to Lancashire--”
“She was close to uncovering a multinational trafficking ring. One that had great ties to the Third Revelation, was Morpheus. She was supposed to communicate with us--”
“As a tradition, you will address him ‘my Imperial Knight’ or sir, Miss Sentinel.” Cynthia corrected.
“Yes!” Susanoo steps in, “she has been a hard worker at our office. But she has signed on many prospects and there was no room for her.” She then sauntered to a file box, “But as you know too well, sentinel; out with old and in with the new! And no, she will still be on this case as you wanted.” She then walked towards Alpha Crucis holding the box with a smile, “There are plenty more where that came from.”
With a blank stare, “She has already digitized the files. I will call her.” Alpha Crucis said as took her leave.
“Would you mind staying, sentinel? We will honor your hard work. We will have our scout pack up and ship the documents to you.” Marcus offered.
More like flirted…
“Honor someone within and not someone you barely idolize,” Alpha Crucis said. Before she left, Alpha Crucis gave some parting words to Susanoo, “Gwyliwch eich hun, ci.”
Susanoo’s smile slowly dissipated as she saw the sentinel leave the room.
“I don’t like her…” Susanoo tossed the box aside.
“We didn’t even sign her transfer papers yet! There is a mole with our ranks!” Cynthia accused.
“Or a wolf...” Marcus said while looking at Kiva.
Kiva’s wolf ears comically slanted as she blinked out of confusion, “If you believe a Deamon Knight cared about our unpaid disheartened scouts, might dropped her name a few times around the neighborhood.”
“That explains Jervis and Christopher...” Susanoo utters.
“Don’t worry. I dropped your name too, but it was a hard pass.” Kiva joked.
“Are you going to get the fuck out of here--?!”
“Not fast enough, my Imperial Knight!” Kiva grandstanded as they left the room marching.
“I hate that bitch!” Susanoo growled. “The insubordination is beyond the pale, Father! I don’t know why you would do something about it!” she complained.
“You know why and I am not going to repeat myself!” Marcus answered. “Let them handle the garbage case. All in due time.”
Susanoo nodded, “Yeah, all in due time.” She reluctantly agreed.
