Blazblue: Ashes to Ashes

The Vampire and the Dragon

Ronin-gai – Ragna, Taokaka, and Bang

Ragna rubbed the bruise on his cheek as he and Tao made their way through Ronin-gai. Once again, Tao had begun to pester Ragna about food. With no money, Ragna constantly shot her down about going to a restaurant. "Listen Tao, I'm not taking us to a damn restaurant. I don't have any money, so I can't pay for anything!"
"Come on, Good Guy, Tao is starving," she whined. "I'm hungry too, but I can't get anything right now, so stop bothering me about this." A voice boomed over their own, "You are the wanted villain that has been wreaking havoc, Ragna the Bloodedge, correct?" A scruffy, muscular man with an X-shaped scar on his face leaped out from the shadows. "This is just great," Ragna groaned, "As if I don't have enough crap to deal with."
"I am a man of honor, so I will allow you to take the first strike in our battle!"
"Forget it, old man. I'm hungry, tired, and I've had to listen to this cat's constant whining since Orient Town. I'm really not in the mood." Bang followed Ragna's gestures, finally noticing Tao standing there. Surprised by the fact that Tao was traveling with him, the man began to question Ragna. "Why is Tao with you? Did you kidnap her? Are you holding something against her, you villain?"
"I don't kidnap people and even if I did, why would I want to kidnap her? She's the most annoying thing I've had to deal with my entire life and that's saying a lot."
"You raise many excuses for the most wanted criminal in Kagutsuchi. Stop talking and raise your sword! I will take you in for your misdeeds."
Ragna groaned in exhaustion. "Do I really have to deal with this crap every day? I've got some terrible luck."
"Scruffy man, Scruffy man, give us some food! We're STAAAAAAAARRVING!" Tao demanded. "But Tao that man next to you is a wanted criminal, he's dangerous."
"Good Guy isn't dangerous, he's a good guy. He gave me food when I was hungry. He's a nice person." Tao hugged Ragna and then her train of thought turned to food and she started to drool. "Hey, don't slobber all over my jacket, that's disgusting!"
Bang took a good look at the two of them, wary of Ragna. He didn't want to trust Ragna, but he didn't think Tao would ever lie and despite her lack of intelligence, she was a great judge of character, as he has learned. Though her ways of judging others was a bit…strange.
"Very well, I shall feed the both of you, but only because Tao trusts you so much." Ragna looked surprised. "I guess that annoying cat can be useful sometimes," He thought to himself. Bang led Ragna and Taokaka to his house in Ronin-gai. Not long after, the two were served lunch. Tao, of course, got around three times as much food as an average person's lunch would consist of. She wolfed down her food in an instant, not surprising to anyone in the room. "Ragna the Bloodedge, I am grateful that you haven't given us cause to resort to violent measures," Bang said.
Ragna wasn't amused one bit by this and said, "Other than being the most wanted criminal on record, am I right?"
Bang reluctantly nodded his head, not denying it. "You know, you people are always manipulated by the media, never denying a single thing they say, so whenever they accuse a man of being a criminal, you never stop to think that maybe it was a misunderstanding or that maybe he's being falsely accused. You do realize this, right?" Again, Bang nodded his head, not afraid to admit it. This wasn't the first time Ragna had met Bang Shishigami and he was taken aback by how unafraid he was to admit something that most people wouldn't. Usually Bang would go off and fight, no questions asked, without even hearing his opponent's side of the story.
"I admit we are constantly following a higher power's word without second thoughts, but that doesn't mean we don't think for ourselves. If I didn't deny the idea that you were a criminal, then we would be fight, not sitting at the same table eating and chatting." Something must have happened to change Bang's viewpoint in some way.
"So then you're not going to pick a fight with me?"
"Don't get me wrong, I still wish to do battle, but now it is merely to see how strong you are."
Ragna smirked and agreed to fight Bang after lunch was finished.
Meanwhile, Jacky was making his way to Ronin-gai only to be stopped by what appeared to be a girl in a black dress, accompanied by a red bat and a huge black cat. "Hello, Jacky."
Rachel Alucard, a vampire who saved Ragna when the church was burned to the ground and all of his siblings were scattered. "Hello Rachel, it's nice to see you again."
"The feelings are mutual, but I must say that when talking to others, I prefer the more pleasurable company like you, but I have to look out for that miserable oaf, Ragna." Jacky chuckled a little. "I'm happy to hear that you hold me in such high regard. Listen, I'm sorry to say this, Rachel, but I need to get to Ronin-gai before Ragna gets into more trouble. You know how it is."
"I suppose I understand, but I assure you that Ragna is in no danger. You know I don't lie, so I think this would be a perfect opportunity to talk." Jacky was reluctant but accepted her offer and allowed her to teleport them to her castle. The familiar scent of roses released some of the tension Jacky had built up due to recent events and he was finally able to relax.
As if from nowhere, an elderly man wearing a butler's uniform appeared and took a bow. "Good evening, Madame Rachel. How was your day?"
"It was splendid, Valkenhayn, but the day has made me weary. Prepare some tea for me and my guest," she replied. Valkenhayn took another bow before disappearing into the castle. There was a table in the middle of the hundreds of roses dotting the garden.
Jacky pulled out Rachel's chair for her and pushed it forward when she sat down. "I'm delighted to see that you have learned to be a gentleman, Jacky."
"Well, I learned from the best."

A few years back…

About a year after graduating from Military Academy, Jacky was sent to be a member of the NOL Assassin's Unit. During one of his assignments an information leak was found and Jacky was sent to eliminate whoever managed to get their hands on the info. Just when he was about to attempt to take out the target, a girl in an elegant black dress appeared in front of him from nowhere. Telling him that he would be killed if he attempted to finish his assignment, Jacky lashed out at her, but she deflected his attacks and struck him with a bolt of lightning.
When he woke up, he found himself in a bed of roses in front of the gates to a strange, unfamiliar castle. When he tried to get up, he was pushed back down by the shoe of the girl he attacked. He attempted to push her foot off his torso, but she wouldn't budge. "Get the hell off me, little girl!"
The strange girl sent lightning through his body and he was barely able to hang onto consciousness. "I am no little girl and you will not treat me as such, you moronic dragon! If you can't show the slightest amount of manners, then I suppose I'll just have to teach you. Valkenhayn!"
Her butler was there in seconds flat. "How may I help you, Madame Rachel?"

"Get this boy a uniform and teach him manners." The old man bowed and just as soon as Rachel stepped off of Jacky, Valkenhayn lifted him up and carried him towards the castle.
"You will learn to use your manners, kid, and maybe if you meet our expectations, we just might be able to help you."
"Help me with what, old man?"
"Your personal matters."