Paladins & Necromancers

Chapter Three: Scars, Drugs, Demons, and Fire

"So you're Dabi?"

That's me now, he reminded himself silently as he nodded sharply. "Nice mask, birdbrain."

The guy Dabi was meeting with narrowed his eyes, but didn't comment on the remark.

"You're Kai Chisaki, yeah?" Dabi asked, his eyes roaming around the facility they were meeting in. It was underground and despite the fact he had been brought in blindfolded, he had sensed magic and heard the halls shifting. It was like a labyrinth out of a myth.

"Call me Overhaul," Chisaki said coldly. 

"Sure, whatever." The younger boy scratched his arm. His burns normally were itchy, but the anxiety of being trapped here was making his skin crawl. "Heard you wanted some help moving shit. That right?"

"This way," Chisaki ordered, leading Dabi down another winding hall without answering the question. Something in the young Yakuza boss's eyes made Dabi shiver. 

The scarred man couldn't help but squirm a bit as they entered a tighter room. He wasn't exactly claustrophobic, but the anthill-like structure of the base was enough to make most uncomfortable. Chisaki grabbed a case about the size of the average backpack off a shelf. He placed it on the table, the metal exterior making a thump as it hit the oak.

"Need you to bring this to the address there."

Dabi examined the box, quickly memorizing the address scrawled on the top before peeking inside. There were little trays, each maybe the size of a DVD,  with small... Bullets? Dabi wondered, his brow creasing. "What are these?"

"That's not information for a delivery boy," a voice said from the doorway. Dabi jolted slightly, looking back to see a small man in a white plague mask and a black robe.

"Mimic, what happened now?" Chisaki asked, looking exasperated. 

"The girl is ready for extractions when you're done here, is all." The short one — Mimic — glanced over at Dabi. "You sure this is a good idea?"

The Yakuza head sighed. "With the Paladins on our asses, you think we have much of a choice? Giran's a good broker. He wouldn't send us faulty goods."

Wouldn't be so sure about that, Dabi thought darkly, itching at his arm again. 

Mimic looked Dabi over before grimacing and leaving. Chisaki looked over at the scarred man. "You'll get your payment after you get the product to the distributor."

Dabi saluted sarcastically. "Yes, Mister Overhaul, sir," he drawled, picking up the crate. Must be some sort of drug, then. Although he wasn't an expert, by his estimate, there wasn't much in the box for a full shipment. Maybe a hundred or so bullets at most.  Dabi had moved drugs a few times, and assuming that one bullet was one dosage, that was hardly anything at all. A sampler, maybe?

The one who had lead him inside the facility (he believed someone had called him Chronostasis) returned with the blindfold to show him out. Dabi gripped the box as he was lead through the twisting tunnels, feeling a little uneasy. What am I getting myself into?

🝯

"Jin. No."

"C'mon, Giran—"

The broker sighed, exasperated. "No."

"But Kaori's adorable! Fuck you, she's a little angel."

"Don't name it! You're getting attached!"

The it in question was a small stray demon Jin had found in an alleyway. She's huge! Kaori, as Jin had named her, was similar to a puppy. If a puppy had glowing yellow eyes, horns, a barbed tail, and could speak basic Japanese. Just like a kitty. She seemed to be some breed of a common house demon.