Red Star to the Darkness

Chapter One - New Dedications

"Ashikaga Shira, 14, rogue mercenary with good values, highly recommended." Mori Ougai looked at the note with scrutinizing eyes. The files on the table laid spread out as he pondered whether to trust this anonymous tip. Kōyō Ozaki stood by his side, flipping through the files with growing curiosity. "She seems... interesting. The note has very nice handwriting too." She duly commented. Mori nodded slowly, the handwriting looks very familiar, eerily familiar. "Weird, no one writes this letter like that. Reminds me of..." His eyes widened as realization hits. "What boss?" Kōyō asked, miffed. Mori coughed awkwardly. "Um, nothing. She looks fine, if our meeting goes smoothly, I'll put her under your care, Kōyō, along with the Sheep ability user." She looked at him, confused. "How do you know he's going to join?" Mori chuckled. "I just do."

Suddenly the door creaked open, and in walked the girl from the photos. "Excuse me, boss." Mori waved Kōyō away, looking at the girl curiously. She looks much more inviting in person, Mori thought, the bloodlust, the alertness, the coldness in her eyes, but yet she feels so comforting and inviting. "You are giving off a very conflicting aura, Ashikaga-san. Please have a seat." She looked at the chair hesitantly before walking towards it and sitting down. "Please call me Shira, I do not go by Ashikaga anymore." Mori stared at her closely. To his surprise, she shows no sign of discomfort, unlike others, and stared back calmly. "Interesting, Shira-chan. Would you like to join the Port Mafia?" She shook her head, instead pulled out a contract. "Due to a favor I owe to someone, I cannot fully dedicate myself to any organization. Instead, I would like to propose this contract that was sent to me along with the note that told me to find you." Mori took the contract and read it carefully, surprised to find it free of possible loopholes. "This contract seems very unfair to you. Five years of your full loyalty? Unpaid? Its highly unlikely that a rogue mercenary like you would accept these terms." The girl shifted uncomfortably. "I have more than enough money to last me a lifetime. I just need a change. The sender of the note is very dear to me. I hold his decisions in high regard." Mori smiled, holding out his hand. The girl stood up knowing exactly what he wants. She pulls out the note and hands it to him. He takes one look at it and grinned devilishly. "Please sign here, Shira-chan." The girl took up the pen and signed it with no hesitation. Mori signed it soon after. "Welcome to the Port Mafia, Shira-chan. I will have an executive show you around later. But before that, let's meet your future partners, shall we? I am afraid to say that your first mission starts today." She looked at him, confused. "Partners?"

Shira's POV

As I voiced my confusion, the big doors swung open, revealing two men. One dressed in apparel overly thick for the current weather, another is a redheaded adolescent, around the same age as I. His hands engulfed in two yellow cubes, glowing faintly in the dimly lit room. "Meet our secondary executive, Rando, and Nakahara Chuuya, the leader of the Sheep. Shira-chan, would you please be so kind and bring a chair for our esteemed guest? In the middle of the room would do." I nodded curtly, walking over with a chair in hand. "Nice to meet you, Rando-san, Chuuya-san." One smiled politely while the latter gave off a rude 'hrmph'. "Dog." I heard him say, quite loudly, but I ignored him, going back to stand next to Mori-san. "Now now, Chuuya-kun, no need to be rude, Shira-chan here is a new member of mine. I trust you'll get very acquainted with her soon. Ah, Dazai! You have arrived."

A slender figure with brown ruffled hair walked in, he seemed to be covered in an excessive amount of bandages. "Huuuuuuh?!" yelled Chuuya. "You're that suicidal brat from yesterday." Dazai waved his hand dismissively. "I see you are as lively as always. As you can see," He held up his heavily bandaged arm. "Thanks to you, I'm sporting some really bad injuries here." Mori-san sighed softly. "Having only known each other for a day, you two seem to have really hit it off. Now then, I would like to talk about what happened yesterday, Chuuya. Rando, would you please excuse us?" Rando looked up. "Sir, I don't believe that's very appropriate. This boy is very dangerous." Mori-san clicked his tongue. "I have measures in place. Right, Shira-chan?" I nodded curtly as Dazai turned to look at me, seeming to have only noticed me now. "Who's this, boss?" Mori-san gestured for me to speak, which I did.