Trapped Behind Words: InuOkko

Chapter 24: Demon

"Are you certain we can trust him?" Megumi asked.

It didn't matter to Toge whether or not they could fully trust the man named Muta Kokichi. There wasn't anyone left to trust entirely other than himself and Yuta. Megumi was trustworthy, but the fact remained that it was a different Fushiguro Megumi than the one who had kissed him.

The silver-haired man shrugged as they stood outside a desolate warehouse. The location was just outside of the city, blending in with storage centers and dilapidated apartment complexes. It was all so gross.

There was a large steel door with peeling black paint in front of the pair. Were they supposed to knock? He said to show up and wait, but they had been standing around for twenty minutes. If it was all a trap, Toge would kick himself for falling into it.

"Ah, I see the mechanic has some new visitors," a booming voice called out from behind Toge and Megumi.

When the silver-haired man turned, he saw an all-too-familiar face. The scarred visage of a strange pizza delivery man, or rather, it seemed he was in casual clothes. The dark-skinned man grinned as if he remembered Toge. Did this man remember everything too?

"Ah, I get it. But where's my brother? Don't tell me he stayed back for this one," the tall man frowned.

Toge shook his head, signing to Megumi, "This guy might be trouble. He knows me, and he remembers."

"What's your name?" Megumi asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Easy dude. I'm Todo Aoi. I see that you might not be fully affected, but blondie here is at least more so," Todo nodded.

A scratchy tired voice shouted from the door of the warehouse, "Todo! You idiot! I told you not to go blathering on about all that!"

Standing in the door frame was an exhausted man who couldn't have been much older than Toge. He too had a scar on his face, but otherwise, he was rather handsome. He seemed familiar as well.

"So it really is Gojo's brat and the snake's son. What a pain!" the tired man groaned.

"Ah. So it was you. You're the engineer," Megumi mumbled.

"Yeah, Muta Kokichi, in the flesh. But I suppose it's starting to come back to you a little bit now Fushiguro?" the tired man frowned.

"Mhm. You used to hang around Gojo's place when I was younger. I just thought you were some kid on staff," Megumi said.

"Well, you were kind of right. I guess the hound's blood runs deep in you, huh?" Muta leaned against the doorway.

"Don't compare me to those Zen'in freaks," Megumi huffed.

Muta simply rolled his eyes, "Alright, come in. Todo, you continue your patrol. If that white-haired fuck shows up, beat his ass for me, 'kay?" Muta smiled.

Toge shrugged it off. This was not the strangest experience he had in the last few days. It wasn't the first time someone had called a Zen'in family member "dog" or "hound." It was rather common among old money to call that messy family names. The Zen'in crest was that of a wolf—just as the Inumaki's was the serpent—but no one saw the current Zen'in group as regal enough for that title. There wasn't a wolf within that family, unless Toge counted those either expelled or who hated their own Zen'in blood—present company included.

"Easy enough," Megumi mumbled under his breath as they entered the warehouse door.

Much like Toge expected, the warehouse hummed with electricity. There was a distinct odor that poured throughout the structure, difficult to ignore. It was all so foul. Something about how the loosely hung overhead lights flickered against the rusted walls. There was no way this was the true lair of such an individual, or Muta was lying.