DEAD STARS [ ✓ ] | Bungou Stray Dogs

[ 02 | True Appearance ]

═════════ ❃ ═════════

❝ᴛʜᴇʏ sᴀʏ: ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ sᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴀ ᴡᴀʀ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ғɪɢʜᴛɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ.❞

═════════ ❃ ═════════

It was unusually quiet in the conference room. No one has dared to talk yet. The room was filled with a deafening silence. There were only five people who gathered for today, leaving four seats to become vacant. The door swung open, revealing the violet-eyed Mafia Boss.

“You're late,” said by a woman dressed on a kimono.

“I apologize. I needed to do some things with Elise. By the way are we complete already?” he asked. He searched for the room and saw that there were three more people who were missing. “Where's Hirotsu and Tachihara? Ah, right. I sent them overseas. Then who's the missing person?”

“Idiot. Only eight of us attends the meeting unless...” the woman dressed in Kimono said.

“Where's the Reaper? I told her yesterday that she have to attend the meeting today.”

“She?” asked Chuuya.

Suddenly, the door opened and a girl at her teenage years entered, panting heavily. She was slightly bowing down, making her short bangs became so noticeable. When she was able to catch her breath, she immediately fixed her posture, brushed up her hair with her fingers that made the short strands of her hair mixed with the long ones.

“I'm sorry. I woke up late and was too hooked on using my cellphone that I lost track of time. God, I--” Her eyes landed on the high ranking members of the organization. Her gaze met their confused and surprised gazes.

“Paz-chan!” the woman dressed in Kimono quickly embraced her in a warm hug. “You've become taller now! And since when did you get addicted on having bangs?”

“About three years ago,” she answered. “I actually failed this time. You know, Koyo, I let myself get carried away by my sadness, and so, this short bangs became the result.”

“I can see. It actually didn't even reach the top of your eyebrows and only covered half of your forehead but still, it made you look cuter and younger! Should I get some short bangs, too?”

“No.”

“So cold!”

“Shut up, Koyo, that's not you.”

“And so are you! You used to be so cold and quiet! But now? Just look on how you answer to me! I'm older than you.”

“No, I'm older than you based on killing experience.”

“Enough, girls. Paz, I want you to meet the Commanders of Port Mafia,” with that, he introduced everyone in the room. “Everyone, this is Paz Benitez better known as the Grim Reaper, though it's not too obvious because of her appearance right now. I believe you already met Chuuya and Akutagawa, Paz?”

“Yeah. I actually had fun with them. They are indeed strong. No doubt why they're feared by everyone here,” she said. The two men eyes' widened, it was different on what she told them yesterday. No, she's TOTALLY different from the one yesterday.

First, they expected that the Reaper will be a male. Second, they expected that the Reaper will have a stern expression. Third, they expected the Reaper to have a cold, quiet, intimidating, and stoic attitude. Lastly, they never expected that the Reaper will be a girl who's younger than them, and will be so cute and beautiful at the same time. The hell, she was wearing a black one-piece, off-shouldered jumpsuit, paired with a huge round silver earrings that made her sexy, too.

“You may sit on the vacant chair between Chuuya and Akutagawa, Paz,” said Mori. She nodded and head towards the seat.

Everyone in the room watched as she walk that made her shy and conscious, making the tint on her rosy cheeks became more visible. Chuuya noticed the sudden reddening of her cheeks. He looked at her more intently, searching for any trace of being an inhuman creature but he found none.

When she was finally comfortably sitted on a crossed-legs manner, Mori didn't hesitate to start the meeting. Akutagawa was secretly throwing some glances at her. Paz could actually feel and see through her peripheral vision the shots Akutagawa gave to her but decided to ignore and listen attentively to Mori.

“This is Yvette Tan. Her ability, Waking the Dead, is a big threat to this organization. She just joined recently and I'll let her experience the teaching method of the Grim Reaper,” Mori started. “Her main reason why she joined Port Mafia is to avenge her family from everyone in this City.”

“She's average on doing combat battle but excels on far-range attacks. Once her ability is activated, she'll be able to clone herself until she reach her limit which was still unknown.” The presentation went to the next slide. “All the clones possesses the traits she have and even her ability. Meaning, she can multiply and multiply.”

“The difference is this clones doesn't have any bones, blood, or organs but her clone's skin is extremely tough, not allowing any far-range attack to destroy her. Few weeks from now, there'll be a ball to celebrate Yokohama's anniversary that will be attended by our rival, Armed Detective Agency.”

“And what does the Agency have to do in this case?” asked Paz.

“I hope they'll do nothing but of course, they will interfere. However, that's our only chance to eliminate the threat to this city so we can't afford to fail.”