Chapter Text
I hated meetings especially since this was his first one in this new city. Red and Stretch had joined me as my protection in case everything went south. I had grumbled the whole way here as Edge drove them to the place, with Red teasing me the whole time, but that’s what it meant to be the Don. We look at the simple convention center before us.
“THIS IS THE PLACE?! THIS LOOKS COMPLETELY UNFIT FOR SUCH A “IMPORTANT” MEETING!!!”
“easy edge. i don’t know why they picked this place, but it’s best we air on the side of caution.” Edge sneers before huffing and pulls the car up to the side of the front door. Red snaps into action and gets out first, then opens the door for me as Stretch gets out on the other side. The building looks dead with all the lights inside off in the middle of the night. I get to the front door and Red peeks in through the glass.
“telling ya, ‘nilla, the place is closed!” He jumps back as a small buzzing noise comes on from just above him.
“Welcome, gentlemen. Men of the Delta Knights, I presume?” The voice sounds digitalized and strange.
“yeah, what’s it to ya?!”
“red chill.” Stretch sighs.
“We’ve been awaiting your arrival. Please follow our guide and they’ll lead you to the meeting room.” A lone figure shows up wearing a black hoodie with a mask and LED glasses. Black pants, black shoes and a pair of black gloves complete their look. A Roman numeral rests just over their left upper chest, the number six. The LED glasses have a set of neutral digital eyes on it blinking at them every few seconds.
“This way Don Sans.” Their voice also sounds like the previous one, digital and odd. Stretch tries to CHECK them, but gets nothing.
“where exactly are we going?” He asked. They look up at him.
“To the meeting, if you would.” They begin to walk off and myself and the others can see an odd drawing on the back of their hoodie. It looks like an elf with different colors of splotches on it holding a paint brush and palette. Red stomps after them as they don’t stop to make sure that anyone is following. I sigh and go after them with Stretch taking up the rear. A intercom begins to speak as they walk through the dark building.
“We hope you’ll forgive the low lightning as we try to keep regular citizens out of our activities,” The first voice speaks thru it. I nod then shakes my head.
(they can’t see me.)
“Is there a problem? Why did you nod then shake no?” I freeze and Stretch bumps into me.
“what the…” I look around for the red lights that most night vision infrared cameras have.
“Art Elf, the guests stopped. Check on them.” The figure turns around as Red runs into them knocking them down.
“the fuck, ya little shit?!” They don’t say anything and get back up. Moving around Red, They stand just before me.
“Issue?” They say as they move themselves just enough to look me over.
“nah. sorry about that kid.” They just shrug and go back to the front of the group to lead them, as they state,
“You heard him, Boom Snake.”
(what’s up with the names?) I proceed to continue to follow as they finally come to a door. The figure opens it and gestures to the now open space.
“The meeting place will be downstairs, so watch your step and be sure to follow all the guidelines.” They walk off without looking back.
“what the fuck ya mean guidelines?!” The intercom answers,
“It’s simple procedure for the safety of all our guests. It will be all explained at the bottom of the stairs.” Red looks at the doorway and pulls out his gun.
“ain’t gonna just walk into some stupid trap.” He moves down the stairs first and I trail behind as Stretch gives a once over at the building before accompanying us. The door shuts behind us and the stairs are illuminated by soft lights along the walls. As they reach the bottom, Red misjudges his step and tumbles the last three steps. “shit!!!”
“Language!” Another figure barks as they come and help him up. Just like the previous one they too are wearing all black clothes with a mask and LED glasses. Their hoodie has the Roman numeral four. A smaller figure with the same get-up stands behind them a bit almost as if they were trying to hide behind the other.
“Are… are you okay?” The smaller one squeaks.
“Don’t waste your breath on jerks like this, Book Fairy,” The bigger one snaps as they pull the gun from Red’s hand and snap a red bracelet on him.
“hey fuc.” Before Red can respond the bigger one snatches him up by his collar and gets right in his face.
“TRY speaking like that in the meeting, buddy, and see if you walk outta there.” They growl as Red’s legs dangle beneath him. The other figure now is holding the gun nervously. Red sweats a bit.
“The r-rules ar-are that n-no weapons are al-allowed.” They move behind a counter just behind themselves and put the gun somewhere. I barely catch a glimpse of the Roman numeral seven.
“and the bracelet?” My eye lights rest on the newest accessory Red is now sporting.
“It’s a safety precaution. Everyone at the meeting is required to wear them.” The intercom states, “Biker Fox, please release the guest and use your manners.”
“Guest…” They scoff dropping Red, who falls flat on his coccyx. They go up to me hands out. One holds two more bracelets and the other is empty. “Weapons… Please.” They seem unhappy with the whole idea of saying Please. I nod and give up my own pistol, while Stretch slings his rifle of his shoulder and holds it out. The smaller one grabs the rifle as Red gets up and brushes himself off with a grumble.
“Thank you,” they whisper and quickly retreat back behind the counter again, allowing the back of their hoodie to show. It has a small fairy laying on a small pile of books to read one. I grab the two bracelets and hand one to Stretch. The bracelet is red in color and I can tell it’s some sort of electronic device. It has no release mechanism on it that I can see.
“how are we supposed to get these off after?” Stretch asks. The intercom replies,
“Ah, gentlemen, that would be done by me, as we would like to have them back. Now, if you have given us all the weapons on hand, we will proceed with a simple scan and you’ll be free to enter the meeting.” I nod again and the smaller one taps a few buttons on something hidden by the counter. The larger one putting my pistol somewhere. A red light falls over them and disappears. A hissing sound is heard and Red and Stretch jump in front of me as a hidden door slides into the wall it was hidden in. “We welcome you to the Hunter’s table!” The doorway reveals a large round table with people sitting at it. The table is colored into four different sections. Three of these already have other people setting at them. The symbol of a mafia group painted into the place before each person sitting around the table and my own group’s symbol just before the last empty seat. A chair sat in the center of the table. It spins around an the person in it faces me as they stand. They wear another identical outfit as the figures that have been wearing. They sport the Roman numeral one.
“Don Sans, I thank you for accepting my invitation to the Hunter’s table.”
“Are you serious, Lunar Cat!? You’re letting monsters in now?!” A small man wearing a simple three piece suit of green and black colors shouts. He has a short cut dark brown hair and brown eyes with a lighter milk chocolate skin. The LED eyes on the middle figure’s glasses go from happy to angry in seconds as if they are responding to the wearer’s emotions. They turn and face the man.
“Don Dion, do you have a problem with my specially invited guest?” The digital voice sounds dark and cold. This Don cowers into his chair as his two men step to his side.
“It’s just that they…”
“They have come to own almost a whole quarter of the city in just a month of their initial arrival. They have already begun making trades with most of the groups here at this table. Tell me, Dion, what exactly are they lacking that you have to be properly invited?”
“I… they…” Dion stumbles on his words as he looks away from them.
“he don’t like us ‘cuz we ain’t human! simple as that!” Red barks in anger. The figure turn to face my group. One digital eye in a look of confusion and the other still in an angry sneer.
“Oh my! How uncivilized! A guard dares to speak up at the table! Please tell me that your men are better than that Sir Sans.” A rather tall woman holds a purple fan in front of her face. Her long red hair flowing in waves around her pale white shoulders. She wears a slim, slick dark purple dress. Her green eyes lock with mine. “Of course, if you require any assistance in training them, I would be more than happy to render my services.” Her green eyes shift over to Red with a purr. “I would even personally help him learn how to treat a lady.”
“Don Vail, please discuss business of such nature outside of my table.” The figure shifts their attention to her.
“Oh my dear, Lunar Cat, I’ve told you before. Please don’t address me as Don.” She pouts. Lunar Cat sighs.
“Forgive me, Madame Vail.”
“You are most certainly forgiven!”
“Your thoughts on this, Don Albano?” They face a light tanned, blond haired, blue eyed man wearing a tan suit with black floral designs weaved into the jacket, white shirt and black tie.
“I have no issues with the Delta Knights coming to the table. In fact, I am happily doing a few business deals with them at the moment.” He messes with the cuffs of his shirt as he speaks.
“Wonderful.” They look back to me, digital eyes happy once again. “Please have a seat, Don Sans.”
“as you wish, kiddo.” The eyes disappear as a loud thud is heard behind me. I turn and see two other all black clothed figures guarding the only door. The taller one growling. The taller has the Roman numeral six, and the shorter one’s is a three.
“Science Hare, control yourself.” The growling stops. I look back at them. “Pardon me, Sans. Is it okay if I call you Sans? You will address me as Lunar or Cat or Lunar Cat. Never as kiddo or any other silly nickname. Is that understood?” They await my response. I tip my hat.
“tibia honest, you can call me sans and i apologize if you felt offended by the nickname, cat.” I sit down in the open chair with Stretch and Red standing just behind me. They nod as a neutral look comes on their glasses.
“Now then, as for the main reason that we all came here for!” The eyes go back to happy as they speak peppy like. Well, as peppy sounding as their digital voice allows. “As a new group to the area, are you aware of the different ones located in this city?” They ask as they take their seat.
“well, my family has had dealings with both the money demons and veiled roses. i thought that there was only one other family i had yet to meet, the blood vipers.”
“That’s a hundred percent correct!”
“then what group do you belong to?” The eyes turn into a surprised one before becoming indifferent.
“How do you know that I’m not the Blood Vipers?”
“i investigated the blood vipers and know that it’s lead by mr. dion there.” I wave my hands towards Dion. Dion slams his hands down on the table as he stands up heated.
“How DARE you, filthy mon…”
“Dion!” Lunar Cat snaps. Dion growls, but takes his seat again as Vail giggles. “You’re smart, Sans. I like that. My family is the Shadow Hunters. I am the leader, Lunar Cat. “ They snap their fingers and one of the figures from behind me steps beside me and places down a map of the city. “Thank you, Tinker Golem.” The figure bows and goes back to the empty spot by the door. I look over the map and sees that the town is split up into five different colored areas. “As you can see from this map, the city is broken down into areas for each group.” It was like the city was cut into quarters and a circle put right in the center of it all. “The pink area belongs to Madame Vail, the green to Don Albano, and the orange is Blood Vipers territory.”
“so, what’s the blue and black for?” The LED glasses shift to exclamation marks.
“The black is my family’s. The blue will be for your group, if you’re willing.”
“May I ask what areas it covers?” Albano questions.
“The old Dirty Diamonds’ area. I am sure you all can agree to let them have it, yes?” One of Dion’s men whisper into his ear. He huffs.
“Fine! We, the Blood Vipers, agree to let these monsters have that area.”
“do you want to go, fucker?!” Red snarls. Lunar Cat snaps their fingers and Red is suddenly pinned down by the small figure onto the floor.
“what are you…”
“Tinker, throw him out.” The small figure nods and drags Red by the back cuff of his collar to the door. I stand up startled.
“you can’t do this!” They look at me, glasses blank.
“Disrespect and curses are not allowed at the table, Sans.”
“but he,”
“Will be kicked out of the room and given back his weapons as he is escorted back out to your awaiting vehicle. If you wish for him to join you for the meetings, then teach him to hold his tongue.” The venom drips in their words as the door is opened and the small figure literally tosses Red out.
“maybe i’ll just leave with him.” A loud laugh is heard from Dion as the door closes back.
“Then fucking leave! All the better for us!” Lunar Cat snaps again and Dion shouts in pain, before falling into the floor.
“You know better Dion.” He shakes for a second as his men try to help him back into his chair.
“Leave me alone!” He snaps at them and gets himself in his seat sweating and breathing hard. “I’m sorry, Lunar.” They don’t even look at him, their gaze focused on me.
“Leaving is an option, however; not a smart one. Do you wonder why my family is in the middle?” I look back down at the map.
(either that meant they were super strong or they were in control of the others.)
“It’s simple, Sans. My family is a neutral party and our area is considered as a safe zone.”
“yeah, so?”
“So, this meeting is for you to not have all three other groups against you. A sort of mutual agreement that my group keeps in balance.”
(is that a threat?)
“Here.” They put a small pile of papers on the desk in front of me as their digital eyes return in a neutral manner. “You can either sign or leave if that’s your wish, but I hope you think this through.” The door opens again and Edge comes in. He moves without a sound and bows slightly to Lunar Cat. Their eyes become happier. “I hope that this guard will be on better behavior.” They sit down awaiting my decision as I read over the papers.
I, ___, do here by claim the area of XXX city that has been given to me to run my business. I will not attempt to join forces and gang up on other competitor. I will not start, interfere, or assist in any violence or criminal activity within the neutral zone that is owned by the Shadow Hunters. I turn over punishment for my group or others that violate this agreement to the Shadow Hunters.
The Shadow Hunters are allowed to travel into and through my territory for any reason so long as they do not cause any problems or issues with my business. Any violation of this is to be brought to the Shadow Hunters’ leader for punishment. I’m allow to capture any violators but not allow to use any type of punishment without the direct authorization from the Shadow Hunters’ leader.
One of my close family members will be handed over to the Shadow Hunters as a proxy and mediator. They will work within the neutral zone and they will be allowed to request the complete protection of any one person, excluding myself.
Meetings between all businesses well happen every two months in the neutral zone, and I, or another representative of my group will show up. We will abide by the meeting guidelines and will allow any punishments to be given out at the Shadow Hunters discretion.
By signing this document, I acknowledge all of the above information and will hold myself and any member of my group accountable for any violations.
____
“sans, this seems like a terrible idea.” Stretch whispers to me. Edge steps next to me and bends down.
“What Do We Care Of Their Stupid Rules? Let Us Just Destroy All These Fools Here And Rule This City!” Amazingly Edge is able to keep his voice low enough that the others can’t hear him. I sigh and look up as Lunar Cat lends over the table just next to my skull.
“That would be a very foolish endeavor, Sans. An act of aggression at the table, especially not having signed the agreement, would most certainly end with your deaths.” They whisper to me, but seem to know that Edge heard them. “So, I would reconsider that idea.” They look directly at Edge. As they slide me a smaller piece of paper, they explain, “This sheet contains the names that our group will accept as your mediator.” The sheet only holds three names. Stretch, Russ, and Red.
“you expect me to give up one of my best members?” They huff at me as they stand back up.
“Everyone does it. Madame Vail’s niece, Don Dion’s daughter, and Don Albano’s first son. I am asking for one of your cousins, instead of your brother at least.” I look at them voiding out my eye lights.
“i’d never let you have my little brother.” They don’t seem to care about my lack of eye lights as they lend over the table and tilt my head up to look at them.
“Make your choice, Sans. We all have to make these big decisions, but just don’t regret it later. As for the mediator, you can sign today and decide them by tomorrow and just drop them off at the given location.” They let me go and I turn to leave. Stretch grabs my arm and stops me.
“sans, i don’t think we should try and leave yet,” He whispers. I look at him still without my eye lights. He shivers. “i tried to create an attack and couldn’t. i don’t know how, but i think they somehow messed with our magic.” I pause and try to summon one of my blasters from the void, but my magic just seems to spark at my fingertips.
(how did they?) I turn back to the table as Lunar Cat sits down a pen onto the papers. They sit down legs crossed with their hands intertwined in their lap. “we’re free to leave, right?”
“Yes, however; the neutral zone law will not apply to you if you leave without signing. Thus, as soon as you leave any one of my other guests are allowed to go after you.”
(they’re basically forcing us to sign that or our death warrants.) I clinch my fists and move back to the table. I nap up the pen in anger.