|
|
Post by Meryck on Jan 28, 2010 16:51:55 GMT -5
As the door clicked shut, Ran sighed and adjusted his neck Chain, slightly. He glanced up at the elder demon, meekly, before continuing down the hall. "Okay. That's done with. Hopefully, Ms. Valentine will have calmed down by the time we get to her office, so...."
|
|
|
|
Post by Elf on Jan 28, 2010 17:01:13 GMT -5
Chrono nodded. Then let's walk down the hall...very...slowly, he would have responded, but that was NOT something he wanted to say out loud. Despite Ran's reassurances, visions of Sister Kate in military fatigues would not leave him alone.
But as he walked very slowly, Chrono was still left with the big question: what to say to Ms. Valentine? Hello ma'am, I encountered your adopted daughter and demon and decided to follow them everywhere to make sure that the demon doesn't eat your daughter. My decision was steeled because the two of them remind me of myself and another girl who died eighty years ago. Oh and by the way I have nothing better to do, because he's the first demon I've run into in twenty years. Right, that was brilliant. NOT. Chrono scratched his head, his lips quipping in frustration.
He'd just have to take it as it came, hoping that Ms. Valentine would be the one to set the stage for the conversation...because his reasons for being there looked suspicious at best.
|
|
|
|
Post by Meryck on Jan 28, 2010 17:22:33 GMT -5
The office door was slightly ajar, the slightly frustrated grumbles of a Brooklyn-born woman seeping out of it. Ran only had to open the door a few more inches to slip through; being a demon of a serpentine variety had advantages. "Hi, Ms. Valentine...."
"Eh?" Brown eyes blinked up from a report file behind reading glasses. Crysta Valentine was a decent looking forty-six year old; slightly-greyed strawberry-blonde hair was pulled back into a messy bun, making her look a bit frazzled and yet semi-dignified. Under her standard trench-coat was a simple brown shirt and faded jeans and her gun in its holster (not that anyone could tell about the jeans or the gun and it's belt/holster, since she was sitting at her desk), loosely and comfortably holding on to her slightly-stocky frame. A few freckles that still hadn't faded from her prime in her thirties dusted her face. Had no one ever seen her shoot a demon eight times her size dead, they might have mistaken her for merely being a gracefully-aging mother.
She offered a toothy grin at the young demon (who happened to be twenty years older than her). "Ah, there you are. I was wondering if you and Reggie were going to get back. She in bed already?"
"Yes ma'am."
"..Lemme guess; had a hot meal before you guys hoofed it back home?"
"Yup." The head detective chuckled.
"Typical. So, what's up?"
"Well..." Ran moved slightly to the side so Chrono could enter the room.
|
|
|
|
Post by Elf on Jan 28, 2010 17:33:36 GMT -5
The towering, lanky figure of Chrono stepped into the room, his gaze immediately fixing onto the woman behind the desk. Though outwardly his expression didn't change, inwardly he breathed a massive sigh of relief. Her face held none of the hard, unyeilding zealotry that Sister Kate had possessed, though at the same time, Chrono suspected that there was more than met the eye than a frazzled bun and a dignified look.
He knew he must have been a sight: a 6'5", well-muscled frame, purple hair that reached his waist, a single crimson eye looking out from under the red bandanna covering the missing one, the three dots making up the upside-down triangle on the bandanna's forehead, marking where his "Third Eye" would be while he was in full demon form. Plus there was the way he dressed--the skin-tight, sleeveless black shirt, the snug leather pants with kneepads, the high boots. So with his clothes and his hair combined, he was clearly either a J-Rocker or a demon. Add all that to the pair of pointed ears sticking out under the purple tresses, and the fact that half his right arm was missing, and the J-Rocker scenario seemed pretty well eliminated.
He inclined his head in a slight bow, never taking his eye off Crysta Valentine. "Good evening, Ma'am."
|
|
|
|
Post by Meryck on Jan 28, 2010 17:44:18 GMT -5
Crysta blinked in surprise. "Ah....Good evening." Now this was odd; usually demons that were not Ran attempted to haul arse as fast as they could or eat her. This was the first time one was actually rather cordial. She glanced the tall stranger over- slitted pupil even in human form, claws (albeit heavily dulled, and only on one hand since the other one didn't exist), elven ears, odd natural hair color, the sense of something much more powerful standing where a supposed human was standing...
Yup. Definitely a mature demon.
She glanced over at Ran and raised an eyebrow. He offered a sheepish grin. She sighed and put the report she had been reading down. "Fine, I'll bite; who are you and what do you want?" Ran couldn't help but sigh at the head-detective's briskness; like mother, like daughter.
Well, adopted mother in this case.
|
|
|
|
Post by Elf on Jan 28, 2010 18:07:24 GMT -5
He knew it. She'd taken one look at him and analyzed him--he saw the look flash in her eyes--and within an instant, had already sized him up. He knew it; this was a woman who not only lived and breathed the paranormal, but had most likely seen bigger and nastier demons than he. That in itself was a relief. It meant she wouldn't try to shoot him on sight, at least.
The elder demon closed his eye for a moment, steeling himself. Awkward or not, he'd been the one to get himself into this mess, and he had to wade his way out of it. This was the right thing to do. He opened his eye.
"My name is Chrono," he said cordially by way of answering her first question, "and as for what I want, that has do to with your adopted daughter, and the young demon who bears your last name." He glanced over at Ran before shifting his gaze back to Crysta. "Being that you're the head of a paranormal detective agency, I'm sure I don't need to tell you of the nature of immature demons...particularly those of the Lust variety." His look steeled. "After getting to know these two a bit, I'm concerned. It's true that Ran's powers are thoroughly suppressed, but his situation is a rather unconventional one."
"The chains can only be removed by human hands. But the number of Demon summoners out there is on the rise, particularly with the occult becoming trendy among the counterculture population. Being a paranormal investigator puts Ran in a highly risky position for this reason. If his powers were to become unchained, the consequences could be disastrous...and not just on the scale of your average, run-of-the-mill immature Lust demon disastrous. The more repressed a power is, the more addictive and dangerous it becomes when released. And if his circumstances weren't already precarious enough..."
Chrono's mind flashed to the Dragon Court emblem on Reg's wall, to the despondent look on Ran's face while they were waiting for their ramen, to the aura that the boy gave off, even with his powers Chained, and he knew his guess would be right.
"...he's of noble blood from the Dragon Court. His potential is vast."
Chrono glanced over at Ran again, knowing that these words weren't something the boy wanted to hear. But he had to make his case. He had to convince Crysta to let him stick around.
He shifted his gaze back to the Director in question. "I'd like to keep an eye on the boy. I was once in a similar situation," he admitted gracefully, "so I could give him advice on how to cope. I have no problem working side-by-side with the Chi Detective Agency if need be; I once worked under the Magdalen Order, assisting the Militia with the hunting of demons and other paranormal phenomena."
He paused, his gaze growing more poignant as he tried to drive his point home. "Ms. Valentine. If, for any of a hundred reasons, he accidentally loses control, your daughter will be at the greatest risk. It may seem unconventional to hear of a demon with the desire to protect humans, but let me assure you that humanity's safety is my highest priority."
|
|
|
|
Post by Meryck on Jan 28, 2010 18:52:17 GMT -5
Ran started upon hearing that Chrono had figured out what he was (mostly). However, he remained silent.
Crysta frowned slightly, pinning Chrono with her eyes. "The Magdalen Order was dissolved twenty years ago. Even if the rumors they had a demon working for them in the 'Twenties were true, you can't prove it was you, so mentioning them does nothing to make me trust you. Still...."
The Brooklyn-born woman glanced over at Ran before she looked away from them both, picking up the reports she had been reading again and readjusting her glasses. "Ran might be the most volatile of my detectives, but he's also the one with the most sense. If he sees no reason to disbelieve you, then I'm obliged to give you the benefit of a doubt."
|
|
|
|
Post by Elf on Jan 28, 2010 19:02:56 GMT -5
"Hm." The demon let out a thoughtful noise, seeing the logic in that. Of course he couldn't prove that it was he who fit the rumors; for one thing, the Magdalen Order had worked very hard to cover up the very fact that Chrono was in their ranks, and for another, official records stated that the Order had executed him in 1924. He wondered if he should drop that little point, on account of, by that logic, he was supposed to be dead...earning his merit by the deeds of the present seemed a better course of action.
Chrono couldn't help the smile tugging at his lips at Crysta's closing words. So his make-or-break was up to Ran, was it? The boy himself was the one left with the decision of whether or not Chrono would stick around to keep him in check, it seemed. The elder demon turned his gaze to the younger, awaiting his final answer.
|
|
|
|
Post by Meryck on Jan 28, 2010 19:10:29 GMT -5
Oh, great, he hated being the deciding factor. Still, if it had to be done...
Ran glanced over at Chrono before returning his gaze to the detective. "I trust him", he responded quietly. A faint hint of a smile traced Crysta's lips as she looked back at Chrono.
"Well...then I guess I'll just have to deal with your presence then, Mr. Chrono. Of course, you understand I'm going to have to keep a close eye on you for a while..."
|
|
|
|
Post by Elf on Jan 28, 2010 19:18:04 GMT -5
A rush of gratitude went through Chrono, and extended it to Ran in the form of a small smile. It seemed like this would work out, after all.
He turned back to Crysta, a gracefully resigned look on his face. "Understood," he answered, once more inclining his head in a bow. "Many thanks, Ms. Valentine."
|
|
|
|
Post by Meryck on Jan 28, 2010 19:22:29 GMT -5
"Thank Ran, not me. " She smirked before looking back at the report she really ought to have been reading. "Now, where to put you until I've decided you're trustworthy...Ran, hun, you still have that extra bed by your window, right?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Elf on Jan 28, 2010 19:31:43 GMT -5
"R...right." Chrono gave the director a rueful grin. He was here to watch out for Ran who had let it happen and not by the grace of Crysta but by the grace of Ran...now who was beholden to whom? This was going to get confusing...
But at least he had a bed. That was a sight more than he had at the moment. He'd been staying at a hotel for the past couple of days, after the studio flat he'd been living in for the past seven months suddenly went ablaze due to a Pilot light malfunction, torching all his meager belongings...not that he'd expected any less, with his luck.
So Chrono turned his grateful smile towards Ran, once more inclining his head in a bow. "Thank you, Ran."
And So Another Day Passes...
The morning dawned fresh and clear, a light dew clinging to the rising sun's rays. The sunlight hit a blanket-shrouded form full in the face. The bed's occupant did not stir for a few good minutes. It took that long for the slumbering something to even realize that his eye was being assaulted by light. He turned over, burrowing his face under the blankets. The light snore that had emanated off of the form for the past couple of hours resumed unchallenged.
|
|
|
|
Post by Meryck on Jan 28, 2010 19:46:43 GMT -5
The occupant of the bed on the other side of the room also did not move for several minutes, suffering the issue of being of the Dragon- and therefore, Reptile- class of demons; cold starts did not happen.
Eventually, a white-haired head poked out of the covers, yawning widely, showing off several fangs (which really served no purpose, as Ran was a vegetarian under non-ramen circumstances, and he mostly avoided the meat after eating enough to be polite). Eventually, the rest of his slender frame slipped out, like a snake emerging from under a rock. He blink-blinked blearily for a couple of seconds before shaking off some of the remaining blankness in his mind; his semi-conscious state decided he needed a shower.
A short time later...
Fully awake and dressed, Ran stepped out of the bathroom just as he finished putting his hair back in a ponytail--
To find that Chrono hadn't so much as stopped snoring. He blinked, mildly surprised. "Um..." He wasn't sure if he should wake the elder demon up, but...
Blasted curiosity.
The exiled prince quietly tiptoed to Chrono's bed and lightly poked the mass under the covers that was the older demon's shoulder.
|
|
|
|
Post by Elf on Jan 28, 2010 20:01:24 GMT -5
Initially, Ran's only reward was that the snoring stopped. After a few moments, the lump under the blankets shifted, and a sleepy voice emerged from within.
"Not yet," it groused. "Don't wake me till Denver."
The mass burrowed a little more under the covers, until all that was visible of the elder demon was a brilliantly fuzzed and frizzed mass of purple hair on one end, and a pair of pale feet on the other. The snoring continued.
|
|
|
|
Post by Meryck on Jan 28, 2010 20:09:48 GMT -5
"Wha--?" It took poor Ran a few confused blinks before he realized the elder demon had sleep-talked. Chuckling and deciding to let him rest, Ran quietly left the room in favor of waking Reggae.
A splash of cold water and a rage fest later...
Reggie grumbled, still half-asleep, as Ran finished with braiding her hair. He wasn't quite sure if anything he had said previously had clicked in her head, until....
"So where's Chrono now?"
"Still asleep." He put the comb down.
"...Really?"
"...erm...yeah....?" He was really not liking that evil grin.
"Well, can't let him miss breakfast, can we?"
"Wha- ?" Before he could question her, she was up and charging down the hall. By the time he managed to catch up to her brisk march, she was already poking Chrono's shoulder.
|
|
Your friendly neigborhood admin.
