I couldn't keep my eyes away from the humorous figure that oppressed my being a minute ago. Was this really their boss? Either way, looking for too long was my mistake.
"Did I give you permission to stare?" His voice vibrated through the small room filled with luxurious statues of what seemed to be himself.
Without a seconds notice and my eyes dropped to the reflective yellow floor that showed my fucked up face.
Yes, he sure does feel like the boss.
And an ugly bastard appeared in my head before I shook the memory off.
His silence judged me before he spoke again, "I will let you slide for now since you're a fresh soul. But, don't test me" he wiped the dust off the muscle throne he sat on that was built with statues.
"Or you'll end up gold"
He's really like that bastard of a boss I had.
For my boss, I could imagine the grin on his face as he ejaculated on the abuse of his position. But for this being... I couldn't think of an expression.
"Shikuko" finally his attention shifted and with that, my shoulders lowered slightly. "Your report" he commanded.
Shikuko. This old man's name. Old man Shikuko.
Old man Shikuko didn't answer immediately.
For a moment then you'd think he was sorting his thoughts, but no, he took an uncomfortable amount of time.
Clearly, he was holding information in. What the hell is this rusted bag of bones waiting for?!
"Shi—"
"Forgive me, Mr. Boss man" he suddenly spoke.
This fucker was actually waiting for that, huh?
And Mr. Boss man?!
I heard Old man Shikuko licked his teeth under his closed lips. "For my report, I'll be only saying things that have occurred before and while the execution of the Baiko happened" his voice low and precise.
"I arrived at Shinto Temple at the time the signal was issued and executed the Baiko, level 1, that was causing ruckus" confidently he said.
"The after" Mr. Boss man said.
"That..." His confidence suddenly disappeared into thin air. "That I cannot report as of now"
My posture dropped to my knees as my bones crumbled like scaffolding. Sweat drenched my skin and the blood in my veins that ran waw now cold and stagnant. Like they were afraid to move.
Old man Shikuko cleared his throat, "I will make sure to personally report it to you, Mr. Boss Man" his voice shook, but even as it shook, it still had a strong tone.
The pressure lifted as I didn't feel like I was shouldering the entire weight of the room.
I caught a glance at Old man Shikuko, and surprisingly, he had a more shaken expression than I expected.
He grabbed his throat as he coughed but hid it quickly. "That Baiko..."
He spoke, "It was... Unworldly"
I glanced at Mr. Boss man. His face was complex as his eyes were introspective. "Unworldly, you say..." Skeptical in tone he said.
"Nonetheless—"
Blip.
His figure disappeared momentarily and so quickly that the dust couldn't even react. Only a sudden gust of wind before Mr. Boss man appeared again on his throne.
"Those who are ignorant to my order, will be cremated" he said. My watch felt suddenly heavy. "And their unpure bones shall be mixed in with shimmering gold"
My arm feel to the ground in a speed that broke my wrist on contact. My eyes completely open when I saw what used to be my seductive crocodile watch, was now—gold!
My breath hitched. Thump. I tried to pull. No use. Thump.
The golden watch turned into a boiling, liquefied state that felt like it could burn flesh and skin off bone. It bubbled and showed my curved reflection on the rippling surface. I bit my tounge not to scream. I couldn't afford that.
Mr. Boss man spoke,
"Where did you find this fresh soul? He doesn't seem to be the sharpest tool in the box"
While I continued to desperately tug my hand out of the gold lava mix that was now swallowed my whole fist.
The young man held my shoulder in that moment. "Do I really have to keep saving you, little chick?" He whispered in my ears.
He looked up at the Mr. Boss man with a casual expression and shrugged. "Just picked him up while me and Shikuko were squabbling"
His posture was relaxed and his presence seemed calm. He smiled at me before holding my arm, "Stop squirming and listen up... Think of this as like quicksand"
"... Quicksand?" I asked.
"The harder you pull, the stronger the grip" he said, visualizing the actions with his hands.
Even with my skepticism, I looked back at my hand that was now almost eaten by the reflective floor.
I breathed. Slowly. Normally, when given orders I stiffen, and yet now I don't.
And then my hand came out with no resistance. Woah. My hand didn't come out as a zombified version but as my hand. No burn marks from the scorching heat I felt under there. More importantly, no watch.
I held my now purple hand with my other and rotated it around, feeling the numbing spikes in my flesh as my blood discretely flowed back. Observed it with lost eyes but I regained some composure and hastily looked down.
"Fay," Mr. Boss man spoke, this time I made sure to not even take the smallest look. "Why are you keeping him? You understand that contracting a human to become a Daiko regresses the Soul Count. Even Disciples. That's why I banned that contract"
"Yes, yes you did, Mr. Boss man. But your power is only limited to the forces that work behind those doors, not out of it. General Contracts are sticky dough that makes tough cookies" he said with no trace of fear or hesitation in his words.
"Don't talk metaphors with me"
This young man's name is Fay?
They talked amongst themselves like how a nepo baby employee would talk to my boss back then, and the air around them didn't seem different. Even though this isn't like my workplace—far from it.
You're already on the list.
Fay smirked then stood up as we still continued to have eye contact.
You, Fay, Old man Shikuko, boss, Tod and Mr—not yet.
I will not fall into your grasp.
Because fuck that!
His eyes sharp while mine were narrow.
"For personal reasons, Mr. Boss man. Sorry for not letting you have another little trinket but I have something much fitting for this lil chick"
He shifted his body towards Mr. Boss man.
Again I was pulled into a courtroom as Mr. Boss man's reaction of not having one, curled my toes. "Suit yourself, Fay. But, because you both came here without giving me a concrete" he glared at Old man Shikuko, "or complete report. Then, I will be giving you both responsibility of giving him a seminar"
First, it was Old man Shikuko who tried to devour me like I was his power bank. Then, the guards—Mr. Boss man looked over me like a council. And now...
A sermon?
Like hell I'm about to work another 9-5!
This Fay...
Is he some big ranking—maybe higher ranking Daiko?
He's too unpredictable.
And odd numbers are never good.
Fay smirked.
Old man Shikuko gritted his teeth.
Yet, both nodded.
I stared intently at the ground.
Then,
Ding!
Flames crackled, followed by the smell of burnt paper and—blood.