Chapter 40: Collection

Parc scratched under the chin of the little orange stripped kitten as he walked through the older streets of the Capital on his way to pick up the package he had Kurome set up for him.

'Hope she's okay…'

His mind wandered to the girls wellbeing, what he had done to her, if discovered was dangerous for her. And that just wasn't something you just stop worrying about, especially when the person being spoken about is so close to the most psychotic woman in the entire capital.

*Meow*

Parc chuckled, broken from his thoughts by the soft mewling of the kitten, it's head swivelling side to side looking around the empty, unfamiliar streets. A clear difference to its previous life in the forests.

Scratching it behind the ears he said, "nearly there, then I'll let you down, okay?" he said, certainly not expecting anything in the form of an answer.

It truly wasn't much longer until he came to the old abandoned brothel. His eyes immediately drawn to the stones in the window. His expression turning serious, his eyes sharpening and a frown marring his lips.

Three stones, one against each side of the windowsill, with a single in the centre. Something Urgent was in the cache.

Picking up his pace he gave a quick once over of the street before entering the building when he saw no one was watching him. Once inside he made a swift beeline for the staircase, climbing it until he got to the third floor, and just as quickly arriving before the old door of room 3.

A single large rock keeping it from swinging.

"Don't go to far," Parc told the kitten as he placed it on the ground, letting it stretch out its legs, moving a bit away from him to look around.

Pushing the rock to the side, Parc opened the door. Prying the fallen beam from the ground and propping it open with his knee. Pushing his arm into the crevice hidden behind it. Patting around he soon felt something soft against the tips of his fingers, fabric.

Pushing his hand deeper into the crevice, he gripped the object and pulled his hand free. Holding what it was up to the light Parc frowned, "a glove?" he muttered, twirling the bright blue glove in his hands, noting the red patches around the cuff, as if the previous wearer hadn't parted with them willingly.

Squinting, Parc leaned down and pulled out the rest of what was in the crevice, another identical glove making a pair and a pile of bound parchment. A piece on top of the bundle, crumpled and filled with wrinkles like it had been forced beneath the twine as an afterthought.

And this, along with the two gloves gave Parc pause. Placing the gloves down he reached for the bundle, gripping the crumpled top page and began to shimmy it out of the bundle under the watchful, curious eyes of his kitten.

Flipping the page over Parc saw an image that made him frown and caused his heart to beat faster. An illustration of a man with sharp features and spikey hair, one piece of which was swept over his head, shaded a little lighter than the rest of his hair. On his face a pair of glasses.

He cared less for the image of the man than he did the big cross scratched over his entire face. "Shit," Parc lifted his hand to his mouth and cussed. Turning his eyes down to the writing just under the man's portrait.

[Dr. Stylish]

[Jaeger Squad]

[Teigu: Perfector]

[2-2-3-0]

Biting down on his knuckled he wanted to scream. It was to early for one of the Jaegers to be dead. And by Kurome's hands nonetheless. It shouldn't be too hard to blame it on Night Raid. So Kurome should be fine in the near future. If not he would get her out of there no matter what.

Right now, he needed to talk with Kurome, and soon.

Which lucky for him, she already wanted to do, informing him through the hastily scribbled on 2-2-3-0 at the very bottom of the page.

In two days, she would be waiting for him at eleven in this very spot.

His head bobbed back and forth as he read and re-read the parchment. Taking in the cross and the mans face, soon looking to the gloves before sighing.

"Can't say this is ideal. Can't say its terrible... gods." He wiped down his face with a groan. "be careful Kurome." He muttered to the winds.

***

"Their deaths were swift," Run said calling back to the group of Jaegers who were standing around the corpses of over a dozen blank faced men and women with bright white eyes. Many missing limbs or severed in two with brutal accuracy.

These bodies were familiar to all the Jaegers as they had seen them a few times by now. Soldiers that had gone through experimental treatments by Dr. Stylish. His private military of enhanced soldiers lay dead at the six set of feet.

And yet, not one of these bodies held a resemblance to the Dr himself.

"The way they are mangled reminds me of the 100-man slayer," Run walked up to the group, "but I've there are cuts along all their bodies that are too fine to fit with Bulat's weaponry of a broad headed spear. They remind me of the One Cut Killer, Akame…" Kurome's felt a cold sweat form on her palms. Having almost mistaken Akame's name for her own.

"But this…" Run turned to the corpses, "…this is not her work. It's too brutal. She tends to go for openings, while this was just barrelling through their bodies. And they don't have the marking Murasame leaves behind."

"I'm thinking they were attacked by at least two members of of Night Raid. Likely Bulat doing the heavy lifting while one of the others, perhaps Sheele… No… Extasy wouldn't leave such shallow wounds…"

Run looked to Esdeath, "do you think that Parc may have had a hand in this? You've told us he uses daggers which would fit in well for the wounds I saw."

Esdeath hummed, her lips quirking into a smile, "hmm," she began to nod, "yes." She finally answered.

"He's becoming so strong," Her voice came out cold and excited, the glint in her eyes sending shivers down Wave's back.

"Is… Is Dr. Stylish?" Seryuu spoke up, her own voice fearful and worried, unable to stop shooting between the bodies in search of her saviour.

Run shook his head, "no, I'm sorry, Seryuu. His body isn't here. I cannot say for certain whether he is alive or dead. But chances are he didn't survive if this annihilation is anything to go by."

Seryuu's head hung down along with her arms, her legs wobbling beneath her. How could this happen? Her parents, her teacher, and now her saviour? Was Night Raid so intent of ruining her life that they would go after all of the people she cared for.

Tears had found themselves dripping from her eyes, the metal of her hands creaking as she clenched her fists tight. "Unforgivable…" she ground her teeth, pure fury in her eyes.

"There's nothing more we can do. We're returning to the palace," Esdeath turned on heel and began to walk away. Bols, Kurome and Run following behind, everyone but Kurome and Esdeath throwing a worried look to Seryuu.

Kurome letting out a small breath of relief now that suspicion had been placed solely on Night Raid. Her hand reaching to her neck, stroking her collar. She had come to learn that whenever she just touched the leather her mind would grow a little clearer, not a lot. But enough to calm her heightened nerves. Especially after last nights encounter with Dr. Stylish and his creations.

He had been able to take him out well before his other soldiers arrived. But not quick enough to stop him from sending out a distress signal to them. By the time they actually arrived, Stylish had already been swallowed by the earth, another doll to her collection.

"Seryuu…" Wave reached out to her, placing his hand atop her shoulder.

But Seryuu, she threw back her arm and slapped his hand away, "DON'T TOUCH ME!" she screamed.

It was a scream filled with her sorrow and rage. When she saw Wave's surprised expression she hissed, "Just… Let's go," her voice a whimper. She pushed past him lightly knocking against his arm causing a small ring of the metal of her to sound out.

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***

Short chapters this and the last one. Gonna start picking up the pace in the coming chapters. I'm really not expecting this arc to last longer than 60, maybe 70 chapters.

You can expect quite a few lemons in the coming chapters. Don't quote me on that. I'm Writting this AN the moment I finished this chapter. For all I know future me's already written an ten chapters of filler by the release of this.