Sukoshi Kuroi

I'm never going on a mission on a mission with Taylor again. Never.

I woke up and wore a camo tank top with olive cargo pants tucked into boots after showering. I headed to the gym and opened the door as a knife zipped past my arm and impaled the wall.

I looked at the bleeding cut on my arm.

"Thanks," I said. "My outfit needed more colour."

Alan turned around.

"Oh my gosh! Zia, I'm so sorry. Kris was teaching me to learn to use throwing knives."

I pulled the knife out of the wall and tossed it back to him.

"Well, you've obviously got the hang of it."

'Yeah, yeah." He walked over to me and looked at my arm. "Shit. That cut looks very deep. Come on, I'll take you to the sick bay."

"You know where it is?"

"Nope," he admitted. "But you can show me."

///////////////////////////// IN THE SICK BAY //////////////////////////

Alan was surprised to find out that we didn't have a nurse.

"That doesn't even make sense! Why wouldn't Mrs. Mendev hire a nurse?"

"'Cause, she's an absolute bitch. She makes all of us learn first aid and some medical bullshit. According to her, "Military philosophers have a saying: Kill the healer first. Basically, this prevents your other enemies from coming back into combat. But if you're healers and  fighters, Everyone will come back alive.""

"Or everyone will die," Alan said.

"Of course, but being Rayla Mendev, she fails to mention the fatal consequences of a situation, and when people die, she'll say, "Oh, they died? What a shame. We'll just give their families money to compensate!""

"Heartless creature," Alan grumbled.

"Right? The only person she cares for is Taylor."

"Who is Taylor to you? You guys look like you have a lot of history."

"We do, actually. Taylor is my ex-boyfriend."

"Wow. Whatever did you see in him?"

"I asked myself the same question when I broke up with him. But looking back, I guess I see why."

"Why? Was he hot?"

"I wouldn't say hot. Good-looking, yes, but-"

"Am I hot?"

"Alan..."

"I'm kidding. Continue."

"Taylor was good-looking. We first met when we were 5. We were the pioneers of the BlankHouse. We weren't best friends but we were very close. Kris came along 4 years later and we became BFFs. There were more students and I started catching feelings for Taylor. We started dating when we were 14, but Kris began to tell me that Taylor was very sexist and spoiled. I thought she was just being jealous so I didn't believe her until I found him cornering a new girl just because she tried to show him how to swing a sword. Not to mention the constant pleading for sex-"

"Wait, what?"

"Yes, Taylor was constantly begging for us to have sex, and I kept declining him, telling him I wasn't ready. Then I realized I was just his sex object. I broke up with him a year later. Then and only then was when Taylor revealed his true colours to me."

"Wow. That is a lot of history."

"Yeah," I agreed. "And to top it all off, his mom really had the gall to expel me-"

"What?" he sounded more furious than surprised.

"Relax. As you can see, I wasn't expelled. She had told me to pack my bags and leave the BlankHouse, but when I was about to leave her office, she asked to have a closer look at my pendant. And when she did, she changed her mind."

"Why? What's so special about your necklace pendant?"

"It's our family's symbol. We come from a long line of mafias that called themselves the Cage Clan. According to some myths, if someone does something horrible to a Cage, they'll get cursed. When Mrs. Mendev kicked my parents out of the BlankHouse, her best friend and Taylor's died. So I guess she was scared."

"Of ghosts? And curses?"

"I guess so. Maybe- Ow!"

I was so lost in the conversation that I didn't even notice that Alan had lifted my hand to the sink. He ran water over the wound, which surprisingly stung. I yelped and squeezed his wrist. He looked up at me.

"I'm sorry," I said. really hurts."

"It's fine. As long as you don't moan. Then things will get awkward."

"Yeah."

He finished rinsing the wound (and enduring the pain of me twisting his wrist every 5 seconds) and wrapped the cut in fresh bandages.

"Zia?"

"Yeah?"

"When will I go on my first mission?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. Usually, the newbies are sent on missions two weeks after they arrive. Mrs. Mendev would have to be deranged if she sends you on a mission anytime soon."

"You're going on your first mission."

After we had left the sick bay, Mrs. Mendev had sent for Alan and me to tell us...Well, you know what she told us.

I clenched my fist.

"No way," I said. "Alan isn't going on his first mission now. He just came here yesterday!"

"And I decided that he's good enough to go on his first mission."

"Why can't you send someone else?"

"Because I have a choice. Sukoshi Kuroi was sighted nearby last night. He needs to learn to face a Blackout Demon."

"It'll kill him!"

"Irrelevant. This is necessary."

I slammed my fist against the wall. "No! It isn't necessary! You must be deranged and demented if you think I'll let you send Alan on a suicide mission!"

"Zia," Alan said. "It's okay. I-"

"Shut up, Alan. I'm saving your player-looking *** over here."

Mrs. Mendev cleared her throat. "Alan won't be alone. He'll be with his friends."

"Oh really? Who are these friends?"

"You, Kristabel and my son Taylor."

"It's Kris, and Taylor isn't our friend. He's an acquaintance. A very annoying acquaintance."

"Irrelevant, once again. You three will go with Alan to fight and kill Sukoshi Kuroi."

"I see your little games. You think if Alan dies, you'll be able to push the blame on me because I demanded his protection. Hate to burst your bubble, but Alan's going to be safe with me."

Mrs Mendev smiled coldly. "I'm glad to hear that. Now leave my office and get ready."

Kris was the only person excited to go on the mission.

"I get to fight a Blackout Demon!"

She stuffed her satchel with runes and throwing knives. She already had an Inferno Blade (The Fire Weapons given to us in the BlankHouse) but she felt the need to carry more. Why? Because she's Kris.

Taylor sighed and stretched. "I honestly don't care. I'm ready to test out my insane powers on an actual villain."

Kris slipped her satchel across her chest. She picked up another bag filled with our clothes. (By our, I mean mine and hers. Taylor was carrying his and Alan's)

"Oh please," she said. " What you have doesn't even count as a power."

Alan raised an eyebrow. "What powers do you guys have?"

Kris smiled proudly. "I'm a weapons expert and I can teleport. Zia can summon fire and ice and Taylor can read."

Alan laughed, a soft and clear melody. "He can read?"

Taylor pouted, which actually made him look cute. "She's being a dumbass. Basically, my brain has access to all the books near me."

"All books?"

"Published books. I can't read someone's diary, unless it's Dork Diaries or Diary Of A Wimpy Kid-which I don't read...And I can reach books that are far away, but it takes a lot of concentration and it's exhausting."

"Tests must have been very easy for you."

Taylor smiled.

Alan turned to me.

"So, you can summon fire and ice?"

"Yep"

"So you're like a Todoroki genderbend?"

"Who's Todoroki?"

"You don't know who Shoto Todoroki is?"

"No."

"Katsuki Bakugo?"

"Nope."

"Izuku Midoriya? Doesn't ring any bells?"

"Nada."

Alan took my hand and pretends to wipe his tears. "Do you even watch anime?"

I yanked my hand away. "Only two. Dragon Ballz and Naruto."

"Oh thank the gods!"

"But I stopped watching them."

He clutched his chest. "Aaah! Mommy save me! It burns!"

Kris and Taylor laughed.

I rolled my eyes.

Alan smiled. "I'm still calling you Icy Hot."

"What?"

"And it really fits your personality. You're all icy and cold, but you're so hot! Like damn~"

Kris rolled on the floor, laughing her *** off.

I slapped his arm. "Stop it. So what are your powers?"

I could have sworn he glanced at the light bulb. "It's best if I don't show it here. It's kinda hard to explain. Now about this Suck-she Kunai-"

"Sukoshi Kuroi," I corrected.

"Whatever. What does it look like?"

"It depends. Its main appearance is just dark mist, but sometimes it takes the form of your sleep paralysis demon."

"You're joking."

"Nope. The demon you used to fathom or fear as a little kid in the middle of your sleep. It will take its shape and terrify you ten times more than it did when you were younger."

Alan shuddered. "How do you know so much about them?"

"I study."

"Right. So what am I going to use to kill this demon?"

"Inferno blades."

"Huh?"

"They have an essence of fire. Specially designed to kill the Blackout Demons."

"Can I get one?"

"Sure."

I reached into my own satchel and gave a slab of silver the size of my pendant.

"Uh, what is this?"

"Your Inferno Blade."

"It's a silver block."

"Throw it in the air, genius."

He throw the slab and it transformed into a glowing white sword. Alan inspected the blade.

"This is nice. I can definitely kill a demon with this."

"Excuse me, Mr Player," I said. " You're not killing any demons. You're going to stay behind us."

"Why?"

"Because you don't have any experience. And I'll be slightly disappointed if you die."

"Whatever. Let's go kick demon butt!"

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I hate cars. And planes. Basically, I hate all means of transportation.

The thing is, I get really motion sick when I'm in a vehicle, No matter which it is. So of course we had to pick the worst one-driving a Jeep all the way from the BlankHouse to the Louis Sweet Hotel car park, which was where Sukoshi Kuroi was sighted.

I wasn't driving, luckily, but it really didn't make a difference. My stomach rumbled, my head was aching, and every time the car swerved, accelerated, or ran over a porthole, I felt like dying.

Alan, who was sitting beside me, looked at me and frowned. "What's wrong? Are you car sick?"

I shrugged. "Motion sick, in general."

"I'm sorry, that must suck."

"You think?"

He held my hand and squeezed it. "My aunt Erica is car sick, not motion sick, but we're in a car-"

"So..."

"So whenever she feels queasy, my Uncle Alex would take her hand and tell her to focus on him; to focus on the sound of his voice."

"Did it work?"

He shrugged. "Most of the time. Other times my uncle would end up with puke all over his shirt and face."

I giggled.

Alan met my eyes. "So," he said. "Just focus on my voice. We're going to have a successful trip and you're not going to puke all over my face although that be a bit hot..."

"Don't."

He laughed.

We talked throughout the entire trip and I didn't even feel that nauseous. We got to the hotel and checked in, which confused Alan.

"Isn't this just a one-day thing?"

Kris took two hotel room keys. "It can be. Some missions last days, even months. And we can't keep travelling back to the BlankHouse."

"Why does it last so long?"

"Because some demons can be very bitchy and annoying. They can attack here and there, so you'll constantly be on the run, tracking it down. Or sometimes they'll make you run around in circles then just return to their state of origin."

"Whatever. At least I get to share an awesome room with Zia!"

I looked at him. "What?"

Kris rolled her eyes. "For a pretty boy, you act so dense. What made you think you'll share a room with Zia?"

"Uh, because we're friends?"

"Zia and I are best friends."

"Won't you share a room with your boyfriend?"

"My who?"

"Your boyfriend, Taylor."

Taylor gagged. Kris rolled her eyes.

"He's not my boyfriend. Not in a million years. And you'll be the one sharing a room with Taylor. We have to keep things PG here."

I could feel my face turning red. "What do you think we'll be doing?"

"Oh please. I saw you two holding hands back in the car. If I let you two sleep in the same room, We'll be leaving this hotel with five people."

I blushed. "Kris!"

She walked to the elevator. "I'm just saying. Let's go."

////////////////////IN ZIA AND KRIS'S ROOM/////////////////

When Kris and I entered the room, Kris sat me down.

"Do you like Alan?"

"Uh, no. Why do you think I like him?"

"Oh, I don't know, holding hands, staring into each other's eyes..."

"He was helping me with my motion sickness."

"Uh-huh. Anyway, I'm going to take your word for it. You should shower. It's already getting late."

"Aren't you going to shower?"

"Yes, but I hate showering first. I also need to scout the area, place shield runes all around the hotel, all that stuff."

I stood up. "Whatever. Don't take too long."

I entered the shower.

/////////////////////////////AFTER THE SHOWER//////////////////////////

I stepped out of the shower and wore a grey t-shirt with a cupcake design and red ribbed jersey pyjama bottoms. Kris still wasn't back from her scouting and I didn't want to start looking for her so I sat on my bed and opened my phone.

My phone didn't have anything special, just a few games, Youtube, Instagram, TikTok, Wattpad, Snapchat and MangaToon. The only contacts I had were Kris, Mrs Mendev ( Who I had her name to Deranged Inferno) and Taylor. (Who I had saved as Wikipedia)

I was scrolling through TikTok when I heard a loud scream.  I stood up and ran out of the room to the car park.

I saw Alan and Taylor trying to kill the Blackout Demon, who was holding onto Kris. Her face was pale and she wasn't moving anymore.

The demon turned to me.

"Just in time, Zia Cage. Shujin gave me orders to whatever I please with you. This is going to be so much fun."

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