Ch.3-1 ¤ Cold Homes

Trials of the Thrice-Cursed

Chapter 3-1: Cold Homes

I used to work for the Ninth, it was a time of thrills and dangers I'll never forget. I thought it was lost when my world was broken down, but I was able to feel it again. Alongside other things I would have preferred not to remember. Well, that's only half-true.

I would have preferred to forget the time when I was having difficulty controlling my abilities, but it's coming back to me now; as if I needed to prove my worth  all over again. On the flip side, there's no way I would ever want to forget those two girls who gave me everything when I had nothing but myself. No, I'm not talking about the duo from the Third, as pleasant company as they may be.

We were just so compatible; they were outcasts like me - in a relative sense - who loved havoc and bloodshed, but they were different. They had something I never did; each others. Oh don't take me wrong, they weren't in love or anything. It was more some sort of... profound kinship, something above just being friends, and yet... I was entranced by one and liked to relax with the other. The three of us together were a force that could take down anything, or so I liked to believe. It wasn't just about raw power no, that can only get you so far... It was about bonds. Bonds forged in fire and war.

Truth be told I've been wanting to look for them since the very first day - and I actually did when I first checked this "version" of the Officio, but I don't have the resources or the contacts right now. It's painful. It already was, but now that I've tasted pleasure again it only makes me bitter that I'm no longer able to share it with them. I'll never give up on them, I just need to get myself set back up... find ways to earn enough money to--

"I believe we were waiting for the rest." Suzume's voice snapped me back to reality with a demanding sharpness as she tapped her fingertips quietly on the armrest of her chair.

"Y-yeah, sorry." I apologized a bit begrudgingly, having trailed off to the dark corners of my mind in the middle of my explanation-slash-debriefing. "That's about it as far as what we found anyway, I can hand over one of the Grief Seeds for you to study if you want."

The tall Calidus nodded lightly, still sounding uncompromising, but yet not cold. "Yes, I would appreciate that. " A small pause, she shifted her weight ever so slightly. "But let us come back to the most.. delicate part, the one you told Silke you would mention later, which would be now."

I sighed heavily. I was uncomfortable with the topic but had little choice in the matter. "Alright... 8 years ago is when I joined Witch Cults, I was in those for a little less than five years, then I quit. I only contracted a few months after that."

"And why did you quit? Surely one does not simply 'up and leave' from this kind of... 'secret societies'." Suzume observed me with an unnervingly scrutinizing look. I felt like she could see through any lie with that gaze, but that was probably just the shame in me speaking.

"Two reasons." I raised two skeletal fingers in emphasis. "One, I had gotten what I always wanted" I then pointed them towards my tar-like eyes. "I had already became dangerous back then. Nothing like now of course, but enough for normal humans to not want to fuck with me." I paused to take a long gulp of Vodka. "Two, I... met people. People who put me back on the right track. They saved me from my foolishness I guess, though I'm not exactly out for atonement either."

"I see... I'll leave that part alone for now. However, your abilities... would I be wrong to say it sounds like they were... tainted by your time with the Cults?" I couldn't help but wonder if The Calidus' calm was real or just a mask. No matter what I said or did she barely looked affected.

"I'd... actually, yeah, no point in trying to fuck around the bush on that one."  I let out a short sigh and leaned back into my seat, trying to relax at least a little. "I don't know if it would have been any different if I had lived differently, but that's how it is now. Every time I use my magic it's not flowers and sunshine it's sulfur and withering."

Suzume nodded lightly, stealing a glance towards Silke; probably to make sure she was still listening and doing fine. "I see, that explains a lot of things. I've never heard of similar cases before, but it would be believable to me that extended contact with Barriers can still affect your soul, whether it has been made physical or not by an Incubator yet, and that it would carry those scars later."

I honestly didn't know what to say at this point. Although Silke had been deathly silent since the beginning of the discussion, Suzume seemed to be taking this rather easily. I wasn't entirely surprised, but it made me realize one thing; I wasn't so much amazed at her self-control anymore than I was starting to suspect she was just scarred in her own ways. Whatever the case might have been... it felt good not being judged.

"While I have you both here though, I have another important new to share." I raised an eyebrow at the Calidus' sudden shift in topics but didn't mind all too much. The little German on the other hand seemed to finally spring back to life.

The purple-haired Callidus nodded to the Culexus, as if answering a silent question that hadn't been spoken yet. Silke let out a small relieved sigh and relaxed a little more then she usually did. Well, as much "usually" as I've been given to see in my limited time with them.

"Thanks goodness, they've been gone for a long time now..."  the Culexus said in a matching tone that earned her another small nod of approbation from the much taller girl. I didn't really know what was going on, but I assumed they had more... colleagues coming back from... somewhere, which was about it.

"Mind letting me know what you're talking about." I tilted my head slightly and asked with a level tone.

"Why, but it's so much more fun to keep you in the dark..." Suzume gave a slightly wry smile and somehow managed to not sound horrendously smug while saying so. It didn't really help because I still wanted to punch her.

"Yes, yes, very cute. If you're going to be like this I'm just going to go for a walk." I leaned to my side onto the armrest and rested my cheek on the palm of one of my hands.

"You take walks?" the Callidus seemed genuinely surprised. "I thought you just messed around all the time doing nothing."

"Very enthusiastic walks."

"I can't help but feel like you're trying to tell me something here."

"That's no good Tatsuki." Silke stepped in with a little bit of a scolding voice. "D...don't say that." What. How the fuck did -she- of all people get it? Suzume seemed to share my confusion for a moment, but for different reasons. "A-anyways, I'll explain." The little Culexus cleared her throat.

"Two friends of ours have been overseas for an extended period of time for a job in South America. " she recomposed herself quickly as she explained. "We've been waiting for them to return for a while now because their job ended up taking longer than originally planned..." her voice trailed off, probably with concern but her vox-caster was doing its thing again so I couldn't really tell for sure.

"Irina and Roza Tsukanov." Suzume completed calmly. "Both are Vindicares from Russia."

"Sisters eh?" I leaned back. I usually liked everything Russia-flavored, especially their Magical Girls, so it sounded like a duo I'd like to... meet, yeah, that's what I meant, meet...

Suzume however laughed slightly at my comment and I raised an eyebrow. "Don't let their similar appearance fool you" she continued. "They have nothing in common except their blood and their pride."

"All the more fun to discover" I smirked lightly and reached for my inventory for a refreshment.

Suzume simply shrugged. "-Do- try not to get in the way of their rivalry. It's never pretty when people do." I raised an eyebrow once more. I was used to pseudo-cryptic shit  from the Callidus, but what was with that?

"What do you mean?" I asked with a demanding tone.

Silke seemed like she wanted to respond for a moment, leaning forwards slightly and perhaps searching for her words, but she didn't make it in time and Suzume responded before she could place a word. "The Tsukanov sisters have been in competition for as long as I've known them and longer still before that. It's a Vindicare thing I suppose, but they've been arguing over who's weapon and style is the most efficient and have never managed to settle the quarrel."

I nodded lightly and took another gulp of vodka. For a split second she eyed my bottle and took a sip of the cup of wine she had been neglecting for a while, as if seeing me drink suddenly reminded her that thirst was a thing that existed. She then continued: "It gets pretty bad at times and if you take one's side then the other will take it personal. It's what forced them to leave their Officio; one too many 'incident'. The rest you'll have to ask them yourself I'm afraid."

I nodded lightly, taking in the information. "So, besides that little landmine, how -are- they actually like?"

"Irina is the elder." Suzume shifted her position lightly and crossed her legs, giving a shameless display of her stockings. "She uses a bow and is usually composed, a little bit like me actually, but not as quick on her feet~" Silke coughed slightly, looked like she wasn't all that in agreement.

"Irina just doesn't like to let her emotions show, unlike you." Silke spoke up, giving the Callidus a scolding tone she usually reserved for me. "Besides, taking time to consider the situation is a good thing too..."

Suzume gave her a small but warm smile and for once I felt like it wasn't a facade." Sorry~sorry, I got a little carried away~" she spoke in a melodic voice different than her usual measured, nigh-calculating one. The Culexus just nodded, giving a small "as long as you understand". Cute.

Without giving her time to continue, Silke spoke up and took the relay. "Roza is the younger sister, she uses all sorts of guns and firearms and is a little more.. brash.. a little like -you- I suppose." I raised an eyebrow at that comment. Was that supposed to mean something specific? I just shrugged off the last part.

I gave a small nod, that seemed to be good enough information to at least just tell them apart. Didn't need to be all creepy and stalker-like by asking a ton of stuff. Besides I did believe in what I said earlier about the fun  of finding things out first-hand, so this was just fine. I remained quiet for a moment longer, just contemplating in silence when a glance at the Callidus gave me an idea. A terrible idea.

"So, I've been thinking for a while..." not really, but it opens conversations well. "Those disguises things you Callidae do." I looked to Suzume in emphasis. "Is that something you actually train like us Eversors do or is it an innate thing from your contract like for Culexi?"

Suzume joined her hands over her lap and gave me another of those scrutinizing looks like she was observing me very carefully without letting too much of it show. Silke tilted her head slightly, seeming a little confused, but the Callidus remained neutral as always. "Technically, yes, technically. But why would you want to know that I wonder?"

I shrugged lightly, trying to keep an equally neutral expression. For once I wasn't failing; being indifferent towards things was something I was pretty good at so I didn't need to fake much "Eh just wondering." I stretched my arms and shoulders lightly. "I mean besides the obvious it sounds like picking up a trick or two could be pretty useful."

"Ooh?" Suzume's smile widened and her eyes lit up with a small light that I recognized well; it was a predatorian one. "And what kind of tricks do -you- think would be useful?" she teased.

"Well, I'm pretty sure you can -see- a few" I smirked, deciding to enter her little mind game for now. I was of course referring to my unnatural eyes and hands that could use being hidden sometimes

"I do believe I can" she brought a lone finger to her lips. "But it would break my heart to see such things abused for pointless or selfish reasons."

Abusing for selfish reasons? I was under the impression she was doing that -all the time- so it was pretty hypocritical of her to say something like that, but I didn't speak up my mind. This was a game after all, or so I believed we decided, so I remained level and smiled back. Silke herself seemed hopelessly confused, glancing between the two of us in succession.

"Oh that's alright, we're having a strictly professional talk between reasonable people aren't we?" I allowed my own neutral expression to form a small smile.

"Of course we are, and in that kind of professional talk there's no place for any ulterior motives now would there be?" this time I wasn't sure what to make of Suzume's tone and expression. I enjoyed being able to figure people out as a hobby, but it wasn't something I actually trained at.

"No, no, no place for that indeed." I chuckled softly and had to suppress the urge to laugh when the German Culexus threw her hands in the air in what I can only imagine to be either frustration or surrender before flopping down onto the couch on her front. "I wouldn't have any such things."

"You're lyin' outta your ass." The Callidus' eyes narrowed as she replied with an uncharacteristically rough demeanor.

"Oh bullshit" I finally exclaimed with some degree of exasperation myself. "Like -you- aren't all the time." I then slumped against the armrest and reached for my neglected Vodka to freshen my lips.

"I totally am." Wait what? "You pass." Wait -what-?

The purple-haired Callidus took a sip of her wine as well and her expression softened. "Callidus business is all about deceit and manipulation. If you want to have -any- hopes at it you -have- to be an at least decent liar." Well, that made sense I guess. "It's been a long time since I've taught anyone though. I used to be an Instructor and the Rank Leader's aide in the Third." Well if that wasn't a lie then it meant she at least knew what she was talking about. Where did the lies stop or begin anyway with her?  I was starting to regret my decision already; these things are harder than Eversor training.

"Well, sounds good to me." I shrugged lightly. "Just let me know when you have some time."

Suzume simply nodded. She was hiding it of course, but my guts told me the smile she wore right now was a genuinely pleased one. My mind wandered for a little; did she do this kind of things a lot back in the Third? did she miss it? Ultimately all those questions only left me realizing just how little I really knew about these girls beyond our... "professional relationship".