Cobreo Dellèvon's Story

She thought for a few moments. "Just a regular bar of soap would be good enough to clean off all this blood, but if you are going to stand there watching, I'd also like a bathing suit." Others in her family might not be so timid disrobing around a mere servant, but Fiona's mother didn't raise her to think herself above others. People are people, no matter their class.

(When she gets her bathing suit, she says to the attendant, "thank you..." and then struggles to form a word.) "What is your name?" she asked.

Finally ready, she dipped her toe into the water, and was surprised at how warm and inviting it was.

Fiona turned on the bubble jets on the side of the pool, and rested back against them. The phrase, "the body keeps score" flickered in her memory. It was from one of her first psionics lessons. It made her think that there must be some stress that she wasn't aware of, but that her body still considered real. The only way to recognize and overcome the stress is to handle the effects that it has on the body.

She bathed and relaxed until the new clothes arrived. There were several options as to style, but each item was dyed dark black. For some reason, she had expected everything to be blue, but black was a perfectly serviceable colour. Fiona selected the softest shift in the pile. It draped down from her shoulders to just below her knees.

"What do you guys think?"

The attendant smiled and clasped his hands, "Beautiful!"

He wasn't put off by her modesty- and had given the name of Mr. Frank. He wasn't sure what to make of the lack of exhibited trauma by the young Dellevon - but supposed it wasn't too much of his business, and would relay the strange state to the appropriate parties.

"If you're ready," Mr. Frank gestured towards a large painting of the Sol galaxy positioned on one wall. As if on cue, it clicked unlatched. He opened up the painting that was secretly a door. A short soft-lit tunnel led to another painting back - presumably leading to the room where Diego and Jouji were still.

She saw a portrait open like a door, and through the door was a passage to the adjoining room, where Diego and Jouji's entourage were waiting.

Fiona entered the room, saw Diego, and suddenly someone stepped on her grave. An icy hand touched Fiona's neck, and she felt ill. She was immediately on guard.

At that moment, she realized the implication of her black clothing. She was in mourning. But she couldn't quite remember who... or did she? Not Diego, clearly. And then it hit her like a frozen asteroid: Cobreo. That's who was missing from her mind. He was supposed to be here... but nothing met her psychic probes. She didn't have any tears left; they had all been shed in blissful ignorance. Her body had adapted to this new state of being before her mind did. All she wanted was... for someone to be caught. You can't get away with murdering Cobreo. There's no safe place for someone who does that.

Her face was a tearless mask; her psychic guards were up. And with every remaining shiver of energy, she went into detective mode. "What have we learned?"

I understand, but are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting? Jouji thought in response to Diego. He couldn't help but feel a mix of intrigue and hesitation at the prospect of a deeper partnership with the new Don Dellevon. While it wasn't part of his initial plan, circumstances had a way of shifting priorities. He had always been adaptable.

Of course, none of this was part of his original plan, and the unsettling presence of the murder scene lingered in the back of his mind. But business had to move forward, regardless of the circumstances, and Diego was now carrying the weight of the Dellevon legacy. Jouji didn't envy him; in fact, he pitied him a bit. The situation was... oddly familiar too.

As Jouji began to consider Diego's offers, his phone, which had been eerily silent until now, chimed with a series of short tones, playing the Sakura Sakura melody. "What the f-, sorry, excuse me for a moment," Jouji said politely, bowing his head as he retrieved his phone from his pocket.

Upon checking the message, he was met with a surprising report from the Shinigami, detailing Carmen Dellevon's current situation. She was piloting an ancient battle suit, a development that left him both puzzled and concerned. Where did she get that? he wondered. He couldn't help but reminisce about the Shinigami Daku, before when he was just Daku. He was a warrior, but also a decent fellow. A person who had once shared a humorous story about trying to eat a green Western persimmon and being unable to move his mouth for at least an hour. It was a rare moment of genuine laughter that had brightened his life briefly, but the Shinigami process seemed to strip away the good in people, leaving something... empty in its wake.

Aschen? he thought, as the Shinigami reported that they had made a deal with the Aschen to take Carmen into custody. He couldn't fathom their motivations. What do they want with her? he pondered. But the most shocking revelation came next: the Aschen had negotiated a Dellevon witness for Carmen's execution. It was a baffling turn of events that left him deeply frustrated, the emotion difficult to conceal.

This is bad. Is this bad? he wondered internally. She won't be a problem anymore, but it feels wrong. It's not for any of the right reasons. The situation weighed on him, and he couldn't help but felt weird about the way things were unfolding. Shit.

So it was and so it would be. Diego blocked his mind, mostly for Fiona's sake. Her question was informed and not at all odd. That's partly what was troublesome.

"You look darling," Diego Dellevon smiled at his little cousin Fiona and pat the couch next to him. "We've learned that nobody gets away with harming our family."

He then nodded towards Jouji, "We've made new friends!!"

It was an optimistic take on a dire situation. Framed for a child, as it was. Diego wasn't proud of it and flicked a glance towards Jouji. If House Kurogane had wanted an intimate partnership, well. It didn't get closer than this.

"Of course," Diego said loud and loaded to both Jouji and Fiona, "We should return to the festivities sooner than later, downstairs."

And there are no problems? Diego broadcast mentally to Fiona, Jouji, and anyone in radius. Sure, he was nervously rushing things. As his adrenaline calmed Diego felt that the pace of business was breakneck. He was gambling - that wasn't something he'd ever really done before.

One of the guards in the presence of Diego and Jouji and Fiona mobilized, swiftly exiting again through the picture frame and into the room Fiona had come from. To their surprise, a mermaid had appeared in the large jacuzzi bath. Oh, what was this?!

"Excuse me!" The guard exclaimed, as the attendant from earlier came rushing from the bathroom. The two exchanged a glance then looked back towards the mermaid.

"Oh dear Void this is embarrassing. Hello, where am I and do you accept mnaragoras as payment? Harder than diamond, and sacred to the right people. Though I imagine there aren't any of those people in this world. I think if I go into ecdysis I can grow legs, if you'll allow me to stay?" She offers up her satchel of black coins.

"As for the knife, I'm afraid it isn't real gold."

/write The mermaid sensed telepathy in the air, although she couldn't make it out, or broadcast.

The body guard shot a puzzled look at the attendant, who regained their composure and nodded.

"Of course," The attendant said and took a hesitant breath. He had never heard of that currency before, but this mermaid definitely needed a new room. He tapped into his phone - checking for an open available room, yes with water features, no not on this floor. As he did so he leveled a quick glare at the bodyguard. Wasn't it his job to prevent and handle this sort of thing?

"Legs would be most helpful," He returned a calm gaze to the mermaid, "Payment can be arranged once we- ah, yes. Once we settle you into your new room."

The attendant was just glad Fiona wasn't still in here. That would have been chaotic, and most likely his job. He grabbed a towel and held it open, averting his eyes from the mermaid to allow her modesty. He couldn't grant her the whole hook up - hopefully she had clothes with her, but if not. Well. Someone was inevitable to pioneer wearing a robe in public around here sometime. Might as well be on opening day.

The body guard figured it was handled.

---

In the room next door, Diego received a message on his phone from Carlo. He waited to open it.

The middle-aged mermaid was wearing a red leather bra, and her red wig clung wet. One arm was gone, replaced by a metal skeleton. One eye was scarred and pale.

She gave out a long sigh. "I'm really sorry about all this, I'm surprised I wasn't in control of where I would end up. Still learning how this knife works."

"But anyways, yes, the legs. I suppose I could force ecdysis, never tried that before."

She closed her eyes, laying still, hands over her chest like a mummy. Her breathing became slower and slower, til it stopped completely. Slowly, her skin changed, going from fresh silver-aqua to pale and dry.

Then she jolted awake, and began breathing again.

Like a snake shedding its skin, first her arms broke free, then the rest of her. All that was left was a molted shell, like a plastic impression of her old body.

Her new body had natural, crimson hair, and looked decades younger. She had both arms, and both eyes. She still had jagged, almost vampiric teeth, a blue-green tint to her body, and subtle scaling below her waist ending in a fish tail divided in half by membranes.

She took the towel, got out of the jacuzzi, lifted the shed skin, and attempted to dry it (and herself) on the towel, awkwardly with one hand.

"Let's walk and talk yeah? So, this is a hotel? And underground?"

Pontifila thinks to herself. *Whoof, better use these magic-tricks sparingly. The arm and eye was pure vanity I'll admit, and this doesn't seem to be a world with much preternatural fluidity. I must be working with the barest residual power, enough juice for just one more magic trick, if I ever need it.*

Jouji had straightened up his and regained his composure, putting on a convincing enough smile. If anything, he should at least consider the Carmen issue handled, and salvage the day. For not just Diego, but Fiona. Children shouldn't be subjected to such grim matters, not at this age at least... so put on a happy face, Joe.

"Yeah, of course, it's a big da-" he began to say, until he was caught off by a bit of a sudden audible splash. Hyo and Doke looked at each and seemingly did a quick rock-paper-scissors to see who would go, but apparently the guard went before they could decide.

"Hah, guess he lost," Hyo shrugged.

"Wait, what if it is a..?" Doke asks, making a gun gesture with one hand and a stabbing motion with the other.

The two exchanged glances then thought about the ramifications of letting an assassin slip by, and suddenly they were out to check.

"We got this, boss!" they both say, a sudden enthusiasm in their work ethic. Probably trying to make good after seeing him annoyed. "Excuse us, sorry."

"I don't think it... and there they go," Jouji said as the two left to offer assistance. At least they were trying to be helpful. Can't fault men with enthusiasm... as long as they are being unusually courteous. When did that happen? Wait, did he sense... magic?

---

Doke and Hyo arrive on scene, both frozen in place. Doke's sunglasses sliding down.

"What th- what?" Doke managed to utter, pointing. "Lady, you a... eh, yokai?"

The two-eyed mermaid, somehow standing, gives a wide, savage-toothed grin at Hyo and Doke. Among other things, she is holding one half of a golden dagger.

A golden dagger, with a white handle.

Fiona nodded at Jouji when her cousin said that they had made new friends. She got the impression that she was being treated with kid-gloves. But, aware as she was that she had fainted at the reality of Cobreo's demise, Fiona understood that they were justified in keeping it simple. She wasn't nearly as adult as she liked to think.

Diego mentioned that they should go back to the party, when all of a sudden she heard a splash in the adjacent room, from which she had just arrived. With an involuntary thought, she recognized that someone had appeared... from where? She generally had a good situational awareness -- her mother, Marisa, had insisted that she be trained in psychic matters until it was as natural as breathing -- but in this case, a new mind had just popped out of nowhere. Had they been hiding their consciousness, or had they manifested out of nothing?

She would have looked to Diego for answers, but it looked like he was receiving a phone call.

Some of the party went back to the jacuzzi room. Fiona stayed by Jouji and her cousin, trusting their maturity in deciding the safest course of action. Would they go to the adjacent room, or back to the party?

"Fiona," Diego looked to his cousin in return. There was so much to be done. A funeral was being arranged- his little brother was handling that back in Kanderdam. What couldn't be helped by anyone else was the imminent board meeting. Diego planned on taking the helm of Dellevon Intergalactic. He was sure he could get majority vote.

After all, he was already the considered when it came to who was the Don Dellevon. There wasn't anyone to dispute the title other than Carmen. She had blown her chance by being caught anywhere near the corpse of another one of her family. This accelerated Diego's life.

He had to get going.

"I've to take our cousin home," Diego was of course eluding to transporting the corpse of Cobreo back to Canus. When did Marisa need Fiona back? He was already screwed, so... Why not offer?

"Did you want to travel along, or stay here at Hotel Zafiro?"

"I think I'd like to stay near you," Fiona said. Besides which, seeing her cousins was the highlight of her trip; and, coming along with Cobreo's body felt right.

The Hotel seemed more ominous now. It was serious business, and she wasn't exactly sure that she wanted to come back to it, ever. She imagined that she could see why her mother was so insistent on staying out of the family business.

However, a bit of Fiona wanted to figure out who murdered Cobreo; but, she knew she wouldn't be involved in those adult decisions. So for now, as much as it pained her not to be able to be an avenger, she had to stay a child.

Dokegata raised a brow and Hyogoro tilted his head.

"Hey, ma'am, who and uh- how did you get here?" Dokegata asked, utterly confused. It was literally like there was no one then there was some one all of a sudden.

Hyogoro on the other hand noticed the golden sheen of the knife and gives a curious tilt of his head. If anything the Kamaitachi understood, and by no means is this a statement of being unintelligent, that blades made of gold were, to say the least, decorative flimsy. It was undeniable, something supernatural was at play here. Kurogane would be interested in that.

"Ey, that's a pretty fancy relic ya have there," he said out loud what he was thinking. "But it seems er... a bit broken?"

---

Jouji wondered what those two were up to, but as long as they aren't getting into trouble, then it is fine. There were more pressing matters to attend to. And it was no doubt time enough to prepare funereal arrangement for Cobreo. He had to let Diego know something before then, he had a right to, after all. This was soon to be his entire business, and this was his family.

"Anything you want, anything you need, we'll provide if able, courtesy begets courtesy," Jouji says with a bow. But then, pulling out his phone, held it up with intent to keep it out of eyeshot of Fiona. On it was simply a message.

Target has landed on Raju, capture inevitable.