Myrr: Reincarnated Timemage Assassin

Chapter 102: Questioning

Take you?

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I say. Holding up my hands, I show them the clean bite I just took from the block. "Look, you're Nika, right? It's quite good. I made it myself. There's nothing wrong with it-"

"Don't listen to him!" Nika glares at me. He puts his arms out and tries to push back the other two Demi's. However, their stomachs rumble at that moment. Their wariness seems to be having trouble competing with their hunger, "That's how they took my brother! They offer you cheese and then make you fight for them!"

Um...well I mean that was kind of the plan. But it's not like anyone's going to force you to fight for us. It was a charity food-drive.

"I don't know who told you these things, but I can tell you right now..." I grin reassuringly while taking another bite of the cheese. Holding it out, I notice the smaller boy and the girl's eyes tracking it greedily. "This cheese is amazing. And no one's going to make you do anything if you take a bite. We just want to talk to you."

"R-Really?" The girl is caving. I can see it in her eyes. Predicting children is easy. She leans in, hungrily, even in these disgusting sewers, my cheese is irresistible. Her flat nose sniffs and all three Demi-Raccoon's ears twitch. Nika tries to stop her, but she pushes past him. "It smells s-o-o good. I can really have some?"

"Don't take it-!"

"Here ya go!" I quickly offer the cheddar bar to the girl who snatches it out of my hand instantly. She scarfs it down so fast I'm amazed. Damn, that was almost faster than Natalia! Jeez, it was just some cheddar. I should tone down the addictiveness a bit. The girl smiles as she chews a truly enormous bite and then swallows. Her eyes water from the sheer amount of food going down her throat, but when she's finished, it's tears of joy. "Heh, see? I told you it was good."

"Sila, you're going to get taken now." Nika shakes his head and backs away from the girl. He still doesn't trust me. "Jinta, come with me. We can still get away." However, the smaller boy isn't listening. His mouth is open, drool falling into the sewer muck at the piece of bread I'm holding out. "Noo! Don't be a fool! It's a trick!"

"No trick. It's from the best bakery in the city." I tantalizingly wave the small bun in front of him. Before I know it, the bread is snatched out of my hand. You know...that bun would have gone a lot better WITH the cheese.

*R-R-aaaa-Raaaa*

"Give it!"

Watching crumbs spew out as the little boy and girl fight each other for the bread, I can only sigh. In the background, my hastily made icewall crumbles, unable to sustain itself. Meera just watches impassively behind the children. I can't really tell what she's thinking. Do you feel bad for them? Or do you just disdain them for being weak? When they finish eating, the children have become much less wary. You can see it in their eyes. I've become a provider for them. A possible source of food. "Alright, nothing bad happened right? Now then, who wants to answer some questions?"

...

...

Greedy little bastards.

"Err, I have more food at home. A whole bunch of it. Whoever answers my questions can eat as much as they like!"

Well, as much of the wholesale stuff as you like. I'm not wasting the good stuff on kids.

"What do you want to know?" The girl is enterprising. I know a businessman when I see one. This one is hungry. Too easy. "You don't seem like the people Jasi warned us about."

"Jasi?" I ask. Thinking it over, I realize who she probably means. "Is that the Ferry-Rat? Big snout? Whiskers? Chain on his neck?"

"Mhm."

"I'm looking for him. Do you know where he went?"

"He...had to go. Because the bad people were coming. I don't know where. Hold on...you're not the...bad people...are you?" Sila squints at me suspiciously. I smile innocently. That depends on your point of view. My smile distracts the little girl. "Hehe, your face is funny."

"Why? Because I'm not a Demi?" I ask. Patting my cheeks, I give her a nice calming big brother smile. It's supposed to be reassuring and show I'm in control. Well, it works on Nya anyways. "Do we look that different? When you're not transformed, I think we look pretty similar."

"No...because you look like you're trying really hard." Sila replies. At this, I hear a very distinct snicker from Meera's direction. "Momma says when people try too hard to smile, they should take a break before they cry. And eat something. But definitely not Demi-Berries. Demi-Berries make you smile all the time. Until you don't."

Uhh...

"Is this better?"

"Nah, now you just look like you're pooping."

WTFIAWIWFIW?

"Ahahaha, Boss, I changed my mind! These kids are the best!" Meera bursts out into laughter. She holds her sides, taking off her mask to wipe her eyes. "I-I can't. Let's take this one back to the shop! Can we?"

"See! I told you they're going to take you!" Nika calls out. He's still trying to drag the other boy away. "It was a trick!"

"Okay...seriously, what is all this talk about kidnapping?" I wipe the stupid smile off my face. Let's get serious. Looking at the boy who stops his efforts to escape when my gaze falls on him, I ask, "Who told you that accepting the cheese would get you...taken, was it? We give out free food. If you're interested in joining our cause, we'll take you in. But we most certainly do not force anyone to work for us. It's a simple business transaction. You work, you get more cheese. Totally voluntary! Got that, kid?" Well, if you ignore the addiction part. But I mean come on, that's capitalism!

"B-But...my brother. He took the cheese! And now he's gone! I saw him! Now he's handing out cheese too!" Nika's voice turns shrill. The Demi-boy seems on the cusp of transforming. His nails are starting to lengthen into claws. "He said that he couldn't stop! That he owed cheese! And unless he worked for them, they'd report him to the Omniscient Guard!"

That...is definitely not in the employee handbook. I know because I wrote it. You shouldn't spread malicious rumors my friend.

"Kid, you know if there's one thing I can't abide it's a bloody liar-"

"I'm not lying! Ask Jasi!"

"Ah yes, and where exactly is the Ferry-Rat? What exactly is he doing down here with a bunch of Demi-children? I'm not sure why you're insulting my organization when he's clearly taking you to weird places!"

"Jasi's trying to help us-!"

*Splash*

Huh?

"Quiet!" I hiss. Meera whips around. She stares down the undercanals, stock straight. We're still at the three-way fork. The kids came from the pipe going straight ahead. But there's something...in the air. The fetid stench of corpses has been hidden by the aroma of freshly broken bread and cheese. But now, it's getting stronger. And the noises, echoing around. Footsteps. At the very least, Demi children have the good sense to shut up. I whisper, "Meera, can you see anything?!"

"Too far away...but I can hear footsteps. More than one set." Meera cocks her head. Slowly, she slips on her cat-mask and I do the same. "Doesn't sound like the Stranger's men. Or the Ferry-Rat. The rhythm...it's off. I don't know what they are, but they don't move like people. Two legs though...I think. We're outnumbered for sure. By a lot."

Don't move like people? Lovely. That's something you want to hear in the sewers.