Elena and Dolores Underwood
Tokyo, Akihabara - Underwood Agency
July 7th, 2041
10 AM
The rhythmic sound of a blade being sharpened echoed throughout the well-furnished office, as Elena ran her blade down the white naka-to waterstone. While it wasn’t technically necessary, due to the composition of her sword, it was almost habitual at this point, a remnant of her years of training. And… there was an almost cathartic feeling to sharpening a blade, something that the white haired swordswoman found oddly relaxing. A trait she found herself more in need of, especially recently.
“Tell me, why do you feel the need to produce that incessant screeching noise? God knows it’s impossible to concentrate with that racket going on. Well, I guess for someone like you, to whom thinking is a secondary concern, it wouldn’t make any difference anyway.”
The corners of Elena’s eyes tightened slightly, as her dark haired “sister” seemingly felt the need to speak up, bandying about a completely unnecessary and irritating comment as usual. Ever since they reunited half a year ago, life had become an exercise in frustration. Honestly, if it was an actual possibility, they would have killed each other months ago already. In fact, if there was one thing that truly connected them as siblings it was their utter dislike of each other. Elena’s hands never stopped sharpening the blade. If anything, there was a subtle, almost imperceivable, change in the pitch, turning the noise even louder than it was before.
“Of course. It is, after all, common knowledge that playing with goat guts and boiling frog eyes are the true indicators of knowledge and wisdom.”
The coffee mug in Dolores’s hand cracked, causing hairline fractures to run throughout its surface. Taking a deep breath, the raven-haired witch calmed herself somewhat, before heading to the kitchen to dispose of the now ruined cup. Returning from the side room with a new mug, along with a new batch of coffee (Elena only drank Japanese tea anyway), Dolores simply sat down behind the desk, while trying her best to ignore the sound of the steel grinding on stone. Maybe there was something interesting in the new data that had popped up over the last week? Reading the actual files however left her with a creeping feeling of disappointment.
In the end, it was nothing more than simple speculation and rumors about Ouroboros and other “legendary” freelancers. Rumors probably fueled simply by the man showing up in Tokyo and nothing more. It was getting more and more irritating by the day. It was hard to get any actual information without someone trying to smack you in the face with “Did you hear about Ouroboros!?”. Yes. Yes she had. Far too many times to even care about it anymore. The next individual that would try to “sell” something as inane as that to her, while acting as if it was still any sort of desirable or unique piece of information, would end up cursed to lose all of their hair. Permanently.
Suddenly a knock echoed throughout the office.
Surprisingly, it was Elena that rose up and walked over to open the door. Strange. Normally they would bicker at least for a couple of minutes on who should open the door and deal with the pleasantries. Maybe Elena had sensed something off. Despite how hard it was for her to admit it, her sister did possess a superb for sensing… well people who were slightly more peculiar than the norm. After all, there were more then a couple of individuals who were considered strange even by the standards of the supernatural community.
And typically most of them are trouble.
“Hello, hello. Nice to meet you two beautiful ladies, it is an honor. I thought this would be the best place for the job I have in mind…So do you have the time?”
Having opened the door, Elena cocked her head, causing her long white hair to slightly sway in the doorway, while her eyes took in the figure in front of her.
“No. I make a point of not working for people who have left behind their humanity. Or never had it in the first place, I guess.”
“It’s an issue of trust, you see. I think you would be better off finding some other agency that is more willing to handle your request.”
“Goodbye.”
Having said that, the white haired girl simply shut the door in front of the strangers face, and returned back to her whetstone, seemingly intent to continuing her efforts at sharpening a blade that could not really be sharpened.
Dolores for her part simply let out a mirthful chuckle, while sipping her coffee and continuing to shuffle through her files.
“As crude and direct as usual, I see. Though, what else could be expected from a savage that can only swing her sword around like a brute?”
However, despite her rather vocal barbs, Dolores herself made no effort to move from the desk nor open the door for the stranger who had just suddenly been left outside.