Interlude - Stray Cats (I)"..."
The woman walks into a neighborhood she is not too familiar with. It's a dangerous area which serves as a gathering spot for a good number of well-known criminals. It's one of its policies not to be friendly with outsiders and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to claim that asking for a smoke could get one killed on the spot. However, for the woman, there is little to worry about. After all...
---She comes from a much more menacing and treacherous place.
In the dark and cold of the night, attention is naturally drawn towards her. The hood that conceals her identity does little to hide her gender, as strands of hair of a strong marmalade color, too divine to belong to a man, descend just enough to caress her shoulders. Her attire is not particularly elegant, she is dressed much like a rogue of medieval fantasy, however, its integrity is an undeniable luxury around these parts.
"Sorry, the boss isn't here right now." The grunt with Chinese features says with an apologetic smile, as he physically blocks the entrance to the somewhat large compound. "But I'll tell him you came."
His body is covered in ominous tattoos and the strong smell of his sweat follows him everywhere he goes. His smile slowly transforms into a fully-fledged smirk, confirming her suspicions that he's just toying with her.
Now, she could simply smash her hand into his ugly nose and rid herself of an obstacle, but...
Instead, the woman casually turns around, takes a few steps and then waves goodbye, not willing to push the issue any further. She prefers to avoid a fight, not because she isn't strong, but because she is well-disciplined. She's not a warrior, but a leader. She's not here to draw blood, but to talk business.
That said, one should never underestimate the other party.
A group that can be self-sufficient and endure the test of time already knows how to take care of loose ends and can identify trouble when they first see it. The moment she walks far enough, the grunt exchanges glances with other four patrolling the neighboring roofs and the hunting game begins. They follow the woman into a dark alleyway and, the moment she least expects it...
They ambush her, a swing from their metal bat coming straight for her head from her blind spot...!
"... Huh?"
At that moment, the distinction between them is made very clear.
Which of them is more surprised?
Is it the grunt who trembles at the sight of his weapon not being effective at all?
Or is it the woman, who did not expect such insignificant insects to be foolish enough to attack her?
Something in her gaze changes. She might not be hurt, but she isn't immune to pain, either. As her primal instincts stir from their slumber, self-control is tossed at the back of her mind.
"Guahh--?! Ahh...!!!"
Her movements are absurdly fast. The victim does not even see a blur... He only realizes he's been hit once he is halfway through the air and a surge of pain shoots through his stomach. Half a second later, his back crashes against one of the sidewalls, leaving a mark on its burnt clay bricks.
The other grunts are shocked, but not enough to miss an opportunity to close in. One makes a straightforward attack with a sharp tool, while the other nimbly moves past their opponent. The woman skillfully catches the blade between her hands, but immediately finds herself in a bind when the enemy wraps a metal chain tightly across her neck.
Or that's how it would have been, if the thing they are fighting were not a monster under the guise of a human.
One kick is enough to rid herself of the one in front of her. With his ribs crushed, he's out of this fight.
One hand is enough to release the grip on her neck, lifting the other man off the ground with sheer physical might. The moment his head touches the pavement, his chances of a participating in a second exchange are gone with the wind.
What on Earth just happened? It might have been a rather complex sequence but to the remaining grunts it all must have felt like it lasted no more than an instant. Scared to even move, they bear weakness to the only injury that the woman has sustained, if it can be called such.
"That is..."
Make no mistake, they've never seen her face before. Not in person, at the very least.
But they've seen those facial features. They've heard of what she has achieved the past decade.
Oh yes, they do know who she is.
She is a legend.
"The leader of the Stray cats...!!!"
-------
Several hours later. Stray Cats headquarters. Captain's chamber.
Hiyako Tsurara stares herself at the mirror or, at least, the closest thing there is to one in the Dark World. It's been who knows how long, ten, fifteen, maybe even twenty years since she arrived, and her body still shows no signs of aging. It's not just herself, the other survivors suffer from this as well, everyone looks as young as the day you met them.
Time works in strange ways over here...
For example, though there are irregular day and night cycles, their mere existence alongside the memories of the events that have transpired since your arrival all prove the existence of the passing of time. Yet, at the same time, your body still looks like that of a teenager.
There are still many things you do not know...
Amongst them is the question of how exactly you are still alive...
When you first came, you accepted that being trapped here was pretty much a guaranteed death. But here you are, decades later, struggling every day to extend the lifespan of your group. It's been long since you've seen someone new... Rumor is that the Dark World is no longer accessible from the outside. But, while the Stray Cats have made a name for themselves, they are too young to have access to the sheer amount of information that other veteran companies such as the Dwellers or the Neo-Salvanists do.
"How did it go with the Hidden Dragons, boss?"
Tachibana Mayumi, former leader of the Stray Cats, carelessly walks into your room without knocking. Well, not like there is an actual door anyways. During your first day in the Dark World, you ran into a group that had her as one of its members and, since then, you've been surviving together ever since. You've seen many people die and many more walk away to never return...
As for the students you originally came after...
You've briefly crossed paths with a few, but circumstances always made it hard for them to stick around for long.
In any case, Tachibana is a skilled in both marksmanship and hand to hand combat but her fighting prowess is barely above that of an average human fighter. There are many powerful monsters around that she stands no chance against. That's why she stepped down of her role and let the real powerhouse lead the team. That said, she is always willing to give you advice, should you ever ask for it.
"Did you get what you went there for?"