Chapter Text
Tension hung in the room. None of those present dared to lift their snout or their gaze from the documents being reviewed in the office. Behind their backs, the rhythmic footsteps of two heels echoed nervously.
Tap, tap, tap
Over and over again.
- "What do you mean it's not there?!" - woman spoke with audible fury and a shrill, guttural accent, simultaneously rubbing an amulet hanging at her collarbones between two fingers. The soothing gesture, however, gave no one any respite from their fear of the wrath of the Jorōgumo hidden in human form.
It was unlike her - Big Mama - for it was she who had just spoken; she always hid her deepest emotions beneath a note of irony, feigned humor, or plain, pure manipulation. This time a vein on her forehead pulsed persistently, echo of grinding teeth gave the present mages, yōkai scholars, and experienced witches goosebumps, and the wealthy woman's eyelid, painted a darker color than her skin, seemed to twitch incessantly, exactly as if she were imagining scenes of the brutal murder of the messenger - who stood before her with old paper crumpled nervously between his fingers - which hadn't happened yet.
The word 'yet' seemed crucial.
- "I sincerely apologize, Big Mama, but all scrolls regarding this period have either been censored of the event you are looking for, or completely destroyed by a Clan unknown to us. The answer seems to no longer exist".
The last word caused a flinch, more or less visible, in everyone listening to the conversation, triggered by the screech of the hotel owner's tall boots coming to a halt on the tiles.
- "Are you trying to tell me that days of searching for information, weeks of exploring the deepest corners of the temples of the Hidden City in Japan, months of trying to acquire and bring back this pretty, shining trinket...!" she trailed off, taking an audible, deeper breath in an attempt to retain what was left of her composure - "And you are trying to tell me that we have the item, but we don't have the instructions for it?"
The silence, which lasted a mere three seconds, felt like an eternity.
- "Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying Ma’am"
No further words had the chance to leave the lips of the footboy, whose attire resembled that of a monk. Instead, there was the dull thud of his body hitting the floor with a disgusting and wet smack. The room seemed to hold its breath, yet still, no one dared to raise their head even by a millimeter.
An arm clad in dark armor with golden tips on its clawed blades withdrew from behind the woman, who didn't even blink an eye. On the contrary - silencing her interlocutor seemed to calm her down marginally, which could be deduced from her sigh. The assistant in the white mask stood beside her again with a straight back and hands tucked behind him, ignoring the dripping of the crimson liquid that stained his previously neatly cleaned coat.
It seemed the word 'yet' was no longer applicable.
"And now..." Big Mama spoke after a moment of observing her surroundings, as if expecting someone to comment on the course of the discussion. "You!" She suddenly pointed to where the high mage lord was seated, ignoring how he jumped in his chair.
- "Find me someone competent for this task! I don't care where they come from or what price they will demand in return. I must have answers, even if I have to lock up every scholar still walking the Earth in the dungeons. I've worked too hard to get this to just give up now".
She paid little attention to the "Yes, Big Mama" in response as she left one of the offices in the underground Grand Nexus Hotel. She passed through the frame of the double doors, and her assistant faithfully followed a few steps behind her. Big Mama smoothed her facial expression and flicked a few drops of blood off the fur of her coat, which had splattered after the violent blow, as she headed deep into the labyrinth of corridors.
She would get what she wanted. She had no doubts about it. Her Battle Nexus, recently cloaked in fame and popularity, seemed to be losing customers willing to pay a fortune for fast and brutal fights every day. She needed an upgrade. A novelty. Something that would attract everyone even from afar just by a poster and an advertisement. And she got it - something that would help her get new fighters that no one had ever seen before. Fighters who would reawaken the desire for a good spectacle in the inhabitants of the Hidden Cities. She would sit richer than before, not worrying about the future of her business, and her name would carry in glory across many worlds.
The question of the day, however, was - when would that happen?