“Relax, Hanzo,” Quan Chi suddenly chimed up, looking over his shoulder and smiling. “No one’s going to attack you if you give them no reason to.”
Hanzo bit his tongue, holding back his true thoughts. Harumi would have never given someone reason to attack her, yet she still managed to die in these streets. Granted her death was considered a tragic accident, supposedly no one else was involved, but he was not so convinced. They’d had discussions about her in the past, and Hanzo had learnt to keep her name off his lips in Quan Chi’s presence. He was hardly the most sympathetic of men.
They came to a building, and Quan Chi hit a small button attached to a speaker. It took a couple of seconds, but soon the speaker crackled to life and a voice called out “hello?”
“My name is Quan Chi, I’m here to meet with Song Bi-Han,” he spoke, waiting for a reply of some kind. There was silence for an uncomfortably long amount of time. Hanzo was starting to wonder if they just weren’t expecting visitors.
Eventually however, the voice stated “come up.” And then the door swung open, Quan Chi entered and Hanzo followed quickly after. Inside there was a narrow stairwell that they both walked up. At the top, a man with long silver hair was waiting for them. Hanzo would have believed he was human too, only he had split pupils, indicating he was something of more demonic heritage.
“Follow me,” the demon instructed, turning his back to them and opening a door.
Quan Chi and Hanzo followed, entering a large room. Glancing around, there seemed to be a few other demons hanging out inside, glaring at the pair of them with venom. It made Hanzo take an even firmer hold of his katana. They were led to a small table, low to the floor with pillows around it. The demon gestured at them to take a seat, Quan Chi taking one pillow and Hanzo taking another.
Hanzo kept looking around. This place was strange. It didn’t look like a business of any kind, but also didn’t seem to be what he’d consider a living space. The other demons had lost interest in the two humans who’d entered, sitting around at their own tables and talking between each other.
He turned back to the table in time to see two men entering the room across from them. They were also both demons, clearly of an avian nature as they both sported large feathered wings from their backs, as well as various feathers decorating various parts of their bodies. Hanzo sat back, watching as the pair of them walked towards Quan Chi and him. As they got closer, if he had to guess, he’d say the pair were related in some way. They both had the same blue feathers, blue eyes, and generally a very similar facial structure. The only real difference was that one was sporting a rather impressive scar down the one side of his face.
“Quan Chi?” One of the demons asked, the one without the scar.
“That is correct,” Quan Chi replied, placing a hand on his chest. “Song Bi-Han, I assume?”
“You assume correctly.” Despite looking at Quan Chi like he was dirt, Bi-Han still bowed to them. His eyes landed on Hanzo before he asked “and you are?”
“Hanzo Hasashi,” he said, dipping his head slightly. His eye was drawn to the other demon, who almost looked like he did a double take. Like… He’d heard Hanzo’s name before. “I am Quan Chi’s bodyguard.”
“I see,” Bi-Han muttered in a tone that indicated he did not actually care. Eventually he gestured his hand to the second demon before stating, “and this is my younger brother, Kuai Liang.”
“Pleased to meet you both,” Kuai Liang said in a quiet tone, bowing in much the same way his brother had.
“A pleasure,” Quan Chi growled with a strange edge to his voice. Hanzo shifted ever so slightly, it was the tone he used when he’d seen someone who… interested him, and Hanzo really had no desire to sit through another meeting of Quan Chi trying his luck with someone.
Granted, this time, he could actually see why Quan Chi was interested. Kuai Liang was very pretty, both of the brothers were, really. But just because he could see where Quan Chi’s attraction came from, didn’t mean he would fall for it too.
The brothers sat down at the table too, Bi-Han taking the pillow closer to Quan Chi, while Kuai Liang sat next to Hanzo. Kuai Liang looked up and made eye contact with him, before giving a shy smile. He tried to return it, but was interrupted by the grey haired demon placing a teapot and four cups in front of them.
“You wished to make a deal?” Bi-Han questioned, although he gave Kuai Liang a strange look. The younger demon lowered his head, before reaching for the teapot and starting to pour it out for everyone. That was weird.
“Yes, I believe you and your organisation have recently come into possession of some interesting items,” Quan Chi smoothly began, taking his cup as soon as Kuai Liang had finished pouring the tea. The action surprised Kuai Liang if his hesitation to continue filling the others was anything to go by.
“We have, and I will tell you what I tell every person who enters and asks about them.” Bi-Han took his own cup, taking a large sip. “They will be sold at auction, and you will have to bid and win them fair and square, like everyone else.”
Quan Chi chuckled, reaching into his pocket. “You see, Mr. Song, that arrangement doesn’t exactly work for me.” He pulled out a scroll, waving it in front of Bi-Han’s face. “I want those items, and I am prepared to pay as much as it takes to have them.”
“Then you will do well at the auction,” Bi-Han sneered, leaning back and looking Quan Chi up and down like he was dirt. “If you’re willing to pay, you’ll be the winning bid, no problem.”
“Maybe you should look at what I’m offering before you dismiss me,” Quan Chi said in a low and threatening tone. He pushed the scroll across the table to Bi-Han.
Bi-Han regarded him silently, before snatching the scroll. He unrolled it, and his eyes began to scan the paper. Kuai Liang shifted slightly, leaning towards Bi-Han to read it himself. The brothers sat in silence, although as they read, it was clear neither of them were happy about what the pages contained.
“I think you are severely underestimating the worth of these items.” Bi-Han’s eyes slowly looked up, maintaining eye contact with Quan Chi. “That or you know exactly how much they are worth, but are hoping we don’t and that throwing around big sounding numbers will persuade us otherwise.”
Silence stretched out across the table, and Hanzo glanced at Quan Chi, his face the picture of tranquil fury. Hanzo said nothing. He knew the second of the two options was true. Honestly, Hanzo thought they’d go for the offer as well. Maybe they’d misjudged just how much they knew about the items they sold.
“Well. It seems we’re at an impasse, aren’t we?” Quan Chi lent on one of his hands, a cruel smile coming over his face. “Your brother seems quite lovely, Mr. Song. It would be a shame if something were to separate you, wouldn’t it?”
“You dare to threaten my brother?” Bi-Han’s face warped into a snarl as his wings spread behind his back. Kuai Liang lent a little closer to him. “You think you can make threats to his life and live to tell the tale?”
“Oh, you have the wrong idea, Mr. Song,” Quan Chi said, a smug smile over his face. “It would be a waste to kill something as beautiful as he is.” He very deliberately looked towards Kuai Liang. “No. Pretty bird like him would serve much better as a pet inside a gilded cage, wouldn’t he?”
Bi-Han’s wing stretched out so far it hid Kuai Liang from view.
“Get out of my sight before I kill you,” Bi-Han growled, his clawed hands slamming down on the desk and scratching deep grooves in the wood.
“Now, now, Mr. Song,” Quan Chi held up his hands as if to placate him. “There really is no need for hostility. All I want is to negotiate, and I will leave your brother alone.”
Bi-Han bared his teeth but eventually retracted his wing. He turned to look at Kuai Liang before snarling “go take a walk.”
“But Brother-”
“Now, Kuai Liang.” The demand made Kuai Liang flinch, but he pushed himself to stand and do as he was ordered. Bi-Han’s eyes then landed on Hanzo as he added “And take Mr. Hasashi with you.”
Hanzo felt his hand go for his katana, not willing to leave Quan Chi’s side right now, especially considering the hostility between the two parties. He felt Quan Chi’s hand touch his shoulder.
“Easy, Hanzo, It’s quite alright.” He couldn’t help but shoot Quan Chi a disbelieving look at that. “Maybe talking one on one would be better for negotiations.”
Hanzo didn’t agree with that, but could tell this would go nowhere if he didn’t leave. As he stood up, he made sure to indicate his displeasure by exaggerating his actions. Even so, he silently followed Kuai Liang out of the room. Soon they were on a balcony of some kind that appeared to wrap around the entire building. They had a pretty decent view of the city from here, not that there was anything particularly worth looking at.
“I apologise for my brother,” Kuai Liang suddenly said in a soft voice. He lent forward against the railing, staring at the city. “He has a bit of a temper, especially where I am involved.”
Hanzo did question the fact that Kuai Liang was apologising when it was Quan Chi who threatened him. Still Hanzo decided not to think of it too much. Some people just had a habit of saying sorry for things that weren’t their fault and he could only infer that Kuai Liang was one of those people.
Besides, there was something else that was bothering him from their initial meeting.
“May I ask you something?” He watched Kuai Liang intently, and after a while, the demon nodded. “When I introduced myself, you reacted like you recognised my name. Have we met before?”
Kuai Liang’s wings flapped slightly. “No. Sorry. I just knew a lady who shared your surname.”
Hanzo felt a strange cold come over him. He took a step forward, desperately trying to wrack his mind of how this man could know her.
“Was her name Harumi?” He asked, watching as Kuai Liang’s breathing hitched and his ears twitched.
“So. It is you.” Kuai Liang turned his head, eyes wide with wonder. “You are her husband.”
“I was, yes,” Hanzo grumbled, so confused as to what was going on. How did Kuai Liang know Harumi?
“Then I need to show you something.” Kuai Liang held out his hands. Despite his better judgement, Hanzo placed his own in Kuai Liang’s. The demon held tight, before extending his wings, flapping them.
Soon, Kuai Liang was lifting into the air, and Hanzo realised a little too late that he was following. As his feet left the floor, he fought every instinct to begin struggling. That would just result in him falling. Kuai Liang continued his ascent, flying up in little circles and making Hanzo go dizzy.
As they reached the top of the building, Hanzo was surprised to see a small glass room. It was full of plants, obviously some kind of sunroom, except it looked like there was no normal entrance, like a staircase. The only way this place could be accessed was by someone with wings flying up. Kuai Liang placed Hanzo down on a little platform on the roof, before landing himself. He walked over to the door to the sunroom and opened it, gesturing for Hanzo to follow him inside.
“Mi-Chan left me something to give to you, in the event of her death.” That made Hanzo pause yet again. Partially because of the implication that Harumi knew she was going to die. Partially for the use of the nickname ‘Mi-Chan’. Only those closest to her got to call her that.
“I’m sorry, how exactly did you know my wife?” He followed Kuai Liang through the sunroom, glancing at the plants around them. They looked very well cared for. He wondered if that was Kuai Liang’s doing.
“We were childhood friends,” Kuai Liang casually explained, but that just raised even more questions. Harumi had never talked about having a friend named Kuai Liang. Not to mention, she came from a long line of demon hunters. Even though she held no ill-will to demons herself, he couldn’t imagine her father having no issues with her being friends with one.
“She’s never mentioned you,” he huffed, watching as Kuai Liang bent down to a small safe, and began to put in a combination. “And I find it hard to believe she could have been childhood friends with a demon, given her lineage.”
“Her family did not know of our friendship.” Kuai Liang clicked his tongue as the safe opened. “And she rarely referred to me by my birth name, as that could raise suspicion. She might have called me Tundra.”
“Wait. You’re Tundra?” She had mentioned her friend Tundra before, but she was always extremely vague with the details. She never referred to Tundra with gendered pronouns, always using they and them, she never mentioned their age, or even any physical details. She did talk fondly about Tundra however, very much so. He didn’t see why Kuai Liang would lie about being Tundra, or even how he’d know that name if it wasn’t him.
“Yes. I am.” Kuai Liang pulled what looked like a necklace out of the safe. He stood back up, turning to Hanzo and holding the necklace to him. “She asked me to hold onto this until our paths crossed. She said only you would be able to use it.”
He took the necklace from Kuai’s hand, looking it over. He bit his lip, as he looked at the green gem embedded into the golden hold. He knew what it was, a necklace with a message stone set as its pendant. Which probably meant, if he touched it in a certain way, he could make it spring to life.
As he pressed his thumb to the stone, it began to glow, and a small image of Harumi began to reflect from it.
“Hanzo,” she softly greeted, holding her hands to her chest. “If you are seeing this, then I am dead, and Kuai Liang managed to get this to you.” She brushed her hand through her hair, and Hanzo felt his heart break a little as he longed to be able to touch her again. “My death was not an accident. For some time now, I’ve been working on revealing a government conspiracy, and I think I’ve come too close to the truth. They are going to assassinate me, and make it look like an accident.”
It was true that her death had been considered an unfortunate accident. It was believed she had tripped and fallen on a discarded pipe. It had pierced her neck. He’d always thought the angle and placement was a little convenient, that it seemed a little too sharp. But he didn’t have any evidence to reason it was done on purpose, until now.
“Hanzo, I know you, and I know that upon learning this you are going to want to find revenge, but I need you to listen to me.” He swallowed upon hearing that, because he was indeed wanting to find whoever did this and make them pay. “If you want to avenge me, please continue my work and make sure the truth is known. Do not let me die in vain.” She took a deep breath. “I have hidden my research across the city. Kuai Liang knows the locations, although he is probably unaware that he does.”
Hanzo glanced over to Kuai Liang, who definitely looked surprised at the news. His lip twitched as he looked like he was trying to think where they could be.
“I love you, Hanzo. You’ve always been, and always will be, my soulmate.”
And with that, the little vision of Harumi burst into a light, and she was gone. Hanzo stared at the necklace, reaching to wipe the tears from his eyes. His worst fears were confirmed, but at the same time, he’d found a new purpose. I won’t let you down, my love.
He looked towards Kuai Liang, who wore an expression like he was considering what information he knew.
“Any ideas where these locations are?” He asked, and Kuai Liang slowly nodded like he wasn’t 100% sure.
“She did leave me a collection of items the last time I saw her,” he explained. “I didn’t really understand them at the time, but I know they were related to various points of the city. I think they may be the key.”
Hanzo sighed and gave the necklace back to Kuai Liang, “for now, I think you should hold onto this. I can’t risk Quan Chi seeing it.” Quan Chi probably had nothing to do with it, but at the same time, his boss wasn’t exactly the most trustworthy of people. Him knowing could jeopardise his chances at avenging Harumi. “For now, we should return to the meeting, pretend nothing has happened. Then, at some point we should meet to go through the items you mentioned.”
“Very well.” Kuai Liang took the necklace back, gently placing it back into the safe and locking it. “Let’s return. Hopefully my brother hasn’t killed your boss.”
Hanzo actually chuckled before saying under his breath “he’d be doing me a favour.”
As they both left the sunroom, making quiet plans on when their next meeting would be, all of Hanzo’s thoughts were consumed by Harumi and how he would not let her down.
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