Thriller Bark III

While Lafitte and Shinobu were enjoying themselves, Ban and Akane had arrived at the mansion.

The surroundings of the castle were much like what the surroundings of before looked like: deserted, haunted, desolate. There was not a soul in sight, nor was there any sign of life at all.

"Let's go in, something interesting is bound to happen in a place like that."

Ban casually strode up to the door as he gave it a 'weak' kick. The door slammed open, cracks forming where its hinges were. Ban smirked and strolled in like he owned the place.

"Oi! Anyone home? If not, I'm here to steal your shit."

Akane facepalmed, looking incredulously at Ban.

"You really are incorrigible. Not that I really mind."

"Right? It's part of my charm~"

As both of them continued to chat, they strode further into the mansion.

"This place is really dirty."

Akane complained, as she walked through a cobweb.

Most of the furniture was covered in dust, while spiders and cobwebs were a regular customer in this place.

"Guess the owner likes it that way."

Ban joked, as his eyes roamed over every spot. When he found something fishy, he would stop and break through whatever it was hiding. Most of the time it would be a trashy item, like a porn magazine, but rarely there was some treasure to be found as well.

"He's also bad at hoarding treasure."

Ban sighed, as he stuffed whatever gold he had found in his pockets.

"Not everyone can be as proficient as the great Ban"

Akane jested, though Ban seemed to take it quite literally.

"Why thank you. I aim to please."

Both continued to jest, as a sound caught their attention.

Ban and Akane dodged to the side, as a white projectile clashed where Ban had stood just a second ago.

Looking closer at the remains, they both affirmed it was a porcelain plate.

The perpetrator, stepping out of the shadows, continued her assault.

The woman had stitches all over her body, even across her face. Her short blonde hair framed her face but it didn't obscure the almost dead-looking purple fish eyes. She started at Akane and Ban in silence for a whole minute before she finally spoke.

"I wish every plate would perish. No, they should disappear from this world."

The woman said, as she launched all the plates in her hands towards them. Though it was more aimed at Ban than towards Akane. Ban stared accusingly at Akane, as if she was the one who told the woman to do so.

"Just dodge them all. I wouldn't want to get hit by a zombie girl after all."

Akane sneered as Ban gave her the finger as he continued to dodge.

When all the plates were broken, the woman turned to Akane and Ban as if nothing had happened.

"You are required in the dining room."

She left towards the hallway, glancing back from time to time to see if they were following her.

"Should we follow?"

"We could."

"Then let's follow."

Coming to a conclusions, Akane and Ban followed the woman till they arrived at the dinning room. Sitting at the head of the table was a pudgy man. He wore a fishnet shirt, a black cloak with fluffy feathers on the collar and wore tight fitting thighs.

His face wasn't much to look at either, as he he wore black sunglassed, had a mask on his chin and a big curved scar on his forehead. Everything added together and they had a creep.

"Welcome to my house. I am Doctor Hogback, a genius."

The man introduced himself, while the woman left the room shortly after.

"The woman who just brought you here is the lovely plate-hating Cindry-chan."

Ban smirked at the whole introduction, while Akane remained quiet. This place is truly too weird for words.

"My turn. I am the Undead Ban. Greatest thief in the world and temporary pirate. This is my captain, Eldertale D. Akane. Don't be deceived by her small stature, she can be a really mean vixen."

Ban said, the last part followed by laughter as Akane pinched him in his side. Hard.

"Hey, I told the truth. You really are a vixen. Don't blame me if others misunderstand~"

Not buying a thing he was saying, Akane continued to pinch, while the genius doctor Hogback looked a bit awkward from the side.

"Eh-ehem, nice to meet you? I think? Why don't the two of you join me for dinner."

Doctor Hogback said, trying to get the situation under control.

"Ah, dinner would be nice, but we weren't planning on staying though. We were just exploring you see. We'll be going back after dinner."

"I see, then let's get some food. You can refreshen yourselves afterwards if you want, you are quite dirty after all."

Akane looked down at herself, seeing a lot of dried up brown fluids tainting her legs.

Maybe she would, maybe...

Hogback clapped his hands as Cindry walked inside with a small wooden tray in her hand. On it were three pieces of chocolate pie.

She dropped a piece in front of everyone of them, staining the only clean thing in this place, the table cloth, with chocolate crumbs.

"Cindry-chan, you could at least put a plate underneath it!"

Hogback exclaimed, as the partially soft filling spilled on the table.

"All plates should turn to dust!"

Cindry said as she exited the room again.

"She really is a strange one..."

Akane mumbled as she refrained from eating the delicious looking pie. No way was she going to eat that. Just a moment ago it was in the hands of a corpse. Don't even mention the fact that the table cloth might be covered in dirt.

"Ah, don't worry. We keep the table cloth clean especially because of this. Please eat."

Hogback said as he grabbed the pie in his hands and started to eat.

"Don't mind if I do!"

Ban followed that action as well, stuffing his mouth with the pie. He glanced once at Akane, who quickly handed her food to Ban.

'He might be immune to poison, but I don't plan to find of if I am.'