Ashes to Ashes Part II
[Word Count: 1803]
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As Leo sits on a weathered bench, he finds himself amidst a vast and lush green field, illuminated softly by the gentle glow of the moon overhead. The grass beneath his feet sways with a graceful dance, and the distant rustle of leaves in the trees bordering the field provides a soothing symphony of nature's lullaby.
In the distance, he could hear the sound of walking along the gravel path.
Keeping his gaze on the forest ahead, Leo ignored the person sitting next to him as they practically threw themselves down on the bench.
"Santa Claus?" Leo asked simply, leaning his head against his hand.
"...Yes," the familiar voice of the elderly man sounded hoarse and raspy.
"Where's the rest of you?" Leo asked, tearing his gaze away from the tree line and toward the old man. He looked worse for wear, a single vertical line went across his body, having torn through his dress shirt and revealing his wrinkled torso. The large slash marked his upper torso and his face, as blood continued to pour from the fresh wound.
"Talk first," Santa Claus breathed out. "What is it you want?"
"I believe you already know, don't you?" Leo answered ominously.
In the distance, hidden behind the trees near the old bench, a tall, plain-looking young boy, no older than thirteen, traversed the woods carefully, avoiding the sticks and branches that littered the forest floor. Stealthily, he positioned himself behind Leo as he talked to Santa Claus.
Opening a briefcase he was carrying, the young boy began assembling a rifle as quietly as he could, gently connecting and screwing in the parts.
Back with Leo, he looked at the tree line ahead; Santa Claus had been less than cooperative.
"I want to meet with the 'Master.' Is that so hard, Santa?" Leo asked, somewhat mockingly.
The old man chuckled slightly. "The Darkness Devil, show me."
"Are you in a position to make demands?" Leo asked plainly.
"Are you?" Santa Claus retorted.
"Of course-" As Leo replied, a bullet suddenly flew through his head, shattering it to the surprise of Santa Claus, who was expecting a gruesome outcome.
The top half of Leo's head was missing, but that didn't deter him from looking away from the tree line and at Santa Claus.
"Bad move," Leo muttered, bringing his hand up and snapping his fingers.
SNAP!
The sound of burning reached Santa Claus's ears as the old man turned around. Within the forest, a small cloud of smoke began to rise.
Santa Claus bit the inside of his cheek as his eyes widened; it seemed he'd have to train another puppet. No matter. Turning back to Leo, the top half of his head was still missing, as sharp edges protruded from the bottom half.
"I wonder, would it be better to talk to the contractee or the contractor," Leo mused, giving the old man a bad feeling.
Santa Claus tensed up when he felt a hand hovering over his head.
"Let's find out, shall we?" Leo asked as he grasped the old man's head and pulled.
"Agh!!!" the old man yelled as he began to cough up blood. From the top of his head, another head was being pulled out, ripping his skin as it was exposed. The second head emerging was wooden in texture, with cracks forming as the Puppet Devil resisted being pulled. Leo gazed at its attempt with a bored expression before increasing his grip, causing more cracks to form.
"I-I'll take you," the old man pleaded as his head was torn open, his face and now his torso drenched in his own blood.
"A bit late for that, don't you think?" Leo mused as he kept pulling.
Leo continued extracting the Puppet Devil from Santa Claus, its wooden head gradually revealing itself further as the cracks widened. The old man's agonizing cries echoed through the serene field, mingling with the rustling leaves and gentle breeze. Yet, despite the pain, Santa Claus did not seem to lose consciousness, held by an otherworldly force that prevented him from fainting.
The grotesque wooden face of the Puppet Devil finally emerged fully, its lifeless eyes staring blankly at Leo.
"So this was a waste of time," Leo muttered, disappointment evident in his voice, as he stared into the puppet's eyes.
Originally, Leo had planned to come to Germany to kill Santa Claus and make a contract with the Puppet Devil. However, it became apparent that he had greatly underestimated the extent of the "Master's" influence and the vast network of Puppets scattered around the world. With over one thousand puppets under the Master's control, eradicating them all would be a time-consuming task.
Leo knew he had the means to eliminate that many puppets, but doing so would attract unwanted attention and put him in a vulnerable position. He couldn't afford to expose himself and risk the safety of his family.
"Another time," Leo sighed, realizing that he needed to be more strategic in his approach. He jammed his finger on Santa Claus's side, causing the old man, along with his part of the Puppet Devil, to be cut up into bloody pieces as he collapsed onto the bench.
For now, hunting down the Puppet Devil and its puppets would have to wait until he had a plan in place and the right resources to execute it effectively. Reforming the ⬜⬜⬜ Devil and developing a method to erase people's memories on a larger scale would be essential for this endeavor.
"What a pain," Leo muttered as he began making his way back to the city, contemplating the best course of action for his next move.
.
.
Reaching the hotel, Leo planned on staying the night even though he had no intention of sleeping. Hopping right back on a plane to America was the last thing on his mind. He needed time to gather his thoughts and plan his next moves.
Throwing his jacket on the bed, Leo began making himself a cup of tea while he waited for the sun to come up. As he poured the tea, he was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Room service!" a feminine voice called out.
Leo didn't answer as he kept his attention on his tea.
The door began to unlock, and the woman entered the room without waiting for a response.
"Guten Morgen (Good Morning)," Leo greeted casually without bothering to turn around. "Tea?"
"No, thank you," the woman replied, her gaze fixed on Leo's back.
Finishing pouring his tea, Leo didn't seem concerned by her presence. The lady kept her distance from him.
Picking up his cup, Leo took a loud sip, relishing the flavor, before putting it down and walking over to the window to open the drapes. As he threw the drapes open, the evening sun poured its light across the city, gradually lighting up the surroundings.
"What is it you want, Santa Claus?" Leo asked, turning around and walking back to his seat. "I could've sworn I made my intentions clear when I dispatched the old man. There are no deals to be had, and I have no intention of sharing a contract."
Santa Claus, a young woman with dark blue hair and green eyes, smiled calmly. A mole was visible under her right eye. She walked up to Leo and sat across him, crossing her legs and interlocking her fingers, placing her hands on her lap.
"I would like to propose another deal," Santa Claus calmly stated.
"And what would that be?" Leo asked, taking a sip from his tea, his disinterest evident.
The young woman maintained her composure as she presented her proposal. "I have valuable information that you seek. In exchange for your cooperation in a particular matter, I will share what you desire to know."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "You think I'd agree to work with you just for information?"
Santa Claus's smile widened. "Oh, I think you'll find my proposition more enticing than you realize."
"And why's that?" Leo asked, going for another sip of his tea.
"Revenge," Santa Claus stated.
Leo stopped before he could take a sip, his gaze hardening as he looked up and directly at Santa Claus.
"Three years and five months ago, the Gun Devil hit Japan. As tragic as the event was, some groups took advantage of the carnage left behind by the Gun Devil to settle a few personal scores," Santa Claus informed with a blank stare. "Yuki Tsukumo was one of those unfortunate souls caught in the crossfires."
Leo's interest in his tea waned as he set the cup down on the table, his eyes fixed on Santa Claus, who appeared unperturbed by his piercing stare.
"I, or rather we, know this because the bomb used was of German origin. One of the members of the council even oversaw the exchange of the bombs to a man named Yu Tosaki, who openly bragged about what the explosives would be used for—'getting rid of some goody two shoes,' as he put it," Santa Claus continued. "I am aware of this because my puppets were used to load and unload the explosives while they were being delivered months before the Gun Devil provided an opportunity to use them."
Leo's glare spoke volumes, but Santa Claus calmly smiled.
A set of wooden footprints entered the room, but Leo ignored them, keeping his focus on Santa Claus.
A puppet approached, holding a file, and calmly set it on the table before turning around and walking out.
"I planned to use these pictures as blackmail in case the need ever arose, but it seems they found more value in our deal," Santa Claus said with a smile.
Leo closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Opening them once again, he looked at the folder lying on the table before picking it up and opening it.
Sure enough, the first person Leo recognized was a young adult with pale hair and dark eyebrows, while the older man with a rough mustache seemed to be a new face. The next few pictures showed crates, with one of them being opened to reveal various small hand explosives.
Glancing at every picture, Leo eventually dropped the folder on the table and walked out of his hotel room, leaving Santa Claus behind.
"So it begins," Santa Claus muttered to herself, hearing Leo's footsteps grow fainter.
Picking up Leo's unattended tea cup, Santa Claus helped herself, sipping the warm beverage as she contemplated the unfolding events.
"There will always be a bigger fish; it's only a matter of finding the proper bait to get them to do what you want," she whispered, remembering some parting words of wisdom.
Just how big is the fish Santa Claus has unleashed on Germany? Well, she'll find out soon enough.