Glory, Justice, Vengeance

The sun peeked just over the trees outside of Magnolia Town, beginning another day. Citizens went about their business, taking care of whatever chores needed to be done at that moment. A two-story building sat nestled in cityscape, a large neon sign flashing "Crimson Beast" above the doorway. Sitting at his desk, feet kicked up as usual, was Raven Blair, a cloth in one hand, one of his precious guns in the other undergoing a polishing session. He removed the cloth, seeing his face in the shining metal and giving a smile.

"Hello, gorgeous!"

A quick spin and the gun was placed back on the desk, Raven now picking up a folder full of pictures and profiles, going over the various jobs he had been hired for. Business was good.

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Leaves rustled around the beaten path as the wind blew past. Black boots touched the ground as a single figure past under them. A shadow amongst the woods, hands touched into the pockets of his pants. The figure stepped into the opening, looking down to the sunny town below.

In the sunny town that the figure hid from in the shade of the trees, a very cheerful looking girl who looked as if she wasn't even in her double digits in age skipped along.

Ima was happy. The sun was out, it was a beautiful day, she had just finished talking to a very nice person (who had given her a piece of candy, which she couldn't eat, but the kind act made her happy nonetheless), and she was going to go visit one of her favorite people in this world, Raven.

She couldn't help but laugh for no real reason and spin around a few times before continuing on her way to her friend's house.

Life was good.

"Let's see......Romania Werewolf?"

Raven scrolled down a list of jobs he had written down in a black journal, a red rose emblem on the front of it the only difference in the color scheme, then brought his hand up, forming it into a finger gun like shape. He closed one eye, aiming as he moved his point across his wall, coming to a placard on the wall with the stuffed head of a dog-like beast. Raven 'fired' a shot at the trophy.

"Check!"

He returned to the book.

"Swedish Tree Creature?"

He returned to his 'weapon', turning to aim it at the corner of his shop, a strange plant-like decoration placed there. He once again fired.

"Check and check! I'm on fire right now!"

Ima had finally finished the journey to the Crimson Beast, pausing at the door as she heard Raven yelling something about checks. She made a funny face, though no one could see it. What was he checking?

She knocked on the door a few times, as she heard was custom, and took a step back to wait to see if Raven would answer the door. The child couldn't help but bounce in place a bit, being a child and rather impatient.

Then her impatience got the best of her.

"Raaaaaaaaaaveeeeeeeeeen! Are you there? Open the door!" Ima called through said door. "Pleeeeeeeeeease?"

The door creaked and flew open, there the somewhat annoyed face of raven stood, the muscles over his shirtless body tensing up, ready to strike, only to calm with a sigh as he realized it was Ima.

"Oh, it's you Ima."

He shook his head and gave a smile.

"How goes, kid? You look happy today!......well, you always do, but whatever! C'mon in!"

Raven retreated back into his shop, leaving the door open for Ima to enter.

-----------------------

"Hmph."

A scoff left pale lips as white fur fluttered atop black leather. The "Mysterious figure" paced through the streets, eyes plastered straight ahead, the outside world all but gone to his gaze as he continued.

Ima giggled as she bounced through the door, shutting it behind her as was custom. "I am happy! Very very very very happy! Today is a good day!" She giggled again before spinning around in place a few times.

Then she got dizzy and fell down. And she laughed.

"What were you checking earlier?" She asked, not bothering to get up yet as she was a little dizzy still. "You were really loud and I could hear you through the door!"

"Hahaha, ya heard that, huh?"

Raven scratched the back of his head with an almost embarased look on his face.

"Just going over my business in my way."

He offered up a chuckle and sat on top of his desk, looking at the young girl, at least to the human sight, spinning in his office.

"I guess it is a pretty good day though. Pretty quiet to say the least."

"It was a bit hard not to hear." Said Ima as she stood up. "I'm glad business is going well though...but what are romany wurwolves and sweetish tree creatures anyway? Monsters?"

She looked at him curiously, not knowing that she had butchered the names.

"And it's not very quiet outside! You should come out and play more often." She added with a grin.

"Romania, Werewolf and Sweedish."

Raven said, shaking his finger in a mocking fashion.

"And yes, yes they are."

He laughed again, jumping off of the desk.

"So you want me to go outside, huh?"

Raven walked across the room, grabbing from it a green, black, and brown camoflauge trench coat, throwing it on. He adjusted it until it fit just right, and turned back to Ima.

"Then let's go for a walk."

"Humans have funny words..." She lamented for the umpteenth time, though she couldn't help but laugh as she said it. She most likely sounded very odd to the people who were native here.

But then again, they sound odd to her.

"Yes!" Ima said happily when she heard Raven suggest going outside. "Let's go, let's go!" She ran to Raven before grabbing his hand and tugging on it. "Huuuuurryyyyy!"

With her energy, it was quite possible the intended walk could become a 'run'.

As Raven was pulled far away, he reached out, grabbing one of his guns and slipping it in his holster.

The two walked out the front door, bright light blinding Raven as he used his other hand to block his eyes. He didn't go outside much, at least not when he wasn't on the job, so the sun was his enemy.

"Argh, that hurt!"

He shook it off.

"So....what do we do now?"

Ima couldn't help but laugh, "Wow Raven, you really need to get out more. The sun is supposed to be your friend, not hurt you!" She paused. "Well, unless you look right at it, I've heard that hurts human eyes..."

She shook her head as if to get her mind back on track.

The child put her hand under her chin, making a thoughtful expression. "Hmm...what to do, what to do..." Her eyes suddenly brightened. "Oh I know!"

Ima floated up into the air for a moment, before tapping Raven's nose and floating back down. She smiled innocently.

"Tag, you're it!"

She ran off giggling.

Raven shook off the delicate strike to his nose, letting out a playful grunt.

"That's it!"

He raced off behind her, obviously at a slower pace than he could normally travel, trying to keep some fun in the game. As he ran he pushed past another man, nudging shoulders with raven. He stopped, shaking his head in irritation, then silently walked ahead.

Ima couldn't stop laughing as she zoomed through the street. This was so much fun! She had never gotten the chance to play tag before. Once she had asked some kids how to play, and they had explained after giving her funny looks. But she had no idea it was this fun.

She weaved through the crowd in the way that only a small child could. Ima could tell that Raven was taking it easy on her, but that didn't mean she was going to take it easy on him!

She laughed happily.

A flash passed by, arriving just at the side of Ima. As it began to become clearer and clearer, the face of Raven smirking at her. A large hand tapped her on the back, a bit more force than needed behind it.

"Jeez, sorry Ima! You're it though!"

Raven ran ahead even faster.

Ima stumbled a bit from the tap, but managed to stop herself from falling. She giggled as she dashed after Raven. The alien doubted she would be able to catch her friend, as her legs were much shorter than his, and she didn't want to use her powers. That would be cheating.

It didn't matter though. This was fun!

When Ima arrived, she found Raven stopped. He tensed up, hands ready at his side, ready to grasp the single firearm he had brought along with him. His now flashing red eyes locked upon another man who stood a distance away, his side presented to the two as opposed to his back or face.

"Watch it, Ima, something's not right about this guy."

Raven took a sniff of the air, the scent disturbing him. The man ahead did nothing. He didn't move, he didn't blink, he simply stood there.

"Hey!"

Nothing.

"I said hey!"

"I heard you."

Icy words sent a chill through the air as the man spoke, never turnign his head to face them.

"I assume by your weapon you must be a local warrior."

"What of it?"

The man only stared ahead.

Ima pushed the thought of tag to the back of her mind for now, though she couldn't help but poke Raven once.

The child got a weird feeling from this person. He felt...cold. There wasn't really a better word that the child could think of. And Ima didn't really like cold.

Maybe being nice would warm him up?

"Hi person." Ima said to the stranger. "My name is Ima. What's your name?" She smiled kindly.

The man once again did not move. He remained completely quite, his sight locked straight ahead. This statue of a man disturbed Raven. He had met people like him before, but this calm about him. It was like death itself followed him where he walked. He studied his clothing, white robes hung down over black robes underneath, sandals on his feet, long brown hair and a goatee to match.

What caught raven's interest was what the man carried.

Whatever it was, it was quite long, six feet or over and shrouded by white clothe, wrapped around it multiple times for safe keeping and grasp within the hand of the owner.

Long minutes passed as the only sounds were that of the townsfolk and of the wind. Finally, as Raven was about to motion to Ima to leave, the man spoke. One sentence that shattered all hope of a calm day.

"Fight me."

Ima blinked. "Fight?" She looked between Raven and then stranger, and repeated the action several times. "Why fight?" She said, finally settling her questioning gaze on the stranger. "There's no point!"

The man answered her with the closing of his eyes.

"He's a warrior. We fight. I fight him, I kill him, I am the better warrior. This is everything."

He arched his head, almost rolling it over to face the two, his eyes slowly opening and piercing into the very soul of those he looked upon.

"Now. Fight me."

Raven shook his head. They were in the middle of town, he had only one weapon. He knew he'd be able to handle himself but only going into a fight with one basic means of survival.

"No way, man. I have no reason to fight you."

"So if you had a reason................you'd fight me?"

Hmph. This was all that was said following as the man returned to his original position.

"Then a reason you shall have."

Ima stared at the cold man, a funny look on her face. What reason could he give, she wondered. They didn't seem to know each other, and Ima certainly didn't know the man. What reason could he give?

"If you don't fight me........"

The man simply took a breath.

"I'll kill the towns folk."

Raven reached down to his gun, pulling it and holding it with both hands infront of him, aimed down sight at the stranger.

"I don't know what your problem is, dude, but you're not touching anyone here!"

Ima had the oddest sudden strong urge to use her powers to fling this guy into the atmosphere. It was gone as soon as it appeared though, so Ima didn't think much of it.

"Why would you do that?" She said. "Is it really that important? So important you'd kill others? Besides," She couldn't help but look at him with a look that said he was an idiot. "you know we wouldn't let you, even if you tried."

The alien didn't think she'd ever understand humans.

"Then it's settled."

The man sighed, raising his arm up at a fast paced, unraveleing the hidden item in his hand. As the cloth came to an end, a beautiful yet menacing sword hanging in mid air. He reached up, grabbing the hilt. It's serated edge was strange for most swords, it's red edge brilliant like a ruby.

"Defend yourself."