"Do you mind explaining why a pair of pants is glued to the wall next to your bed?"

"He's not just a pair of pants. Call him Sir Slacks."

Maki had a confused and weirded out expression on his face. He was curious why Rey was treating a ragged pair of pants with such care and respect. He was afraid that Rey became crazy for some reason unknown to him.

"What's so great about this...Sir Slacks...?"

Maki cringed as he uttered the name of the pants. Rey noticed this and frowned he wanted to berate Maki for being embarrassed in saying Sir Slacks' respectable good name, but he decided against it. He needed to preach his greatness to Maki.

"You hunted a mantis alone and tried to take a spiders corpse back home?"

"Yep."

A proud smile could be found on Rey's face. He was expecting Maki to look at him with awe and to shower him with praises. Maki was looking at him with his mouth open not knowing what to say.

"I know. I know, They say I'm a prodigy. Not my wor—"

"Are you stupid?!"

"Huh?"

"What were you thinking hunting a mantis all alone? What if you were unlucky and the mantis won? You would die without us knowing!"

"No need to get so angry, man. I'm alive and in one piece that's what counts. Besides, they say I'm a prodi—"

"Don't."

Maki started massaging his temples. Rey was acting nonchalant about it, he even kept bragging how he was able to beat the mantis.

"Why did you do it?"

"I just felt like it."

Rey shrugged. He couldn't tell Maki about his plan, not yet. Maki was already suspicious about Rey. He was acting strange yesterday and all of a sudden he went to the hunting grounds alone to hunt.

"If you say so."

He knew Rey was lying to him. He decided not to pry further. A time would come when Rey would tell him. He knew his personality. Even though he was childish, Rey wouldn't do something without a reason behind it.

An awkward silence covered the room.

Grooowlll~~

Maki's stomach rumbled. The serious expression he had became an embarassed one.

"Want to go with me to the cafeteria?"

Rey asked. He was also hungry. He called Maki over here for him to boast about his accomplishments, but he got an earful from him instead.

"Your treat?"

"Didn't I tell you I absorbed the spider instead."

"You were in the 49th floor right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Vines are everywhere in that floor you could've used it to tie the spider to your back or use it as a make shift belt for your pants."

Rey went silent.

'Why didn't I think of that.'

He looked at the pants that was glued to the wall near his bed side. He found his answer.

"Eh, I already absorbed it. I even got this."

Rey proudly showed the only Indigo striped bracelet he had.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Whatever, let's go eat."

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

Two people sat around a small circular table. They were in a small empty tavern drinking cheap ale and laughing out loud. The tavern keeper was no where to be seen, they were serving their own drinks.

"Tell me one more wise quote!"

The person who talked had a smooth masculine voice. He had a wide smile plastered on his face and was waiting in anticipation for the other side to speak.

The man had brown hair which was fairly long and a sharp nose with a prominent bridge. A cleft chin and a defined jaw resulted in his face being a fine piece of work. He had deep blue eyes which mesmerized who ever gazed upon it.

"Here, Do not be ashamed to fart while you urinate..."

The person on the other side spoke with a husky voice. He was waiting for the man in front of him to ask him why so he could finish his punchline.

The man had wavy black hair which was cut short and a small nose. His cheekbones were more prominent giving him a rounder look. He had brown eyes and long eye lashes. His facial features gave him a feminine look.

"Why?"

"...there is no rain without thunder."

They looked each other in the eyes for a moment and started laughing hysterically. They were slapping the table while holding their stomachs while laughing.

"They think we're dead right?"

The friendly atmosphere around them turned serious. The wide smile that formed from laughing was erased from the black haired man's face.

"Did you really have to ruin the mood, Chris?"

"I just can't remove the feeling of uneasiness you know?"

The brown haired man was named Chris. Ever since they faked their deaths they were on the run. Chris couldn't help but feel anxious about the future. The black haired man spoke.

"Both of us wanted to leave the Shade Syndicate. We've had enough of them. The only way we could've left without losing our lives was to fake our own deaths."

Chris nodded. They entered the syndicate in hopes of a better future, they didn't know that they had to trample other people's dreams to achieve that future.

"I thought we were the good guys, when we found out the real truth behind the syndicate I was sure our bodies wouldn't have heads on them right now."

The black haired man rubbed his neck and let out a sigh. Both of them were high ranking officials in the syndicate they were in. Their deaths would have been a huge blow to the group.

"That reminds me. Out of the numeral ranks I'm the lowest. My absence in the syndicate wont affect them at all, they could just promote one of their lackeys to take my place. After all I'm only the Two of clubs."

Chris spoke sullenly. He went through his pockets and placed a plain deck of cards on the table.

Brrrrrrrrrpp....

He started shuffling the cards and pulled out two random cards. He placed it down the table showing only its back. The black haired man looked at it with interest as if he knew the symbols under the card.

"However, you on the other hand. You are a different case, If we were still in the syndicate I would be told to address you politely, but were free men now."

He lifted one of the cards and it showed the Two of clubs which represented him.

"With your absence, the syndicate must be in shambles trying to find who "killed" you. Must be nice being part of the Royal Suite."

He took a sip of ale and a playful smile appeared on Chris' face. He reached towards the second card and showed its figure.

"Isn't that right, Mr. Jack of Spades?"

The black haired man smiled.

"No use in calling me that anymore. As you said we're not in a syndicate anymore, no?"

He took a sip and took the card that symbolized the Jack of Spades.

"With me gone, they're going to have a hard time finding a replacement for me. Not to boast, but I'm stronger than their Jack of Clubs. We sparred one time and he didn't even make me sweat. What a disappointment."

Chris looked at him and laughed. He was present in the duel between both Jacks. It was the Jack of Clubs who started the argument of whose the stronger one. He clearly remembered the power that both Jacks displayed in that fight. As expected of two Late Alpha Class hunters.

"Which world do we move to after this one?"

Chris queried, he didn't feel safe staying in one place. The eyes of the syndicate were scattered everywhere.

The black haired man pondered for a while. He wanted to go to a world where the syndicate's eyes won't find them. They were currently in the world of Aephyr. It was a relatively safe location with only a few syndicate members present there.

He first thought of going to Cerelitus, a world covered by deep mist. He knew that the syndicate didn't have any watchers there. He quickly decided against going to Cerelitus.

He remembered why they didn't have any watchers present there. The world was filled with dangers that even Alpha Class hunters would have a hard time handling.

One world came up in his mind, It was under the jurisdiction of their rival syndicate. It was safe there as long as they don't reveal themselves to those scarlet villains.

They didn't know what they look like so it was safe for them to go there. Cards of the same color could feel a vague feeling of another card's presence near them.

"We're going to Earth."

"Isn't that the Scarlet Syndicate's territory?"

"Exactly."

Chris gasped in realization. If they were in enemy territory the Shade Syndicate would have problems finding them there. If they were to enter the Scarlet Syndicate's territory a war would ensue.

"How smart. You really are worthy of the Jack title."

"What are you implying? Nevermind. Once we enter earth we need to stop talking about our the syndicate or else we might get caught by the scarlets."

"I know that."

"Also start calling me by my name from now on."

"But you didn't tell me your real name even once. You were fine with me calling you Jack so I thought that was your name."

"Oh really? I must have forgotten to tell you. Lets reintroduce ourselves shall we?"

"Chris Raflamir, nice to meet you...again."

Chris held out his hand and the black haired man reached out to shake it.

"Ishtar Faesworth, nice to meet you too."