After Susanoo’s petty victory, she decided to go on an early lunch and see the city. It was there she met a young man with honey brown hair and dark blue eyes wearing a dark suit in the park. For Susanoo he always looked drop dead gorgeous when he is dressed up. It was like he was talking to a few dogs and having a conversation with them. When he was done, the dogs scampered away to their owners or have fun some rounds.
The young man would see Susanoo weeding back at him with a smile. He sighed as he courteously laid back with a smile. It was like he knew what happened long before anybody told him of anything. Still, he had to be diplomatic for everyone’s sake.
The two met up to speak about things, especially about current events.
Mainly, about work in general.
They took a stroll along the walkway.
“Dante, I heard about the missing persons cases that you have been working on the past five months. It appears most of them were children that were abducted 15 to 20 years ago. Some numbered project--”
“You know that is classified. I cannot talk about it with uncleared personnel,” the young man named Dante said.
His full name is Dante Stryker is also a Daemon Knight; like Arcana, he is the first knight of his roundtable. Primarily he works around the British Columbian area, protecting members of the Order of the Black Wing.
He enlisted in the Stygian Society at a young age and became one of the most stalwart Daemon Knights next to Arcana, earning mastery in Swordsmanship and Marksmanship. Dante is pretty much the go-to guy when it comes to ranger missions and rescue missions.
At a younger age, Susanoo was a bit cold to him and saw him as a rival. But eventually warmed up to him and became friendly, since those bitter feelings were a bit one-sided. She admired his strength and intelligence but fell in love with him for his shy yet confident nature, especially five years ago when she lost her mother in London.
“As administrator in our United Kingdom division--”
“Then you should know, Susanoo, reassigning other daemon knights without notice could destroy the case.” Dante cutting her off.
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“She is not like us, Dante! She is a pretender!” She shouted.
He just laughed it off, “I bet you and daddy proved that with all of your friends…” He rebutted.
Usually, Dante’s kind demeanor is always present. But not today for obvious reasons.
“Look, you don’t really have that many people to be on your side as it is. You and Morpheus have a target on your foreheads. You know Marco is not a threat to you. Just wanted to make an example for everyone.” Dante analyzed correctly.
Susanoo stopped him as he faced him eye to eye, “we don’t have the luxury of spoiling and coddling fakes.” She defended.
“And we will never know if she is a real one.” He dismissed.
Susanoo scowled as she swallowed hard, “you’re familiar with the lost wicca culture.”
Dante shrugs, “it goes hand-in-hand with Black Shuck.” He said with a smile. “I thought these were the kind of nephalems that were extinct like us. But we adapted and evolved into what we are today. Knowing to myself, if there is one extreme that I am a part of this existence, then there has to be another that is out there.”
“Existing…” Susanoo being sarcastic.
“That’s what Marco wanted more out of this entire case. She wanted answers.” Dante said as he pulled out a small Polaroid photo that was severely faded away.
He showed it to Susanoo, and it puzzled her.
“I do know what it was myself until she told me what it was. A childhood photo, around twenty years ago.” Dante said.
“It looks like two girls…” Susanoo identified.
“Marco swore it was a boy in this photo,” Dante said as he folded the photo back up, “she told me that she didn’t need it anymore…”
“Then just throw it out!” Susanoo bellowed.
“Because unlike you, Susanoo, I would still like to make friends at work.” Dante insults. “You can be the most wonderful woman in the world towards me, but this isn’t working. I too have parents who have accomplished so much, and I have to live up to their expectations whether they want me to or not. Yet that was just the pressure I put on myself. Until I learned to let it all go,” him being truthful
Susanoo smiled, “did Marco tell you that?” Her being condescending.
Dante scowled. He could’ve just bit his tongue and just moved on, but Susanoo need to hear this, “When your mother was in the hospice--”
The core mood became dark as the enraged Susanoo got in his face, “Don’t you even dare!” she warned. “My mother was a lot of things, but being insightful and spiritual on her deathbed was not one of them. It was the drugs talking.”
Dante looked away as he shook his head, “they are all forms commitment and love that we all had to adhere to--”
“THERE WAS NO LOVE!” Susanoo shouted in his face as it almost got the attention of everyone who heard it.
Dante calmy took a step back as she looked into the eyes of the bitter woman, “A flower cannot live and grow without sunshine, Susanoo. Sometimes, you have to let the sun in.”
With those parting words, Dante walked away from her.
Breathing heavily, Susanoo felt like she was somewhat betrayed.
That photo. What was the symbolism behind it?