Chapter 24

Darker Business

With Arkay as a new addition to their group, Erin and her companions were walking through the bustling streets of Moonstone City. While the cat boy gave them some much needed additional abilities that would assist them greatly in their quest for revenge against Lune, they still weren’t completely certain of their chances. After all, they were looking to infiltrate a high level military base that was crawling with guards and some of them were most likely very powerful individuals as well. In other words, the odds were clearly against them.

Erin felt the that they needed more help in order to make their attack successful, but that was easier said than done. People that would be willing to risk their lives on such a battle weren’t exactly common and openly asking others to join them would most likely get them in trouble with the local law enforcement very fast. Thanks to Arkay’s actions against the government officials being widely known through his Midnight Thief robberies, it had been easy to pin him as a potential ally. Others wouldn’t be so easy to find, though.

Since they didn’t have any better options, Erin figured that they would try to hire mercenaries to their aid. Unfortunately, this would require a lot of money on their part, which they didn’t have. Even though Arkay had managed to steal a lot from his targets, he didn’t have much left for himself. This was because he liked to donate most of his spoils to the less fortunate people in the city, while only keeping enough for himself to pay for his own necessities.

However, the cat boy was able to provide his comrades with information that would help them make a lot of money very fast. Due to him having to sell a lot of the things he had stolen in order to get money for his robberies, Arkay had become knowledgeable with some of the shadier parts of the city. This led to him finding out about things like gambling venues, secret slave trades and underground fight arenas. The last one of these was something that got the interest of Erin and Ryle, who immediately asked their young companion to show them the way to such a place.

The fight arenas were essentially illegal venues, where people could earn money by either participating in the fights themselves or by betting on the results. Despite them being officially outlawed, such things were able to operate without trouble, as the owners had bribed the correct people to turn a blind eye to the whole thing.

The fights themselves were very brutal that often led to the death of the loser. The only rule was that while inside the ring, none of the fighters could receive any help from the outside. This meant that pretty much any method of fighting was allowed, whether you used your own physical strength, magic or weapons. Only very powerful explosives were banned for obvious reasons.

Even though she didn’t like the idea of taking part in such a thing, Erin saw no better way for them to get the money they needed. Bounty hunting relied too much on them being lucky that wanted criminals were in the area and even then their bounties could be small. For them to get the money they needed as fast as they needed it, they would have to take a very big risk.

“A-Are you guys sure you want to do this?” Arkay asked his companions as they were making their way to the shadier part of the city. “While I get that we need money, I’m sure there are a lot safer ways to do so.”

“I appreciate the concern, Arnie, but we don’t have many options,” Erin said. “The fact is that we need a lot of money and fast, so this is the only option we have. As much as I’d like to take my time slowly collecting the amount we need, we don’t know if Lune is going to stay in the city for long. He could get sent to another place at any moment, if we don’t hurry.”

“Besides, you don’t need to be afraid!” Ryle added with a big grin. “We’ll make sure no creep gets their hands on you while we’re in there, so don’t you worry about a thing! Just leave everything to these two big sisters! Especially me.”

“I’m not worried about myself!” Arkay quickly said. “It’s you two that I’m worried about…”

“Awww! You’re just precious!” the blonde woman said happily as she pulled the cat boy into a strong hug, causing him to blush. “But you don’t need to worry about us! We can handle ourselves! Right, Erin!?”

“We sure can,” the redhead replied with a smile. “However, would you mind letting him go? He is our guide after all.”

Reluctantly, Ryle let go of Arkay, who proceeded to lead the way to the underground fight pit. At first, they would need to stop by a black market merchant, who often bought the things the cat boy had stolen. This was because Arkay didn’t know the location of the fight pit himself, only that it existed in the city. The merchant was someone that could point them in the right direction.

As the three of them kept moving, the lively bustling streets of the city started to become less and less crowded, until they came to a part of the city that seemed completely abandoned. But while it appeared to be devoid of people living in it, the place was anything but empty. While they were making their way through the narrow streets and alleys, Erin and Ryle kept noticing people that were keeping an eye on them from the shadows, whether it was from behind dark corners or small cracks in walls and closed windows. Both could tell that they were being sized up by the local residents.

Luckily, there weren’t any incidents, as the trio made it to a large staircase that led them underground. At the bottom of the stairs was a closed gate that was guarded by two armed men. Upon noticing that they had visitors, both guards at first grasped their weapons before relaxing when they saw Arkay. Without saying a word, the cat boy gave one of the guards a few coins before the gate was opened and they were allowed inside.

The sight behind the gate was something that caused both Erin and Ryle’s eyes to go wide immediately. The entrance had somehow been able to completely muffle the storm of noise that accompanied the scene before them, as what appeared to be a busy market was now in front of their eyes.

The place was bustling almost as much as the busy streets of the city itself, as different vendors were trying to call out for potential customers and dozens upon dozens of people were walking through the streets, going through the businesses around them. Lights were set up on the ceiling, which illuminated the place enough to make you think you were still walking above ground. Even without the lights above, there were more than enough brightly flashing signs to give you more than enough light.

The vendors around varied from all sorts of different businesses. There were places that seemed normal enough, such as bars, weapon stores and such. However, one only needed to look around for a second to find slave merchants, illegal narcotics and even assassins for hire to tell you that this was no ordinary market square, but a den of sin where money could get you anything.

But it wasn’t just the businesses there that warned you of the dangers around you, as the people themselves were practically oozing with an aura that put you on edge. Ryle in particular could smell the stench of blood on almost everyone there. If one were to look for someone without a criminal record on them in this place, they probably would end up spending an eternity doing so without ever finding a single one.

Much to the surprise of both Erin and Ryle, Arkay seemed to be completely fine while walking through such streets. The cat boy was very shy and timid, so they would have expected him to be more scared. It seemed like he was used to coming here, most likely due to his profession as a thief.

The three companions continued their journey in silence, hoping to not catch the attention of anyone. Luckily for them, this area had its own set of rules that ensured safe passage for them. They were soon standing in front of a store called “Lady Luxley’s Mixed Goodies”.

“This is the place,” Arkay said to his companions. “I often brought some of my stolen goods here to be sold. The person who owns this place is someone who has been living here for decades, so if there is anyone that knows anything about the things going on around here, it’s her.”

“Alright. Lead the way,” Erin said. “We’ll be right behind you.”

The cat boy opened the door and the trio went inside. The inside of the store was surprisingly well kept with all the items organized neatly. The things being sold there were mostly all sorts of fancy items, such as vases, jewelry, golden trinkets of all sizes and so on. There were very few actual weapons and they were mostly meant for decoration, as they were covered in gold and all sorts of jewels.

There was a counter that had the owner sitting behind it. She was an older fox person with red hair. Despite her age, she still looked quite beautiful, giving off the aura of a more mature and dignified woman. She was reading a book when the three companions came in, upon which she quickly put away her book and switched into customer service mode right away.

“Welcome to Lady Luxley’s Mixed Goodies, my dear friends! How can I-?” the fox lady called out happily to her customers, before stopping upon seeing Arkay. “Oh Arnie dear! How nice of you to visit me! Did you perhaps get your hands on some interesting items again?”

“Uhhh… N-Not this time, madam,” Arkay answered nervously. “This time I’m here for other type of business.”

“Other type of business you say? What could that possibly-?” Luxley began to say before noticing the cat boy’s companions. A grin spread across her face immediately. “Ah! I see! You decided to take my advice and quit all that dangerous thieving business and went to get a job at the Maiden’s Nest! I see you’ve even managed to get your first two customers. You work really fast, don’t you? So what kind of items do you need for your new profession?”

Both Erin and Arkay blushed heavily at the implication. Ryle was the only one not affected, as she didn’t know what the fox lady was talking about. She gave confused glances at her two companions, wondering why they were reacting in such a way.

“Hey, what’s wrong with the two of you?” the blonde asked. “Am I missing something?”

“Are you for-!?” Erin began to ask, only to stop herself. “Never mind! Just lend me your ear for a moment.”

Ryle leaned towards the redhead, who then whispered into her ear. Once Erin was done, the blonde’s eyes were as wide as possible and her whole face was flushed red. It seemed like she finally understood what Luxley had been implying.

“Just to clear things up, I haven’t exactly changed my occupation. Especially in that way… But I do need your help for my next job,” Arkay began to explain to the merchant. “My companions and I are in the need of money and we need it fast. I’ve heard about a fight pit that’s being held here. Can you tell us where it is?”

“The fight pit? Dear, you shouldn’t go into such a horrid place. It doesn’t suit a gentle soul such as yourself,” Luxley said. “There are safer ways to earn a lot of money fast. I can tell you about them, if you’re interested.”

“N-No no! That’s fine!” the cat boy quickly said with a blush, imagining the things the fox lady had on her mind. “Besides, I won’t be the one fighting. One of my friends will do it, while I simply earn some extra through betting on the fights. Could you tell us where the place is?”

“Hmmm… I suppose I could, but that alone won’t do you much good,” Luxley answered thinking to herself. “You see, not just anyone is let inside the fight club. Only those who are determined either strong enough to offer good entertainment or those who have enough money to gamble are allowed to enter.”

“How do gain entrance then?” Erin asked. “Is there some sort of a test that we need to take or something?”

“Oh, nothing of the sort! What you need is a special card that shows you are recognized as worth their time in that place,” the fox lady explained. “However, only very few people can give these cards, so you’d need to first find a person who can do this and then convince them to enter the fight pit.”

“Well, where do we find one of these people then!?” Ryle asked, as she was starting to get frustrated over the conversation seemingly not going anywhere. “We don’t have all day here and we need to start making some cash quick!”

“Now now, no need to lose your temper, little miss. The answer to your problem is much closer than you might think,” Luxley answered as she pulled something out of her pocket and put it on the table. It was a white card that had a red picture of a grinning devil on it. “As it happens, I can give you one of such cards to let you inside.”

“Oh, thank you so much!” Arkay said happily as he went to grab the card, only for the fox lady to take it away.

“Not so fast, darling! I never said I was going to give it to you for free, did I?” Luxley said playfully. “Not only is the card itself very valuable, but I’m sure you’ll need quite a bit of money as well, right? The fight pit isn’t some little kids’ gambling area, but a den for real gamblers that bet on the lives of people. If you show up there with your pocket money, you’ll only get laughed out of there. However, I might be willing to give you enough money along with this card, if you provide me with something on your end.”

“So it is a trade that you want from us then?” Erin asked with narrowed eyes, suspicious over the merchant’s intentions. “What is it that you want? Do you want us to steal something for you or something?”

“Oh, there’s no need to do something like that!” Luxley replied nonchalantly, before looking at Arkay. “What I desire from you is something that you actually already have in your possession.”

“We’re NOT handing Arnie to you!” Ryle shouted angrily as she put the cat boy in a protective hug, trying to shield him from the fox lady. “If you think we are willing to sell him just for some stupid card, you’ve got another thing coming your way!”

“Calm yourself! I’m not going to ask for him! That would be far too unfair of a deal and I would never imagine any of you agreeing to it!” Luxley said while giggling to herself a bit, amused by the blonde woman’s protective antics. “Although, what I desire is related to him.”

“W-What is it then?” Arkay asked, blushing a bit over the hug he was in. “What do you want from me?”

“It’s quite simple. I want one piece of your clothing from when you were acting as the Midnight Thief,” the fox lady answered. “You have a surprising amount of fans, you see. Some of them would be willing to pay me incredible amounts of money for almost anything related to you. You give me a piece of your clothing and you’ll be getting the card from me. Deal?”

Both Erin and Ryle felt disgust and anger welling up inside themselves at Luxley’s offer. Both of them knew well just what type of people would be looking to buy such an article from her. Had it not been for the sudden response from Arkay, there is no telling what the two of them would have done to the merchant.

“Is that all? You have a deal!” the cat boy said happily. “Is there any specific piece of clothing you want from me or is anything fine?”

“Almost anything is fine, as long as it is part of your Midnight Thief outfit,” Luxley replied with a wide smile, already looking forward to the profits she would be making. Without even a sign of hesitation, Arkay took off his cloak and put it on the counter and received the card along with some money. “Thank you for your continued patronage. Also, if you’re ever in the need of some money, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.”

“I-I will keep that in mind… Thank you,” the cat boy said meekly before leaving the store followed by his two companions that shot glares at Luxley before leaving.

Once they were outside, Erin and Ryle noticed that Arkay seemed to be shivering and was breathing strangely, like he was having a panic attack. Both women immediately rushed to his side to offer help and comfort to their distraught friend.

“Arnie, are you alright?” Erin asked with a worried tone as she put her hand on the boy’s right shoulder. “You look like you’ve just seen a ghost or something!”

“If it’s because of that creepy fox hag, I can go and take care of her!” Ryle said as she stood to the left of Arkay while gently rubbing his back in a comforting manner. “Just say the word and I will-”

“No! I mean… There’s no need for that,” the cat boy quickly said in order to stop his companions from acting out. “It’s just… I just get a bit overwhelmed whenever I visit Luxley. I just need a moment to compose myself and I’ll be alright.”

“If you get like this every time you visit her, why not just go to someone else?” Erin asked. “I’m sure that there are others out there that could offer the same services.”

“No there are not. Luxley is the best merchant for me, even if I don’t like it,” Arkay said as he shook his head. “Even if she scares me with all of her comments and requests, I get a much better price for the things I’m selling from her when compared to others. Not only that, but I’m sure that no one else would have been willing to sell us the card we got for the fight pit.”

“But how can you go to someone like her? What makes you so sure she won’t suddenly betray you and do something horrible to you?” Ryle asked in a worried tone.

“Not only is she the closest thing to a trustworthy merchant around here, I also know that she wouldn’t betray me all so suddenly unless she was forced to. This is because she sees me as an investment,” the cat boy began to explain. “The more I continue my work as the Midnight Thief, the more my worth rises as well. This isn’t just in the bounty one can claim from me, but also from selling me to someone on the black market. There are people out there who like to make collections out of notorious criminals and other famous people, and Luxley knows she can make far more money from someone like that than from the bounty on my head. However, she is patient enough to let my fame grow, so she can get even more money from when she finally decides to sell me. I wouldn’t be surprised if she wanted a part of my outfit in order to test how much she could get.”

“Then we shouldn’t have come here in the first place!” Erin said. “If you’re in such danger, we should have just looked for other options and-”

“There aren’t any other options for us, I’m afraid. But don’t worry. I don’t regret coming here at all,” Arkay said as she looked up at his friends with a small smile on his face. “Even if I had to sell myself on the black market, I wouldn’t hesitate to do so for you two.”

“W-Why would you say that?” the redhead asked with wide eyes. “What could possibly make you think that sacrificing your own freedom would be worth it to help us?”

“Because unlike me, you two are willing to fight back against Lune and his troops,” the cat boy answered. “While I have always hoped to avenge my parents and my village, I always knew in the back of my mind that I would never be able to achieve it on my own. In all honesty, some of my latest robberies were done more for the sake of allowing me to ignore the fact that I could never achieve my revenge. Then suddenly, you two came and announced that you were looking to do that which I had practically given up on. Even if I could only help you a bit, I’d be willing to die-”

Arkay was suddenly cut off by Erin pulling him into a tight hug. The redhead couldn’t stand to listen to the cat boy saying such things any longer and needed to stop him somehow.

“Stop saying such things. Don’t speak like your life doesn’t matter,” Erin whispered while holding back tears in her eyes. “Do you think we would like it if you were to sacrifice yourself for our sake? We could never live with that, so don’t say anything like that ever again.”

“Yeah, what she said!” Ryle said as she joined the redhead in hugging the silver-haired boy. “Arnie, you’re our friend and comrade. There’s no way we would ever allow anything bad to happen to you! And that includes bad things happening from your own actions as well! So don’t you ever even think about putting your own well-being in risk for our sake no matter what! I’m sure that no matter what the issue is, we can solve it together, so just trust us!”

“I… I don’t know what to say,” Arkay said, taken aback by the love and support he was given. “Thank you… Thank you both so much.”

“Hey, that’s what friends are for, aren’t they?” Erin said with a smile. “Now let’s go find that fight pit, okay? Might as well get some use out of our recent purchase.”

The redhead let go of her young friend so that they could search the area, but Arkay was having issues moving around. This was because Ryle still had her arms around him in a tight hug.

“Ummm… Ms. Ryle? Could you let go of me?” the cat boy asked a bit awkwardly with a blush on his face.

“No,” was the simple reply from the blonde. “I’m keeping you safe for as long as we are here.”

“Ryle, I know you want to protect him. I feel the same way,” Erin said. “But don’t you think you’re going a bit overboard?”

“I’m just taking necessary precautions!” Ryle argued. “After all, if I was given the chance, I would kidnap him and- I MEAN IF I WAS ONE OF THE CRIMINALS HERE!”

“...I’m starting to think he might need protection from YOU.”