Kuro

Night descended upon the city almost imperceptibly. A recent rain had left a thin film of water upon the rooftops, and the dim glow of streetlamps bled into the puddles on the wet asphalt. A few blocks away, the distant sound of shattering glass still echoed—another skirmish between Servamps had ended only moments ago, but its aftereffects still hung heavy in the air.

Kuro sat on the edge of an abandoned building, legs dangling over the side. He idly toyed with the edge of his sleeve, casting occasional glances at the deserted street. Beside him, Mahiru was intently scanning the alleyway, trying to determine where their opponent had vanished.

— Someone's here, — Mahiru said quietly.

— Uh-huh.

Kuro didn't even lift his head. Only his ears twitched ever so slightly, catching the sound of footsteps moving between the buildings.

A gust of wind swept across the rooftop. Somewhere below, a metal door slammed shut, followed by an uncharacteristic silence.

Kuro slowly opened his eyes.

— Don't tell me we have to go somewhere again...

— Kuro, now is not the time for—

Mahiru cut himself off. A metallic clang rang out from the dark alley, followed by a short rustle. Instantly, the sleepiness vanished from Kuro's expression.

— Wait.

He stood up and looked down. Your presence emerged within the faint light of a streetlamp.

Kuro recognized you almost immediately. For a few seconds, he watched you in silence, as if trying to discern exactly what had brought you here.

— Ah... so that's how it is.

He hopped down onto a fire escape, stopping a level below. Mahiru shifted his gaze toward you, gripping his weapon warily.

— Not exactly the best time for a stroll, — Kuro remarked lazily.

A low, unpleasant sound drifted from the depths of the alley once more. An elongated shadow flickered against the far wall—too fast and too distorted to be a normal human.

Kuro turned his head toward it, then looked back at you.

His gaze sharpened.

The shadow vanished, but a moment later, the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder. Mahiru braced himself for a confrontation, while Kuro remained standing on the stairs, clearly in no hurry to be the first to intervene.

— So, let's skip the riddles, — he said. — Are you here by accident, or do you know what's hiding in this alley?