An ancient Roman styled bath house this time, a place of leisure, a place of relaxation. It was a melting pot for all the races, not one race was excluded from this place.
Like all previous establishments, a doppelgänger receptionist was stationed behind the desk, like a puppet, they all responded to the same strings of commands, a puppet master pulling at them from the darkness of a web.
They looked at Eren with the same glower as the previous ones, although, they seemed a little more hostile this time around.
"Human baths are too the left." They spoke bluntly, pointing down a corridor to the left.
"Okay... Do I need to pay or-"
"No. You have VIP membership. Now please go." A look of annoyance on the Doppelgänger. They probably all had the same information about the human searching around for missing people.
Eren walked through the corridors, passing other guests. People of different species, some were human, others were straight out of fantasy. Wolfmen, harpies, elves, dwarfs, and so many more.
The human section was empty; perfect. Eren wanted to be left in peace and quiet while looking for two mysterious foxes who were watching the human.
'From this point onwards, no clothes allowed in the baths.'
Was what a large sign read, written in every language.
"Hmmmm... I guess there's no harm with following the rules." The white-haired man undressed, wrapping a towel around himself.
Stepping through the curtain into the humid air, a wave of steam washed over the human, a warm embrace that felt like it could melt away all stress and worries.
A large bath, big enough to fit over a dozen people, with ample space in the waters. A waterfall feature, where hot water poured into the bath.
"Hello." Eren's voice echoed, but no one responded. He was the only person in the baths.
*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*
No persons; but two little foxes peeked from behind a pillar. They stared, with curiosity.
"Are you two the kitsune?" He asked, approaching slowly. Although his instincts said they were more dangerous than they appeared. Heads vanished back behind the pillars.
In their steed emerged two women. One with violet eyes and long, light brown hair. The other with silver hair and golden eyes. Both dressed in a traditional shrine maiden outfit; yet something was different about these girls. Their ears were of a fox, as were their tails.
"Listen I'm looking for a man named Dae-Jung. Do you-"
*Swish*
With a sudden rush; the violet eyed Kitsune struck first. A long Naginata swooshing through the air and aimed at the neck. Eren dodged by ducking under the blow.
"You filthy human! Spy of the spider, trying to lure us into your wicked webs." The violet eyed kitsune snarled.
*Swish* *Whoosh*
Eren continued to dodge and dodge, and dodge, eventually grabbing hold of the pole.
"I'm not with her. I'm just looking for-"
"You men are all the same. As soon as you get a sniff of that VIP membership, you are at the beck and call of that vile woman." The violet eyed Kitsune spat, yanking the Naginata out of Eren's grip.
*Shing* *Whoosh*
*Thump*
More jabs and swings; until Eren got a palm strike on the face of the violet eyed kitsune.
"Stop attacking me, I'm not with Jingfei. Please, I need your help." He pleaded once more, hoping to reason with the girl. But it was in vain as the other kitsune joined in.
*Whap*
The sound of a slap. Eren looked back to see the silver haired girl standing there. A look of contempt on her face. She was clearly pissed off about the strike to the violet eyes girls face.
Wielding a large katana; she sliced towards Eren's throat, but again the man ducked under.
*Swish* *Shing* *Swish* *Shing* *Swish* *Shing*
Both girls struck at Eren. But the reaper was far faster than either of them, and the blades became a blur, a dangerous dance that if miscalculated could cause death to anyone involved.
'Enough of this.' Eren attempted to summon his own weapons. But as if a block was placed on his powers. Nothing came.
'They're blocking my powers...' A dangerous situation now. Not even a shadow in this bathhouse, to bright as no shadows could live in this room.
*Shing*
*Swing*
In both hands Eren grabbed the blades; blood trickled down his hands and onto the floor.
"Listen... I am NOT with the spider. I have no association with Jingfei. So, stop attacking me!" The man yelled at the pair of girls.
"Yet you have VIP access. No one but the spiders' pawns have access to the VIP services." The other Kitsune spoke. Her voice was softer, almost like the sound of bells.
"You probably wanted a piece of us, soft little bodies, cute little tails, and a fresh scent of flowers. Disgusting pervert." The violet eyed girl sneered again. Stuck on a one-trick revile system. Eren wasn't sure if she knew any other words beyond these insults.
*Flop*
In the struggle, Eren's towel slipped off, leaving the Reaper fully exposed in front of the girls. A look of bashful horror on the girls faces as they stared at Eren's naked body.
*THUMP* *THUMP*
Seeing the opportunity, Eren knocked both kitsune to the ground, each letting out a grunt of pain.
"Y-You, dare expose yourself before the high priestesses of the great fox clan." Through blushed cheeks they looked at Eren; a mixture of anger and embarrassment.
"Will you two listen now!" He yelled. Stepping back, giving the girls some space. He was clearly pissed off at having to fight two shrine maidens with all to bare.
*Swish* *Swish* *Swish*
The golden eyed Kitsune brushed of her embarrassment continuing her flurry of swift strikes. Even with enhanced reaper reflexes, she was still fast enough to catch Eren. A deep cut to the arm. Slight cuts to his body.
Violet eyes got back to her feet, joining the assault. Eren backed up onto the edge of the bath, trying to avoid falling into the water.
*Tchk* *Tchk* *Tchk*
Both girls doubled, then doubled again. 8 mirror images of the girls swiped and struck at Eren. He barely dodged as they closed in on the man. The blades of 8 mirage kitsune all swiping down on the human.
*Swish* *Swish* *Swish*
All eight struck at once, but it was the real girls who did the most damage, the mirages only leaving thin, painful papercuts.
The naginata penetrated Eren's upper quad and the katana a deep cut to the abdomen. Both piercing the man. A sharp pain, and a sudden feeling of weakness.
He looked at them. A grimace on the face, but without anger or fear. Only disappointment. Disappointed that he fell while naked; laying in a growing pool of his own blood; the girls held him at blade point.
He lost.
***
"Speak boy. What do you know about Dae-Jung? Why does a spider seek answers for such an inconsequential human." Violet asked. Placing more pressure on the naginata, the tip pressed into Eren's flesh.
"Fuck... you!"
*Shing*
Another papercut, but this time to the cheek, the silver haired Kitsune drew her katana up, holding it over his eye.
"My sister has little patience with those who insult her. You better start talking before I let her remove your eye..." More compassion in her eyes compared to the violet of her sisters. She didn't want to harm the man, but she needed answers, more than she wanted to give mercy.
"Even if I had what you wanted. Torture doesn't work, you could make proclaim to be one of your sisters and it would still be more truthful than what you want me to say about Madam Jingfei." The Reaper replied. A look of defiance in the face.
He had a plan; although risky, it may just work. The violet eyed one, hated his guts. And could be more easily goaded into making a mistake. While the golden eyes girl seemed to hold back a little, unsure about harming the human. She could wait. She may have some information to use.
"I am no spider. I'm here looking for Dae-Jung. I was told by Kira that you two may have information regarding the disappearance of people. I was sent to get that information and then return. That is all."
Both girls gave each other a glance, a look of distrust on the violet eyes face, while golden looked like she believed the man.
"You lie! Men would do anything to worm themselves out of trouble." Violet spat. More pressure was added to the quad.
"Nngh... Heh, well then why were you so enamoured by my body?" Eren grinned through bloody teeth.
Violet eyes turned a deep red. She couldn't stick in her blade further due to the angle it was held. She needed to get into a better position to stab the man.
A chance.
With her blade withdrawn; Eren tugged it in. Pulling her down into his grasp.
"Let her go!" Golden yelled. She sliced once. But Eren used her sister as a shield.
"Unhand me you filthy man-"
"Stop! You need more male centred insults. Not repeating filthy and man over and over."
"What do you want?" Golden eyes withdrew her katana slightly, now holding it at a guard. She was worried for her sister.
"What I've said the entire time. Information about Dae-Jung. Do you know anything?" Her eyes seemed to react to that name, a faint light in the pools of gold.
"Don't tell him anything. He will only find the others..." A slip up, but something Eren can use to bargain.
"Others?"
Violet's face dropped, a look of shock.
"You... heard nothing. Your ears are too filled with male supremacy to hear-"
"Oh, for fucks sake, I just want-"
"Master!" The twin roars of two particularly energetic and playful wolf girls; echoed through the bathhouse, interrupting the tension. Hana and Tsuki rushed into the baths, nails elongated, eyes that of feral beasts; and a devil's grin bearing sharp canines.
"Get away from our master, foxes. Or we'll tear you both apart." Tsuki growled. Approaching slowly. Both wolves looked ready to kill. No longer the happy and carefree looks. These girls were out for blood.
Eren didn't want blood, not yet. These two girls still had information.
"Leave them." Eren ordered his escorts.
"Master?!" Both questioned at the same time, a look of confusion on both wolf girl's faces. Why would the man not let the wolves tear into the foxes; especially after being stabbed?
"I mean it. Stand down."
"But... Master! They hurt you. They need to-"
"I said no. You will both listen to me." He spoke with an assertive voice.
Teeth disappeared behind mouths; eyes returned to a human like state.
"Come on Akari." The golden eyed kitsune said. Pulling her sister off the ground.
Both Kitsune looked at the wolves. Fear, but also concern in those eyes. Turning back into their fox forms; they scurried away.
*Chack* *Crack*
The naginata left behind by the violet eyed man hater. Thrown into one of the lights overhead, enough to create small shadows around the bathhouse.
"Follow, them..." Weakly, he commanded Virtue and Vice to fly after the pair.
---
"Master... You're bleeding." Hana rushed over but caught a glimpse of something else.
"We need to get... you some... help." Tsuki too, gawked at the exposed Reaper.
*Giiiiiii~*
"Girls, eyes up here. Can you take me to someone who can help?" He asked the two wolves, still staring at the exposed man.
"We can...
"Yeah... We have medical healing powers!" Excited at the idea they could help, both Hana and Tsuki were back to the excited puppies. Their tails were wagging with the energy of a dog whose owner just threw a ball into the distance.
"Please then."
Dragging him along the blood-stained floor, leaving a trail of crimson.
Head first; tossed into the water.
'This better not be a way of drowning me.' Eren thought, closing his eyes as the water enveloped him.
It was some time but his head was pulled up out of the water.
"Girls... Why are you naked?" The Reaper asked. A look of drained confusion on the man.
"Cause were getting into the water...
"Master is silly." Hana and Tsuki spoke one after the other. Both now as naked as the day they were born. Sliding into the warm waters with Eren. He was sat, almost unconscious in the baths. Blood continued to pour from the wound.
Hana's hand was on Eren's leg. Her touch was gentle, but firm. She held the limb in place, a warm, glow radiated from her hand.
Tsuki worked on the abdomen wound, a similar golden glow emanated from the girls' hands, and the flesh began to heal up.
'These... girls...surprising." Eren began to slip in and out of conscious. His body was healing, and the exhaustion was setting in, now that adrenaline was leaving.
"Oi! Master stay awake...
"You have some explaining to do..." The two wolf girls spoke, one at a time. Both keeping Eren from going to sleep.
"Fine..." He said, rubbing at the tired eyes. "What do you want?"
"When we went to prepare our room, you disappeared...
"Why did you abandon Hana and Tsuki?" The two asked, speaking like they were one being. One very hurt being.
"I'm sorry girls... Something came up. I had to investigate. How... did you find me?" The embrace of slumber called out. Eren wanted to rest; to sleep. But these two girls kept the man awake.
"Silly, were wolf kin... We can sniff out anything." Hana said, giving a toothy grin to her sister.
"Yeah... You could be across the world, and we'd find you. This all a part of the VIP service don't you know."
"Okay... I believe it. Well done." He praised, giving both girls a little head pat with the hands. They giggled, nuzzling up closer to the master.
"Master should relax...
"Yeah... master nearly died. While he was our client. Rest..."
The world faded. Lights, steam of the water. Darkness.
"Goodnight master..."
"Goodnight..."
***
"Master..." The faint echo stirred Eren slightly, a gentle voice in the darkness.
"Master... you need to wake up." It spoke again; closer, louder.
*Poke* *Poke* *Poke* *Poke*
Eren eyes jolted opened, a sudden wave of awareness washed over the man. Saku stood over the Reaper. Hair nearly in the face of the other.
"Saku? What happened?" Eren asked the shadow spirit. His two wolf companions leaned against either side of the man. Both asleep in a deep, restful slumber.
"You were nearly killed. You must be careful in the future, or you may not be so lucky next time. Especially in that form." It spoke in a voice devoid of emotion, cold and analytical.
"Yeah, walking into a death trap by accident, they must have had a blocker on my other powers." Taking a stand from the water's now cold touch.
"How did you summon yourself?" Eren asked, curious how a shadow managed to emerge where none were.
"It was a challenge to break through the barriers but I managed to push through it. Whilst you were recovering, I took the liberty of continuing your investigations."
"Thank you, Saku. Did you mind anything?"
"Your two assailants have split off. One heading south, the other exploring other nearby pleasure houses. I have also taken the liberty to clean up the mess and dispose of the blood." Saku almost with pride.
*Wave*
Three soldiers, mops and buckets in hand scrubbed at the dried blood of the Reaper. Small little aprons and headbands adorned the shadow spirits, each working tirelessly to clean the blood.
They all looked very pleased with themselves.
"Once again, Thank you."
Eren began make his way back to the entrance. Turning back to his saviours.
"Take them out and put a towel over them." He ordered.
One solider, scurried over. Dragging the pair out. Placing them nearby.
A towel over the top of both; giving some modesty to the passed-out wolf girls. And to prevent them from catching a cold, laying there wet.
Back to where his clothes were; a note lay atop the pile.
'Your search has caused many problems. Patrons are beginning to feel uneasy and guarded. Please, meet me at the 'Widows peak.' I would like to talk. Madam Jingfei.'
"I must have really kicked the hornets' nest."
"What will you do first?" Saku quizzed.
"The golden eyed fox, which way did she go?"
"Nearby, scouting the area."
"She has something she wants to share. Without her violent half to hold her back. She can speak more freely." Eren surmised.
"Very wise master."
Eren set off, mind not on the mission ahead. But rather. 'How am I going to explain this to Kaori?'
Sleeping with naked wolf girls. That is one whey to end a relationship before it even began.