#and thanks to tha urban legend idea coming from nervouswizardcycle I was somehow able to create the one shot

[chevvy-yates]

The Golden Demon of Kabuki

“Have you heard of that legend about an Oni, a kind of yokai which is Japanese for a ghost or a demon, roaming the nonilluminated streets and dark alleys of Kabuki?”

“Nah – but you got my attention by just mentioning ‘yokai’, so shoot!”

 “You did not? I thought you know Kabuki inside out!?”

“Japan Town – I know Japan Town inside out.” Vijay grinned kinda mischievously, before he added “You gonna tell me now or what!?”

His team mate didn’t intend to answer right away. And a mere second later Vijay newly asked “Hizumiiii please — tell me more, will ya!?” Hizumi let out a sigh. They wouldn’t get around it anyway after they mentioned it to him.

“Alright, I’ll give you what I know. Rumor has it this deadly red-eyed demon is roaming the district for about five years and just lately got pretty active again. Even the friggin’ Tyger Claws seem to be scared as shit of it and piss off immediately when they see or sense anything they associate with it.” Vijay noticed a small smile on Hizumis lips. They seemed very pleased someone or something was clearing up those nasty fuckers. And Chigasaki-san hated nothing more than Tygers.

“You seen it, too?” he asked out of curiosity.

“No, and somehow I don’t want to – Oni are fierce. Said to be fairly large and according to Japanese folklore they are ferocious demons, bringing disaster and punish the damned in hell.”

“I’m huge, too!” Vijay casually threw in making Hizumi roll their eyes.

“However, I’ve seen some gang literally dressing up in a fashionable way like what the Demon of Kabuki is supposed to look like just to scare some baddies away. They either must be fearless or thinking the Oni is literally just some horrific tell-tale.”

“Look’s important too, you know? Tell me about its appearance.”

“What the Oni looks like you want to know? Oh-oh, you wouldn’t dare to believe it.”

“Jus’ tell me, I’m hooked as fuck now!”

“From what I’ve heard, the last you’ll see is a golden shimmer that, given the chance of some neon light reflecting in its scales, glitters in every color you could probably imagine — like a giant serpent winding around its victim in the golden hour sun. The Demon is also said to be wielding a Kanabo.”

“What’s that?”

“A Japanese war club used by samurai in feudal Japan. Translated literally it means ‘metal stick’ or ‘metal club’. It can be spiked or studded.”

“The Demon carries a spiked baseball bat?”

“Hai, like that — only Kanabo are way deadlier.”

“The more you tell me about it the more excited I’m getting to stick my nose into that legend personally.”

“You don’t want to do this, Vijay.”

“Why not? C’mon, I mean — it’s just a legend! In the end it’s maybe just some fuckin’ super realistic holo-installation.” Vijay let out a laugh. Hizumi however seemed to be serious.

“Oh, the legend is real, alright. There’s dozens of articles in the net about the victims that got left behind.”

“Yet I would still look into it.”

“You really want to die, don’t you, V?”

“I promise I won’t.” He gave them a grin.

“Let’s say even if you manage to run away from the Demon and hide somewhere because you think eventually it will let go of you, the Oni won’t. His glowing red eyes are everywhere and he will find you.”

“I wonder how intimidating they are.” Vijay said his thought out loud while listening further to his team mate.

“When eventually he does find you, you can’t escape his golden deadly claw that can tear your neck open with such ease you’d almost be delighted if you could see how your own crimson life essence is going to leave your body — almost like a pure little well having its source somewhere deep in the misty mountains of Kamakura, while you’ll die a slow painful — yet almost peaceful death, leaving a red river behind that is going to issue into a lake of deep red like someone must have spilled a bottle of red wine.”

“Dang, I love listening to your stories. The way you’re telling it is always packed full of metaphors,” Vijay said with a smirk. His team mate chose to ignore that smirk. They were serious about any of it they just told but their leader didn’t seem to take it seriously. However, they were tired now and had talked way too much for one day. Somehow, they felt forced to do it until V seemed satisfied. Once again, he got what he wanted. To get the story to an end Hizumi finally added “Anyway, the Oni mostly hunts Scavs and Tygers, so there’s no need to be afraid of him. But if you decide to go after him, you should pray to the gods that you survive an encounter with the Demon.”

“Well glad I’m no Scav nor a shitty Tyger.” Vijay let out with a laugh.

“V, promise you won’t look into it – at least not alone.”

“I promise.”

—

Seriously, what was he even thinking of going to this place all alone? Everywhere, the fuck he went when there was something with a potential danger to take a look into, Vijay did it with his team, just because it was safer to come in a pack. Back-up is the key. But this case was so fascinating to him that he went nosing around completely by himself after he caught the newest headline at the bottom of the front newspaper: “Golden Demon strikes again in Kabuki Center.” Victims? A group of Tyger Claws. The usual prey. By just reading this, Vijay didn’t hesitate a moment longer, took his gun, inspected it to see if it was loaded, then got into his Shion and drove over to Kabuki inspecting said alley the incident happened in just one night earlier.

The neon lights from the main street barely illuminated the side street he was inspecting right now. And there is literally nothing special to see here other than some remaining blood stains, a few stapled crates and trash lying around. Suddenly, a noise, sounding almost like wind blowing through tree branches, leads to him turning around quickly, his gun already pulled in his left hand pointing in the opposite direction. There stood the Demon, right in front of him. He's got to admit he was shocked at first when said Oni appeared like a lightning strike. He didn’t see him coming.

That’s it — that one moment where VJ curses himself for not having brought his team mates along and ignoring Hizumi’s advice. At the same time, he almost feels great he went here all by just himself, because this situation suddenly is giving him some kind of thrill he wasn’t feeling for a while now. And it being also the moment where he thinks he's probably going to die whatever he decides to do next. But he faced tricky situations like this before more than one time and sees now that the red-eyed golden Oni is in fact made of flesh, bones and some chrome just like him, rather than a Japanese mythical being. Time just froze around them with the Demon forcing Vijay to lock eyes with his in a daring, challenging way, also pointing a Burya directly at Vijay while he was standing there like it was nothing special carrying his bat in his left hand.

They are intimidating alright, V managed to think shortly. He didn’t recon those red glowing eyes would look that threatening – yet he enjoyed it, maintaining the contact. Even if he could, he wouldn’t look away now. These eyes were fascinating him in every way. Somehow Vijay remembers he is also still pointing his gun towards his opponent, giving him at least some kind of safety. And finally, he chose to make a move, playing off the tricky situation like it was nothing, just with a bratty smile on his lips. "I get now why legend tells golden shimmer's the last you see before bitin' dust. Nice shiny coat – perfectly underlines that vermillion glare of yours. Gotta say, I stan that."

The Demon just stands there not letting down his guard, yet he moves his head a little observing Vijay for another moment. Arki could swear he had seen this guy somewhere before — maybe they crossed paths at one of those big central merc meetings? He can feel that the young man must enjoy himself quite some adrenaline rush right now facing him like he faces death. And It amuses Arki just in the right amount so, that he decides not to ruin that pretty flower he sees in that man, standing up to him without fear and talking with a certain sweetness in his voice, that lifted his actual mood. And should it really turn out he is a merc like him, then they are practically colleagues hunting the same scum. He observes the ginger more closely, almost like he was looking at some historic detailed painting displayed in a museum, taking in each color of his as well as every line he traces after — his opponent still remaining right where he stood.

Vijay couldn’t make out any emotional gesture of the other man because his face is mostly hidden behind a mask that sure depicted an oni, covering it completely except for the eyes he still remained holding contact with. But something changed — it seems the man behind the demon mask is giving him an amused look instead of the deadly glare from just seconds ago. And just when Vijay wanted to make a move they got under enemy fire. Tyger Claws? Vijay quickly manages to throw himself out of sight behind a crate and when he tries to make out where the bullets were coming from he notices the Demon being gone, like he just disappeared into air. He swears he had seen some golden flickering turning into a smudge. Only moments later he’s hearing four heavy shots that must be coming from that Burya the Demon was pointing at Vijay before. Some horrific screams reach him shortly after telling him that the man behind the mask probably cleared them fucking Tyger Claws all out.

He slowly advanced into the direction he is still hearing some guttural screams coming from hoping to reunite with the mysterious man again. And there he was, standing completely still like he was hovering over the dead body in front of him, half the torso being blown away and organs covering the asphalt. The entire scenery feels convulsing somehow and it looks like the man is collecting one of the barely living Tyger’s last moments of agony until he breathed his last. It was then when Arki decides to take his mask down for placing a cigarette between his dark lips, and only now that Vijay noticed the golden glove with claws attached to it flaring up shortly. While he lights it up, to enjoy himself a smoke, exhaling some red smoke into the air, Vijay notices a certain side glance towards him. The intimidating crimson look remains but he could swear it looked – somewhat softer now? He guessed the man was allowing him to have a chat.

That night Vijay Steyr met Arki Night for the first time.

_________________ Setting: Cyperpunk 2077 Arki belongs to @nervouswizardcycle Vijay & Hizumi belong to me

Concept by @nervouswizardcycle I'm just the one who "layouted" it. So, it's a collab and I enjoyed writing this out! <3