The year is 2052. The city is Neo Tokyo-Nerima. The time is, 3:45 am. This is where our story begins... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The young man briskly walked down the dark street. Every so often he would chance a glance over his shoulder. Staring into the dark shadows that seemed to be crawling everywhere. An eerie prickle raced down his spine. He knew it was out there. Waiting for him. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. His walk soon turned into a slight jog. Huffing and puffing in the cool night air, he glanced once more behind him. A figure had stepped out of the shadows. Wearing a long black trench coat, it took a step toward the man. He shook his head in fear and denial and turned to run back down the street. A soft, sweet voice suddenly whispered in his ear, "Lover, you wouldn't be trying to run from me, would you?" The man paled and stuttered out an excuse, "O-of course n-n-not!" The figure behind him purred in gratification and leaned up against his back. The cold hard body pressed against him caused an extremely large lump to rise in his throat. "Good. Walk over to that alley over there. It looks like a good place to...talk, yes?" Feeling foolish tears sting his eyes, the young man shook his head in terror. He knew what happened to those who went into dark alley's with this..."creature." The figure behind him stiffened and growled into his ear. "Be a good boy. Go into the alley before I get upset." The voice changed abruptly. Sweet and softly again, "You wouldn't want to make me upset, would you, lover?" In a dark, abandoned street, on the bad side of Neo Tokyo-Nerima, no one noticed the poor man being lead to his death. The pair entered the dimly lit alley. Tall sterile walls blocked all the sides around the man as he stumbled to the back. He turned as the figure released his arm. Moving away from the figure, that still managed to hide among the shadows. His back pressed against the furthest wall as he wiped the sweat that poured into his stinging eyes. A staring contest ensued between the two. Who would speak first. If the man had anything to say, it would be that he never should have gotten out of bed this morning. The dark figure took a step forward and spoke in a voice that didn't reveal its' gender. "Where's my money and the disk?" The man swallowed and contemplated purgatory. He decided it was better to be there than here. He tried to respond, but nothing but squeaks and gasps seemed to come out. The figure was becoming impatient. He could tell. Nervously clearing his throat, he spoke again. "It was hard trying to find this one. You don-" "Understand?" the figure interrupted. "Oh. But I do!" A sickly sweet, yet deadly smile appeared in the shadows. "I just wanted to make sure you did." The smile disappeared as quickly as it came. The figure began to pulse with cold anger. "Give me the package and we can both leave and forget this whole thing." Delusions were dangerous to have nowadays, even more dangerous when faced with the mercenary in the alley way with the man. However, that fact alone didn't stop the man. Mistaking the figure's words for freedom, he reached into his inside coat pocket and pulled out a small, brown paper wrapped package. Tossing her the package, he allowed a small self-satisfied smile to cross his face. The figure weighted the package in its' black gloved hands, then placed the package inside the dark trench coat. "I am glad to see that, at least the business part of this deal still has its' integrity. But you have to answer one small question before you go." Giddy with relief and the thought of seeing his family again, the man agrees. The figure sighed and reaches into the coat again. "Why are you still in contact with the 'Vulture'?" The man, if possible, paled even further. Visions of his massacred family whisked if front of his eyes. "I-I don't kno-" The hand inside the coat was pulled out. Holding a strange weapon. Looking frighteningly similar to a gun, the man was not deceived. He knew what it was. Smaller and gleaming silver in the pale light, he knew how dangerous it was. After all, he was the one who had designed, created and sold it to the figure. "You don't remember?" the figure continued, "I do. You've been telling my secrets, lover. And you know the price of betrayal." Tears now fell freely down the man's cheeks. He fell to his knees and looked up at the figure still hidden in the shadows. "Please! I beg of you! Spare my family! Punish me only! They know nothing!" The man thought of this morning, when his only daughter had smiled up at him and wished him a good day at work. His sweet little angel. Ayako. His only child. She would be turning 4 in two weeks. And he would never live to see that day. All because he had to betray the one person in the world who would never forgive him. The figure looked down at the kneeling man and something flashed across its' dark eyes. "You needn't worry, Hikaru. Ayako and Maeri will be fine. I promise they will never see me or receive harm from me in any way." Hikaru visibly relaxed and wiped the tears from his face. He looked up at the dark figure and stared into its' dark eyes. "Then at least, let me see your face. Before I die. I want to know who my executioner is." Startled for a moment, the gun pointed away for a second, before moving back. The figure smiled softly and walked out of the shadows into the bright moonlight. The clouds seemed to move away from the stars just at this moment. The dark trench coat did nothing to hide the body it clothed underneath. Hikaru's breath caught at the vision of beauty before him. She must've been no older than maybe, 23. But her eyes were dark with pain and the knowledge that the world could indeed be a very cold and dark place. The figure he had always known by the Code Name: Scarlet Ice, was nothing more than a child! Her toned body revealed that she was no mere child, but a deadly weapon. Firm but with enough curves to make even his mouth water. The black bodysuit covering her body gleamed with the moonlight. Accenting everything from her full breasts to her smooth waist to her long legs. Hikaru's eyes moved back to her face. An angel. An Angel of Death. A beautiful angel of death. Soft, red heart shaped lips smiled softly at him. A small button nose and gorgeous almond shaped eyes revealed her pure Asian heritage. But the rest of her remained in the shadows. "Its time." Hikaru nodded his head and bowed before this goddess of death. "My life is yours to take as you wish." The girl smiled softly and pulled the trigger. A small projectile, the size of a pinhead shot into Hikaru, right above his heart. He grimaced from the pain and tried not to cry out. But all was for naught. The projectile was a neurological poison that directly attacked the nervous system with such a ferocity, it made one's nervous system look like a short circuited board. Hikaru let out a soft cry before blood began to bubble out from his mouth. His eyes turned glassy and his hands began to clench and unclench spasmodically. With a soft groan, he fell over to his side and curled into a tight ball. Trying to hold himself together. The young girl walked over to him. Bending down beside him, she placed one soft kiss on his forehead. His twitching stopped and with a soft sigh, his soul left his body. She took one hand and closed his eyes. Then reaching into her coat, she put the gun away and pulled out a single white rose. Placing it in his hand, she stood and turned to walk out of the alley. She stopped and turned back to look at him. With a quick smirk, she turned again and walked out into the street. The moon came out from its clouds and shone down on the Angel of Death. Illuminating her one long streak of scarlet hair amongst all the dark strands, she disappeared into the shadows again...