Fanbase

Walking through the crowds became more difficult as Rainbow Kitten. Videos of his fights had been circulating and spreading through districts like a wildfire, including the most recent clothes store incident. Of course, all unbeknownst to Connor.

Groups would run up to Connor, make poses and take pictures with their personal holodevices. Connor, of course, remained stone faced, but with the Rainbow Kitten mask, no one could tell.

"It seems you have quite the fan base." Robert had an amused look on his face. Brian went back to the room after the second group of picture takers.

"How do they know I'm actually Rainbow Kitten?" Connor instead inquired.

"Most likely through videos. See?" Robert pointed up to a giant holoscreen on a building. It was showing the fight with the man in the store. It showed his back, and then him don the mask on, and finish with him putting his current clothes on.

"Oh... it says I'm wanted for questioning though." Connor pointed out.

"Well, you did put a man through a wall." Robert responded.

"He started it." Connor shrugged. Another group ran up and surrounded Connor, taking pictures. One girl even kissed the cheek of the mask before they moved on.

"It seems you're too popular. You probably won't be able to walk around this district without that mask." Robert mused.

"That's fine. At least my face isn't known." Connor replied.

*

The haggled man watched his holodevice blowing up with photos of this 'Rainbow Kitten' character. The girl on top of his shoulders staring forward indifferently.

"Tch, what even is that?" He clicked his tongue. He pulled out a crumbled pack of cigarettes and knocked one up, pulled it out with his mouth, returned the pack to his pocket and then lit the cigarette with a flame from his thumb. He breathed the smoke in and exhaled, his nerves calming.

"Hmm." He looked down at the newest picture. He saw himself in the distance. He looked up quickly. There, only a mere few yards in front of him, was the man he was following.

"Heh, this is why being popular is such a pain. You don't get very far." The man stated with a light chuckle as he began to approach Connor.

*

"Co- er, Kitten, where are we heading anyway?" Robert corrected himself and asked. Connor pointed at a large building, about four stories high, that had a food sign with an eel symbol.

"Seriously? Food?" Robert questioned.

"Eel tastes good." Connor replied, his mouth watering.

"I agree." A man suddenly stated, appearing next to Connor. Connor looked at the tired looking, disheveled, scruffy man. He towered over him by at least a foot. Though he was built more like an athlete, the strength he exuded sent warnings all throughout his body.

'No... this is S Rank!'

"Is the barbecue any good?" Connor asked, keeping his cool.

"Hmm? Oh, I suppose. Why don't we go in and have a seat... your treat." The man replied as he headed towards the restaurant. Connor, knowing there was zero other options, followed the man.

*

The man entered the restaurant, approached the counter and looked at the hostess.

"Table for four. Smoking will be allowed and my friend here is pretty famous, so he will be paying." He put a card on the counter as he told her. She took one look at it and went pale. She nodded and led them to the back. The restaurant was fancy inside. Some tables had grills, others had chefs cooking on large steel griddles for multiple guests. There was a bar at the back were many people sat and drank while conversing.

"This is nice." Robert looked around in awe.

"Barbecued eel?" Connor asked the hostess.

"I'll have it brought out immediately. Please, sit here." She held her hand to a door that led to a private room.

"Look at you, getting V. I. P treatment!... Go inside." The man laughed at first, but then got serious and gave a command. Connor entered, unphased, whereas Robert felt the air of pressure. Inside was a cushioned half bench around a dark mahogany table. Connor sat down, and had Ivory sit next to him in the middle.

Robert sat on the edge, and the man took the other edge. Silence ensued for a moment, the man took out another cigarette and lit it up. He blew the smoke into the air and sat back.

"Let's get to the points. First, the mask comes off. Second, is the little girl your familiar? Third, I'll take your name and Rank." The man began. Connor took his mask off and laid it on the table. His ice blue eyes assessing the situation calmly.

"Ivory, is my familiar. She's utterly loyal to me. My name is Connor. I'm just a lowly F Rank, here's my Seeker ID." Connor replied while placing the ID he received when he first became a Seeker, onto the table and slid it to the man. He caught it and looked at it, before looking back at Connor.

"Hmm? Hah, obviously you aren't an F Rank... anymore. Your magic is far higher than one, am, I right?" The man held the card length wise between two fingers and sighed.

"That's a correct assessment." Connor answered. His expression, for the first time since Robert had met him, changed from indifferent to hardened and assertive.

"Hmm... Heh.. HAHAHA! I won't pursue further. I like you! Buy me some drinks kid!" The man laughed, the ID remained in his possession. A waitress had entered the room with a full platter of barbecued eel on rolls of rice. Connors mouth began to water heavily as he took the chopsticks provided, and began to dig in vigorously. He gave one to Ivory, who stared at it, then at Connor, who was shoveling away, and then took a bite.

Ivory's mouth watered in turn and she stood up and began grabbing from the platter herself.

"Hahaha! I'll have ten large hot sake, twenty bottles each of all the cold sake you have, five platters of red dragon steak, and you may want to bring more of that eel." The man ordered.

"Yes, right away. You sir?" The waitress turned to Robert, who was nervously sitting.

"Whiskey.... lots of whiskey." He stayed after looking at the group he was with. Finally snapping from his overly fried brain.