Ashes to Ashes Part I

[Word Count: 1933]

.

----------

"Papa, where are you going?" Ruby asked, tugging on Leo's pants as he stood by the entrance of the apartment.

"I'm going to get some milk," Leo replied, crouching down to pet Ruby's hair affectionately.

"But you have your suitcase," Ruby pointed out, leaning into Leo's hand.

"... I'm getting special American milk," Leo said with a smile, trying to make it sound like an exciting adventure.

Today was the day of Leo's long flight to Germany. He anticipated that his meeting with Santa Claus wouldn't take longer than a week, but he was taking precautions just in case it did.

The "Going to America" excuse was a well-planned cover and alibi in case things got complicated in Germany, which was a real possibility considering Leo's track record.

The plan was simple yet carefully orchestrated. Leo would head to Germany, while Takeshi and a few team members, including the Blokes, would go to America to set up a base of operations. After all, money doesn't sleep, and opportunities should never be missed.

Once Leo wrapped things up in Germany, ideally within a week, he would catch a plane to America and help expedite the process of claiming territory and establishing business opportunities on American soil.

If all went well, Leo should be back with his family within a month, and Takeshi along with the Blokes could take over the American operations.

All that remained now was saying his "See you laters" and being on his way.

"Bring back souvenirs, Papa," Ruby said cutely, flashing Leo her new and improved puppy dog eyes.

"Of course, anything specific?" Leo smiled, enjoying his daughter's adorable persistence.

"Uhhh, something shiny!" Ruby replied, a bit flustered, not entirely sure what to ask for.

"The shiniest it is," Leo affirmed, giving Ruby a final pat. "Now, run along."

Ruby gave Leo's leg a goodbye hug before wobbling her way over to Miyako, who was watching the whole scene unfold.

"Honestly," Miyako muttered helplessly as she picked up Ruby and carried her to the living room.

Ai giggled as she saw Miyako pass by the door frame. As Miyako went in, Ai stepped out and closed the door behind her before jogging over to Leo and throwing herself into his anticipating arms, burying her face in his chest.

"You'll come back, right?" Ai asked, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"I already told you, didn't I?" Leo replied, running his fingers through Ai's hair soothingly.

Ai nodded but pried herself from Leo's chest to look up at him, her purple six-pointed star eyes slightly dimmed. "You did, but I want to hear you say it anyways."

Leo lowered Ai back to the ground, and their foreheads met as they stared deeply into each other's eyes. Her purple six-pointed stars met his warm black eyes.

"I'll always come back to you," Leo whispered, his voice filled with sincerity.

"You better," Ai whispered back, stealing a sneaky kiss as she pulled back.

Ai's cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink, and Leo couldn't help but smirk at her adorable reaction.

Clearing her throat, Ai looked away, playfully avoiding Leo's gaze. Leo chuckled softly as he picked up his suitcase.

"I'll be seeing ya then," Leo said, giving his final goodbyes as he reached for the door.

"Have a safe trip," Ai said, waving Leo goodbye, a mix of emotions in her eyes.

.

Leo hummed quietly, sitting with his eyes closed in the airport terminal, accompanied by Shouzou. Lost in his thoughts, he seemed serene.

"I've been meaning to ask," Shouzou started, breaking the silence. "But out of the two, which is your favorite?"

Leo stopped humming, opening one eye to glance at Shouzou. He knew exactly what Shouzou was inquiring about.

"I don't have a favorite," Leo denied. "I love both of those tots equally."

Shouzou nodded with a hint of boredom. "Uh huh, but if you had to choose-"

Before Shouzou could finish his question, Leo answered without hesitation. "Ruby."

Shouzou let out a snort. "Daddy's girl, huh," he remarked, teasingly.

"Not really," Leo replied thoughtfully. "It's just the way she treats me and looks at me. Ruby sees me as normal, plain almost. On the other hand, Aqua looks at me like I'm the scum of the earth. I mean, he's not entirely wrong, but come on, give me at least a good five years before making up your mind," he complained in a lighthearted tone.

Shouzou couldn't help but snicker. "You did say they were too smart for their own good."

Leo shrugged. "It's whatever, I'm used to those looks," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I just wish he'd either let me give him a reason to hate me or a reason to see me differently. But, I digress. How he looks at me doesn't matter; he's my brat either way."

Shouzou huffed, finding Leo's declaration amusing. "Whatever you say, brat," he teased, nudging Leo's arm. "Your plane is here."

Leo let out a sigh, getting up and grabbing his suitcase. "Well, They'll be seeing you in another five or six years."

Shouzou's eyes widened. "I thought you said four or five."

"I changed my mind," Leo said with a playful grin, waving as he walked away without looking back, leaving Shouzou with a twitching eyebrow.

.

.

Stepping off the plane, Leo was immediately greeted by the grandeur of Berlin's captivating architecture. The intricate details of the buildings and the rich history they held left him in awe for a brief moment. However, he couldn't bask in the city's beauty for long, as he had a pressing matter to attend to.

Having a month to prepare, Leo looked at his map as he navigated the streets of Berlin, skillfully avoiding the crowds whenever possible. The sun was beginning to set, casting a fiery red hue over the city as night began to settle.

Masking himself with the glass devil, Leo smoothly proceeded into the capital building without any obstruction. The interior of the building was just as impressive as the exterior, with ornate decorations and opulent furnishings that reflected the power of those who resided within.

Guiding himself through the long corridors, Leo eventually reached the labeled door he was searching for. He knocked on the door, waiting for a moment before a voice from inside signaled him to enter. Quickly transforming his appearance into one of the guards he had encountered earlier, Leo stepped into the office.

"What?" the president rudely asked, momentarily taking his eyes off the paper in front of him. The President, along with two other guards, were the only ones present in the room.

Moving swiftly and with deadly precision, Leo pointed at the guards and shot glass shards from his fingertips, quickly impaling them in the head. The shards extended into their bodies, painting the surrounding walls and floor with blood as the guards dropped stiffly on the floor, held up by the glass as if they were mannequins.

The President's breath hitched as he tried to quickly press a button under his desk, but a firm foot on his chest pushed him back, causing him to narrowly miss the button.

"Guten Abend (Good evening), President," Leo greeted, the President nervously staring at him.

Leo's face was slightly distorted, creating the illusion that it was melting, until only his mouth remained, leaving his face featureless except for his mouth. The President stared at the unnerving sight before him, fear evident in his eyes. In a matter of seconds, this devil or fiend had killed his guards and was now looming over him, leaving him completely cornered with no way to call for security or escape.

"Where is Santa Claus?" Leo asked, catching the President off-guard.

"W-What?" the President stuttered in disbelief.

"Santa Claus, where is he?" Leo repeated, his tone steady and demanding.

The President's fear was palpable as he hesitated before finally stammering out a response, "I-I don't know... He's elusive, only appearing when he chooses to. I... I can't contact him directly."

Leo's distorted face showed no emotion as he pointed at the President's chest, causing the man to instinctively cover it. However, instead of a glass shard following, a burning sensation began to build in his chest, causing his breath to suddenly become labored as the heat intensified.

"Where is Santa Claus?" Leo demanded, his voice unyielding.

"Agh!" the President cried out as he fell off his chair, clutching his chest. The burning sensation continued to intensify, making him feel as if it was consuming him from the inside out.

"M-Make it stop!" the President begged, his voice strained. "I-I'll tell you... just make it stop!"

The burning slightly subsided, allowing the President to catch his breath, though the pain still coursed through his body. Sweat drenched his body as he slowly got back on his feet.

With heavy breaths, the President pointed at the phone on the table.

"I-I'll get you a meeting," the President weakly said. "T-Toss me the phone."

Complying, Leo sat down on the President's desk and grabbed the phone, before tossing it to the weakened man.

The President caught the phone with trembling hands and quickly dialed a number. He nervously spoke into the phone, arranging a meeting with Santa Claus as requested by Leo. The burning sensation in his chest gradually subsided, but the fear in his eyes remained, knowing he was dealing with someone incredibly powerful and dangerous.

After confirming the meeting, the President looked at Leo, still visibly shaken. "The meeting is set for tomorrow, at midnight, in a secluded location outside the city," he managed to say, his voice wavering.

"Today," Leo demanded. "South, in the secluded park outside the city."

The President's breath hitched as he brought the phone back to his ear and relayed the message, his hand trembling as he didn't get the response he was hoping for. Turning his head to Leo, he shook it in fear.

Expecting the worst, the President was surprised when the burning sensation didn't return.

"Tell Santa Claus I'll give them a meeting with the Darkness Devil if they comply," Leo conveyed, his tone surprisingly lacking the hostility from earlier.

The President nervously conveyed the message. A moment of silence followed before the other end responded.

"He said to prove it, prove you have contact with Darkness," the President replied.

Reaching into his jacket, Leo pulled out the hilt of a sword. The hilt was elegant, but Leo wasn't particularly happy about using it. Bells were attached to the hilt, and before he pulled out the blade completely, he shook the hilt.

DING

The hollow ding of the bell filled the President with dread. Suddenly, he was startled when he heard Santa Claus groan and drop the phone on the other end. An eerie silence followed, occasionally broken by the sound of something dripping.

Before long, Santa Claus picked up the phone and requested to speak to Leo directly.

The President handed Leo the phone as he clung to his chest.

"Santa Claus?" Leo asked.

"Yes," the voice of an old man nearing his end answered, presumably Santa Claus.

"Let's meet up right now," Leo politely demanded. "You have overdue gifts."

Santa Claus groaned, and the sound of dripping became more prominent. The groaning continued, annoying Leo.

"The park?" Santa Claus breathed out.

"The one south of the capital building. The one with the circular field surrounded by trees," Leo described.

"Alright," Santa Claus breathed out before the line went slack.

Leo took a breath through his mouth as he hung up the phone and pushed himself off the President's desk. He then made his way over to the elder man and pressed his finger into his chest, causing him to cringe in pain.

"You've been marked," Leo explained. "And you will stay marked until I choose otherwise."

With his threat delivered, the burning sensation briefly returned, causing the President to recoil in pain as he nodded his head.

Now with his message delivered and his meeting with Santa Claus in place, Leo made his way out and headed toward the park.

.