Silhouette

It only took a couple of knocks for James to open the door and discover the man his neighbor had hired to handle their pest problem. He looked fairly average for someone in their thirties, though he had to admit he looked more like a farmer than an exterminator even past the first glance. Honestly, if it hadn't been for the yellow cap with the crossed-out cockroach, James would have thought this was just a new incoming crisis in his life rather than the continuation of one of the existing ones.

"Hello there, your neighbor should have told you about me. My name's Welch Almaro, but you can just call me Brutazap. I've been hired to deal with a potential rodent infestation, can I take a moment of your time?"

"Oh, of course. James Valdest. Though, did you say rodents?"

"Yup. Your neighbor and their family spotted them in the night. Would you happen to know or have seen anything?"

"Uhm, well, now that you say it... One of my children may have been sneaking out. Kids?"

James turned his featureless to watch the five not-so-little rats sitting on their haunches in line. He had been prepared for this visit, and he figured showing them off as soon as possible would help.

Meanwhile, Brutazap raised a brow when he saw the largest of the bunch do a quick little wave at him, a goofy smile on his face.

"Is that all of them?"

The exterminator's question interrupted James' performance right as he was about to ask the ratlings about possible sorties.

"Yes?

"Then they aren't the ones who've been spotted. I investigated the places. I only found black hair. No white or grey."

"Oh, that's good to know. Sorry for suspecting you, kids."

As could be expected, the siblings were not equal in their little act, though not in the way he first assumed. While Lucille was always stern and serious, her stern nod looked more suspicious than anything here. Ironically, David's nonchalance and constant state of rebellion made him much more believable here.

"So, with that out the way, are you sure you didn't see strange stuff at night?"

"Well, I did see a thing or two scurrying beneath the window, but I thought they were just cats."

"Nothing else?"

"No. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful, but I arrived here only recently, so I can't tell you what is or isn't usual."

"Don't worry about it."

The man then went on to fetch something out of his pocket before handing James a green and yellow business card.

"If you see or hear anything, don't hesitate to call me. Don't worry about the bill, if it's connected to those black rats it'll still count as part of your neighbor's job."

"Oh, thank you. Is there anything in particular I should be looking for?"

"Black rats, like I told you. Big ones, as large as cats supposedly. Also, keep an eye out for strange or moving shadows where there shouldn't be, I've got reason to believe there might be some elemental shenanigans at play. I'm not sure they'll come back around here, some tracks say they're just passing by, but better be safe than sorry when dealing with abnormal vermin."

"I'll keep this in mind. Thank you for the advice."

"No, thank you for taking the time to talk. I'll be visiting your neighbors now, so if anything suddenly comes to mind in a minute or two, don't hesitate to look for me. Now I'll leave you and your kids alone. Goodbye."

"Goodbye!"

With a final nod to punctuate the end of the exchange, the man walked away and James closed his apartment door. His civilian almost deflated with the relief at the stress leaving him, and soon enough he was sitting on the couch buried in a cuddly pile of furry bodies. For once in this new life, a problem had appeared and been solved without extensive violence. Hell, this whole conversation almost felt normal. It was like being back on Earth, except for the new body and magical nature of the creatures the exterminator was looking for.

He was also quite pleased to find out the plan for Mischief to be faking a migration was apparently working so far. They'd just have to see if this Brutazap fully took the bait or if he would notice something was off down the line, but until then, it looked like there'd be no more issues around his apartment.

James sighed as Goliath struggled to hug his somewhat viscous head. If only things could keep going so smoothly.

A crowd of journalists had formed around the Penumbral Palace by the time James got there. It was to be expected, he had given away the location of his future shop after all, but it was still a bother. Suddenly he found himself growing more sympathetic toward celebrities. He already knew paparazzi were a nightmare and understood perfectly why they often wore disguises when going out, but now he had a new perspective on the much more regular and controlled events, like public interviews or walks on the red carpet.

Still, he steeled himself. He didn't have to go to work per se, he could handle most matters by phone call, but there was a weight to the act he wanted to uphold. Being physically present felt different. Not to mention, it would be safer for him to be present to handle anyone who might have the bright idea to cause trouble. The Infused could handle the rif-raf, and with their new equipment he would be willing to bet they'd even be able to handle low-level Supers, but folks like Soluble weren't what he was afraid of. Not everyone was an Abrakaboom, but there definitely were more dangerous people other than the glorified thugs he had met so far.

This newfound confidence was quickly bashed away by a grandiose flash of light that no one could miss. When the brightness faded away, two figures revealed themselves. A large white lanky being with silvery wings and a halo of mercury floating above its porcelain-like featureless head accompanied a comparatively small man who wore a dashing black suit. James knew the two well. Judging by their reactions, so did the crowd. The journalists parted to make way for the strange duo, the tall resplendent creature impassible while the regular human kept on smiling at the people surrounding them.

Before long the pair stood before the doors to the factory and they turned as one to address their public, though the otherworldly one quickly took a step back and made a step back for their fleshier counterpart who did the exact opposite and stepped forward and took centerstage.

"Why, hello there everyone. I'm happy to see you all have taken an interest in our latest celebrity."

"Mister Blake Black, what is your relationship with Silhouette?"

"Oh, our shadowy friend and I are associates of a sort. He came to me with a project, and his hard work and grit convinced me to give him a chance. Why, it's why I'm lending him this facility free of charge. I have no doubt this enterprise will be a great success, and I cannot wait for you all to see his and his team's hard work."

"How did you two meet?"

"Why, it was a fated encounter. Now if you'll excuse me, time is precious, and ours especially is invaluable. Unlike some of you would like to waste it?"

The young man's voice was just as friendly with those last words, but the smile that graced his lips didn't reach his eyes. It only took a few moments and exchanged glances among the curious before the crowd dispersed, some calmly walking away. In contrast, others were much less subtle with their fear, running faster than expected with the equipment some carried.

In seconds the street was clear and the bank manager turned to the left and winked at the neighboring shadows, likely aiming for James. Unfortunately for the dramatic effect, he was actually hidden in the shadows on his right. To spare the ego of his ally, James did sneak back around to emerge roughly where the human had been looking. Of course, while Blake was fooled, the way Nanyet's head followed his slithers let him know the celestial was well aware of his position at all times.

"Mister Black. How wonderful of you to visit."

"Come on now, Silhouette. You can call me Blake."

"If you insist, Blake."

"See? Much easier. But before anything else, let me congratulate you on this Nightsnatcher business. You handle things well for someone new to this."

"Coming from you, it is high praise. Allow me to thank you in turn for this calm."

"Ah, not fond of journalists, eh? I can't blame you. Not only have I been trained for this sort of situation by experts in the field, but I also have Nanyet to filter them out."

The towering pale figure nodded.

"Indeed. I can confirm that, much like the rest of the affairs of our branch of the Black Bank, I manage most matters before they reach Master Blake."

The human, only half the size of the celestial, faked a cough as he stepped to the side to stand between it and James.

"Bah, in any case, I'd be more than happy to give you some numbers, either for lessons or hiring."

"I greatly appreciate it. Though, may I ask why they fled so quickly?"

"Oh, my powers aren't exactly secret. Everyone in Zalcien should know that I work with equivalent exchanges. If they were to waste our valuable time, they could find themselves forced to pay a debt beyond them."

"You would kill people in broad delight?"

"No! Goodness gracious no! Who said anything about killing? No, if worst came to worst I would have sent strongly worded letters to their employers. Just because I can harm them doesn't mean I will. Not to mention the police and the Union would be after me in a blink of an eye. Oh, it may have sounded like the threat, but the people who matter know it only was meaningless words."

The man stepped forward and placed his hand on one of James' shoulder-like spikes - or perhaps spiky shoulders, it was hard to decide the proper term when he had no arms - as he continued to talk.

"It's an important lesson for people like you and me to know: ensure people take you seriously without ever antagonizing the authorities. It's a difficult balance to find, and I won't deny it is crude, but it works. Having a fearsome reputation has its uses for small things like chasing off nosy journalists, but it will also be vital to fend off more genuine threats. You've already done a good job so far. Perhaps you're a little too nice, but that's better than the alternative. Being too personable can draw bad attention, but it's still good press."

"I am already aware I need to show I'm not weak, Blake. And unlike you, I don't have a family more powerful than countries ready to cover for my failings. Your support and advice are appreciated nonetheless. Now, I can guess you're not here merely to congratulate me and spare me from the press. Speak."

"Oh, then we'll have to do something to better hide that paranoia of yours. Anyway, I'm here in part to ask you about this two-week business, but also to find out more about the Nightsnatcher story. I was quite surprised to discover you never tried to contact me and that you gave the Union the real corpse given its potential value. Why?"

"You are another associate, not my superior. I can handle my problems without your supervision. As for the body, I made sure to give it in public and openly stated I was merely lending it to the Union."

"If they try and keep it or give you a fake, you can rat them out. Splendid. But Silhouette, remember that I'm your ally. I have more experience and contacts than you do, so don't hesitate to ask for my help when you need it. My hands may be bound by the family rules when it comes to most matters, but ask anyway. Better be safe than sorry, as they say. I understand your worries and doubts, but you can't succeed alone. I couldn't have stopped Abrakaboom's attack, but we could have finagled something to ensure your survival for instance."

"You'll have to forgive me for being wary, considering I have yet to live more than one peaceful day in a row so far in this city."

"Which is exactly why you should have called me. Have I done anything to betray your trust or that went against your goals? You learned to trust Decanov, a man few in this city would dare to hire."

"I see your point. I also see your bodyguard."

The oligarch brushed off his worries.

"Nanyet is more of an emotional support than anything. If they truly disturb you so, I can always ask them to leave."

"This course of action seems ill-advised, Master Blake."

"Hush you."

James considered the situation. Blake wasn't wrong. Despite his objectively horrendous background, the man had been nothing but helpful. Oh, James wouldn't be trusting him with his life just yet, this was someone who came from a long line of people who specialized in manipulating others to further their gains, but he could give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Fine. Do you want to come on in for a visit?"

"Oh, I'd be delighted to. I'm sure our mad scientist has been hard at work."

"Blake, I have found that treating people with respect goes a long way to convince them not to blow up your property."

The banker simply chuckled.