Learning Somewhat Good News, and Some Bad News, Too?!

(Evan here: sorry if the chapter is not to your liking! This chapter wasn't the best it could be...)

Kurosaki sat there, still confused about the letter that had been read to him by Nero.

"Day off?"

Kurosaki repeated to himself, accidentally slipping it out of his mouth this time around.

"Yes, Kurosaki. For some unknown reason, you, the worst one, and probably the one hated by Mr. Scientist, have gotten something none of us have had before."

Nero let out, visibly irritated. Wanting to experience this "day off."

Kurosaki didn't believe this, though. He thought something was wrong; and that there had to be some ulterior motives going on there.

"What is it supposed to mean—I mean, what does 'day off' mean?"

Kurosaki said, hoping to get answers from the werewolf he had known since he'd come to that godforsaken place.

"I don't know, but, it's kinda weird...we basically have days off whenever we aren't fighting targets."

Nero said, showing great confusion across his face, staring at the Kurosaki.

As Nero was thinking, he noticed something that could determine if Kurosaki and him were really friends.

"Say, can I use your first name from now on?"

He said, coming to a compromise with his words.

"Eh?"

Kurosaki questioned, squinting at Nero in confusion.

"Why would you want to call me by my first name? Kurosaki's fine."

He added once more.

Nero pouted like he was a little baby, and acted like one, too.

"I want to call you by your first name as a way of showing that you and I are truly good friends."

He said as he got closer to Kurosaki, closing distance between their eyes.

Kurosaki got creeped out by Nero's way of pressuring him, and pushed him away with great speed.

"What in the burning flames of Hell are you trying to do? Kiss me?!"

Kurosaki said, making sure to wipe his whole face to make sure Nero didn't do anything suspicious.

"No. I'm trying to make you tell me to call you by your first name."

Kurosaki got extremely confused by Nero's statement.

"Excuse me...what?"

He finally said to Nero. Putting his hands on his head in a way of a headache.

"Are you okay?!"

Nero said, worried about Kurosaki's physical health.

Kurosaki, who was holding his head in confusion started to stare over at Nero, worried if his brain was in the right place.

"Yes, I'm okay. I'm immortal, anyway…"

"Oh, yeah…!"

Nero said with a laugh.

"Zanya."

Mr. Scientist said to the zombie named Zanya.

"Yes, sir?"

Zanya said, trying to not get on Mr. Scientists' bad side.

"No need to be formal. But, as you may know, Kurosaki is getting a day off tomorrow?"

Mr. Scientist said, giving a completely blank expression (some good "poker face").

Zanya seemed genuinely surprised by this statement that Mr. Scientist made.

"No. I haven't heard. Why?"

She said, squinting in the direction of Mr. Scientist.

"Well… I've heard around that you're friends with the two of them. Nero, and Kurosaki, I mean."

He said, trying to dig more information. Leading to a big question.

"Yes… I'm friends with Nero and Kurosaki."

Zanya said, starting to get more and more suspicious at where he was leading, but didn't show anything on her face.

"Good, good… Well, I have a proposal—if you would like to hear."

He said, giving a little smirk.

"Sure…?"

She said, hesitant to hear about said proposal.

"Great! Come with me."

Mr. Scientist said, moving away from Zanya in the other direction.

Zanya started slowly following Mr. Scientist, realizing that they were moving towards his office—the one that none of the clients of the Monster Brigade were allowed to enter without his approval.

They walked in, Zanya more hesitant than Mr. Scientist.

"...Well, Zanya, about my proposal?"

Mr. Scientist said, sitting down on a chair that was behind a desk with a lot of bottles that had body parts inside. Mostly molded body parts that were already decomposing.

Zanya kept her composure (even though she's a zombie!) and just looked over at Mr. Scientist with a straight face.

"What is the proposal, sir?"

Zanya said, still standing up even though there was a chair to her left.

"Ah, sit, sit."

Mr. Scientist reassured Zanya, who was now getting more and more anxious.

Zanya sat down on the chair that felt like a mix of cotton and leather.

"Now, for the proposal, I'm gonna have you do one thing, and one thing only."

Mr. Scientist said, giving another look at Zanya. Mixing confidence and seriousness.

"That is?"

Mr. Scientist's eyes grew larger as he put his hands onto the desk, and stood up fast.

"I want you to watch over Nero and Hachi Kurosaki."

Mr. Scientist said, sitting back down in his chair.

"They have been acting suspicious ever since they got out of my punishment chamber in the void—especially Kurosaki, he is more obedient."

"Haven't they only been out for a few hours or something, though?"

Zanya asked, questioning whether he was joking, or not.

"Yes, but we have surveillance around the base—be by one of our clients, or cameras are up to your imagination."

Mr. Scientist said, filling her in vaguely.

Zanya knew it, her suspicions were absolutely correct. But, she didn't know whether to take his offer or not.

"Well, what'da say?!"

Mr. Scientist said with a little laugh.

There was an awkward silence in the midst of that office. Would Zanya really give up their short friendship towards giving information for Mr. Scientist?

"...Well...what do I get out of this…?"

Zanya said, wondering if this was really worth the distrust she would put those two through.

"Ah, that…"

Mr. Scientist said, thinking of a reward that would be worth that "mission."

"How about you learn the identity of another person I'm working with?"

"Why would I want that, though?"

Zanya said, genuinely surprised that another person had been working with him.

"Because the person will be able to tell you any of the questions you give them."

Mr. Scientist said, finding the right mark to hit.

"A-anything…?"

Zanya said, getting my antsy by what he had just said to her.

"Yes, anything."

Mr. Scientist said with another grin that stared right into Zanya's heart.