Breath of the Sun
Zone Five - Evidence Locker - Swain
There's a moment where he's unsure if Kayne is truly aware of her own nature. The drivel of the Concordanites echoes a moment in his mind, and he wonders if she is a so-called 'unknowing god.'
But she catches herself a moment later.
"You were giving off a bit of magic - or perhaps that was your prosthetics. Beatrice is sensitive to such things." Swain reaches up to gently pet Beatrice with a finger, and she calms herself.
He lowers his hand and affixes her with a firm gaze. "If I may drop the pleasantries for a moment, we both know you are more or less the functioning Guardian of Zone Seven. You and the Arborwatch possess a competence that I would wish all my officers to imitate. That being the case..."
Swain crosses his arms, drumming his human fingers on his shoulder. "You've heard of Satsuki Kiryuin, I assume? She's become something of a community leader, these last months. She's had to, because the Peacekeepers have failed to do their duty. In the wake of that, and of Guardian Houraisan's incompetence, myself and Guardian Witch intend to go over the workings of Zone Five's Peacekeepers with a fine comb. To root out lasting corruption, and restore ourselves to figures the community can trust."
Here he sighs, and suddenly looks like the tired old man he would have been, had he not sold his soul. "It is not like me to admit weakness, but with possible invasion coming, I know well that none of our groups can weather this coming storm alone. That is why I hope I can count on you to protect Concordia alongside us, despite what we - what I - allowed to happen to you."
Here he smiles. "Not that I doubt for a moment you'll do everything you can to help the people. If anything, I doubt I could stop you from doing so. I merely wish to ensure that the Peacekeepers and the Arborwatch can maintain a working partnership."
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?
Hiroki, Zone Three, Hive Reactor Room
“Are you sure you’re holding up okay?”
I was admittedly pretty surprised by the question. This wasn’t something I was asked particularly frequently, and it took me a moment to respond.
“Oh, well… I don’t know, I guess so.”
It was hardly the most natural delivery, and I knew Witch was keen enough to be able to sniff that out, but it is what it is.
“I mean… it’s difficult sometimes, sure. I did lose my cool back there, so I understand why you’re asking this but… that stress comes with the territory, doesn’t it? Militia and contract jobs are stressful - that’s the tradeoff I made when I joined this line of work, isn’t it?”
There was a certain amount of resignation in my tone.
“The tradeoff being, well… I don’t have to worry about bills. I don’t have to worry about losing one of my fingers in Eggman’s factories. And I live in a nice apartment in the Sunspots with Vicky instead of some rat infested place where I’m always worried about rent. What I’m trying to say is… in the grand scheme of things, I don’t think I have it so bad.”
…Well, those are all true facts. Was any of this actually answering the question, though? Not really. Maybe being honest about this wasn’t as easy as I thought.
An Ordinary Oddball
Kayné Ainsel & Moloch "Moko" Kothys—Zone 5, Evidence Locker Room
“Oh, well, uh, I was re-attuning to them,” I say, stumbling over my words like an idjit in my hurry to explain myself. I nearly put up my hands in front of myself placatingly before realizing that I’m still holding onto my skirt and instead simply pass it off as nervously brushing off some dust. “It’s just a lil’ artificer trick! Sorry about that, Beatrice. I didn’t know it would ruffle your feathers. I’ll be more careful around the other ravens from now on too.”
Look at me, talking to a bird. I suppose that’s where my reputation for madness comes from. But very few people realize that ravens are actually very clever creatures, and the ones in Concordia have had their intelligence enhanced through their demonic heritage. Therefore, they warrant intelligent treatment, just like any other sentient being.
Besides, I’m sure Swain talks to his ravens in private like any other avian aficionado. At the very least, he’d understand!
“I understand your concern, and I’m not going to be so mulish as to deny that we’ll be needin’ help, and lots of it, once the going gets tough,” I begin cautiously, wary as a traveler trying not to step into swampy quicksand. Tact is not my strong suit. “But it’ll be hard for the Peacekeepers to establish even a token presence in Zone 7 like in the Sunspots, logistically and politically. Vehicles tend to break down the further in you go, and I doubt that most city folks are going to know how to ride horses or endure long marches. Zone 7 is truly massive in the context of primitive transportation methods. We could arrange training, but it would take precious time, which we might not have in the future.”
“Politically, letting Peacekeepers onto the Arborwatch’s territory would make a lot of people suspicious. Either it looks like I suddenly got cold feet after getting beaten up and started caving in to the Diet’s demands or you’re secretly using intimidation tactics to get me to give in. None of that is conducive to a smooth working relationship,” I continue, stroking my chin as I think deeply. “And at a time like this, when we both need legitimacy in the eyes of our people, it might do us more harm than good.”
“Everyone who’s unhinged, desperate, or skilled enough to live in and be invested in the wellbeing of Zone 7 is already out there. The best you can do is send us some much-needed supplies,” I point out, not without a sigh and a slump of my shoulders. Swain and I must be so, so old. Old soldiers, but that gives me an idea. Admitting ignorance is still a form of wisdom. “But I’ve spent nearly all of my time since I’ve arrived in the City unknowingly preparing for this. And losing an arm has only given us more room for cards up our sleeves. You’re more like foxglove, not yew, so I’m willing to gamble on your medicine. What’s your angle on all of this?”
Edited by JumpingFruit on Sep 1st 2022 at 3:18:05 AM
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Witch - Zone Three - Hive Side Entrance
You sighed and briefly broke eye contact. "Neither did I, for a very long time."
At least he gave something of an answer and didn't seem to take offense. The outcome could've been worse. It took far too long for you to accept that your own "failings" weren't simply weakness of character like you'd been taught back home.
"There are people here who can help," you said, "if you know where to look. Not Diet-sponsored. I won't press it, but I hope you will at least consider it."
Now that the two of you were alone there was no other interference, and the roiling energy of his sword stood stark against the drab walls. It pulsed, almost like it had a heartbeat. It shifted, like it was aware of its surroundings. You did your best to pretend not to notice. It was going to be a problem eventually.
"That wasn't the reason I wanted to speak with you, though. I wanted to ask you... what you think of Satsuki, and what she's doing. I'm not interested in whether anyone thinks she's righteous or justified. I want to know if you think what she's doing is necessary, from one former merc to another."
You'd asked Satsuki herself if she could see the end. She couldn't. Neither could you. You were beginning to think that if you couldn't find the light at the end of the tunnel, you'd have to make it.
Edited by lynkzero13 on Sep 1st 2022 at 7:21:52 AM
Hiroki, Zone Three, Reactor Room
I nodded.
“I’m seeing someone, actually. It’s… well, I just started, and therapy is not something I’m really used to. Wasn’t exactly a thing we talked about back home. But I do intend to stick with it.”
Ah, Satsuki. I kind of figured she’d come up eventually.
“Do I believe Satsuki’s actions are necessary?”
Hm. An interesting question.
“I mean… It's evident at this point that the Diet doesn’t care about this city in any real sense beyond the extent they need to so that they can keep everything semi-functional. These criminal elements that the militia confronts do not appear out of the aether - they’re the result of economic and political policy from oligarchs who have created a land where people have minimal opportunities for social mobility, and instills a hopelessness and despair in people that makes malignant actors like Greed seem appealing to some - or at the very least, like he provides a useful service.”
Remembering we wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore felt good, honestly. It was a very small relief in the face of the problems plaguing this city, but I’d take what I could get.
“It wouldn’t be that difficult for the Diet to greatly reduce or eliminate altogether the gang violence that plagues Zone 5 - simply providing for the material needs of people would go a long way towards that. The wealthiest members of our upper class, Blair and Darien, could do the same thing if they wanted to. But they don’t. This negligence created a void that presented a golden opportunity for someone like her to rise and assume a position of authority.”
There are people who believe - or at least try to convince others, that all crime is simply an inherent byproduct of innate human depravity. But it's not. Not always, anyways.
“So… I feel it was inevitable and indeed necessary that someone like Satsuki would appear out of all of this. Our material conditions made that happen. I do want to make something clear, though - just because I think all of this doesn’t mean I support her unconditionally or anything. I just think she’s the right person for this moment right now, and I’m also very glad that we didn’t end up with Greed just gobbling up the whole Zone, or something even worse than that.”
I suddenly felt as though someone was glaring at me. Witch and I are the only people in the room right now - the hell is going on?
…Wait… suddenly I’m not really so sure about that.
“Um… point is, I’m still as critical of her as I am of anyone else, and I don’t plan on sticking around if she crosses any lines I find unacceptable. Frankly, I do want to exit from this way of life eventually anyways, as I can’t imagine doing this for the long haul. Eventually I’ll want to think about things like starting a family or I’ll just want to try to more fully adjust to life as a civilian in general. And... I don't see how I can do that while I'm still doing this. I realize I’m young to even be thinking about this right now, but still.”
Breath of the Sun
Zone Five - Evidence Locker - Swain
"It's alright." Beatrice trills softly, in a voice like birdsong. "Just surprised."
She does not often speak, and almost never to someone other than Swain. She isn't a messenger, like her fledglings. Nonetheless, she seems to have accepted the explanation.
Swain, meanwhile, nods in appreciation as Kayne lays out the facts of the matter succinctly. One of the reasons he respects her; she understands the ways of power, both hard and soft.
"We've hardly the manpower to send people into Zone 7, even if we wanted to. There was never a need, given the low population, and our previous false assumption that we could not encounter a rival polity. This is why I am counting on the Arborwatch to make up for this error. You are the first line of defense, against the chaos that surrounds us."
He crosses his arms. "I assure you my intentions are noble, my dear. I truly do consider you a friend, unbelievable as it may sound. And despite our... differing ideologies, I'd wager we both have similar opinions as to the efficacy of the Diet. Though I may hold membership there, I hold no love for them. I, and the Peacekeepers, are loyal to Concordia and its people, not to any one regime."
Here, Swain pauses a moment to gather his thoughts. "All this is to say that, should the worst come to pass, and the legitimacy of the Diet is called into question, I want to ensure that the Peacekeepers and the Arborwatch remain allies. You and your fellows will retain your independence regardless, I'm sure, but I can promise you that so long as you defend Concordia, the Peacekeepers will not infringe upon your lands."
For a brief instant, he's almost convinced he sees a specter. He blinks it away, dismissing it as an old memory. "Not that we were ever intending to. I'm not particularly inclined to try my luck with Lamb and Wolf."
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?
Witch - Zone Three - Hive Side Entrance
Relaxing slightly, you took a step back and leaned up against the wall behind you as Hiroki spoke. You smiled gently at the end, and replied "Never too young to plan for the future. It's wise to look for a way out. From experience, very few survive long enough to retire from mercenary work." You sighed again. "I lost a lot of friends and acquaintances to my line of work back home, and I've seen many fall here as well."
What he said was no secret, of course. Negligence was to blame for the City reaching this state, made all the more egregious by the Charter's ability to mandate reality. The Diet could've built a genuine utopia long ago, but that was never the point. It was just like back home; comfort existed purely for the powerful few, the rest left to rot whenever it was convenient.
He was certainly helping confirm your hunch, though. He must hail from a nation not terribly different from your own in structure, as he, too, was aware of the danger people like Satsuki posed. You had yet to meet an individual who could be trusted with absolute power, and you suspected you never would.
The cursed blade flared up again. You could still sense it without consciously looking for it.
"I thank you for sharing with me," you said, giving Hiroki a short bow. "It's remarkably hard to convince people to speak their mind in my vicinity given my station. Rest assured, I am committed to the protection of the people of this City, but I have come to learn from experience that sometimes an... unconventional approach is required."
You fished a pocket watch out of a belt pouch, and, after glancing at it said "But I've taken up enough of your time. Thank you again for your assistance. Let us quit this place, I have much work left for the day, and I'm sure you're a busy man as well."
With that, you turned to move towards the exit.
An Ordinary Oddball
Kayné Ainsel & Moloch "Moko" Kothys—Zone 5, Evidence Locker Room
“Why, I do declare a toast to that! We’re friends, or as much as we can possibly be, given our respective circumstances,” I agree delicately, tittering a little at the thought. However, there are more practical considerations at hand here than just that. “Getting others on board with it might take some work, though. Even if you’re personally inclined to believe the reports coming from the frontier, there’s always going to be people questioning whether we’re manufacturing disasters for our own gain. That presents another set of issues in itself.”
“But even so, we need to start somewhere with this. And though the Arborwatch is going to be grateful if you send us supplies, the attitude towards you and the Peacekeepers will remain lukewarm at best, because nobody is going to trust a partner that looks like they think that visiting is beneath them,” I state my thoughts clearly and honestly, without any malice. I’ve done my best to not mince words so far, so I won’t abandon it now. “It’s part of our culture of hospitality. It’s similar and yet different from the champagne diplomacy that goes on at, say, Kaguya’s tea parties, or a Diet ball. In such a harsh environment, you need to know that your neighbor’s got your back if dusk is approaching and you need a place to stay. Solely sending gifts is not enough to be a good neighbor. If you profess friendship but refuse to go to someone’s house, that’s like saying that you don’t really trust them at all.”
“How about this—there’s been multiple sightings of the tracks made by an anomalous Incoherence beast in Zone 7 lately. We’ve been monitoring it, but not too closely, because all signs point to it being something really massive and not something we want to get into a scrap with without any proper knowledge about it,” I suggest, because I’m not one to complain without offering some sort of possible recourse or solution. “Without your offer, I doubt that I would have had cause to tell you. But now I’ll give it to you straight: the number of invasive beasts slain in the official bounty records skew lower than the actual count. No trapper living in the outermost Rooms wants to haul a whole corpse back to get it weighed and verified, especially if it’s a small fry. The crackpot reputation of the Zone itself ain’t exactly lending itself well to actually getting any sort of relief—up ‘til now. Which is why I hope you’ll agree to hunt it down with us once I recover enough to be capable of riding out. A diplomatic visit will be different from maintaining a token presence to represent Peacekeeper authority.”
“You won’t be able to judge the degree and efficacy of your aid unless you come and inspect our operations, and I refuse to take your help with only my word in exchange for it on principle. But I also believe that even a city with metaphorical walls to protect it can benefit from another set of experienced eyes inspecting them,” I finish. I am calm and confident because I know the strengths and weaknesses of my own position. “It would give you a head start on winning over the Arborwatch to a protracted partnership and help us obtain tangible evidence of the threats we’ve been facing all along. As for Lamb and Wolf, they’re the last friends that everyone will ever meet. We’ll both have to go with them eventually. The only thing that matters to me in light of this is how much weal and woe I can bring to my friends and foes respectively. But this proposal, I firmly believe, is for weal.”
“What do you think of it, Swain?”
Edited by JumpingFruit on Sep 2nd 2022 at 3:04:41 AM
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Hiroki, Zone Three, Hive Side Entrance
“Yeah, I know all about that…”
It went without saying that I saw many good people die during World War 2. Or… really, just many people in general.
“And yeah, probably. Can’t say I know where we should go from here, but I think most everyone can agree something has to change. Well, it’s been good talking to you. Don’t be a stranger, alright?”
I was about to leave, when suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. Huh? Didn’t everyone else leave already? I turn around and… I see a woman. She has bright shining hair that glows like the sun, and eyes that feel like they’re piercing into my soul.
It’s... the Empress. The… other Amaterasu. What the fuck?! What the actual fuck is going on? How did she know I was here? How did she get here? Why did she leave Japan and go through all this trouble just to get to me?
Before I can do anything - which wouldn’t be much anyways, as I feel unable to speak or even move, she grabs me by the throat and starts choking me. She also lightly brushes her free hand across my hair in some sort of bizarre pseudo-maternal gesture. I unfortunately remember all too well that she would act like that during my youth to try to manipulate me and break down whatever mental defenses I had to accept her authority and Japan’s imperial ideology. Damn near worked, considering how relentless she was during the most vulnerable years of my development.
I struggled to release myself from my grip, wrangling her arm with all my might, but she wouldn’t budge. There was a certain amount of fatalism going through my mind as I was confronted with someone I knew to be more powerful than myself, more powerful than almost every single person in this city by a wide margin. But I will not let her kill Witch. I must stall for time so that she can get out of here.
…
…Huh? Eventually I realize why I couldn’t get the Empres to budge - she isn’t there. As I go through all my nagging doubts over whether this is really even happening, she eventually just vanishes into nothing.
It was an illusion.
I reach for my sword, but it isn’t there either.
I look over at Witch, and I see… the Muramasa flying towards her throat.
“No!”
I scream and I make a desperate advance to grab it… but I’m not quick enough.
The last I hear is a mocking laughter that echoes throughout the room before…
Breath of the Sun
Zone Five - Evidence Locker - Swain
Swain understands the concept of sacred hospitality. He doesn't agree with it, but he can at least understand it. Despite all his experience, there are times even Swain faintly desires to trust others.
"I suppose I am overdue for a visit." He concedes. "Very well. I will join you on your hunt. It's for the best, regardless. Should this beast be one of Lorem Ipsum's cohorts, I wish to personally interrogate it."
Though he'd never publicly speak ill of Myn, the fact the old elf could so easily lose his resolve and kill a source of information made one question his effectiveness as an interrogator.
"I will have to clear a space in my schedule, however. And I will need at least a few days to prepare. Perhaps I'll send a few ravens out, to scout the area in advance. I find a birds-eye view is often helpful to finding things that wish to stay hidden."
Beatrice seems to bob her head in agreement with the statement. "With that settled, that was all I wished to discuss. If you've no further business with me, I believe that we both have quite a lot of work ahead of us."
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?
An Ordinary Oddball
Kayné Ainsel & Moloch "Moko" Kothys—Zone 5, Evidence Locker Room
“Raven scouts would be helpful. I’ll tell ours at home to leave yours alone, then. We breed ours with raptors and owls. They can get rather territorial,” I add idly, a finger pushing my glasses up the bridge of my nose again. I pull out one of my journals from my messenger bag, unfold a carefully annotated map that’s been tucked into its pages, and point out the spots that I think need scouting the most. “Hmm—you can send them here, here, and here. We’re also not sure about this place, so here wouldn’t hurt either. And we’ve got some hardy working birds out there. Maybe you could take a few in exchange if you can send us some of your own. New stock is always going to be welcome.”
“And I believe that’s everything on my end too,” I conclude, standing up and dusting my skirt off for real this time. It feels good to stand up on my own two legs so long. “I’ve mostly got recovering ahead of me, but I’ll keep you informed of any new developments. ‘Til we next ride out to hunt, take care, y’hear?”
If nothing else happens, I nod respectfully at Swain and take my leave.
Edited by JumpingFruit on Sep 25th 2022 at 10:12:50 AM
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Witch - Zone Three - Hive Side Entrance
You turned around lazily, and then the blade went through your neck. This close it was undeniable; The sword was sentient, infernally forged with a potent curse. If you had to hazard a guess, it was exceptionally deadly to anything that bled. Your head began to soar through the air. You could feel the energy of the hallway shift as Muramasa's malice began to spread. It was laughing.
Such a pathetic showing could only earn one punishment.
Your body spun around and grabbed your assailant by the throat with your right hand before he had a chance to speak again, and swung to grind him into the wall as your left casually caught your wayward head. As Muramasa careened down the hallway, you placed your head back on the stump of your neck, the seem immediately stitching itself shut. "I liked that scarf," you said in annoyance, eying the bloody clumps of what remained of it on the floor, and gave pursuit.
As he scrambled to his feet he took another swing at you, thrown off as your knee found his chin and your pommel found his temple, bringing him to the ground again. You slung your shield onto your left arm and cracked the stone floor as he narrowly dodged your swipe at his head. Left behind in the impact was an iron spike, glowing faintly.
You caught the edge of his strike with your shield, and as it grinded harmlessly against hardened steel you impaled him with your adamantine blade and tossed him aside like a rag. The body was a simulacrum of some sort, likely manifested by the blade itself. It was durable, its strikes potent but its technique sloppy. It was likely used to fighting mortals disused to the malevolent tactics it attempted to employ, who would fall and scatter with a single extravagant strike. It had chosen targets poorly, its aura but the braying of livestock before you. It couldn't cut through your sword or shield, and that was all that mattered here.
He lunged at you, and you turned to mist to pass through him entirely. You took his feet out from behind, lifted him up into the air with a kick and send him back down with a pommel strike to what should've been his spine. Your blade found its sheath and you grasped the arm holding his sword body, seeking to free it from the simulacrum's grasp while it was still prone. When you failed to immediately dislodge the blade, you stomped your foot down onto its shoulder and wrenched the arm, before whirling around and slamming it into the ground once more. Still the simulacrum held onto the sword. You tossed a spike down behind you, which sunk into the ground.
"Though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, be not afraid, for I am with you." You clattered your arms together in front of you, stomped your foot and mantled your power once more. In the heat of the moment, you failed to notice the room growing dimmer. Your eyes sparked red that faded to a faint purple. Another spike had sprouted in the ground where your foot struck. The glowing was getting brighter. You ripped the pouch off your belt, tossed it to Hiroki and said "Place the final spike, and be ready."
"Is that all you've got?" you taunted Muramasa, taking an open stance and throwing your arms wide. "Some legendary blade you turned out to be." He took the bait, and as the blade punched through your armor and out the other side you clamped your arms tightly around him, crushing him. "You cast shadow puppets upon the wall and dare to call that power? You know nothing. The anger in your heart warms you now, but it will turn you cold in the grave. I will help you find peace."
You started to smoulder. The flames began to sputter and quickly turned black. As the simulacrum crumbled to dust, you methodically gripped the hilt of Muramasa and pulled it from your torso, dripping with your blood.
"Hiroki. Repeat after me. Those who know peace will never understand the violence required to reach it."
As the circle erupted on the floor, the hallway fell into darkness, illuminated only by the lines on the floor and the pitch-black flames on your armor.
Edited by lynkzero13 on Sep 3rd 2022 at 10:50:07 AM
Hiroki, Zone Three, Hive Side Entrance
I see a projection of a silver fox appear, wounded and bloodied. I intuited that this must represent the spirit possessing the Muramasa.
A yokai. And there must be quite a lot of them out there, given how many Muramasas have been forged.
“Heed this - as Japan learns more about the gaijin and your tricks, she will adapt and create far graver threats than I to meet the both of you with. She already did once before.”
His eyes then meet me with a knowing glance. That’s the most conversation either of us are going to get out of him - not that I’m complaining. I can’t help but wonder if that particular statement will make Witch ask me some questions later, but right now it doesn’t matter.
I put the last spike in place.
“Those who know peace will never understand the violence required to reach it.”
Let's end this.
Witch - Zone Three - Hive Side Entrance
You smiled warmly as the flames lapped higher and darkness engulfed the room, the sort of knowing smile a mother gives her child who has erred. Nothing was spared the ravages of time, the cycle of birth and decay. Not man, not beasts, not mountains, not nations, not even gods. You pitied him, for he would never bear witness to the beauty of its death.
You dropped to your knees, closed your eyes, and held Muramasa aloft in both hands before you, gripping both the hilt and blade tightly.
"May you find purpose within the sunless sea."
You did not grimace as the scorching blaze rose within you, threatening to consume you. You would not falter, for were stronger now. You would not burn, you would become fire.
The wreath of dark flames shot up, you turned your arms inward, and the blade snapped in half before beginning to crumble away into dust. The powder remaining in your hands you sprinkled gently across the ground before you. You shrugged your shoulders and let your pack fall from your back, then brought your hands to rest on your knees and leaned forward.
The pain came as you moved to stand up. You would've laughed, but it hurt to even breathe. Instead, you shifted to mist and reformed to sit against the nearby wall. That was very reckless. You needed to feed, and for that you needed...
"Hiroki," you said, quietly. "My pack. The flask. Please."
Hiroki, Zone Three, Hive Side Entrance
The Muramasa lets out an inhuman scream that sounds like a mixture of animal howls and a blade scratching against a metal wall. A single message appears on the wall, written in blood that pools its way upwards from the puddles left by Witch's wounds. It’s in Old Japanese, and even contemporary native Japanese speakers would with near certainty not be able to read it if they lacked my particular upbringing.
You and her will meet again. Tokyo Imperial Palace.
...Maybe we will. But this will be the last time I ever see you again.
The spirit fades. Nothing remains of the legendary sword beyond a hilt at this point. I don’t know how, but our confrontation somehow ended without me so much as receiving a single injury.
Well, that makes one of us. I then look back to Witch. I gather her pack and flask and quickly give them to her. I feel pretty overwhelmed from everything that just happened and I end up hugging her - though I quickly stop as I realize I could hurt her in the state she’s in.
“A-Are you… ok?”
I pause for a moment.
“...Why am I even asking that? I just… saw your head fly off your shoulders… I’m assuming there’s nothing a hospital can really do for you.”
…Somehow it took me quite a while to fully process that mentally - maybe adrenaline was just kicking in and masking what was going on around me, I don’t know.
What is Witch, anyways? I’ve honestly been wondering ever since I met her. She’s one of the very few people I’ve met with no heartbeat, no vitals, no anything like that. Japan is known to occasionally have sightings of Iso-onna - vampires who dwell near sea and rocks during the night. Certain things about her would make sense if…
“Are you a vampi…”
I stop myself before I ask a very personal question in the bluntest possible manner, though the damage is done by that point.
“Sorry! I mean, it’s okay if you are one. Nobody else has to know.”
My impulsive curiosity has suddenly made things very awkward. I try, however clumsily, to make things marginally less so.
“I’m… well, you’ve probably guessed a long time ago that I’m not just some soldier who ‘did a lot of push-ups’ or whatever the hell I said when I first got here. I’ve never felt comfortable talking about certain parts of my life, so to speak.”
…I really have no idea why I ever said that, I was sort of just fumbling for any explanation that wouldn’t require me to speak about my past.
“So I get it. Um, also… Thank you. I felt like that sword was already having a negative effect on me, even before all this. Whether through some sort of magic, or just because it reminded me of a time I’d really rather leave behind me. Hell, I tried to get rid of it before, but it just kept coming back every time. So… I’m grateful I don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
Witch - Zone Three - Hive Side Entrance
You carefully lifted your arm to take the flask from Hiroki as he approached. When he went in for the hug, you quickly turned your head away from his neck, startled, and then slowly brought your free arm around to return the gesture. As he moved away, you unwound the cap on your flask and took a deep drink. You knew his senses were strong enough to pick up on the scent of blood that emanated from inside.
"I don't know," you replied with a pained smirk, lowering the flask from your mouth. "Would knowing have helped before you put your neck so close to my face?" You laughed, which quickly turned into a short hacking cough before you managed to force it down and straighten yourself back up against the wall. "If you're talking about a 'cure', nothing has been found to the best of the City's knowledge. But I'll be fine. I appreciate your concern, and your silence."
You took another swig from the flask. It always did the trick in a pinch, but strangely you found your hunger was much less intense than you expected. "At this point I'm not even sure I'd want it. How could I even pretend I could go back to the way things once were after all this time? It's not that simple. It never is."
You closed the flask again and set it on the ground next to you, then shut your eyes and rested your head against the wall as you listened to Hiroki speak. It was there again, that connection you felt. The two of you would've gotten along well when the war first started, you imagined. But he'd had the good fortune to escape before digging himself too deep, and you'd kept going willingly. It was not until after you'd had your humanity stripped away from you that you'd thought to consider its value, and seek it out again.
"Fear and pain," you said, opening your eyes again and glancing at him, "do not come from naught, nor will they vanish of their own accord. Yet seek not to cast them aside, for once out of sight they will only multiply infinitely. You must welcome them in your heart and forge them into your very soul, for they are treasures belonging to you and you alone, immutable proof that you exist."
You closed your eyes again and took a deep breath, releasing an equally deep sigh. Rest was what you needed, even though you'd still held the strength to walk out as though nothing had happened. That was something you needed to work on, resting. It did you no good to continually push yourself well past what would break others. Just because you could take it didn't mean you should.
"Viktoria... speaks fondly of you. You, both of you have a future ahead of you, and it is my duty, my purpose, to ensure that future can be brought to bear. If I may offer a word of advice, do your utmost to ensure you can walk this path with others at your side. This is not a burden that can be born by a single soul, and to attempt otherwise will not end well. I am no exception."
You scooped up the flask again and emptied the last of it, then closed it again and tossed it in your pack. "If I may be so bold, seek me out if you want help, whether it's to lend a blade or an ear. I think I might have a little more experience than most when it comes to failing to handle things yourself. I've picked a whole fucking bouquet of whoopsie-daisies on multiple occasions."
Hiroki, Zone Three, Hive Side Entrance
I laugh. Admittedly, if this was a random vampire, I'd probably be more concerned than humored.
“I guess you have a point there. If you were anyone else, I’d probably be a bit more careful about that sort of thing.”
Yep, that’s definitely blood she’s drinking from the flask. That confirms it.
“Hm. You know, I’ve never known what it’s like to be a normal human. The idea that some of the punishment I’ve endured in my life would’ve easily killed me if I was one makes the idea of ever being one sound a little frightening, if I’m being honest. If I were in your situation, I don’t know if I’d even want to stop being a vampire.”
I scratch my chin. I quickly realize this is a weird thing to even think about.
“Eh… nevermind, that’s probably not the right way to look at this. I’m just glad you’re at peace in your own skin.”
As I listen to her speak, I can tell she does so from experience. I don’t know what her life was like before she ended up here, but it doesn’t take keen observation to tell that she is rather world-weary.
“Yeah, that’s true. Can’t hide from your emotions or your problems forever - God knows I’ve tried to do that before. Didn’t lead to anything good then, doubt it would now.”
Now there’s a lesson I wish I would’ve learned earlier. A lesson I still feel I haven't fully learned sometimes nowadays, even.
“Mm, don’t worry, I don’t plan to just do everything alone. I know I can always go to the Militia, or Vicky, or Kayne, or Ammy, or… well, you. I know that I can come to you if I need a hand because you’re reliable.”
I smile a little bit. Had we met during the war, I imagine she would’ve been a valuable ally.
...Not that I’d wish that battlefield upon anyone.
Witch - Zone Three - Hive Side Entrance
You shrugged you shoulders. "Eh, I was one of the lucky ones, if you can even call it that. I could afford armor that still held up to gunshots, but nothing's going to protect you against a cannon. But then you had the Church arbitrarily deciding people's fates. That is not a pretty end, especially for someone like me."
You sighed again, slowly rising to your feet. "I would say leave me here to rest and head out on your own, except I can tell there's a raven waiting for me outside." You picked up your pack and slung it back on your shoulders. "Can't go an hour without some asshole trying to set the city on fire. Come on, let's go." You started walking towards the entryway.
"Oh, and if you have any other cursed artifacts you wish to get rid of, let me know before they try to kill me next time, hmm? I'm already at a loss for how to explain this to Satsuki, so I don't think I will."
Sure enough, there was a bird waiting with a message. You held your arm out for it to perch, and your brow furrowed as you listened. "You've gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me!" you scowled. You massaged your temples with your free hand and said "Alright, well, that's their problem right now! I'll be back as soon as I can! Go!"
Turning to Hiroki, you said "Back to work. You'll find out soon enough anyway, Robotnik's behind bars, and he blew up all his tech. You should probably report in. I take it you don't need an escort even without a weapon?"
Hiroki, Zone Three, Hive Side Entrance
I follow Witch, looking sheepish and apologetic when the issue of this whole incident and how we’re going to deal with it comes up.
“I really thought I’d be able to control the sword’s power on my own, and that I needed it to keep… to keep doing these jobs for people like you and Satsuki in the first place. I thought it was easing the difficulties and doubts I had about engaging in violence, and I didn’t understand how dangerous that thing actually was. I certainly didn’t think it would ever become alive. Worst case scenario, I was worried that without… whatever force was in the Muramasa that was pushing me to keep fighting, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this at all anymore. And then… what would I do?”
...
...
“I’m sorry, I know I should’ve said something. I feel terrible about what happened to you, and I’d do anything to go back and stop this from happening.”
…Then Witch gets news that apparently Eggman threw a tantrum and destroyed all of his stuff. It's just one thing after another, huh?
“Goddammit. Of all the… oh, right. Yes - armed or not, I’m more than capable of defending myself. Well, I’ll be seeing you around. You take care of yourself.”
With that, I turned and went on my way.
Edited by HilarityEnsues on Sep 3rd 2022 at 8:41:51 AM
Mad Scientist
Zone Three, Hive Side Entrance; Nathan Grey
"Well... goodbye then."
There goes Vult off to... do whatever she does. In any case, I should take this stuff all back to my base.
Then again, I guess I should probably get on with relocating soon enough. Especially with my plans. I don't really want to take the chance of the Peacekeepers coming in while I am working on any... less than legal activities.
Hmmm, perhaps I should take some time to do a bit of looking around for a new hideout. Perhaps somewhere new, like Zone 4?
In any case, I believe I shall have to wait on checking the Master Backup Drive until I have conducted the move. Glad I managed to sneak that away unnoticed by Witch. Shame about losing the Filing Cabinet though. Well, I'll simply have to plan on acquiring it at a future point in time. After all, the Cabinet is quite... finicky from what I've heard.
Course, what I got from the cabinet was arguably pretty informative. A bloody document from my home universe, that's what. I mean, what are the odds of that?
In any case, best I keep this to myself, to avoid anyone questioning me too much.
...I don't really want to think about this stuff anymore. Best to avoid it entirely.
In any case, I believe I shall have to drop all this off at one of my stashes for later. I don't feel confident in leaving at the hideout with the Peeks can stop by any time.
Either way, a long walk is ahead.
Hmmm, still, I can't help but wonder...
I have one, Witch took another, but who has the third copy of the master backup drive?
Alexi Vult
What the fuck do I do now?
Sure, I'm glad to get my old blueprints, designs, and whatever from my workshop but...
What am I supposed to do with the backup drive? I don't want it, or really anything else with such a direct link to the UUU.
I just want to forget about all of that.
Argh, maybe I can pass this off to someone? Someone who'll oppose Grey if he...
...
...
...
Wait, what about Satsuki?
...Yeah, that'll work. I'll just ask Susie to... and she's gone.
Fuck.
Edited by wikkit on Sep 9th 2022 at 1:06:06 AM
Zone One; Concordia Concordance Main Office - J.J. Macfield
"If you want my honest opinion, Miss Wendiesdottir, those 'animals' are barking at the door, and the house can't bay them off if it's divided. Master Ainsel might be naive enough to think that kumbayah is the answer... but could someone like that have really survived in a place like this for so long?"
You can barely remember Wendy's answer, but for you, barely remember doesn't mean that. Actually, you're very sure of what she said.
"With the friends she has, how could she be in danger?"
There's something in that. You'd be in a better place to know, if it hadn't been six hours, and if Triple-J wasn't yelling at you again.
"Goddammit, Macfield!"
John Jonah Jameson Jr., editor-in-chief of the Concordia Concordance, is the only person with more J's in his name than you. He's pompous, bombastic, and far too loud for his own good, but deep behind that cigar-smoking, salt-and-pepper exterior is a boss with balls of steel and a heart of solid brass. He doesn't suffer fools, he protects his reporters, and he follows stories to the bitter end, even when the Diet tries to butt in.
Triple-J isn't yelling at you because he's mad. He's yelling because it's his natural state.
"Goddammit, Tintin!"
Tintin taps his foot. For a happy-go-lucky boy scout, he seems remarkably calm under pressure. Once, when you were both out covering the Devil's Nest, you saw him knock out a bouncer with a single blow of his pastel fist, and you're almost certain he knows how to use a gun. And not just the gun of his mind, either.
"What seems to be the problem, chief?"
Triple-J lifts his smoking Eggbook, which appears to have turned the rest of his desk into a crater. Celluloid and newsprint flutters around, then scatters as he snaps the Eggbook in twain and throws the halves to the linoleum floor.
"The presses! The presses don't work! They're all Robotnik tech! I knew we shouldn't have switched! It's those clowns up in Accounting, is what it is!"
When Triple-J becomes excited, he begins to append exclamation marks to the end of every sentence and emphasize random words. Strangely enough, this is something that Tintin also does.
"Well," says Tintin, "we still have the rotary press."
"The rotary press!" laughs Triple-J. "Ha!"
Tintin blinks.
"Wait, you're serious," says Triple-J. "Okay."
"We can still fire up the boilers," says Tintin.
"Special issue," says Triple-J. "Yes, I can see it. EGGMAN CRACKS, TAKES TOYS WITH HIM! WILL CITY CRUSH HIM LIKE HE DESERVES?"
"I'm not sure the death penalty is appropriate," frowns Tintin.
"He ruined my press!"
Tintin gives you a sly wink, then points to the door - he clearly wants you to go and look for information, while he placates Triple-J. Not that you like conflict, yourself, but he's quite good at this.
"Anyway," says Tintin, "I think Macfield is about to head out for some professional sleuthing."
"Yes, yes," says Triple-J, waving you away. "I expect a full report on the extent of the damage by the end of tomorrow. Now, how much coal are we going to need for this run?"
EGGMAN CRACKS, TAKES TOYS WITH HIM! WILL CITY HUMANELY DEAL WITH HIM LIKE HE DESERVES?
In a stunning turn of events, the trial of Dr. Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnik has ended in disaster! Eyewitnesses say that the notorious industrialist removed a large remote from his pocket and screamed something about a world without Eggman. This was followed by mass disturbances, tremors, and appliance fires all across the City. It is believed that all Eggtech is currently non-functional. The Concordia Concordance advises its readers to treat all electronics with suspicion, and to remain calm and co-operate with authorities.
KILLER WEASEL WREAKS HAVOC IN ZONE SIX!
After a peaceful gathering of disaffected workers turned violent, eyewitnesses say that they were met with even more violence — specifically, by a weasel with guns.
"It was remarkable," said a violent and disaffected worker, who wishes to remain anonymous. "He had so many guns."
The maverick mustelid appears to be at large, having disappeared shortly after its rampage for no apparent reason. The Concordia Concordance advises its readers to remain wary of long furry objects, and of course, to watch their larders like they always do.
CONCORDANITE BROUGHT BACK TO EARTH! RELIGION ON THE RISE?
It appears that old cults are being brought back to life. Toyosatomimi-no-Miko, the famous Diet sage, led a prayer meeting at Pine Groves Apartments in Zone Two, attended by multiple civilians. Present with her were the goddess Amaterasu, Councillor Myn, and two other minor deities.
"It was a very fruitful campaign," said Toyosatomimi-no-Miko. "I believe that the gods will bring nothing but benefits and order to those who trust them. Don't forget, when you're in a pinch, call upon the names of Amaterasu-no-Okami, Salacia Persei Elimo, and Everett. In no particular order."
There was a minor disturbance by a member of the Concordanite sect, which was swiftly doused. Councillor Myn says that there is absolutely no cause for alarm, and that any links with the attack on Founders' Park are nothing but hearsay.
The Concordia Concordance thanks its readers for sticking with it through this special issue, and would like to emphasize that it has no ties whatsoever with the Concordanite sect. Please ignore the advertisement on the back of the broadsheet; it was left over from the previous plate and cannot be removed. We hope to resume our regular, high-quality format as soon as possible.
BOVIRL WINS
NOTTM FORESET FOOTBELL CLOB WINNERS OF THE ENGLIS COP
'"During our training for the ENGHLIS COP TIES we used BOVIRL very freely. We consider it was A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR in giving our men strength and staying power."''
'BOVIRL THE POOR ESSENCE OF THE BE'
For full letter see other side
Edited by troydenite on Sep 18th 2022 at 10:13:23 PM
A dogged fellow, aren't we?
Andradite – Egress Eternal, Zone 6
“Jumbo cappuccino fooooor… Slatefist? Mr Slatefist? Ah, here you go! Hehe, have a nice evening!”
Handing over a cardboard cup the size of a small pail to a shyly smiling rock troll, Andy let out a sigh of relief and flopped back over the bar as the diner was, finally, queue-free, idly kicking his feet in the air.
“Phew…! What a shift! Have we ever been this busy, Gressie? Jeeze!”
After the sometimes-boring-mostly-confusing experience that had been the trial, Andy had thought he might take it easy for the rest of the day… he hadn’t counted on the Egress Eternal experiencing the afternoon rush to end all rushes! That’s what happened, he supposed, when every other café and diner in the sector had their coffee machines simultaneously explode. Rufus seemed really happy to get so many customers, though, which was good! He had come back from that thing with Addward looking so glum… maybe they should be thankful that the mean egg man blew up all his stuff?
Psh… yeah right… that jerk.
Straightening up, Andy dusted off his uniform and scooped up the tip that Mr Slatefist had left, dropping the marks into the jar behind the counter (along with the little note with the scribbled address he’d left with them for some reason!). That done, he leaned his chin on his hands and looked at the spot by the register that was usually occupied by several feet of grouchy martin.
Someone had made a stand-in out of a rolled-up towel, but it just wasn’t the same.
“Sooo… did Addward say when he was coming home? He’s gonna be mad he didn’t get to count the till tonight.” He reached over and twiddled Addward-in-effigy with one hand. "I'm gonna miss his little money dance."
Local idiot who is a sucker for cute 2d boys
Zone Three, Don Quixote ~ Teddie
Yes...yes...I see. You wrote out the lyrics and somehow got yourself involved working with Jenny? Don't worry, I'm not mad, I was worried where you went. Ah, so you're with someone right now? Well, if they want, they can come to Don Quixote. Oh, you're going now? Okay, see you at work, Teto.I hang up on the phone as I sighs. Ever since Eggman's technology just went offline, everyone is at scramble on trying to deal with this.
Now, I'm not too sure about places that aren't a library, but it looks like I'm the only place that doesn't have nor sell Eggman tech. I was gonna hire him to help him out, but then I forgot that reputation is a thing and he's a politician in jail, so that went no where.
Besides, the store is going to be hectic in just a few hours when they get a wind that my place has no Eggman tech and I'm not selling any Eggman tech. All I have for techs are tvs, computers, phones, etc. And by tvs, I mean almost all of tv, since the tv I came out of the shadow world is something I don't want anyone to deal with, so I just put an just a display sign along with this tv isn't for sale sign.
But, I should look for any more people that can work here part time. Sure, I have Teto, but I'm sure wants to not only work here at part time, but also has to work under Jenny, so with the fact I might get more customers due to whole event, I need to look for anyone, even if they're just as dumb as Yosuke, I need the help I can get while helping others that suffer from the Eggman technology shut down.
Zone 3, somewhere in the streets of a phone booth ~ Teto
After I called in Teddie about where I was and he told me why he hasn't arrive Donki sooner, it turns out Eggman tech just went shutdown thanks to Eggman being Eggman, which explains the chaos I heard. Regardless of that, I have other tasks to deal, more specifically, about bringing more music genre that ain't K pop 24/7. Now, while I was told not to tell Aruem about that, I found a bit of a loophole abuse; She didn't order me or anyone not to befriend Aruem.Sure, Aruem screams girlboss vibes, but there's a chance that Aruem isn't like that. So, I kept pondering on what to do. I decided that pondering won't do the trick, so maybe I should learn the history of music prior to Aruem's being a thing.
But, the question is where though. As I looked around, I saw some old guy with a crane, reading a book, so I walk towards him.
Pardon the interruption, but where did you get that book from? I said, with an polite tone.
"Eh?" He look up from the book he was reading, it was almost as if he was really interested in reading it. "Oh, you're wondering where I got the book from, whippersnapper? I got it from the library in Zone 3."
Oh, an library. Do you know the directions towards the library then?
"Oh, you want to go to the library huh?" He said as he gets up and use his cane to point at the direction for the library. "If you keep going straight towards the third mailbox, that's where the library should be."
Okay, thank you so much I said as I head off to the library as the old man behind sit back down, reading his book.
Edited by Xabbynip09 on Sep 17th 2022 at 5:06:41 AM
“You bowl with 3 middle fingers” Oh hey, a troper wall
Well, that was worrying. Things were complicated enough without dragging another corpse back into the mix, and yet here you were, being so helpfully informed that Junko Enoshima was still alive. There had been no sightings of her since the raid; You'd never known the spirits to be wrong, either. You'd have to reopen inquiries, more quietly this time. That was a problem for later.
"Right, Vult," you said, stepping away from the console. "Make sure this thing is actually offline. I want to be certain we don't have to worry about it until we can get some scientists down here to check it out safely."
You turned your attention to the other elephant in the room. As best you could tell, it was a completely nonmagical filing cabinet, but nobody would bother to put a mundane filing cabinet behind a security wall of deadly lasers. Grey's brief objections only served to further cement your theory; There was something special about this cabinet. A small amount of effort saw it safely placed within your pack, away from prying eyes.
The rest of the expedition was thankfully lacking in unanticipated events. You secured a copy of what Grey ensured was data backups for further review. You even managed to find an untouched stash of bullion. Less than you'd expected, but more than you'd hoped. You picked up what scant amount you were still able to carry in your pack and marked the location of the rest for later retrieval. Before leaving the room, you made sure to provide your assistants with their fair share: One hundred thousand marks worth of "Keep Your Fucking Mouth Shut" money each.
It took some time making your way back to the outside, but eventually you make it back to the "entrance" you used. You gave the rest of your group a bow, and said "Thank you all once again for your assistance. It is unlikely we will require additional help here, but if I have further need of assistance I may reach out to you. You are all free to go. I will see to sealing the entrance."
You paused for a few seconds as they started to leave, and then spoke again.
"Actually, Hiroki, if you would lend me your ear a moment, I believe I may have another job for you if you're interested."
Edited by lynkzero13 on Sep 1st 2022 at 10:03:42 AM