Shirou Ogami
Already been 2 days, and already 2 battles since he's been here, and we haven't even done ANYTHING regarding training yet beyond just scoping out places on the island to train.
He promised to teach us, yet we've hardly done anything yet beyond getting schooled and getting our hinds handed to us.
I know that he has to know what we're working with, but I can't exactly know what he's thinking, so I don't really know his methods.
Though, if you do count what we did earlier as 'getting started' so to say, then we might've made some progress, but still.
I learn on the job, I learned how to manage myself in a fight, subdue my opponents, and even defeat creatures several times my size. Though Michiru did help, I defeated Alan because I've had more combat experience over the course of the last millennium whereas he was more taking more time to make his master plan, but still powerful regardless.
Our fight really made me feel as if I were Godzilla and he were King Ghidorah...
The resemblance was uncanny...
I've built up my power to be able to combat beings such as him, and I do so to protect the Beastmen...
However, I've been questioning my own capabilities as of recently.
We talked earlier this morning, I was up early today (woke up and couldn't go back to sleep), and I was on top of Anima City Co-op, where me, Michiru, and now him, live. I managed to spot him flying/leaping around the city. I followed him to see what he was up to, and was surprised to see that he was looking around abandoned buildings and areas where normal people wouldn't think to live.
I was in my wolf form attempting to blend in with the shadows, and I lost sight of him, but apparently the light is inevitable.
Back then
VRREEEE-WHOOOSH!!!
"What're you doing here?"
Our alien friend warps right next to me, nearly causing me to jump out of my skin like scaring your mom on Halloween. "Why're you in your wolf form?"
"Was about to ask you the same thing about being here." I say after recomposing myself. "I'm stronger and faster as a wolf, it was the only way I could keep up with you."
"Well, I was scoping out places we could train, same as yesterday. Didn't sense any life here, except for you, so I thought it'd be a good option."
FFFSSSSHHHHH!!!!!!
"Why do this so early?" I ask as I transform back into my human form.
"Early bird gets the worm."
"Yes, but the sun's not even up yet. At this point you're trying to get the worm, and the bacon, and the cherry on top. All without even needing a spoon." I say.
"How's that supposed to make sense?" He asks, confused at the nonsense I just sputtered.
"I don't know, I was improvising." I say, throwing my hands up slightly. "Also still slightly shaken up by your sudden appearance."
"Sorry, I tend to forget that appearing out of nowhere can cause people to get jumpy." He apologizes as he starts to move towards the open field right outside the decrepit buildings.
"I think that's self-explanatory." I say as I follow him.
"Yeah." I reply.
We're left with ominous silence that clashes with the pleasant nature of the morning atmosphere.
"When are we actually going to train?" I ask.
"We'll start as soon as we get ahold of the girls. I'm still waiting to see whether Marie had made her decision and if Mr. Flip is alright with me training Nina."
(I'm seriously concerned about how he's going to react once he finds out Nina's dad is a career criminal gangster. He's the backbone of the bulk of the crime in this city, and I wonder if even Nina herself knows...)
"Unless some more of those Demons decide to pop out of left field..."
"My buddy hasn't updated me on anything regarding the Ethereal Chatter, so I think we'll be alright at least for now."
"Who is this, 'buddy' as you say he is, and what's this method of communication you guys use?" I ask.
He sighs, the kind that makes you realize he's opening up about something else in his life.
"Kai-En Khan is the name of my other friend of whom aids me very frequently. He may be the youngest, but he's like the brains between the 3 of us."
"How'd you guys meet?" I ask.
"At one point, 2 Demons jumped me sometime after I was Inducted into the Kin. Though I have won battles against the weaker ones, I hadn't finished my training at the time, so I was severely outmatched against the mightier Demons. I was impaled and basically hung up by my own sword to dry."
Brutalized for the first time, almost how like I was after Nirvasyl was destroyed...
"It was soon afterwards, Rick Voss, my first friend, found me, saved me, and had me healed. After getting the okay from my parents, who were some of my superiors at the time, I wanted to be mentored by him. It was during my training that we met Kai, he was working for my dad and helped him and my mother to construct the armor you saw me with earlier. I guess the 3 of us just kind of 'clicked', because soon afterwards we started hanging out outside of training. We've fought alongside each other numerous times against the Demons, and even against others, too."
"Others?" I ask, confused.
"Usually, domestic disputes throughout universes to convince them to rally against a potential Demonic invasion. Sometimes we have to quell conflicts to get them to realize the stupidity of fighting against each other for either greed or just overall d-bag nature."
"Hmm..." I utter.
I keep forgetting the whole reality of the Omniverse...
Domestic disputes are the most trivial of things when it comes to this world. Beastmen are too much like humans, as much as it absolutely irks me to say it...
Though our forms are different, we're all susceptible to corruption of some form. Trafficking, drugs, illegal gambling on games, these are all things the humans do on the same caliber as Beastmen.
How exactly do they plan on quelling conflicts?
You can't just walk up to people and say 'Hey, maybe you guys fighting each other isn't really the best idea!' That's not how it works. But you never know. My working theory is that they spend some time in the different worlds (trying not to think about 'infinite universes' right now, it makes my head hurt) to understand context, and then make judgement based on those observations.
That's...
Relatable.
I do it all the time, though sometimes for me it may cost everyone based on me taking too long.
I'll never forget Michiru's rage towards me due to my inaction during the ever-so-obvious child trafficking incident Gram Grandma was a part of.
I know she's locked up right now...but I'm still trying to do better in the efficiency department of dealing with situations such as that.
"How do you guys communicate? You haven't answered that question yet." I ask, derailing my train of thought.
"What I mentioned before is called the Ethereal Chatter. A universal way we know of that allows us to talk with each other. Almost like an omnipresent radio signal. If you wish to reach someone you need to do is 'tune' your focus to the signature of someone you wish to talk with, they'll realize who's contacting them, and they'll answer. Though sometimes, people have the uncanny ability to 'Eavesdrop' on the Ethereal Chatter between either individuals or Hive Minds. Kai is one of these people. His ability to Eavesdrop is an invaluable tool to discover what the next moves of the Demons are. We can preeminently strike or prepare to defend as necessary."
"So basically, he can read their minds." I bluntly say.
"Kind of, but reading minds is far more complicated than just sensing their presences or emotional states. You make judgements based on how they're feeling, you could translate their feelings into words, but there's an entirely different technique for that but that's a story for another time. Rick has a similar ability, but it's more of him focusing his hearing to find what people are talking about in another room, per se."
Reading minds, Interdimensional communication, access to a foreign power, and uncanny abilities...
Here I thought that my life was crazy.
"Intriguing..." I say.
There's another small gap of silence that follows before Cato ends it.
"But enough about me, what's your social life like?" He asks, taking me aback.
"Huh? What do you mean?" I ask, legitimately confused, especially coming from the guy I'd have to assume has had a lackluster one himself ever since an incident in his life.
Not crapping on him at all, just saying.
"I mean, do you got any friends? Hobbies? Ulterior goals? You've got to have a life outside of being the protector of Beastmen. You can't have that be your only dimension as a character." He explains.
You know, I've been asked many things in my life. Some people have figured out I was Ginrou and 'wanted' me, others (criminals) asked if I wanted to die because I put them in prison, some have asked me what the meaning of life is, and even asked me why I do what I do...
Never has anyone ever asked me basically 'You got friends or you lonely?'
"Well...I...never...gave it much thought." I say. "I'm usually so focused on my work that I couldn't. Why ask?"
"Part of being Kin is being able to make connections. Friends, allies, and associates. You've got the associates part down what with Barbara Rose, but as far as I've seen and heard, you don't have much experience interacting with the very Beastmen you protect." He says. "You ever thought of giving it a try?"
"No" I say. "Beyond just Michiru and Nazuna, and even my pet crow Kuro, I haven't had much experience in that department."
"All you need is to out and meet people. Take some time off to explore yourself. It's why one against everyone is fighting an uphill battle, you can't stop every conflict that occurs by yourself." He says. "You may be the protector of Beastmen, and you can live forever but you still have your limits."
Limits.
Among many of the banes of my existence...
I agreed to be trained so I can surpass them, and so that no one will ever suffer as Nirvasyl did a thousand years ago.
"A weak protector is doomed to fail." I say.
"It's why want you to remember that it never hurts to try to make more friends to aid you in your quest. Never be afraid to have people you can ask for help from. It's how you got the edge necessary to triumph over Alan." He says, but soon a miniature smile cracks through.
"You feel like you want to save everyone, right?" He asks as he walks towards the building we were in initially.
"I want to, and I HAVE to." I say as I follow him.
He Ignites his light and flies up to the top overlooking the area, I transform briefly to scale it, climbing up the concrete with my claws and reverting back mid-air when I reach the top. When I land I witness him standing in front of the sun, the lighting outlining his form casting a shadow behind him, the glint on his armor shining on the exterior.
"I'm going to drop a bombshell on you even harder than Hiroshima or Nagasaki." He bluntly says.
I wait in anticipation as I approach him as he turns.
"It's impossible to save everyone."
What?
"You just can't." He adds.
"Why not?" I retort.
"You have limits, don't you? You don't exist everywhere, right?" He asks.
"No." I say. "But I can get there."
"It's not good enough, and you can't see the future, right?"
"Yeah, but I can prepare for it."
"Right there!" He exclaims as he points that out, literally. "What was that you said?"
"I...I can prepare for it?" I repeat, confused at the suddenness of this.
"That's it." He says, still pointing. "Prepare for it. You can't see what's coming, but you can predict it, and prepare for it to either minimize or eradicate the threat entirely. That's the mentality to have."
"No other Beastman should have to worry about their own safety. With your teachings I can protect them." I say.
"Then that's a lackluster mentality."
"What are you sayi-?!"
He holds up his hand again, cutting me off.
"If you can fight, and if you have the resources and the capabilities...but you know you can't be there for them all the time. What do you do?" He asks me. "Put aside your pride and think about this, practically."
Dammit! I...I....
Well...okay...
I...can't always be there...I've basically broken down at the mere aspect of not being able to protect my people.
So...I can fight. I've basically created an entire martial art around my Beastman enhancements, and I can take care of myself.
Other Beastmen who are not either in a violent gang like The Family or a criminal organization can survive things that would normally kill humans, but have not been able to handle themselves in a dangerous situation.
So...the only logical thing is...
"Teach them?" I ask
"Yes." He boldly states. "Teach them. Teach them to fight. Teach them to survive. Teach them to defend themselves. Teach them to create contingencies to combat new threats."
"Then...I...would have allies to help defend them..." I say, the realization slowly setting in.
Is...this the revelation I've been needing all this time?!
"Yes. That is the Way of the Kin. We go out to new worlds, teaching others how to defend themselves and unlock power they never knew they had to combat other hostile powers."
"If you make friends, then you have someone to have your back, and if you teach them, they can be your shield!" I exclaim.
"We teach our friends, so they can teach others. It enriches their lives, and they don't have to worry about being attacked, because THEY..."
"Are the forces to be reckoned with..." I utter in my realization.
He throws up his hands.
"And thus, you got it." He says, calmly, yet smiling.
He turns to see the sun once more. I walk to stand by him, watching the sun as it begins to fully arise over the horizon.
"One more thing. When I said you can't save everyone, I didn't say you couldn't save ANYBODY." He says.
"I know, I was overreacting. Sorry about that, by the way." I apologize.
"It's alright." He says. "I believe I told this to Michiru, but you need to know this too. My last piece of advice to you would be: Focus on saving either a few, or even just one. You fight not only to save everyone, but you fight to save your friends. The ones you connected with the most."
Focus on saving a few...or one...
"But hey, congratulations on your first step. The First Lesson, is complete."
"What was that?"
"I've had difficulty making new friends all my life, and honestly, after, an occurrence in my life, it's only gotten worse. But you, and the girls, gave me hope. You all even gave me the confidence to show my face to someone else after all this time, and I feel as if I now have friends in all of you, and you can be assured now..."
He pounds his chest.
"You've already got a friend in me." He says.
I just chuckle in response.
"Oh, before I forget." He says, walking up to me. He holds out his hand for a handshake.
Given that he sounds technically Western, and he's respected our Japanese greetings, it only seems appropriate that I humor him in this sense. I've done it before, just, you know.
I grip his hand, but as I do, I feel a familiar presence coming from him, inwardly to me.
The area around us, at least to me, gets strangely dark, as if the only visible figures here are just the two of us.
Evidenced by a slight glow, I begin to feel an almost, tingly, buzzing, yet more vibrating feeling inside. Not in a bad way, just in an unfamiliar, yet necessary manner.
My first instinct is to try and pull away, but I relent.
His grip ensures I don't escape from it.
Some unusual...light beams emanate from the gaps in between our hands, and they force themselves into my skin, intensifying the feeling.
Soon, it finishes, the light disappears, the world and brightness around us returns, and we retract our arms with him smiling.
"What...what did you just do...?" I ask, confused, and rubbing my hand.
"Let's just say I've Awoken you. A little exposure goes a long way, but I'll explain later. I've already done the same with the girls." He says, walking past me facing the city. "I'll hit you up when we're to begin."
He Ignites his body with his power and flies off, creating a sonic boom as he soars back further into the city, leaving me baffled once more at what just happened.
I look at the hand he was holding, gripping it tightly.
That sensation is still within me...
I...feel...
Stronger.
Now
I can't stop looking at my hand, and I don't even know what else to describe the feeling I have.
He said he had me Awakened, what's that even mean? Well, he said he'll explain later...
His words have stuck with me for the past few hours and hit me hard I never truly thought about having friends because I never wanted any other Beastmen to be harmed, yet I've begun to wonder if there are OTHER Beastmen who share my ambition of maintaining the peace.
I mean, Nina said that she would join me if she could, and Marie looked flabbergasted at the idea of helping. Though I do not know if she ever did so because she would benefit or not.
I remember Michiru's baseball team The Bears aiding in the fight against Boris and the Nirvasyl-Syndrome Beastmen, so there's certainly potential there. They worked up the courage to face danger for the people they cared about, as do I every day.
But never in my lifetime would I ever have thought to teach the very people I protect, to protect themselves.
I feel like a weight has been somewhat lifted off my shoulders, a responsibility that crushes me is now preparing to be alleviated.
Me not having to worry about the people being hurt? Almost seems too good to be true.
I hope we can start training soon, so I can get to teaching my people.
I transform into my wolf form, and I begin running across the rooftops, resuming my patrol of the city as I scale the gaps in between the structures.
I think I know what else to describe how I feel now after being, well, Awoken...
I feel lighter.
Almost...
A little freer now.
Suddenly, I hear a distant booming sound...
Strange...
In the next few minutes, a couple more are heard.
Even stranger...
Eventually...
"Shirou!!!" The distinct sound of-
"Kuro?" I immediately stop running to let my beloved pet crow land on my hand "What's going on?"
"S-Something's attacking! Something scary! I...I don't even know what it is! It attacked your friend Cato!" He exclaims. "It's bound to attack your other friends too!"
I've told Kuro about the girls, and recently Cato, during our conversations, as the crow is technically my longtime best friend, I can confide in him about these things.
"Where?!" I ask him.
"Town Square!"
I instantly take his word for it and I begin speeding across the buildings at record speed to save my friends...
From who....
Or whatever this thing may be...
Marie
C'mon, girl!
This is your chance to make a fortune!
You literally have a fragment from potentially ANOTHER WORLD in your hands, and you can give it to this guy.
I've been at my stand, selling off Nazuna's merchandise to make an actually honest profit for once. This one hulking shady looking guy came up to me recently, seemingly noticing Skyfall's peace offering I had on display.
He's connected to The Family, and he's promising me a buttload of cash for it.
Probably because since our new alien friend is seriously trending, people are wanting to know, or even have, more of him.
Even then, Michiru's told me about her encounters with this gang. Never really been one to get behind that kind of life, even though it's hypocritical 'cuz I'm technically a con artist.
"So, lady? Do we have a deal?" The guy in the suit asks, huffing a cigar.
"Why'd you want this? Could buy all this amazing stuff here, yet you choose the sore thumb that stands out." I interrogate him, currently in my human form, so my visors go up when I raise my eyebrow.
"Just something that piques my interest."
"And where would your interest be placed right now, Al Capone?" I half-insult the ganster-looking guy.
"Cheeky little girl, aren't you?"
"Nah, just a random customer survey." I brush off.
"Didn't see you 'survey' the last guy."
"Like I said, random." I reiterate, shrugging my shoulders dismissively.
"You're starting to get on my nerves." The guy's voice slightly raises.
"Hey, aren't we allowed to conduct our businesses the way we want?" I ask.
"Yeah, my time is money, and don'tcha wanna make some? How's bout it? 100,000,000!" He makes a 'money' gesture, puffing the cigar smoke in his mouth.
Dammit, he is right. I do.
I can just give this guy the offering, and he'll be giving me over 100,000,000 yen!
I'D BE SET FOR LIFE!!
I could finally leave this city and live a life of luxury, be off the streets having to scam people, and actually enjoy myself for once!
Yet...
As I seize the knife-like offering from the makeshift stand I placed it on, it somehow feels heavier than everything I've held in my life.
There was some writing in English when I first looked at it, but I'm not too fluent in reading it, so it wound up disappearing somehow.
Instead, when I hold it now, I feel drawn towards a certain direction, for some reason.
Either one of those things, or I'm getting slightly weak in the hand.
Ever since yesterday, I've been questioning myself uncharacteristically.
I've never. And I mean hardly EVER, been shown any form of generosity in my life. I've been fighting my whole life in Anima City and beyond just to survive in this world. I barely remember my parents at all, and the streets are the only technical home I've ever known. No one showed any care for me, but I try to cope with it with specific parts of my work. It's the reason why I became who I am today, semi-helping Beastmen in need. I only ever did it for the potential profit, and eventually I do get it...
But I've never been GIVEN anything before, even something with perceived minimal value from the Angel, the sentimental value somehow makes it priceless.
I haven't even been particularly religious, but when I saw on the news that an alien being had come down from the sky of all places...
I've been starting to become somewhat of a believer.
He gave it to me for a reason...
He said he felt a 'latent power', from me, and that I have potential beyond just scamming people.
Was this really the best outlook on my life? Is this really how I want to be remembered? I've only ever recently been getting into somewhat honest work, but band-aids on a flesh wound in that department.
I find it funny how a literal alien is the one who makes me challenge my perspectives on reality, especially with a simple act such as him giving me the little peace offering...
He said to 'trust your feelings and trust your instincts'.
My head is screaming at me to make the deal...
But in my heart...
Dammit.
I know I'm probably gonna regret this later...
Guess when push comes to shove...
"No deal." I say, gripping my gift tighter.
"Ya sure 'bout that?" The gangster gruffs, puffing bigger clouds of smoke.
"No sale. This thing is priceless." I stand my ground. "Get outta here."
"Yer loss." He dismisses me as he huffs away, the ground slightly shaking while he's at it, as if he was angry.
Well, it's already starting to settle in.
Could've had a life of glamor and enjoyment, and I missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime for the sake of 'feelings'.
I hope this was worth it...better be...
I look up into the sky, thinking about my history, and what I've done that hasn't been very 'enriching' in my life.
This 'potential', that Skyfall said I have, better be worth more than what I initially had in mind for my future.
Then again, not like it was very fulfilling in the first place.
If that's the case, when would my actual, enriching, transcendent, life really begin?
KABOOM!!
The sound of a distant sound passively-aggressively pulls me out of my thoughts.
Was that a...gunshot?
Nobody here besides the terrorists has them...and all the terrorists are already locked up!
It's not even a few moments later, follows more gunshots, and a few more minutes of silence until...
Someone suddenly passes me.
"Huh?" I turn my head to see someone running away in terror.
Two more do the same, sharing the same expressions.
Soon, 3 more, then 4, and 5.
I look the other way to see an entire crowd of people, currently in their Beastman forms.
That's not good...
I walk out in the middle of the road to see the street in full view...
Civilians normally activate these forms in response to threats, given that they, obviously, enhance our durability.
A female rabbit Beastman collides with me, and I manage to pick her up after she falls.
"What's going on?!" I ask her.
"Someone-Something, is attacking! I-I..." She tries to utter.
"JUST RUN IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!!!" A dog Beastman screams as he sprints by us.
As I let the lady get back to running, I quickly collapse my deployable stand and roll it into an alleyway to keep it safe. I run back into the streets, people dashing to the side to avoid me.
If this is in response to a threat...
Then the question is...What is the threat?
Not even a day after the last time, and here we are again.
I look to the metal piece in my hand, it's beckoning me to go...
Towards where the people are running from.
I'm not a stranger to combat, I fought in the battle against Alan's cronies. I can handle myself.
'Trust your feelings, and trust your instincts.'
Not listening to my rationality again, and casting aside all common sense...
FFFSSSSHHHHH!!!!!!
I transform into my mink form and I speed towards the danger, using all 4's to give myself that little extra boost.
If the piece, of which is behind my ear right now, is beckoning me to go there, then he's likely there too.
Skyfall...
I don't really know what to think of you. You're someone who is both figuratively, and literally, out of this world.
But you saw something in me, I don't know what it is, but if whatever you saw makes you want to give someone like ME a chance...
Then I'll give you one as well.
And whatever we'll fight today, we'll give 'em HELL.
Here we go again...
As I do, however, I can't help but notice a familiar face/presence running alongside me across the rooftops...
1 Hour Earlier
Cato
It's weird seeing the girls fiddle with my peace offerings...
They've already figured out they're like knives...
They know what the little 'marble things' do, but they don't even know what the other really is...
The more I think about it, the weirder it gets.
"So, seriously, you just hand these things out? They're sharp as all get-out..." Nazuna comments, tapping it.
"They for self-defense? A knife?" Michiru asks.
"Could be, haven't seen someone use it as such yet." I admit.
"You ever considered it would happen?" She asks.
I shrug.
"I don't doubt it." I say.
It's been a day since the incident yesterday, and us hanging out with the children at the orphanage.
Hands down, the cutest beings I've come across in this world.
We wanted to meet up again to discuss what exactly we're planning on doing now that I've Awoken them as well as, haven't mentioned it to them yet, Shirou.
They let me choose where we'd meet up, and I chose the top of City Hall, wanted to go for a scenic view for today.
September is exceedingly nice, the crisp breeze being perfect conversation atmosphere.
Still no contact from Marie though, and I'm wondering what's going on with Nina right now...
I also contacted my friend Kai earlier this morning as well.
He said my new weapon is already finished!
He said he also had to give it a test run, so he'll let me know when that's taken care of.
He's done good so far in his world, and already been facing the threats of that world too.
I asked him about the scared woman, and he said she's doing better now. He's taught her self-defense, and apparently even showed her how to use a gun, at least until he teaches her to use her power, as we usually do.
He's got a lot on his plate right now, I don't doubt his abilities, he's one of the best managers of time I know of.
"Do you have any family?" Nazuna asks, pulling me out of my recollections.
"Nazuna!" Michiru scolds her friend. "You don't know what he's been through."
I turn to her as she elaborates.
"I know, but we've said that we have family, and you've mentioned your friends, but I don't remember if you said you have any family."
I chuckle in response.
"First, it's okay, Michiru. Second, I'm actually glad you mentioned that." I say, turning back to the city. "I do have family, namely my parents and my siblings."
"What's...your family like?" Michiru asks.
I shrug my shoulders again.
"Aside from the fact that, in Nazuna's words, us being 'multidimensional beings'?" I ask, raising a teasing eyebrow to the pink fox girl, who blushes in embarrassment as I think some more. "The best I could ask for."
"How so?" Michiru asks.
"They taught me the meaning of the word 'love'. The kind that is reciprocating, and moves mountains and rivers. It's not romantic, but the kind of love that gives you the desire to pick up your friends from the airport, or one that you'd help clean their house, even let you stick with them through thick and thin. Only a family can teach you that, whether you're raised in one, or even if you made one." I say, looking to the girls.
"I can understand that..." Michiru utters.
"My parents taught me sufficiently how to fight, and I was able to refine those skills on the field, and my siblings also demonstrated unusual abilities. What I did against Giuliano Flip might be one that they were able to do. I'll ask them and my parents about it when I can." I say.
"Cool..." Nazuna says, intrigued.
"I've also learned that, through them, to keep a society from falling, it's those little acts of kindness, and love, that keep the evil at bay. Not many people realize, and it's even saddening, how little help or encouragement people need to survive. Even just hearing 'You can do it', or 'I appreciate what you do', can make someone's day. It's nice to hear it from someone in your family, but it's a whole other level when someone outside of your family has the compassion to say, they care for you." I explain.
I soon shake my head as the girls continue to listen.
"You never know the feeling until you've experienced it..." I say somberly.
The girls look down at the city as they begin to think.
It's true.
Depressing, even.
It's literally insane, how people can be taken for granted.
Whether it be men working up on the powerlines, in the sewers, building skyscrapers, or even women being able to raise children, it's almost dangerous with how people don't realize how necessary it is to have them.
Imagine all these people in the world getting love for not even risking their lives, when you got firefighters, army men, police officers, oil rig workers, and the like, all of whom could very well never come home because they have to provide for their families...
And nobody bats an eye...
It's one of the few things that makes me not just angry...but furious...
"I...never thought of it that way." Michiru utters.
"Same..." Nazuna says.
"It's just something to consider, especially with everything that's at stake now..." I say.
"I don't even think Shirou's been told people appreciate him for what he does." Michiru replies, realizing it. "Been around for over a millennium and never been told 'good job'."
"Guess that's long overdue." I say. "Have you ever been told how good of a job you girls have been doing?"
They blush.
"No..." They say.
"Well, I'm the first you're gonna hear it from. You girls have been doing awesome." I say to them.
They smile.
"Thanks." Michiru says.
"Means a lot." Nazuna nods.
I laugh a little, inhale and exhale as I look on at the city again.
"I believe it's time for us to begin." I say, straightening myself out.
"So, what do you have in mind for us?" Nazuna asks.
"First we'll need to find Shirou." I say.
"You know where he is?" She asks.
"Opposite side of town, as of right now." I say, tracking his presence. "Guessing you still don't want to do the Warp just yet?"
"Yeah..." The girls say.
"Understood."
FFFSSSSHHHHH!!!!!!
FFFSSSSHHHHH!!!!!!
The girls activate their wings, and soar up into the sky.
I leap up onto the guard rail on the tower, maintaining my balance.
"What's up, Danger?" I whisper to myself, smiling as I let gravity pull me into a freefall, the girls following me close by.
I allow my power to slowly intensify, and eventually it Ignites, carrying me into a state of flight, pulling me through the gaps in the buildings and across the street.
Soon, we're all flying for the 3rd time together as far as we've known each other.
I'm glad they have their wings, but...
I hope they get to the point where they won't even need them...
"So, what're we doing once we find him?" Michiru asks.
"We'll likely be going to the abandoned district of the city." I say.
"What about that cave?" Nazuna asks.
"I have different plans for that place, we'll cross that bridge when we get there."
"Oh, okay." She replies.
"You know, I've been keeping up with the news on Mayor Rose's interviews. Apparently they also have footage of both our fights between Boris and that Fallen Angel. It's only been a few days since Alan's attack and they've been increasing tensions between the city and the mainland." Michiru says.
"How so?" I ask.
"As you know, we're planning on opening up to the public, but the whole thing with a looming threat isn't really good for publicity. She's been trying to quell the conflict, but some have even asked her about an interview with you to ask your opinion on it." She explains.
"Sounds like something to have in the back of our minds for now." I say.
"Maybe, but there's got to be a way for us to at least help in that department." She adds.
"We'll see." I say. "There's bound to be."
We continue to go back and forth with each other for a little bit as we eventually fly over Town Square, as the girls call it.
"I still feel like Alan is going to get out, I just can't shake the feeling." Nazuna utters.
"I hate to be 'that guy', but the way Alan's been described, it just sounds like the worst mistake to keep him alive. He's too dangerous." I say.
"Yeah, but Shirou would've had to carry that guilt. I didn't want that for him." Michiru replies.
"That sounds like a problem that we need to help him with. You can't redeem the terrorist, Michiru. Your mercy to them will just mean a chance for revenge for them. I can understand not lashing out in anger, but some deaths are sadder than others. Alan's...won't be." I explain.
She sighs, hard.
"You're the battle-hardened warrior, I'll at least take your word for it." She says.
"You'll know the meaning of it eventually." I reply.
"Yeah...hopefully..." She utters.
"Sometimes you just need to-"
Wait...
My senses are firing off...
Someone's...watching...
Focusing on us...
The girls...?
Nazuna...
No...
HER!
KABOOOM!!!
"MICHIRU, HEADS UP!!" I exclaim as I shove her to the side, me backing off nearly instantly.
"WHA-HUH?!" She yells in confusion as-
WHEEEEE!!!!
A black and white projectile passes right by her face, missing it by mere inches
My battle instincts kick in.
"GET TO THE GROUND!" I order the girls as I scan the area, both of them dipping down and soaring right to cover.
"Everyone! Please get out of here!" Nazuna calls out to everyone nearby.
Michiru joins in.
"It's for your safety!" The tanuki girl adds.
The immediate area, within a few moments and accompanied by some panic after the gunshot, is clear enough to where we have room to work with.
"Good call." I thank them, returning to scan the area.
Eventually I pick up on a very distinct signature...
I recognize that feeling anywhere...
KABOOOM!!!
WHEEEEE!!!!
A second projectile, one that I tilt my head to dodge...
It's a bullet, .338 Lapua Magnum, sniper round
All from...
The distinct white and black Demonic mask, wielding a personalized rifle, flipping me the bird.
A Scout
First him, now this one...
It's literally antagonizing me.
Alright, I'll play this little game.
I focus my flight abilities on it, beginning a rapid approach to its position.
KABOOOM!!!
WHEEEEE!!!!
I have to barrel roll to dodge that one, but I nearly spin out of control.
Contrary to what I've been doing, I can fly casually, just about, but not for combat purposes.
It's one of the things that I've had the most difficulty with...
I barely manage to recover, fortunately, and resume my descent towards the enemy.
It gets up, revealing the standard casual black and white business blazer. Tie and everything.
I prepare a meteor-like kick towards it as it runs under me, leaping off as I recover from my failed kick, sliding to a stop as I run to the edge to try and reengage it, but-
BANG! BANG! BANG!
It whips out its standard enhanced Glock 18 and fires at me as it descends, me being forced to hold up the bracers on my armor to block the bullets.
CLINK! CLINK! CLINK!
Cheap move...but clever...
It lands with a roll as I leap off, going for another kick as it reverse-somersault dodges, my kick making contact with the ground.
It recomposes itself as I get up, us facing each other as I notice the girls peeking out of an alleyway, slowly walking out, still somewhat shaken after us getting fired upon.
It's wearing its rifle on its back via a strap, and its pistol is in a holster in its side.
That same damn electronic voice comes out from that mask...
"Did a number on him, didn't you?"
"Only wish I drove his blade through his heart." I retort.
"Could also comment on the number this place did to you. So stoic with your own mask, yet you finally removed it..."
"What's wrong with changing things up a little?" I glare.
"Some things never do...and some like to keep it that way..."
"Some change is good, others are not so much, like the kind you want, for example." I stare daggers at it.
"You know we're inevitable."
"Yeah." I grip my hand towards it, my veins slightly glowing white. "So are we."
I charge at the Scout, who whips out its pistol and fires at me to keep me at bay. I take a page out of a certain Amazon's book and predict where the bullets go, and use the bracers on my armor once more to continue to block them as I close the distance.
The tactic works, and it's forced to put away the gun as it engages me in hand-to-hand combat.
Unfortunately, I don't have any weapons on me right now, so I'll have to manage...
I go for a leaping strike to the mask, but it sidesteps, I follow up with another, it's deflected. It goes for a counter kick, but I lean back to dodge it. It goes for a jumping kick, but I grab it, and I judo-throw it away before reapproaching it and landing a successful punch to the face, knocking it down.
In retaliation, it sweeps my legs and recovers as it does so, I do the same by rolling backwards and landing on my legs.
It tries to whip out its bolt action sniper rifle again, but is only met with having to guard as I go for a knee in the gut. It deflects two more of my punches before I knock it down, seize its rifle and hold it to its face.
"Try anything, and you get a taste of your own medicine." I growl at the Demon.
It turns its head, not to its pistol...
But to something else...
As it does...
Suddenly, my senses are overwhelmed by an ulterior force, one that I had not felt ever before. Like a full head migraine mixed with a tidal wave slamming into my cranium, it almost causes me to falter.
"I'm not even sick, yet who's the nauseous one here?"
"What is this...?" I utter, still pointing the gun at it.
I've been across various different universes, I've felt individuals' power and presence. This shouldn't be new to me but why is it so...
Alien?
The Scout points to the side.
"Ask that."
I snap my head to a mere few yards worth of distance from where we're from, even the girls follow my gaze.
The air suddenly gets a few degrees colder, and the air gets thinner, the oxygen feels like it's being sucked away towards a singularity, of which soon makes itself known. The light bends around a space about a head shorter than me above the concrete, and space violently gets torn apart in a miniature shockwave to reveal a certain something.
Okay...this is some serious mind-screwery.
It looks like some form of unstable energy of various darker colors on the outskirts of the blackness. The inside is literally pure blackness with the exception of small white particles reminiscent of snow.
"What...is that...?" I utter, baffled at the unusually distant nature of this.
Suddenly I'm met with the feeling of me being yanked forward, slugged in the face, twice, and being held up to the Demon's face.
"LET'S SEE..."
It headbutts me in the face as it kicks me closer to the black void, me pulling out all the stops to cease my movement.
I just about screech to a stop, observing the darkness getting closer as I do, before I return looking at the Demon.
It doesn't say anything...but...
It looks, not at me...
But above me...
Past me...
"Oh...sh-"
Suddenly, the feeling of the alien presence intensifies...
Disturbingly so.
I make the mistake of following my enemy's gaze...looking behind me as I'm still in my ceasing-movement position.
It's like a closet, opened up just enough to see the endless darkness inside, mimicking a childhood fear of what could possibly be inside with the most malicious of intentions.
You'd be in your bed, under the sheets, looking up at the ceiling, and can never stop looking to and from that barely open closet, still under the irrational fear that something's there.
But now, all grown up, you don't have your parents to comfort you and say that it's going to be alright.
You're on your own, and it's not going to be alright.
That monster you've been afraid of all these years...
The one you've lost sleep over...
Is REAL...
AND IT'S FOUND YOU
Blank, glowing, menacing eyes, and an unsettling smile.
Before I can even react, from the black...
A clawed hand
Straight into my face, seizing it, I'm violently whipped forward by the force of it, barely having enough time to process what's going on before it lifts me up into the air briefly before slamming my whole form into the ground.
"WHAT THE-!" Nazuna exclaims.
"CATO!" Michiru screams.
"Extraordinary..."
I can't even say anything to either the girls exclamations or the Scout's commentary...
Words don't even do justice to describe what this thing even looks like...
But the closest thing to its nature is like a predator that's found its prey...
This nightmarish creature looks like the violent love child of a burlap sack and a skeletal corpse, the eyes and mouth are glowing bright orange, a dark maroon gas emanates from every open crevice on its face. It even wears an unsettling noose around its neck.
In its other non-face apprehending hand, it wields a menacing chained hook sickle.
This doesn't feel like any Demon, there's no trace of the signature presence, contrary to the Scout.
It looks around, seemingly observing the world it found itself in.
Is this thing also some form of interdimensional evil?!
It creepily moves its blank face up against my head, the orange light emitting unsettling heat while the area around it is unsettlingly cold. It makes an almost pervy sniffing sound before it speaks in a low, echoey, Freddy Krueger-like voice.
It's even disturbing than the electronic voices of the Demons.
"Hello, little boy..."
I try to hyperventilate, but its grip on my face severely limits my breathing.
"What's the matter? Choking on your aspirations?"
Those 2 lines seem to be enough for the Scout.
"I think I'll leave you two alone. Scare you later, old foe."
The Scout gives a mocking salute to me.
VVRRRM-WHOOOSH!!!!
It Warps away...leaving me, and even the girls to contend with this living nightmare...
The being stares at where the Scout once was, seemingly intrigued by its abilities.
"Interesting...imagine being so lucky to have friends, family, AND foes..."
Wait...is this thing implying that...
As I'm thinking, I can't help but notice something else looking at us...
A bird...but not just any bird...
This one seems different...
A black bird...of which if I look just that one bit closer at...
A raven...no...
A crow...watching...
I continue to look at it, trying to take my mind off the horrifying nature of the being, it notices.
It follows my gaze, but in a disturbingly slow manner.
As it does, the crow instantly backs off in fear, flapping its wings and flying off whether it be to flee or to warn others.
I make the mistake of looking back at the nightmarish creature, its 'eyes' seemingly looking out into space...
The gears in its 'head' turning...
Maliciously...
"Pretty bird..."
"E...Enough with this...who....WHAT...in...the...hell...are you...?" I barely manage to utter.
I'm normally calm, collected about things across my travels, whether it be combat, or even saving people from things...
But this...
This is something else...entirely
It thinks more...
The gears continue to turn...seemingly pondering about what he heard...and saw...
Eventually...they stop...
It looks back to me, it breathes in once more...saying something...
A name... that will stick with me...
For as long as I will remember...
"THE SCARECROW"
Chapter End