Impulsive Tendencies
"Make decisions as circumstances dictate. If you have to, trust your gut and make the call- or so I believed that's what you keep telling me since I was 5," Inaho flatly said. Yuki almost threw her hands in the air in exasperation; he just didn't understand.
Or in which Inaho is an Emperor, Asseylum is an Empress, Mars is divided, and Slaine is a demon.
The Emperor of the Kaizuka Empire was well-known - notorious, even - for his ability to seemingly see all with a mere glance. Rebellious forces were easily eliminated before they were even given the chance to initiate their planning of overthrowing the emperor, and those who served under the Emperor's name willingly kneeled before him in admiration and respect. He was young, far too young, to lead an empire, but that didn't hinder the developmental progress of their government. In fact, Vers Empire is able to flourish with the aid offered by none other than the Emperor of the Kaizuka Empire himself, and that established a lasting peace between the two ruling empires of Mars.
However, soon, the Emperor reached the age of 16 and he has deemed it necessary to come to earth as an Ambassador to negotiate peace and settle affairs that were previously the least of the two empires' priorities.
And of course, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to occur, Kaizuka Inaho foresaw his own assassination.
"Enhanced homing missiles," he murmured under his breath, deceitfully impassive at the sight of exploding vehicles and crumbling buildings from an area possibly hours away from where he currently stood, hands by his sides and posture dignified. His eyes - a frighteningly deep shade of wine red - followed the direction from where the missiles have emerged from and made instantaneous calculations within his head to determine its exact location before walking to grab his coat from his chair and leaving the room.
Considering that the United Earth is very much aware of my arrival and the consequences of harming one of the rulers of Mars, they must have taken quite the precautions to ensure my safety, he thought as he sped through the hallways of the isolated building, occasionally taking sharp turns and opening closed doors on his way, If that's the case and I highly suspect it to be, then that increases the likelihood of an organization behind my assassination, or a group of people, at the very least. One that has their hands on weapons manufactured in Mars because there is a low possibility that the inhabitants of this planet have come so far as to develop weapons of that calibre.
He opened another door, this one bigger than the rest that he's been encountering the past two minutes, and he wasn't disappointed to see that it led outside. Varying kinds of plants surrounded the grassland as trees towered over the infrastructure, casting shadows over it and himself.
Under one noticeably giant tree was a vehicle that he has brought along with himself from Mars, powered by Aldnoah - the Kaizuka Empire's Aldnoah, not the Vers'; there was a difference, no matter how subtle - and a stoic man - Harklight, his memory supplied - that stood by it. The vehicle was compact and it resembled the general structure of the cars on Earth. However, the similarities were outnumbered by the difference; it had no wheels or windows, there were odd parts which were protruding with metal platings, and its general design seemed a little too similar to Martian Kataphrakts rather than an actual vehicle for transportation.
"Return to Mars and report of the situation here on Earth," he told the man as he quickly approached, "Refrain from telling her that I survived the attack. I trust Yuki-nee, but this event will have to be an exception."
"Understood, Inaho-sama." The man bowed, fist over his heart, as he watched the young Emperor open the door to his vehicle and call forth his ability to manipulate his Aldnoah. It was mesmerizing. It has always been, ever since he had been a mere child. The way this Emperor held himself and his composure, the way he predicts almost everything while never belittling or underestimating the chances of being proven wrong, the way his words capture your attention and awaken the primal desire to protect him like the Orbital Knights of Vers' Empire would awaken Aldnoah- it was all so, so captivating.
Kaizuka Inaho glanced at him from the corner of his eye, a faint smile on his lips as he sat inside the vehicle as if he knew just what exactly was running through his mind. Harklight had little to no doubt he did.
He nodded once before he was gone in a blur.
Harklight bowed once more before turning to do as he was ordered. With the current turn of events, the young Emperor's older sister, Yuki Kaizuka, would once again have to assume control of the Kaizuka Empire.
(Despite himself, Harklight couldn't help but inwardly shudder and pity those who would have to deal with her wrath after finding out that someone has - tried to - assassinate her younger brother.
It's one thing to have 37 Orbital Knights waiting to wreak havoc and inflict irreversible destruction on Earth for their Princess. It's another thing to have the revered Emperor of the Kaizuka Empire assassinated. Forget mass murder. His older sister is going to obliterate the Earth clear off the damn universe in exchange for her younger brother's life.)
"That must be him," the presumed dead Emperor muttered to himself as he, on one of the seven monitors, zoomed in on the face of a particular man. He had short brown hair, grey eyes, and he appeared to be in his mid-30s. Clad in a grey suit and with a phone in his hand, he blended pretty well with the rest of the Terrans, and Inaho wouldn't have assumed that it was that man if he was anybody else but himself.
It was really just unfortunate that he had a knack for remembering faces he's seen before.
He looked up and observed his surroundings through the monitors. He was able to freely roam about after adjusting his vehicle's stealth to its maximum capacity, allowing him to trail and observe without causing suspicion to arise within the apprehensive crowd, or what was left of them anyway (which was, at most, nothing). Most have already evacuated the area in fear of being targeted or being accused of being a part of whatever has caused the catastrophic event. It was extremely suspicious, after all. The site was one of the few routes that led to the area of attack.
At the moment, Inaho was stationed near a hospital - the man's apparent destination - and right across the said hospital were several stores now isolated and closed after the explosions. It was apparent, with little effort exerted on his part, why this was where the man was headed. He remembered him, after all. He knew things that the man himself wouldn't have guessed he knew and that was he was using to his advantage in this particular scenario.
Taking a deep breath and calling forth a generous amount of Aldnoah, he managed to mask his current appearance with the holographic image of a young teenager with midnight black hair and ocean blue eyes, his complexion a lot paler in contrast to his actual skin, and instead of the outfit he often donned as an Emperor, he did a quick work of imitating a school uniform he's seen before. Instead of looking like the 16-year-old Emperor of the Kaizuka Empire, he looked a lot more like a 13-year-old student who happened to have taken the wrong route home.
Satisfied, he exited the vehicle and dropped soundlessly on a roof of one of the stores parallel to the hospital.
It is unlikely that he'll be having anyone following him from behind but Inaho still made sure in case the unthinkable happens. He dropped on his left knee, back pressed against the wall. If his calculations served right, then the homing missiles must have taken out the electricity of this area and interfered with the electronics. A quick glance at the security camera near the entrance of the hospital confirmed his thoughts. It has appeared to have self-destructed.
Martian Technology, he thought as he continued to follow after the man. Fortunately enough, since the electricity wasn't working, he didn't have to worry about walking through the automatic sliding doors and catching the man's attention. If he is a Martian, then that would gratify his confidence of not being discovered or identified as the culprit. Not anyone could have also provided such weaponry easily, either, unless they are…
He stared at the back of the man indifferently, although underneath the mask of holographic illusion and indifference was irritation.
...an orbital knight.
Wolf Areash stared fondly at the picture in his phone as he walked down the isolated street; it was that of him and his daughter, Rayet, during one of their visits to the park. It was a rare occurrence for the both of them as Rayet was extremely susceptible to illnesses - hence, she could only go outside of her room in the hospital so much - and he was a busy man who had to deal with the preparations for the arrival of any of the two rulers of Mars for assassination. It mattered not to him who of the two arrives; it was merely his task to kill the one who does.
And it has paid off; war will eventually break out between Mars and Earth and they will be free to conquer this world for their resources. It was all bound to happen and it was an honor to be one of the catalysts of the soon-to-be war. He felt a part of him mourn the loss of one of the great rulers for they are to be revered for the accomplishments they have earned in spite of their ages. Young and inexperienced as they were, the two rulers were prodigies.
It had to be done. Eyes narrowing almost sadly as he pocketed his phone, Wolf walked, ignoring the way his hand trembled. There was shame, there was mortification, there was hatred for himself- but he shook it off, valiantly reminding himself that it was necessary. Only a few would understand its significance, the importance of the war, but it was enough. For soon, he and his daughter will leave this place and return to their home.
The thought brought a slight smile to his face.
As long as Rayet and I have somewhere to return to, everything's alright.
He walked through the automatic sliding doors that ceased functioning because of the attacks that he initiated and proceeded to the room where his daughter was assigned to. He had to admit that he's slightly impressed by how quickly they evacuated the patients after the attack, although that could also be attributed to the number of patients in this hospital. They were quite a few so evacuation will predictably be easy and smooth.
"Rayet," he called as he stood, motionless, in the empty hallway. She must have hidden somewhere else during the evacuation if she wasn't in her room... "Are you here?"
There was a heartbeat of silence before his daughter, all grown up with an uncanny resemblance to her mother, peeked from the end of the hallway, wearing a white hoodie which he bought for her on one of his visits. Wolf smiled and she stepped away from where she hid, a relieved albeit small smile of her own as she approached him.
But the relief at seeing his daughter safe abruptly ended at the sight of the blond-haired child clinging to her thigh, careful to not slow her down or hurt her. He had his head down, covering his eyes and hiding his expression. Around his neck was a silver necklace that was circular in shape with a cross tinged with blue at its edges.
Wolf's grey eyes widened and the color drained from his face as he took several steps back, hands frantically gripping at his back to look for his gun.
No. This can't be...
"...Father? What's wrong?" Rayet asked hesitantly. She glanced at the child who clung to her securely, realizing that her father was staring at him, and she awkwardly shifted her weight from one foot to another. "Uh, this child is…" She struggled to find the right words; the question was unvoiced so she didn't know what her father exactly wanted to know. "He said that he didn't want to leave with those who evacuated."
Cold sweat trickled down his cheek and the back of his neck, and Wolf found it extremely difficult to breathe. He… what does he do? What should he do? He could easily kill him. He could easily kill Rayet. He felt bile rise up his throat. The time he's been lent was almost over if he's here, standing by his daughter's side, taking on the guise of a human child. He has to pay up the time he's due but-
Not yet. Not until I report to Baron Trillram.
At least, he begged through his gaze, at least make it so that we go home together before you take my life. Please, I beg of you.
The child looked up, his eyes a frosty shade of blue-green.
He let his head fall against the side of his daughter's thigh, looking every bit like the child he was, as he smiled faintly at the man, vaguely entertained by the distress he's causing him.
"Time waits for no one," the child murmured, surprising Rayet, "Wolf Areash."
And before Wolf could aim his gun to kill him, Rayet was on her back, face contorted into pained agony as the blond-haired child wrapped his little hands around her neck, a composed unwavering look on his face. Drool trickled down Rayet's chin and tears escaped the corner of her eyes as she futilely tried to rip the child's hands off of her neck, screaming silently as she prayed for her father to save her.
And he tried to do just that.
Wolf grabbed his gun, aimed it at the child's head, and pulled the trigger.
"Rayet? Are you here?"
Inaho crouched behind a wheeled table which must have been abandoned in the hallway during the evacuation, his entire body prepared to make a run for it if he was to be found. Even if his plans were guaranteed to work most of the time, Inaho didn't take it for granted. Certain problems might arise and he might just not make it out alive if he underestimated the enemy, no matter how incapable.
His keen hearing picked up on soft footsteps and he took a brief peek from the top of the wheeled table. A female teenager with short dark brown hair that bordered on dark red and bright violet eyes that shone with clear relief at the sight of the man smiled. Always one to look more closely than settling for the entire picture, Inaho immediately caught on to the presence of a blond-haired child running quietly after her only to cling to her thigh.
From what he knew of Wolf Areash, he had a wife who died of childbirth, and going by his interaction with the girl, she must be their child.
Which then begs the question-
"...Father? What's wrong?" Inaho's eyes watched, noticing the way the man stiffened and hurriedly reached out for something - a gun, he foresaw - underneath his shirt that was tucked into his belt, the way the child tilted his chin upward as if to call his attention in order to make their eyes meet, the way the child's blue-green eyes laughed at his unexplainable panic-
"Uh, this child is…" a tentative pause, uncertain, "he didn't want to leave with those who evacuated."
The silence grew longer and Inaho stared, unblinking. From the way things looked, no one knew where the child's loyalties lied, which could prove to cause a disturbance with regards to the way he planned things to turn out. There were way too many factors he had to consider and nothing was definite except for what he did want to gain from the man: information on those who planned his assassination.
Inaho's eyes narrowed ever so slightly when the child suddenly spoke, his voice cutting through the deafening silence that surrounded them so easily like a heated knife against butter.
"Time waits for no one, Wolf Areash."
For a fleeting moment, Inaho pondered over the chances of this child being under the same disguise as he was to cover up his true identity. The way he chose his words and said them came with not only an air of dignity but mockery.
Inaho's eyes saw the minute movement of his fingers and he was sure that if he had blinked, he would have missed the way he pinned the girl to the ground so effortlessly, choking her to death with his eyes on the man.
The next second, the man finally pulled the gun out and aimed.
Before his mind registered it, Inaho was already running.
a/n: im back to hell. im home.