DRAMAtical Murder: Chains of Fate
Live for us...
Grow for us...
Learn for us...
Become strong for us...
Go forth onto the world for us...
So that one day, you could finally...
Avenge us!
01. Link_Setup
There was a new urban legend sweeping across Midorijima Island.
It all started seven years ago when a group of thugs were confronted and beat up by a stranger who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere while chasing down a civilian. According to the them, the stranger was covered from head to toe in a full suit of armor. Nobody believed them, of course, for who in their right mind would go about running around in a suit of armor in the current day and age?
Several days after that incident, rumors started flying around the Old Residential District regarding a mysterious stranger coming to help random citizens in times of need. Whether it's an innocent person who got the wrong kind of attention after taking a wrong turn in an alley, an out-of-control vehicle about to hit an unwitting passers-by, an elderly all alone in a street who had fallen and can't get up, or a child whose pet got itself stuck on a tree or electric post, all those who have been helped and have bore witness spoke of one thing in common: a knight in shining armor.
As word got around, the rumors began to vary. Some said the mysterious knight had a sword, others said he only fought using their fists, others said they have a tremendous strength that was enough to stop a truck with only their hands, others even said they could fly. By the end of it, a good number of people believed a superhero had come to their island, though others remained skeptical due to the lack of sufficient evidence to prove the existence of such a person. Some people began to sleuth around to try and confirm the existence of such a stranger, but all efforts have been fruitless as the mysterious knight was a master of elusiveness and avoided being captured on photos or videos as much as possible.
However, it was said that it all changed when they were forced to play a round of a popular game called Rhyme and won. From then on, the mysterious knight became famous all over the Old Residential District by their Rhyme name...
King Arthur.
"Lady Arianne, it's now time to close the shop. Please make haste," said Kay, the young, impassive, and always well-dressed cashier and host of Harmony Delights Bakery and Cafe at the corner of the east and south sides of the Old Residential District in Midorijima island. Twilight was looming and it was time to close up the shop for the day.
"Yeah, I hear you. Just a minute," the person in question replied without glancing back as she brushed back a stray lock of short blonde hair while stuffing three large boxes full of unsold goods to give away to charity centers. Arianne thought that it was better than to just throw it all away like some other food-making shops would since it was against the law to sell day-old goods despite the food would still be perfectly edible the next day and beyond with proper storage and refrigeration. Plus, it was a shame that not everyone could afford such good food even with their affordable prices. Kay decided not to argue, for once the owner and proprietor of Harmony Delights has set her sights on a goal, she would personally make sure to see it to the end. Well, that plus a tendency to make more that the necessary amount of everything, giving them away would make a lot of sense.
Arianne hefted the laden boxes into a stack, then clasped her hands together, and whispered a few words. Almost immediately, a web of vein-like patterns shining with a faint blue glow appeared on her arms, starting from her fingertips and ending at her elbows. She then crouched down lifted the entire stack by the bottom box with nary any sort of struggle; as if they were stuffed with feathers rather than packaged meals.
She made her way towards the front door of the shop, passing by Kay who had finished pulling down the steel shutters.
"You know, I worry for you sometimes," he told her as she passed, adjusting the round spectacles he wore over his strange pink-colored eyes. "I'm proud of you for dedicating some of your time for a noble cause, but do you really need to go as far as the Northern District? That place is off limits and possibly teeming with hoodlums. What if something happens and you don't make it back?" Arianne stopped in her tracks. Kay couldn't express emotions as properly as a real person can, but Arianne lived with him long enough for her to tell what he really felt by looking at and listening carefully to every subtle twitch of his face and cadence of his voice.
"Big bro, we talked about this a dozen times," she said, facing the elder man with a confident beaming smile. "The locals of the Northern District aren't so bad once you get to know them. And besides, I've got Merlin. If things start to get ugly, he'll be sure to protect me. No need to worry, okay?" As if on cue, Merlin—Arianne's AllMate in the form of a snowy owl wearing a sparkling royal purple scarf, flew from his perch next to the shop counter onto the younger woman's shoulder.
"She is right," he said in a voice akin to a wizardly scholar. "There is no need to fret. You know, I can be rather scrappy when needed." He puffed up his feathers to make himself look bigger to emphasize his point.
"See? I'll be fine. As long as we're together, no one would hurt us."
Kay sighed. "There is just not talking you out of it, is there?" he asked while running a hand through his leafy 'hair'. Arianne answered with a chuckle.
"No, I guess not," she said. "Well, I might as well get a move one before all this food gets too cold. See you later! Save some dinner for me, will you?" She was out the door before her brother could say anything else.
"Honestly, that girl..." Kay slowly shook his head in resignation at his younger sister figures antics before retreating upstairs to their home for a nice warm bath and some herbal tea.
Upon exiting the shop, Arianne and Merlin hurried to the back of the building to a motorcycle fitted with a sidecar already sat in waiting. The boxes took up the all of the empty space once they were loaded. Merlin moved to sit at the front of the sidecar while his partner put on her safety gear and clambered onto the bike and turned on the ignition.
"Let's go!" Arianne kicked off from the ground and rode away.
The North District of Midorijima was a gloomy dark place compared to the rest of the Old Residential District. Ever since a man named Toue came and practically took over the island years ago, a lot of people have been displaced to make way for the Platinum Jail—a giant amusement facility that was separated from the Old Residential District by a great wall. Since then, the area has turned into a ghost town. The thing about it being off limits was an unspoken rule among the general populace of Midorijima as the place has become a sanctuary for criminals running from the law, most of which were people who got in so deep into poverty due to their displacement that they had no other choice but to turn to crime for survival.
It was six years ago when Arianne first ventured inside on the first day of her personal mission to spread a little kindness, heedless of the potential dangers that lurked within every nook and cranny. So it was only inevitable that she would be met by the shady residents. However, instead of showing fear, Arianne gave them her best smile and asked if they would care for a a little something to eat because as it turned out, charity centers could only take a limited amount of food donations and thus she was always left with extra. Such a voluntary gesture was so rare these days that they were struck dumb, unsure how to react. When asked about what she wanted in return, she simply said that she wanted nothing from them. She was giving them food not because she wanted a favor, but because she wanted to. That was all there was to it.
She was the first and only person (so far anyway) to boldly go alone in the North District and come back out unharmed.
It didn't stop there. Arianne took it upon herself to visit every other day. It was only a matter of time until she gained a reputation, earning her the nickname "Pastry Girl". To the people of the North District, she was like a heavenly blessing sent down to earth. The presence of the short twenty-year-old woman with bobbed blonde hair in a white and yellow baseball cap, navy blue over-sized hoodie, striped gray shirt, black boot-cut jeans, and blue sneakers riding on a silver motorbike equipped with a loaded sidecar along with a snowy owl AllMate became an anticipated event that never failed to deliver. She was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise dank place, and thus was always welcome.
Today was just another of those days for Arianne. Though she was running late\better that than never as the popular saying went.
Traveling from the East District to the North was an hour long journey on her motorcycle. Soon the colorful surroundings and lively atmosphere began to give way to a gray and gloomy one. She zigged and zagged through familiar roads, the sound of her motorbike engine breaking through the eerie silence. It served as the signal announcing her arrival. Although sometimes, it would also serve to attract a rare unexpected encounter.
A tall figure appeared in the middle of Arianne's path without any warning.
"Arianne, watch out!" Merlin yelled. His partner let out startled squeak and her eyes widened in surprise, gripping the handlebars tighter and threw her torso to the right. The motorbike sharply swerved then skidded to a halt a tiny inch away from the stranger.
"Phew! That was a close one," said Arianne, relieved that she didn't run over someone. "You alright, Merlin?"
"I'm unharmed, thank you for asking," the owl answered, flying down to rest on her shoulder, having taken flight to avoid getting tossed away.
"Super." She then turned to the stranger she almost hit. "What about you, good sir? Are you all right?" Arianne fell silent the minute her gaze landed on the stranger.
A confused Merlin followed his partner's gaze and his eyes nearly became wider than they usually are. "Oh my..."
The stranger before them was a tall well-built man. He had long brown hair styled into dreadlocks put up in a ponytail that faded into auburn and into red at the tips, tan skin, blue-green eyes, a set of high cheekbones and an aquiline nose. His attire consisted of a black shirt, a military-like gradient black to red coat with the right sleeve torn off, exposing his right arm; black combat boots that reach just below his kneecaps and torn jeans held up with a white belt. His pink headband was his most notable trait, and it covered his forehead with a green, yellow and red pin tacked on the left bottom side. Around his wrists and neck are what appear to be shackles, the one around his neck bearing a lock and the ones on his wrists having short chains attached to them.
He kept silent rather than answering Arianne's question while giving her the coldest meanest glare a human face could muster.
"I'm sensing an awful lot of hostility emanating from him, be careful," Merlin said, dipping down and puffing up his feathers to get ready in case things begin to get ugly.
"Brother… Mink?" The young woman stared in disbelief under the intense gaze. "No way. Is that really you? I haven't seen you in a long while."
The man's glare went a bit deeper. "Who are you? Are you in league with the authorities?" he asked in a deep baritone voice.
"N-No, I'm not!" Arianne answered, waving her hands in front of her in denial. "Don't you recognize me? It's me, 'Little Ari'. I used to live you and big sis after grandma took me in many years ago before… you know..." She looked away, her gaze downcast in shame.
The man known as Mink, let his glare soften a bit. He stared at her as he processed what the young woman in front of him said. Slowly, memories of him and his family playing and caring for a little orphan girl with short wavy blonde hair who often carried around a stick and went after anyone guilty of doing anything she deemed 'evil'. He remembered his grandmother giving her a stern talking to after getting in trouble for hitting other kids; said girl would then counter argue that she only did it because they were being mean to another kid or breaking rules set by other adults.
He also remembered giving her hair a friendly ruffling after she made a bold declaration to help protect the village from ruffians while telling her that the village was peaceful enough that it wouldn't be necessary. Her pouting face at the end was so cute.
She had been part of his family for a few years. However, on the fateful day of his tribe's massacre, she had vanished without a trace and with nary a word to anyone. Mink had feared the worst. But now, this young woman stood before him bearing a strong resemblance to that little girl his village fostered. He wasn't sure what how to react; the time he spent locked up in a dark prison only served to grow the deep void that he had been left with in the end of the tragedy.
"It's been a long time since I saw you," Arianne continued, her lips curled up to a sad but relieved smile. "I'm glad you're still alive. I didn't think anyone survived on the day of the—"
"Stop," Mink said, cutting her off. "What are you doing here, Arianne"
Arianne flinched at this cold harsh tone. "W-Well… I-I'm just a concerned volunteer doing a little bit of charity work. I'm not looking for any trouble. I swear I'm not lying!"
Mink's eyes narrowed. "No. What are you doing here on this island?"
The young woman wasn't sure how or what to answer. "I..."
"Hey! It's Pastry Girl!"
Both parties rapidly turned their heads toward the old crumbling buildings as one by one, several heads began to poke out at the sound of shouting.
"Mink's back too!" echoed another shout. As if on cue, people came out to surround Arianne and Mink, all of them sporting wide grins on their faces.
"Wow, talk about a lucky," said a scruffy muscular man with light blond hair wearing a white shirt. "Mink and Pastry Girl at the same day. Who would've thought."
"Welcome back, Mink," said another man with green dyed hair wearing a studded jacket in greeting. "Did you find what you were looking for?"
The tall man, now known as Mink, shook his head. "Not yet."
"I see you two have finally met." A thick arm reached out over Arianne's shoulders as a blond man with the white shirt pulled her in for a friendly one-armed hug. Merlin angrily screeched at him; first reason was for nearly crushing him with his beefy arm, and second for getting too close to his partner.
"This cutie right here is Pastry Girl," he said. "She's been coming over here every other days for the past few years and offers up free food and drinks."
"For Pete's sake, Takemoto. She has a name," a green-haired man with slightly noticeable cheekbones chastised the former. "It's Arianne. Seriously, after five years you ought to have learned it by now."
"Thank you, Mr. Yuzawa," said a glum yet grateful Arianne, pushing Takemoto's arm from her shoulders. "At least someone remembered." Yuzawa gave her a thumbs-up in reply. The rest of the crowd chuckled at Takemoto's folly.
"Is that so?" asked Mink, still not fully convinced. "Who put you up to this?" Once more, all other sounds ceased. "And what do you get in return? Surely there has to be a catch."
Arianne straightened her posture and looked at the taller man directly in the eye. From the way he acted and the warm reception the crowd had given him, Mink must have been important to them. She could only guess how and why.
"There's no catch," she said. "Nobody sent me. I don't work for any organization. I'm just a person who decided to willingly spend some of my time spreading a little bit of kindness without expecting anything in return. It may come off as suspicious, but that's the truth, and I'm standing with it… Plus, I tend to have a lot of extras from the cafe and I really don't like to waste food."
"Kindness, you say? Even to criminals?" Such a concept was rare to most of them in a place like theirs. Even in the other districts, it wasn't common for someone to just decide to go around helping people at random. "You need to be more careful. Who's to say that your generosity wouldn't be taken advantage of?"
Arianne's eyebrows furrowed with determination. "For one, I believe no one is born evil. People are shaped by their environment and experiences. Those who resort into breaking the law are more often than not pushed into it by circumstances beyond their control that threaten their survival and that of their loved ones. Also, I have a lot of free time and I find it better spent like this than laying around doing nothing. In other words, I'm doing this because I want to, not because someone or something made me to," The spoke each sentence with stalwart conviction. Mink stayed silent as if gauging the truth to her words. The atmosphere between them grew thick with tension. The crowd watched on with growing unease.
A moment into the battle of wills, Mink relented with a sigh.
"Even after all this time, you're still the same naive fool," he said. "But I admit, your resolve is admirable." He turned around and began to walk away. "Do as you like. I'm going inside."
It was then Arianne's turn to sigh, but from relief. She let her body relax though crestfallen by the older man's attitude toward her.
"Hey now, it's okay," said Yuzawa as he and the others watched their leader leave. "The boss can be cranky and abrasive sometimes, but he's an overall okay guy. Besides, you're really helping us out a lot. You know, when we busted out, some of us tried to start out lives over. But thanks to our criminal records, it was next to impossible. And well… we had to survive somehow."
"He's right, and you didn't get hit," chimed Takemoto. "Mink is usually ruthless to those who dare to challenge or defy him, but you got off scot-free. That's never happened before."
Arianne perked up a bit at their encouraging words. "Heheh. Thanks, guys. To be honest, I didn't think things would take a philosophical turn like that," Arianne said with a sheepish grin.
"That small speech of yours was quite deep though. I didn't think you had it in you," quipped Merlin from his place on the motorbike handlebars.
"I'm going to take that as a compliment. Now..." The young woman patted the box next to her. "Who's up first?"
The stars had appeared up in the sky by the time Arianne had to bid the guys farewell and mounted her motorbike to go home.
"Wait!" Takemoto's voice called out to her. "We need to warn you about something." He jogged to her with Yuzawa in tow.
"What is it, Mr. Takemoto?" Arainne asked.
"First thing's first, do you know about Rhyme?"
Rhyme was an avatar-type online fighting game with immense popularity in Midorijima. Players participate by connecting their consciousnesses and engaging each other in battle in a mental arena that feels real. A winner gets decided when one player reduces their opponent's durability to zero. The time and venue for the battles are completely random and go unannounced so players began to use dopesters to predict when and where a battle will take place.
"Rhyme? Yeah, I know of it. What about it?"
"Well, you know a typical session begins when Usui appears somewhere to host and referee it, right?" asked Yuzawa. "Lately, there's been talk around the other districts about random Rhyme sessions happening out of nowhere without Usui around. Apparently, it's possible to play even without her around."
"Yeah. I heard that those sessions are even more random and come at anytime and so suddenly that it's easy to get caught off guard, it's kinda like a Drive-by," said Takemoto. "Although it's been happening more often at night according to the rumors."
"You best be careful going home tonight, Ari. People say that once you get caught in a 'Drive-by', you can't escape unless you either win or loose. And all the rules are basically out the window without Usui, so it can get pretty dangerous. The opponent's crazy strong too," said Yuzawa.
"I see," said Arianne, her eyebrows furrowed. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." She turned the ignition and her motorbike revved to life. "See you all next time!"
"Bye~!" Everyone waved as they watched her leave.
"What do you think, Merlin?" Arianne asked her AllMate as she sped along the road. "What's your take on those rumors?"
"I can't really say," said the snowy owl, "Rumors are stories with dubious basis in truth, after all. Nonetheless, would you like me to confirm them?"
"Please do."
"Understood." Several internet windows began to open and close before Merlin's large owl eyes at rapid pace. "Hmm... Odd, nothing's coming up. Those rumors must still be fresh."
"Then I guess, we'll have to take the guys' advice," said Arianne. "Merlin, what do you suggest?" Said owl opened a GPS application in response.
"For now, I suggest going through populous areas like Aoyagi Street and avoid empty ones. Hopefully whoever is initiating the Drive-By's are smart enough not to do so in a crowd," he said.
"Thanks." Her answer came nearly as soft as a whisper.
The best way to get around the Old Residential District is by foot. The transportation system is abysmal and roads get blocked often. There's a big street running through the center of the city. Sometimes there's a bus or train, or even a taxi. But they can also be canceled or delayed without any notice, so they're not really reliable. The roads might be blocked at any time too, so nobody trusts public transportation. Even now there are hardly any cars on the street. There's only one taxi waiting in vain and some junked cars parked by the roadside. The sidewalk is filled with people coming and going. The most reliable thing one could have are their own legs. Or if they're lucky enough to get one, their own vehicle.
Aoyagi Street was a wide expanse of road that served as a divider for the four parts of the Old Residential District. On Aoyagi Street, there are a lot of stores where one can get common goods at cheap prices. In contrast, there are many maniac hobby stores in the back streets. Arianne once walked into one of those stores by accident; the mere memory of it still made her cringe to this day.
Neon lights sparked to life in shops everywhere once night has fallen. Because illegal construction isn't regulated, the sky in the Old Residential District is covered with the shadows of distorted buildings, making it dark even during the day. At the same time, groups that almost seem that they were in hiding until then come out. 'Ribsteeze' groups gather too, giving night time a different vibe from daytime. Those who participate in Ribsteeze, called Ribsters, are Old Residential District residents to team up and fight other teams in turf wars by themselves. Ever since Rhyme became popular, Ribsters have been at odds with Rhymers. Ribsters tend to look down on Rhymers, claiming them as 'big-headed wise guys who live in their own fantasy worlds.' Though there have been Ribsters switching over to Rhyme, the quarrels between the two groups have gotten worse.
"Arianne, I see a shortcut coming up. Once you pass the light, turn right at the third alleyway," Merlin chimed.
"Right," Arianne replied and followed her AllMate's direction as memories of her first and last Rhyme battle began to surface. She remembered an arrogant man with blue hair, another man garbed in a black mantle engaging with Merlin on a one-on-one, a shining sphere, a bright golden light...
The shortcut Merlin had mentioned earlier wasn't far. While she advanced through the lively atmosphere and into the dark wide alley, she spotted a few punks loitering in the middle of the road. She slowed to a stop.
"Excuse me," she called out to them, but they didn't seem to hear her. She tried again, a little louder. "Excuse me, gentlemen." She gained the punks' attention and they turn their heads turn to face her.
"Would you be so kind as to make way? I'm kind of in a hurry." The punks stood up and sauntered their way to Arianne whilst leering at her with their hands in their pockets.
"Well, look at what we've got here," said one of them with dyed green hair darker then Mr. Yuzawa's. "That's a nice set of wheels you got there, sweet cheeks," he put one hand on the space between the handlebars and leaned forward to her face. "Mind if we borrow it for a bit?"
"Erm..." Arianne leaned back, feeling utterly uncomfortable by the closeness. Her AllMate bristled.
"And while we're at it," said another with red hair, getting a little too close to Arianne's personal space for her liking and taking hold of her chin to turn her face to look at him. "What do you say we get to know each other better? Of course, by 'we' I mean, me and the boys." He let out a chuckle with all the other punks following suit. Arianne's expression hardened and pushed Red's hand away with the backside of hers and took a sharp intake of breath.
"The boys and I," she said in a stern tone.
The punks were confused at the random statement. "What?" asked Red.
"Your grammar was incorrect," Arianne continued. "You said 'me and the boys' when it should have been 'the boys and I'. If you truly wish to impress me, you can start by fixing your manner of speech."
The punks stepped back, visibly offended by the derisive remark. "Oi! What's with the attitude?" one asked.
"Yeah! Just who do you think you are?" another cried.
"All that talk about grammar...What are you, a schoolteacher?" Red grabbed Arianne's right wrist. "How about 'the boys and I' teach 'you' a lesson? How about that? I fixed it. Do I get a gold star now?"
"Unhand me, you cretin!" She tried to shake him off, but his grip was strong.
"Ooh, kitty's got claws," said Green. "I like that. Sorry, toots, but you aren't in any position to demand anything. Don't you know who we are?"
"I don't really give a rat's hindquarters..." Arianne muttered. Green pulled down the sleeve of his jacket and held his wrist proudly. On it was a tattoo of a winking girl with large breast in a swimsuit and high heels leaning over a giant pink bomb. Arianne made a face. Who in the right mind would have something like 'that' carved on them?
"See this? We're Bug Bomb from Ribsteeze," said Green. "Are you shaking in your boots yet?"
Ribsters, save for their leader, often mark themselves with their team's symbol as well as areas they deemed their territory. Arianne had heard of some teams, but Bug Bomb was a new one for her.
"I've seen better," she said.
The Bug Bomb punks looked angry. "What did you say?" asked Red.
"I said I've seen better," Arianne repeated.
"Is that so? What team are you on anyway?" asked Green, gritting his teeth.
"Me? None. I have better things to do with my time."
The punks exchange glances and their lips slowly curl up into malicious smiles.
"Seriously? You're a 'no-mark'?" asked Red.
"No way!" cried Green.
In Rib, one can only get their team symbol tattooed on any part of their body once they join a team. Those who don't get a tattoo are assumed not to do Rib. That's why it's common that no-marks become targets of diversion for Ribsters. There's no team that holds a grudge if you happen to kill a no-mark. Arianne didn't take the concept too well; in fact, it made her blood boil.
"If you're a no-mark, that means it's okay for us to mess you up!" Arianne didn't like how happy Red sounded.
"It doesn't matter if even if you're a chick. Although, if you agree to do something special for us, we might reconsider." What Green implied was even worse. Red tightened his grip on Arianne's wrist to the point that it began to hurt while Green advanced toward her, ready to pounce.
"Hey guys, wait a second," one of their teammates, one with wild blond hair, tugged on his jacket to get his attention. He turned around, annoyed.
"What?!" Blondie flinched at the volume.
"I think we should just let her go," he said, his voice trembling with anxiety.
Red and Green couldn't believe what they just heard. "Hah?!"
"Why should we? We've already gone this far!" said Red.
"And it's her own fault she wandered into our territory in the first place," Green added.
"Y-Yeah, but if we don't, we could get in serious trouble." Blondie pointed at the agitated Merlin. "That AllMate? I've been looking at it for a while, and I-I think I've seen it before. A sn-snowy owl with a sparkling purple scarf... It looks like the one that belonged to... to..."
"For the gods' sake! Spit it out!" Red yelled, his patience wearing thin.
"King Arthur!"
An unsettling silence fell upon the alleyway. All the color seemed to have drained away from the Bug Bombs' faces who, stunned into silence by that one name.
"King Arthur? The King Arthur?" asked Red, whose grip on Arianne's wrist has slackened enough for her to yank her hand back. Red was too busy being baffled to notice. Green turned to him with an incredulous look on his face.
"Oh come off it! King Arthur's not real. He's just an urban legend!" he told Red.
"It's true though," said a fourth team member wearing a pink fedora. "In case you forgot, our current leader was among the first to encounter the knight in shining armor before he gained a name. He's the one all other Ribsteeze leaders warn their new members about, including us."
"It's said that King Arthur has a snowy owl Allmate that follows him everywhere," said Red. "It acts like a scout; searching ahead for any sign of trouble. And if you spot it perched somewhere, then you can be sure that King Arthur is never far behind."
The Bug Bombers turned their heads to look at Merlin, their faces turning pale with dread. At that moment, the words of their leader echoed in their minds: "If you should ever encounter King Arthur, you best run for the hills. Nothing good would ever come from engaging with him; he's in a totally different league from anyone I've traded punches with and never holds back. So whatever you do, get away as quickly as you can."
They swallowed the growing lumps in their throats.
"I'm afraid this young lady here is someone my king holds close to his heart, and thus he put me in charge of her guardianship," Merlin then spoke, standing proud and tall. "Unless you want him to hear how you've been mishandling her, you might as well make way and allow us passage."
"Oh, um, o-of course!"
"Right away! Please accept our sincerest apology, King Arthur's girlfriend, ma'am!"
The Bug Bombers stumbled all over themselves hopping on Arianne's either of the street and stood ramrod straight like a platoon of soldiers awaiting a procession.
"See? That wasn't so hard, now was it?" asked Merlin.
"Thank you very much, kind sirs," said Arianne sweetly, revving her motorbike and scooted away.
"Thank you, ma'am! Have a good night, ma'am!" They replied in a military-like fashion complete with a salute.
The rest of the ride home went by without another hitch. A few minutes later, the baker and cafe began to come in sight. Arianne went straight to the back to put away her motorbike in the garage separate from the building and entered through the backdoor. Harmony Delights' base of operation was a classic block building with an upstairs quarters where she and her brother figure, Kay, lived. It was neither too plain nor too gaudy, looking no different from any normal home save for the antique-looking furniture.
"Hey, Merlin. What time is it?" Arianne asked while taking off her shoes.
"8: 42p.m," Merlin replied. "You're an hour and forty-two minutes late for dinner."
"Dang! Those Bug Bomb guys really made me late," Arianne groused. "I hope Kay wouldn't be too sore about it."
Arianne stepped inside the living room where she found said man sitting on the couch, reading a book.
"I'm home," she said, announcing her presence while she took off her hoodie and cap and dropped them unceremoniously on the couch next to the stone-faced man.
Kay turned to acknowledge his sister. "Welcome back. You're a little late today," he said. "I had the small ones prepare the table for you."
"Thanks. Also, I was late because I ran into a little pickle on the way back, but it wasn't too bad," Arianne said with a huge toothy smile on her face, something that Merlin quickly to notice.
"Was it the kind of pickle that required 'special attention'?" Kay asked before turning back to his book.
"Not really. In the end, it just resolved itself, so it wasn't necessary." The young woman let out a giggle that seemed a little forced.
"I see," the elder man said, deciding not to press on. "No further questions." Arianne simply shrugged her shoulders and headed toward the kitchen where a couple of miniature, child versions of Kay had just finished setting the table for a party of one. Merlin had gone ahead and settled on the backrest of one of the empty chairs. Both mini-Kays bowed the moment the young woman entered.
"Good evening, Lady Arianne," they greeted in unison.
"Hello, boys," Arianne greeted back with a smile and proceeded to hug the living daylights out of them. "Ooh, I'll never get over how cute you guys are!" she squealed in delight. "I just wanna eat you up every time I see you."
Neither of the two small ones reacted to her ministrations. They kept their silence along with the deadpan expressions on their faces. Arianne released them after the moment has been savored.
"Tsk! No reaction as usual," she said, pouting. "You guys are lucky to be so cute!" She pinched and pulled at their cheeks, the small ones remained as stoic as ever.
Arianne got up and washed her hands in the sink and picked out a pair of utensils from the shelf and sat down at the dining table. Dinner for tonight was garlic fried rice, baked salmon, clear onion soup, and steamed vegetables. All of them were arranged neatly around the empty dinner plate, ready to be served.
She took her seat and clasped her hands together. "Good food, good meat, good Lord, let's eat!" Arianne happily dug into the food. She hummed in approval. Meals at home were always good. It only made a lot of sense due to their trade. The small ones stood by, watching.
Halfway through her dinner, Merlin decided to speak up.
"Alright, spill it," he said. "There's something bothering you, isn't there?" His partner swallowed the last bits of fish and rice before reaching for the soup.
"What are you talking about?"she asked.
"You were acting a little bit too cheery back there. It's a bit out of character for you, and frankly had me feeling quite unsettled by it."
Arianne stopped eating and looked crestfallen. "Oh, sorry Merlin. Yeah, I remember that." She stared at the half finished soup in her bowl.
"I've been thinking a lot about those Drive-By's since we left the North District," she said. "The moment Rhyme was mentioned, for some reason, I can't shake the feeling that it's somehow my fault they're happening."
Merlin tilted his head to the side in curiosity. "What makes you say that? You've only played once."
"Yeah, and do you remember how that turned out?" Arianne asked as she drank the soup and got started on the vegetables.
"Oh, yes, perfectly," he replied. "We were victorious."
"Yeah, and we also sent a guy to the hospital. Do you remember that part?"
It only happened four years ago, but for Arianne, it seemed like it was just yesterday. While out on a late night stroll, a woman with ten arms appeared on the alley she was passing through out of nowhere along with funky music and bright lights. There was a shout, and before she knew it, a crowd had gathered, chanting "Usui!" over and over in their excitement.
Arianne never had an interest in Rhyme. However, once the ten-armed woman, Usui—the host and judge of the game—recognized one's presence within the game field, they are automatically registered as a player. Arianne cursed her luck and carelessness for getting caught.
Around that moment, a young man known as Sly Blue appeared, scoffing and taunting her in front of the crowd. When she refused to answer to his verbal jabs, he challenged her to a battle right on the spot. The crowd went wild. It wasn't everyday that Sly Blue personally challenged anyone; usually, it was other people who do the challenging. People began placing their bets on who would emerge the victor.
Arianne reluctantly accepted the challenge and Usui immediately created the battlefield and called for the match to start. Sly Blue was crafty and aggressive, and his AllMate could pack a decent punch as well. Together, they made a formidable team. However, Arianne and Merlin weren't pushovers themselves.
To make a long story short, Arianne got a little too thrilled during the fight somewhere along the way and forgot that she was playing a game, and not having an epic duel to the death. In the end, she wound up drawing her most powerful trump card and cut Sly Blue diagonally from the right side of his waist, across his torso, and to his left shoulder. Even with the restrictions in Rhyme that reduced the pain players felt to a minimum, the pain dealt by the blow was great enough to make Sly Blue scream. The sound of his tortured wails instantly snapped Arianne back to her senses. Filled with horror and great remorse for what she had done, she whisked him and his AllMate away from the crowd and took him to the hospital as quick as she could.
From then on, Arianne avoided Rhyme altogether. She took extra caution when out on streets at night so as to not get dragged in and hurt somebody again.
"He's probably fully recovered and forgiven you after all these years," assured Merlin as Arianne gathered all the empty dishes and handed them over to the small ones to be washed.
"I don't think it's that easy, Merlin. Rhyme or not, I almost killed the guy," said Arianne. Her heart grew heavy with guilt every time she remembered that day. "I still can't believe I let myself go crazy like that. And for what? To win a silly cyber game?!" Merlin flew to perch on her shoulder as she turned to leave the dining room. "He definitely hates me to this day, I just know it." They passed by Kay who was still engrossed with his show and went up the stairs toward the rooftop level of the building.
"If you intend to go out tonight, you ought to be more careful. There have been more 'Broken Ones' turning up, so to speak," he chimed without looking away from his book.
Arianne stopped in her tracks. She had heard about the Broken Ones—as she and her household had come to call them—only recently. People would disappear for days on end. Though some of them somehow manage to return, they weren't the same people they once were. It was as if their minds have been broken, leaving them as mere shadows of who they once were.
"Is it safe to assume that your plant friends told you that? You rarely ever go out of this building."
"Indeed. It was, in fact, during my rare trips to the market that I heard of it. The potted flowers and plants around people's homes and on display at the florist's shop are quite fond of gossip," Kay answered. Leave it to a 'treant' to keep up with the happenings of the city by talking to other plantlife.
A treant is basically a homunculus created using alchemy. Unlike the regular homunculi that are made using animal based main components, treants are created by using a plant base such as mandrake roots (most likely due to their eerie resemblance to human beings) that have been harvested on a full moon. A successful transmutation results in a humanoid (more or less), but with abnormal quirks like having leaves in place of hair on their heads and their inability to express and display emotions. They are usually made as soldiers and guardians mainly due to their strength, durability, and incredible longevity.
Kay and Arianne have been together as far as the latter can remember. It was safe to say that he was the one who practically raised her for a good part of her life.
"Is there anything else you know about the disappearances?" asked Merlin. "We don't want to be targets if we can help it."
"Yes," said Kay. "All the victims have only one thing in common: they were all Ribsters... so I've heard. Neither of you need not worry about anything."
"That's good. I'm interested in Ribsteeze as I'm interested in Rhyme," said Arianne. "See you later, Kay!" She turned around and left.
The treant listened as the young woman's footsteps grew fainter as she climbed up the stairs. The moment it became quiet, closed his book and put it away with the others on top of the fireplace mantle. It was time for lights-out.
The rooftop level of the building Arianne lived in led to a vibrant green garden as opposed to the empty concrete spaces in other buildings. It was made mostly to accommodate Kay's needs as a sentient tree. A few meters were added to the original structure and filled in with soil, made green with grass, and fitted with sturdy wooden fences on all sides. There was a patch on the corner left side for growing vegetables, and another on the right for berries. Next to the berry patch was a crate where the gardening tools were kept and next to that, three bags of fertilizer lied stacked together.
Arianne was casually leaning on the fence, enjoying the view of the city lights and the bustling nightlife. "Well Merlin, going by what Kay said, it sounds like we have our work cut out for us," she said.
"True," said Merlin. "It appears that whoever is responsible for the disappearing people and creating Broken Ones are becoming more active these days." The young woman pushed herself away from the fence and began to slowly walk backwards.
"Isn't is strange that nothing has been done about it?" she asked.
"It is, but so far, only those in Rib have been targeted," Merlin replied. "The rumor may only be circulating within Ribsteeze teams, so the general public may not be well aware that it's been happening."
"But surely those Rib guys have family and friends who might notice if anything was amiss and report it to the police."
"That may be, but knowing how the police are on this island, I doubt they'd be of any help."
"Do you think the perpetrators are on to us?" Arianne stopped a couple steps short of the door leading back inside.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they were."
"Okay." She planted her feet firmly on the ground and took a deep breath. "Time to go."
She took off running straight ahead toward the fence, jumping halfway onto the fence only to kick off from there to launch herself forward and higher. Gusts of wind began to gather and whirl around her as she unleashed her innate hidden power. In a quick flash of light, the plain-looking owner, table busser, and delivery girl of Harmony Delights Bakery and Cafe was gone, and in her place was none other than the (in)famous(?) knight-in-shining armor of Midorijima; also known as King Arthur.
Arianne rode the wind towards the city down below. It was time for her other 'volunteer work'.