Hey, Chapter 2 is up. I know i heard a few people talk about the vocabulary and sentence length, and for that i apologize. Further more, i would like to say that i "attempted" to tone it down; however, i, like Jose Saramago, tend to have overelaborate sentences and the length does draw on. Still, please, i understand your concern, but i might have a little trouble losing that specific aspect. To all those who are put off by this, i deeply apologize. Aside from that, i would also like to state that this is another chapter where Kallen is still kinda outta it. BUT, don't worry. These initial two chapters are just introducing the plot and different sub-plots and hidden contexts. Please, if you will just bear with me for this one... you know. ANYWAY, before this is tending to drone, i would like to introduce KotR, Ch. 2. THanKs. (P.S. I bet you could catagorize these chapters in the Angst or Hurt areas of the genre... Oh well.)
Kallen didn't dream at first, her compacted mind overfilled with thoughts that held every possible notion or action she could dare to fathom. Name became mixed up, a giant blur slurring together the events over the last days. She wandered through the mist, invisible walls surrounding her on every side. Above her, someone screamed, filling the air with thousands of more of them. All were harsh, piercing her eardrum with miniature needles, each one driving further than the last.
"Get out, get out!" Both hands clamped over her ears, the muted sounds growing to match what they once were. But, the voices stopped, an unseen figure hushing them with a quick wave of the hand. Air started rushing in, her being blown in all directions. Colors started joining her, first dark blacks dripping down, a viscous liquid that oozed. Odd shades of red followed, the different paints layering out. Kallen blinked, time slowly moving along with the subtle motion. As it regained, doors started falling out of the sky, slamming into the ground with a thunderous, repetitive sound. More stood before her, the oak entryways closing in as the colors started cycling through every known color. They opened and shut, more whispers speaking to her; before the girl, the directly middle door opened up, a dark hallway continuing on. She moved down it automatically, the door shutting behind her. Calamity started to wither out, the only remaining sounds the buzz and flicker of the overhead fluorescent lights. It kept going on, her head slowly starting to clear up. The dream became lucid, her full conscious thoughts leading her further into the unknown past.
As the hallway ended, it leveled out into a dilapidated ghetto, one of the ones that all of the "Eleven's" were assigned. It was anything but hospitable. Dead bodies were lying in every other street, a rusty weapon haphazardly tossed, the used cartridges scattered in the wind. However, it was devoid of all life. No birds flapped their black wings, squawking at the soldiers who fired mindlessly at them. She moved down on of the alleys behind a destroyed building, a small newspaper fluttering in the absence of wind. One hand brushed up against the wall, the other holding against her chest. She didn't breathe, there being no air to breathe in. It felt unnatural, only serving to pressure her further into the dream.
Kallen moved slowly into an open area, large chain-link fences surrounding her. Hands reached out, the voices of the dead calling out to her. Visible through the metal mesh working were faces that she had known, bloodied faces fraught with looks of horror, looks of deception, but not directly intended towards her. More troops filled the spaces behind her, slowly throwing new magazines into their rifles. Leveling them to their bodies, the corpses shuffled backwards, their voices silencing as gunshots took their place. And then, the scene replayed, the sounds growing fiercer as it continued on. Slowly, not prying her eyes away from the horrific past that she personally went through, the old displays of violence laced with parts of her past. Esoteric, it came at her in fragmented bits, displaying different pieces of her past. A hand fell upon her shoulder, surprising her. She turned around, her face falling apart at the sight of who stood there: it was Naoto, her deceased older brother Naoto Kouzuki.
"Naoto…" He mouthed words at her, his face blank, the pupils missing from her eyes. He wore an old military uniform, different patched sewn on around the collar, his resistance cell's emblem drawn on the back. Five bloodied holes stood out, the monochrome figure bleeding profusely, the sanguine liquid pooling up on the ground. "Naoto, answer me. Please." She fell to his feet, tugging at the clothes with ripped away with easy, disintegrating into small piles of debris, falling through her hands. But before he faded away, leaving all traces of life, he pointed away, a small alleyway open up, the urban area becoming enveloped in a battlefield that succumbed both her brother and her sight. Again, she screamed at it, cursing the pain, cursing herself for machinating such monstrosities. A new area absorbed her into a different scene, a different play casing her as a spectator, only situated to watch past events unfold, her being completely unable to even mutter change into them.
Footsteps were heard from each direction, the soft clopping of high heels and flat-heeled shoes surrounding her. She was in a large building, the floor indifferent from the last few that passed below her. Nobody stood appeared near her, a bustle below the building as a crowd dithered around, doing particularly nothing. The plaza was elevated high above the main portion of the city, a few different rails racing through out Tokyo, their high speed shaking the thick foundation beams that held the raised platform in place. She moved to one of the railings, wiping a tear that lingered around her eye. Out near the edge, a scenic park displaying the city's proper, a few different couples smiling at each other as they stared off into space. On the other hand, there were three people all standing in a close circle, their outfits familiar to her. Suddenly, the longer-haired of the three pushed past the other two, running to the edge of the platform. With an awkward motion, she hobbled up on to the ledge, leaning her body over as she shouted at the other two.
"That's…Shirley!" Kallen moved over to a better view, straining her eyes to get a better view upon the situation. Her protective instincts kicked in, the red-head running to the stairs to confront the group. Upon reaching the stairs, an invisible force pushed her back, the word "watch" ingraining its way into her skull. It was a small pain, half of a headache throbbing on the left vein. The outlook reset itself, her being placed back near the railing, only able to watch what would happen.
Shirley, a panicked look plastered on her face, slipped, Kallen yelling into the air as she started to plummet into the cold air. One of the other figures dove after her, grabbing her hand, suspending the girl hundreds of feet into the air. She scratched at his hand, yelling for him to let her go. A tear fell from him, the other figure holding him by his leg. All were exchanging words, the situations quickly growing into something more sinister. Kallen closed her eyes, missing them all be pulled into safety; yet something happened. Once up on land, the black hair figure looked up at her and smiled. Then, he turned to Shirley and pushed her off the ledge, watching her fall, the girl's screams the only audible sound.
"Can you believe what you don't know is the truth?" The voice was a neutral voice, deep yet soft. It was a paradox, soothing and instilling fear into her. "Can you keep searching through what is the thick fog of lies, all for the sake of another?"
"I…I don't know."
"Why would you force yourself to do what you could hate? To push away from everything else and offer yourself up in an insignificant pattern of insecurity?"
"But, how do you know that it I would hate it, that I am…insecure?"
"Your entire visage reads it aloud, telling me what you could never possibly tell me yourself. Still, you refuse to realize and see what you are speaking off. I will let you search further into the depths of truth…" The voice faded away, Shirley's screaming disappearing along with it. Only a room filled with a thick fog, a heavy blanket depressing and compressing her. It was hard to focus, hard to see. The dry air, deceiving what would usually be considered humid, made it hard to concentrate. Figures stood in the distance, waving and making wild motions that were beyond what would have been considered normal. She coughed, sputtering the hot air outward. Her eyes regained attentiveness, the room returning to its regular condition. It was the same type of room as she was previously situated in. All the figures were only silhouettes, a thick outline surrounding their distinct frames.
"Excuse me", she softly called, hoping for one to turn to her, to realize that she was there with them. They glanced at her but saw nothing, the girl calling out with a shout, the words falling again on deaf ears. Another joined the group, standing barely on the outskirts of the other two. He was smaller than the other two, one lying on the ground before the tallest; it held an odd shape in its hand, the smell of acrid gunpowder hanging in the air. More physical traits fell into the characters, their looks gaining a human quality. It was… Lelouch, holding a small handgun above the body of Shirley, the girl who had just been pushed to her death, pushed by the same teenager who stood before her; they all formed a perfect macabre painting, both smiling all whilst Kallen tried to interpret the situation, moving forward for a front row seat.
Blood was everywhere, leaving large trails from every direction, as if her body had been pulled from one of the corners of the room. It stained the beige school uniform, a few holes perforating through her delicate skin. The bullet had been lodged into the ground behind her, splintering off into many different fragments that entered through the back of her skin. More blood joined the large pool, the girl obviously dying as they all spoke. Two empty bullet casings halted in the air, smoke constantly wafting from the hot tips, a few drops of blood splattered in the air around them.
"Can you find the truth lost within these lies?" It was a whisper, almost as if the young man before her had said it.
"…" She looked over them all. Lelouch's face was filled with both rage and happiness, one of his eyes active with his Geass. Over and over, he called upon the power, the small "v" shooting out at the dying girl. But, no matter how many were summon, it was ineffective, only serving to discolor her eyes. Shirley smiled, looking only at the young boy devoting his energy to her. Behind both, the last remaining shadow stood over them all, him slowly moving to show his despicable face. However, with a flash of life, Lelouch was shooting the girl on the ground, laughing while he did it. And another flash, the situation was returning to what it had once been, the young boy, Rolo, fully evident. He watched, smiling at what he was causing. Shirley, her blues eyes rimmed with red, lost their final luster, slowly but surely fading from complete existence. Kallen finally understood. All were a close group, interwoven, sharing more than a similar thread of existence. They were also…dead, or understood to be dead; them and the countless others that followed, an entire population of people dying with the smallest amount of time. All were caused by the black-haired boy, the one with the handgun who watched them die, killing them with his own hands. Just like Suzaku had said and just as he had proven, the mad face enjoying his kill. Kallen looked away from prospect, trying to block out what she had just seen, yet it would just replay for her.
Lelouch turned to her, smiling. His Geass started activating, the wicked power dilating his own pupils. It did nothing, only causing him to irrationally cackle. He rose the gun up, pulling the trigger instantly.
"No, Lelouch. Don't." He still fired. One bullet fired, a large blue trail following it into her. Making contact, her thoughts shattered. Still, Lelouch started dry firing the gun, the rhythmic clicks making little difference to him. Then, he raised the gun up to his own head, pulling back the hammer on the back of the slide.
"What do you believe?"
"God, Lelouch! Stop it!" And the gun fired. "No, this isn't real!" No matter how much she tried to call out to herself, tried screaming at herself to wake up. It barely fazed her, only serving to further frustrate the girl. Before her, the body fell over, blood profusely spurting out the back of its head. Another figure took its place, the body belonging to… her.
"Look upon these lies. Do you understand the false truths that have been supplemented into your memory? The stacks of falsity that built up over time?" The voice had gained a feminine quality, Shirley walking out before her. Both eyes were glazed over, yellow pupils taking the original's place. "Can you see through this fog?"
"Shirley. How?" She only smiled, her hair floating above her shoulders.
"This is the world as those who prove ignorant see it. These are all the facts that have been planted in everyone's head. All those you have been in contact have created this world, their words leaving viable impressions." Her eyes also had the red ring around them; both contain the Geass's signature "v". The word "live" was echoed behind her, a soft voice calling out her name.
"I, I kind of understand, but why are you here? If this is false… What happened to you, then?"
"Just a question I wished you to ask… But, you shall see soon enough." She dissipated into nothing, a thin layer of smoke trailing around her. Another scene had started to accumulate before her, the large room of Pendragon's Royal Castle. Zero stood before the world, cameras watching as the emperor spoke to the shaking Earth, the one that he had finally gain control of. She remembered the day, almost as if it had occurred yesterday. If anything, most people who took part in the revolution remembered the day. She could only think of the regret for conspiring with all the others. Harsher were the memories that she held about the execution day, the same day they all watched him die.
Zero, Suzaku crying silently on the inside of the suit, approached the emperor, who only smiled his cocksure smile. A deadly sword, his family's sword, was held in his hand, driving into the fledgling's chest with incredible force. The word seemed to gasp at once, Nunnally watching from only feet away, her sight being a hindrance this time. Both exchanged a quick goodbye, Lelouch's face barely faltering as he fell over.
"Wake up, Kallen. You've seen enough." Shirley grabbed her shoulder, pulling her away from the trauma.
She shot up in her bed, sweat running down her brow. Light shined through the small blinds that shielded over the windows, radiating small amounts of frugal heat on her slender forehead. The clock read 10:30 A.M., well past the time she was suppose to be up. However, school wasn't something bothering her today. They had it off, one of Japan's many different holidays taking up their time. She slipped on a small pair of shorts and t-shirt, slowly moving down into the living room. Flipping on the television, she turned on the news and moved for something to eat in the kitchen.
"This is Aoi Nagisa reporting with Channel 11. We have breaking news regarding the new outbreak of gang activity reported throughout Tokyo." The news anchor shuffled a few sheets of paper, clearing her throat as the camera shifted to show a video recording of a few men, all dressed in black, attacking a small shop set up on a busy street. No sound could be heard, only a few cars swerving to avoid the men throwing different items around. She was sickened by the random acts, turning off the TV as the anchorwoman came back on. Kallen walked back into her small bathroom connected to the bedroom, moving into the large shower. It turned on, her stepping in but quickly jumping out of the torrid water.
"Dammit…" After the water finally cooled, she stepped in, fully immersing herself in the life-giving water. It refreshed her skin, washing away the cold sweat that had stuck her hair to her forehead. One hand rested against the wall, her head pressed against the tiles of the wall. It continued on for a few more minutes, only the sound of a doorbell breaking her basic trance. Kallen turned off the water, stepping out and wrapping herself in a white silk towel that hung off a steel towel rack. Another one wrapped around her head, drying her hair. The doorbell rang again, the man outside getting a little impatient.
"Just a minute", she bellowed, exhaling as she did. "Jesus Christ." She ran to the door, her loose towel still draped around her body. "Hello?" Expecting no one, she was far from the mood to deal with delivery men.
"Uh, Ms. Stadtfeld", asked the young man, clearing a rookie. He was only a few years older than her, probably trying to fund his way through college. His face was a brilliant red, Kallen hardly aware that she was still indecent.
"Yes? How can I help you?" She tapped her foot with incredible speed.
"Um, you wanted us to, um, deliver a few different things that were in your storage locker. They've been there for a few months now." He showed her a box, small in size. However, when the man held it, it appeared to have some kind of weight to it, being deceptively heavy.
"Oh, thank you. Just one second." She turned around and grabbed a small folded bill, a tip for the man. Upon grabbing it, she let go of her towel and the entire thing fell to the floor, a cold breeze blowing across the girl. Instantly, she froze up, the young man staring in disbelief. A trail of blood ran down his nose. Slowly, she turned around to face the man, her face contorted into one of disgust.
"Uh, um, how about, um I come back… later?" He was fully blushing, the package having fallen from his hands. It was almost as if his entire body had lit up, him unable to feel anything at all. Both eyes slowly turned in his head, life draining from her.
She moved over to him and slapped him, the boy reeling backwards. "Get the hell out!" It concluded with the door slamming, Kallen rushing away to her room to get dressed. For the rest of the hour, she sat around her around her house, slowly leaving everything else behind.
Around noon she grabbed the package that the man had dropped, taking it inside and placing it down on the table. It was taped from side to side, something rattling around as she shook it. Grabbing the small knife, she cut the sides, letting the box fall apart in one fluid, graceful motion. The contents were something of a mystery. A few different knick-knacks from her mother's childhood sat around scattered, a semi-automatic pistol lying amongst the middle of them. Two clips stood by their side, all filled with 9mm ammo. They were all covered with a thick layer of dust, the items archaic considering the time. 2013 was engraved in the side, a few years after the war had started, the conflict barely cumulating to what it had become. She picked it up and leveled it to her eye, staring down the iron sight, the small notch blocked by gray dust. The girl blew it away, inspecting the weapon with a fine eye.
"When did she own a weapon?" However, another small word had been engraved into the opposite side, a name, someone close to her. "Naoto", she repeated to herself, holding it carefully in both sides. Yet, it was well maintained, the steel slide sliding back with incredible ease. But, it looked familiar to her, almost as if she had seen it before. Kallen threw a magazine into it, the memory coming back to her. It was the gun that Zero had used before, the gun that she watched he shoot himself with, last night. "Oh, God", she uttered, dropping it to the floor. As soon as it hit the hardwood flooring, it discharged, a round thundering off and smashing into the slider door glass. But, she was entranced, having a breakdown as she stared at it, her eyes wide. A tear rolled down the cheek, dripping down to the floor.
"Kallen", called a voice from afar. "You must calm down." Time was stuck in place, the tear holding inches above the floor.
"Wha…" she said, her voice pathetic. The girl was a wreck, her mental state beyond what it once was. Anything seemed to set her off, her fragile psyche easily malleable. Wearing a giant façade, she tried to trudge through the days, her life finding little anything that kept her awake inside. Nothing was pleasing; nothing had a ray of light that would change her mind.
"The police are coming. That gunshot could be heard around the entire neighborhood. Considering what happened this morning, they are looking for a few people. Considering your past…"
"I thought that the racial boundaries had been broken down after the era of peace was reigned in."
"Did you really? That is nothing but sheer naivety. Have you bothered to look at how many Britannians are still here? They control the government still, along with the cities and everything."
"Then what Zero, I mean Lelouch did was in vain?" The girl nodded her head, the spirit looking out one of the windows from time to time. "Why were we allowed are country's name back, then?"
"Think. I can't supply you with everything." She already understood the answer: it was an obvious way to control the population. Instill a false sense of control in the Japanese people, while having a consul of Britannians watching and controlling over every different aspect of their world. They could stay behind the scenes, acting as advocates of peace while operating the internal workings of the world.
"No." She fell to the ground, clutching her head.
"Yes."
"Everything I worked for. Everything that we worked for, all the people dead. All the deaths that I caused… Is it all in vain? Was it for anything at all?"
"No. Even my death was a pointless misunderstanding, a result of a high-strung boy with an over possessive mindset. Yet, it allowed for nothing to blossom. And you would think that all that you have done is different? You are a murderer."
"Murderer…" Sadly, she could believe that she was a killer, a sinner whose only point in life was to instigate pain. All the blood on her hands, all the families that she had broken apart, only bodies remaining of their loved ones.
"They know that you were a large part of the Black Rebellion. Britannia is still looking for the members, slowly executing them one by one. It will only be a certain time until you get caught."
"What, what can I do?"
"Find him. That is all you can do."
"Lelouch." She touched her chest upon hearing the name, it slowly relaxing her as she repeated it over and over in her head. Her head was a mess, all of the tumult spiraling around the figure that stood in the middle of it all. The boy in her thoughts, the one they all thought had died. Almost as if someone had come across the answer, she understood the dreams she had had last night, the words of the enigma ringing clearing in her ears. "Where can I look?"
"Samegawa." It was the location of nowhere, a small mountain range that led along the western side of the island, driving up the entire island. Small roads and villages were scattered all up the mountains, each one with Samegawa as a surname. Still, anything was better to her than living the sheltered life, one conspiracy after another piling up on her. "For this is the only place that has no Britannian jurisdiction. Nothing touches them, the small hamlets lost in time..." She drifted off, a self-absorbed face staring off toward the towering Mt. Fuji that watched over their city.
"When should I go?" Having no one else to believe, she faced few options.
"Now." She smiled, disappearing into the wall that stood behind her. "They're here, too. And this, this is the last time that we will ever meet." A knock was heard at the door, a few different people amassing outside her house. "Kallen. Be strong. If you even once doubt yourself, you will die. I will make sure that you do not live whatever happens to you."
"Heh." She pulled back the top of the pistol on the table, checking to make sure that there was a clip loaded in. All nine bullets were accounted for. "I've never heard you speak with such disdain for a person." Shirley's spirit only smiled, fading from all points of existence. She was one with the wind, being nothing more than a memory. Kallen was partially responsible for her death.
"Excuse me, Kallen Kouzuki. This is the prefectural police squad, number 2058, and we are responding to a gunshot that was heard in this vicinity. If you could please come out of your house to answer a few questions." His voice was clearly that of a Britannian's. He spoke with an air of superiority, his lips disgusted to even attempt to pronounce something that remotely resembled Japanese.
"No", she said to herself, pointing the gun at the door. She had used guns before, almost a countless amount of times while in the Black Knights. Moreover, she had seldom ever killed a person before, barely even firing in the direction of people. This would be a record first, yet the weapon had a certain comfort about it, almost as if it radiated a familiar aura. Still, the girl was better suited behind the seat of a Knightmare Frame or in a hand-to-hand combat situation. But, if her enemy was armed with deadly weapons, then she would give them no quarter.
"My lord, do you think she's home?"
"I doubt it. The damn Eleven probably ran off after firing the gun. Wretched creatures, all of them." The young ensign smiled, nodding in agreement with a few overdone motions. "Ms. Kouzuki, if you do not comply with our request, we will have to enter the house and search the area. Are you prepared to deal with that?"
"My lord, you're wasting your breath."
"But we have to follow standards. Can't give on to the fact that they still aren't in control of their own police forces and military."
"I bet she already knows."
"That's why were here to capture her. If we can't, we are supposed to kill her on sight. Is everyone clear on that?" The five others, all armed with automatic rifles and donning body armor, nodded. All were soldiers from the previous conflict, joining police squadrons to see more action in the warless environment. All were sadists, killers with little to no souls.
Kallen listened and counted. "Three, four, five… six. It should only take six bullets, that's it." Her original way of thinking was returning. She imagined herself behind the seat of a frame, preparing herself for combat.
"Okay, break down the door and secure the girl. She lives by herself and should be easy to differentiate between anyone else."
"Yes, my lord." Two men walked to the thick front door and tried the handle, opting for a stealthy approach. However, finding it locked, they strung a small breaching charge around the handle and blew the door. It swung open with force, a large blast of air pushing a few pictures off the walls. Two barrels poked their heads inside, searching every other corner for a target, anxious to fire off a few rounds. Kallen ducked behind a counter, slowly counting off beats in her head. On the tenth, she sprung up and fired her first pistol round that would kill another human being. It struck the side of his head, the man going down in one quick second.
"Shit! Man down! I repeat, man down!"
"You are weapons free", said the commander, smiling. He was waiting for her to pull a foolish move. The others moved in, sweeping the room with military precision. Yet, she couldn't be found anywhere. One looked up at the ceiling, spotting the girl hanging off a large chandelier. Kallen brought her leg down into his face, breaking his nose on the spot. He fell, the girl bring the barrel to the fallen man's chest. She fired another round. Automatic fire filled the void, the girl diving away as the other police started firing wildly around the house. Bullets collided with everything, shattering vases and additional appliances. Three remaining, they all ran in her direction. She back-flipped, shooting wildly at them men running at her, the pistol jerking as her aim went unchecked. One man went down, shooting into the air until his gun ran empty.
"Two left."
"Commander! Call in some support! We can't handle her!" Her small knife was unsheathed, driving itself into the man's neck. She twisted the body around, letting it catch the rounds that the last man was firing at her. He jerked around, coughing up a profuse amount of blood. Wide-eyed, the last dropped the clip from the gun, backing up as he struggled to put a fresh magazine into the chamber. It went in and he leveled the gun to her chest as she walked over, but she put a hand upon the gun, wrenching it upward. One foot went out, kicking the police unit's leg. He fell, a sickening crack following. In another motion, the man was trapped in a choke hold, the dagger pressed to his throat.
"Amateurs." Even the sound of her voice was different, almost as if she had calmed down, developing a sultry monotone.
He made a stifled noise, his throat being clamped down on. He looked up at her, his eyes pleading with her to let the young man go. But she didn't, slicing his blade deeply into his throat and dropping the body with the blade still pressed to his skin. It cut through the fibers, the deep wound instantly killing the man.
"HQ, come in. We need some support here. The situation is out of control." He was desperately yelling into the small radio, his hand shaking.
"Repeat."
Outside, the cocky Britannian stifled a little, trying hard to swallow. She meandered outside, not bothering to look at the sniveling man. Without aim, she lowered the gun and fired and fired and fired, the gun running out of ammunition. The slide snapped back, empty, the metal hot. Kallen snapped out of her trance, yet she felt the same, almost as if she was in total control of herself. Again, she felt the experience of piloting her Guren.
Before the second group of support came, she went upstairs into her bedroom, gathering a few items for her trip. She found a small holster in her mother's room, with the same name on the side. It had a few different pockets for extra clips, the cold metal cartridges lining her pockets. Her knife went into the pocket as well, a few hundred dollar bills in a small wallet she kept. Lastly, she donned her old uniform that Zero had given them all, the black catsuit underneath allowing her maximum comfort and agility. The old pilot suit fit in her small bag, the only one that she would carry. A few other things found themselves in the bag, only the necessities. Strapping it on her back, she left the house, not bothering to close the door behind her; first, she would have to leave Tokyo, taking on of the T.G.V. trains to the south. The station was only hundreds of feet away from the plaza that stood near the house. A smile crossed her face, a kind smile. She would have to take the "kind killer" mantra. Before leaving, she took one last look at the bloodied bodies amassing at her steps. With disgust, she looked away. They would all be avenged. "Especially you, Naoto."
Kallen moved through the neighborhoods with ease, slipping along the nondescript paths without drawing any amount of attention to herself. Squad cars zipped through the area, the sirens droning her thoughts out. From the sound of it, more than five cars had surrounded the area, moving in quickly. They secured the area off, using the stereotypical yellow tape the entire house off. She threw one last look back at her home, one of the last sanctuaries that she would ever see. One man was looking through one of the windows, barely spotting her as she ducked out of sight, the last time she would ever be in that area of town again.
Empty and eerie, the hyper-rail train station was surprising desolate, every train still resting in its platform. A man sat in a small chair, thumbing through colorful magazine, not bothering to look at the girl who approached him.
"Tickets are 400 yen, Ms." He was gnawing down sort of food, the disgusting sound of his grinding teeth causing her to flinch with every strained bite. "Also, they only run for half of the day. Holiday and all that…"
"I don't care. I just need to get to Samegawa. Which platform do I need to take?" She threw a few crumpled bills on the counter, the man grabbing them with a lazy hand. He gave a quick look at them, pressing a small button on the cash register. After sliding them into the cash reservoir, he looked up at her.
"Ma'am, the trains don't go all the way to Samegawa. We stopped that service a couple of months ago." He grabbed a ticket from behind his chair, swiveling with a squeak. Holding it out for her, she grabbed it but the man didn't let go. "Still, you can get there by taking a few different routes."
"I can find it myself", she said, yanking the ticked away from him. She stomped off, leaving the man alone again.
"Remember to take the 344 to Inabate. You can find your way from there." He didn't understand why he was helping her out, the prickly girl obviously set off by something. She stopped, taking the advice in. Nodding to herself, she left the sight of the man, going aboard the fast train. He sighed, going back to his paper. As soon as the girl had gotten aboard, a few police sirens surrounded the station. Running out of the cars, the highly armed men surrounded the station, holding the trains in place.
"Police! Stop the trains!" The apparent leader surrounded the man in the kiosk, the men checking over the trains. In one of the windows, Kallen looked down on them, moving away from the area with haste. She ran to the front of the train, moving into the forward cabin that held the control consoles. Outside, the police had moved the conductors off the train. They started interrogating them, searching the areas for her.
"What the hell is this?!" The man who sold the tickets was becoming vivacious, his energy peaking above what would be considered wise. "I'm going to have to ask that you show me a permit for this search!" They ignored her, looking coldly at his face. He quivered a little, his left eyebrow arching back. Mainly, their weapons were what troubled the group of workers.
"Search the trains. Sweep from the front to the back. Don't leave any area untouched and report if you find anything out. If you contact the target, try to incapacitate her; however, you are all clear to fire. Is that understood?"
"Yes, my lord" they shouted in unison, giving a short salute and then marching systematically into the trains. In the furthest left, they moved up and down it, taking position near the closed doors into the other cars.
"Flash and clear", whispered one, pointing at another man. He tossed a flashbang grenade into the cabin, a blinding light clearing out all sight of those in the car. However, no one was there, the large train car easily clear.
"Clear, sir."
"Move on." They all moved up again, the soldiers and policemen in the other trains using the same tactics to search for the girl. None found her, the groups amounting outside of the conductor's cabin.
"Have you found her yet?"
"No, my lord. She isn't in any of the trains. We are currently doing a thermal scan throughout all of the area, but it isn't showing anyth- wait." A small red dot appeared on the map. Kallen, inside the control room, started pressing buttons, along with flipping a few different switches.
"Find her?"
"Yes, my lord." He changed his communicator. "Bravo, secure the conductor's cabin. The target is located within your train."
"Roger. Over and out." Bravo team leader pointed at his face and then at the door, spinning his hand in a circle. Basically, he was telling his team to get ready to breach into the room, watching out for Kallen as they secured it. He pointed and one man strung the small charge around the handle. Sadly, the charge never went off. Four rounds ripped through the flimsy wooden door, killing the entire Bravo squad within minutes. The train sluggishly started taking off, chugging away from Tokyo as the police started at it in disbelief. She bent over, grabbing on of the small sub-machine guns that the corpses clutched on to. Moving to the back of the train, she saw the small sedans that were chasing her.
"Leave me alone", she cried to herself, letting the weapon scream. Glass shattered, the sharp pieces raining down to the Earth. A few shards pelted her face leaving small incises on her face. Her accuracy something to be desire, the bullets jumped around the ground, ricocheting off the large metal tracks that the train ran across. Still, a few strays met with the cars tires, causing them to lose their grip and control. One cut the rest off, a four car pileup being caused by such a simple action. She wiped the small dots of blood caused by the broken glass and threw the gun out of the window, the train finally picking up respectable speed.
Silently, she wished her friends the best of luck, almost sad to be leaving them. And she once again called herself the "kind killer".
Compared to the last, this is a little action heavy. If you are wondering, i did inspire her character for this from Madlax, especially from the eponymous character herself. Also, there are a few subtle references to other shows and i tried to partially include the show's running gag. Oh well. Kallen will be a dynamic character and will harbor change in the coming chapters. Anyway, thank's for reading and please, please, review. -AMP
