I really have no witty comments to put here today, so lets get on with the chapter shall we?
Chapter 9
it was after a short trip by a set of cabs that everyone now found themselves in Icchan's office. The gray sky outside rumbled with thunder and the group felt more than a little bit unsettled. Without a word they all settled themselves around the office, as Icchan sat behind his cluttered desk and adjusted his glasses for a moment before sighing and looking up at them each in the face until stopping on Misaki.
"I know your all a bit confused, but I suppose thats to be expected. I would ask you save any questions for after I finish though. It's difficult enough for me to talk about this, and I would rather just say it all at once with as little struggle as possible."
with that he stood up and walked to the massive window that overlooked most of tokyo and gave a grim smile, than suddenly as if remembering something looked at his watch and frowned.
"She's late. Thought I told her to be here sooner..."
as if on cue the door to Icchan's office slowly swung open as the person in question, Misaki's mother, and the former champion of the layer.
"ah Shuko-san, I was worried you wouldn't make it."
"Sorry Ichiro-san, the traffic was bad."
Misaki couldn't help but giggle inside her head as she say icchan blush at the use of his actual name. For someone who was supposed to be serious, he had too much of a child like personalty at times she thought. But that was just who Icchan was, and thats why people liked him.
"Right than, well now that everyone is here I should like to begin. To start... well, to frank and honest, most of this is my fault, at least in the sense that I didnt have the foresight needed to prevent this. When I was a younger man, before I met shuko, and before Ojiro and I were brothers, I was a student of both robotics and neurology. I studied abroad and eventually I came to America for a short time."
In side his own mind Icchan played back the events of those days in his head, wondering how things could have been different, than remembering he was still telling a story cleared his throat and continued.
"While in the U.S.A I learned of an independent robotics lab that was working on a new project that ventured to create robotic limbs that were controlled through human thought waves. And the head of this project was a man name Johnny Rockford. Johnny was ambitious, and I was instantly amazed at the level of his intellect. It wasn't long after that I discovered that the robotics company had a branch in japan working with a lot of the local hospitals. Soon after I was signed on and shortly after I met Shuko-san, and well the rest as they say is history."
It was here he paused and began to pace a bit, his audience unsure of what was to expected from this whole exposition.
"It wasn't long after that the Angelic layer project began. And we were all excited, except one person, Dr. Rockford. He thought the whole idea of making toys was stupid, that it was a waste of our resources, he thought that we could solve the funding problem and help people at the same time. But he was more than just ambitious, he was... well without a doubt... he was a madman."
"It wasn't long after that we all discovered what he was really doing behind our backs. He had developed something called the force feed back system. It was designed to register the impact of whatever happened to the angel in the users own nervous system. In short, it let you feel what the angel would feel, in order to use it more effectively."
Although he asked for no questions Sai stood up and interrupted him.
"So why is that so bad. Aside from being able to feel some pain I assume? I wouldn't mind that so much."
Icchan just shook his head and sighed.
"It isn't all that simple. If it was just that than we really wouldn't have a problem. But there were problems with the system. It was too good, it let the user experience the full nervous effect of the stimulus administered to the angel. It is a scary thing what the mind can do. Even though it is the angel getting damaged, the force feedback system fooled the mind into thinking it was actual damage to the body, test subjects would leave his labs with bruises from stress, cuts on their skin and in one extreme case torn muscle tissue."
no one was sure of what to say, a stunned silence fell over the entire office as Icchan made his way back to his desk and sat down.
"That isn't the end of it either. He had a bigger goal. He was developing the force feed back system for something a bit more... grown up than the angels. He had been accepting contracts from weapon manufactures behind our backs and was working on creating the perfect robotic soldier. One that could be controlled from a distance by a pilot using the angel technology, but made more combat ready with his force feedback system. Of course as soon as we found all of this out we moved to have him removed from his work. Not only was he making weapons, but I knew it was just a matter of time before one of his test subjects ended up ether in the hospital or worse."
it was here he stopped and looked to all of them, expecting maybe some sort of comment, but no one was even sure of what to say. It was a shocking story sure enough, but it hadn't explained everything yet. Sensing their thoughts, Icchan took one more deep breath and moved to the climax of his tale.
"now here is where it all fits together. Five years ago, an Irish born deus began competing in the United Kingdom. His angel card was registered to a Mr. Johnny sandsteel. You see, the problem with is that Sandsteel was what Dr. Rockford's students nicknamed him, because he could be as grating as sand made from steel shavings when he was in the mood to be. But this young man was not Rockford. This young man is also the strange fellow we have seen going here and there under the alias of gluttony. Who he actually is, is a mystery. But we do know he helped found the seven sin assassins. It can only be assumed for the time being, but we believe he is working for Rockford."
with that Icchan sat back down and waited in silence. His tired eyes looking at everyone in turn, as if expecting something. It was Ojiro to break the tension finally,
"So you think this whole thing is him trying to get back at angelic layer for disgracing him?"
Icchan just shrugged his shoulders in an uncertain manner.
"your guess is as good as mine, last I heard, Rockford returned to America. If anything I would be surprised to know he was still alive. He was old even than and had a weak heart. I thought had died long ago. Besides he never seemed the type to go for vengeance, but now isn't really the time for such discussion. I think that should be enough for now, your all free to go."
it was obvious that Icchan was in no mood to discuss the situation any further for the time being, so with some awkward goodbyes the group prepared to go. The girls had decided (except for Sai who had sneaked off for home) that they would still go out, if for nothing else to help ease the worry in their minds.
Of course after the first hour or so of this it proved a futile effort. With both the light rain that refused to subside, and the ever present thoughts from Icchans stories in their heads, they found them selves sitting quietly in a cafe wondering to themselves.
Misaki sat and stirred her tea without really intending to drink it as she stared into the murky liquid. Beside her, her mother shuko seemed just as distracted as she pushed the strawberry from her cake around in circles, and across from her Hatoko, Kaede and Tamo didn't look any cheerier. It was probably the most depressed she has been ever, although she wasn't really sure why anymore. After some time it was Hatoko to speak up first, although it wasn't a question anyone had been expecting.
"So kade-san, why did you have lipstick on your forehead today?"
Kaede for her part just looked down at her plate as a light blush graced her face. Of course it was that little reaction that suddenly had every one at rapt attention to hear her answer, which of course caused Kaede in turn to start fidgeting as all eyes at the table fell on her.
"Well I guess me and Sai never did get around to telling you what happened to us... in the train terminal we saw two of them, this short girl and a tall blond girl. So of course Sai decided we should figure out what they were up to, and this lead to that...
(flashback to the terminal)
Kaede giggled, thinking Sai had suddenly developed a playful streak, but was proven wrong as she felt a curtain of long soft hair fall around her head and a voice whisper in her ear,
"Guess who cutie." Kaede was uncertain of how to react at first, when suddenly the hands where off her eyes, and the owner of the sultry voice was sitting beside her on the bench, Kaede was cursing her choice of this out of the way part of the terminal, within a few moments the train were rolling out and the whole station was empty for the time being until the next train in thirty minutes.
"well isn't this nice and cozy, a quite moment to get to talk face to face. I suppose your wondering to your self what this is all about. To be truthful I'm not so sure myself."
Kaede arched an eyebrow in confusion, but refused to look at lust directly, instead choosing to look straight ahead at the tracks.
"Than why do it, if you don't know why?"
"Because it's fun,i get to do things most people don't plus I get to meet little cuties like you and your friend. Of course she has more of a masculine charm to her, but that can be fun too. It's a bit off topic, but I'm a sort of a connoisseur of cute people. So far out of the lot of you all I think your my favorite. It was a close call with the prince of the layer, he has that adorable little chivalry thing going on for him."
It was here Kaede finally interrupted her and looked the blond woman right in the eyes.
"you really think thats a good way to do things though, working with bullies like them, dont you even feel a little bit bad about it. I mean you where planning to something bad here today, why do things have to be like this?"
Lust just sat back a bit and bite her lip, as if trying to contain herself, but apparently to no avail as she began giggling uncontrollably for a good minute before calming down.
"Oh... you really are something cutie, hmm I still think my first answer works here though, its fun. Thats all there is to it. I dont really have time to think about the other details. Of course... maybe if I got something out of it, I might give you a few hints about our plan."
Kaede just sat there in confusion unsure of this odd woman. Of course any logical thought was gone in an instant when lust leaned froward and and pressed her soft lips against kaede's forehead, before standing up and stretching for a second. Without warning though she was gone as quickly and quietly as she had arrived.
Kaede just sat there, in a daze as her thoughts bumped around her head for a moment, until she was abler to gather herself, and realized that it might be a good idea to go check on Sai right about now.
(end flashback)
"And thats what happened..."
Kaede's blush was a deep scarlet at this point as she looked down at her plate in embarrassment. It was Tamo to speak first.
"Grr if I had been there I would have given something to kiss, my fist! that no good succubus taking advantage of our pure little Kaede-chan!"
Misaki didn't know what to say, and Shuko just politely sipped her tea with a light look of amusement on her face. After Tamo finally calmed down, and the once present awkward silence returned it remained for a good few minutes till it was Hatoko once again to break it.
"Did you tell Sai she kissed you?"
Kaede hiccuped into her drink and looked at the little girl in amazement.
"well, it didn't seem an important detail, and I prefer you keep it between us, it's embarrassing enough..."
She was obviously avoiding the whole question and with that the subject was dropped.
Soon after with little else to be done with the day, the group decided to was best for everyone to head home, and So Misaki found herself in the back seat of her mothers car, with Hatoko sitting beside her. Her mind wandered back and forth from thought to thought, but she really didn't want to waste time thinking about things that would depress her. She knew she just had to keep positive for the time being, or else she would end up drowning in her own insecurities.
"positive things, thats what I need to think about! Lets see, im not alone, I have all my friends to help me if I need it. I have Hikaru, she's never let me down no matter what and I know I can;t let her down now either."
Misaki was pulled from her thoughts by the sensation of the car stopping and the door opening, as they stopped to let Hatoko out in front of her families Dojo. With a quick hug and goodbye Hatoko was out and the car was soon moving again.
The evening came almost too soon, and Misaki found herself laying on her bed staring at the ceiling hoping tomorrow didn't have as many surprises. And slowly her thoughts subsided, and she drifted into a deep sleep, untroubled by any nightmarish images for the first time in days.
Meanwhile.
Sai leaned back into her bed and looked up at the ceiling, drenched in silver moonlight, creating a myriad of images in her imagination. She couldn't sleep, and she knew she probably wouldn't be able to no matter how hard she tried. Her mind was a torrid of thoughts and she hated being overwhelmed.
First on her list was the punch she had received. Now that she had the time to think about it, no girl that size should be able to hit that hard. Not by any means. Something was off about those sin's in more ways than just their personalities it seemed.
Second on her mind, has hard as she tried to push it out of her head, was the lipstick on kaede. She had pretended not to notice, but for same reason she couldn't fathom, it had been bugging her to think that the tall amazon bimbo of a woman had dared to touch her friend in such a manner.
Worse yet was the fact that it bugged her to begin with, it was pointless worrying over such a little detail, yet the the more it stayed in her mind, the more it gnawed at her forcing her to think about it.
Just as she was at he height of her frustration though, the unexpected sound of her door bell had her up and trudging to her front door, unconcerned of her simple attire of just a white tank top and mens shorts. She had not been expecting any guests at this hour, and intended to be her usually cold self till whomever it was that interrupted her attempts at sleep.
Of course any words in her mouth stopped short when she was hit with the image before her.
Kaede, looking as if she had run there, and was it Sai's imagination or was she trembling just a bit as well?
"Kaede-san... did something happen, its almost eleven at night you know."
"I know, im sorry. It's just, well my parents are out of town for the next few weeks on a trip, and I got lonely so I decided to walk to the convenience store. And well, it was dark and I guess I'm just a wimp but me and blanch thought we sow someone following us out of the corner of our eyes... so..."
"So you ran all the way here to my house which is at least a mile and a half away from the convenience store by your house."
"Well, yes..."
Sai couldn't help but shake her head as she ushered Kaede into her apartment. It may have been late, but in the end, she figured she just couldn't say no to Kaede for some reason or other.
Elsewhere at the same time
"Im not impressed to be honest. But of course my own personal feelings don't really come into the matter. You might as well just not of gone in the first place. I'm beginning to think that perhaps I should trust someone like Pride or Envy if I want results."
Gluttony sat with his arms crossed, while on the other side of the massive round table Wrath and Lust sat in their respective seats. Lust stared down at the table, a look of embarrassment on her, while Wrath looked like she wasn't listening, which she wasn't. Lust looked up at her fellow sin and for the first time he seemed to be in a way as intimidating as his rank among them suggested he should be. He was with out hair dye or makeup, and the dark circles around his eyes gave him and oddly haunting look as he glared at them.
"luckily for the two of you, the boss needs all us for this. But trust me when I say this... I gave you the good fortune you have right now, and if I didn't need you for this I would gladly trade the both of you. Don't think I can't take back what I've done for you... especially you Wrath. I can just as easily undue what I the boss gave you... don't think I can't."
it was here that Wrath suddenly began to pay attention, her face twisted in furry as she slammed her hands on the table.
"You wouldn't! You can't! The boss did all that for me, you don't have the know how to do it!"
Gluttony gave a twisted little smile and pulled up his sleeve to reveal a rather bulky wrist watch, which without much thought, he flicked a few times before taking his fingers and twisted the tiny nob on it a few times.
Wrath had no time to comprehend what he was doing before suddenly her head slammed hard into the solid wood table, and lifted up again, sporting a small trail of blood.
"OWWW! What the fuck was that you creepy clown!"
"Silly little girl, you forget, I'm an expert at hardware and all sorts of little things. I made most of what the boss used for this whole operation... I can do as I please, short of killing you of course... now get the hell out of my sight, the both of you."
Wrath looked ready to unleash a verbal onslaught, when suddenly Lust grabbed her by the shoulder, looking terrified. Wrath looked back to Gluttony, than to the frightened and concerned Lust and sighed. Without another word the two of them left, of course not without Wrath giving Gluttony the finger before going, who for his part just sat there and smiled at them in a cynical manner.
As soon as the two of them were out of Gluttony's room and safely outside in the night time air, Lust garbed Wrath around her tiny waist, falling to her knees crying a bit into the shorter girls chest.
"You...(sob)..should know better..(sob)..than to make him really mad. (Hiccup)... he hurt you this time. Next (sob) time it could be worse..."
Wraths look softened just the thinest bit as she stroked Lusts hair in as comforting a manner as she could muster.
"Look, I'm fine. Just bump to the head, besides I know where I stand around here... I don't need you reminding me. When you sign your soul to the devil, you want to think about it as little as possible... I guess the real question is though, which one is the devil. The boss, or Gluttony?"
Lust just looked up at Wrath with a confused look on her face, than stood up and wiped the tears from her eyes and looped her arm around lust shoulders as they walked through the night in silence.
Back in the darkened room, Gluttony sat and stared at his reflection in the table, than pushed his chair up and smiled. He was his long green jacket and boots again, not like him to repeat an outfit, but he was in a bad mood. With out mush thought he click a switch on the table and watched as all the windows opened and the moonlight flowed in to reflect off the rather bare wooden floor.
And suddenly with an odd grin on his face picked up a small remote from somewhere and pushed it so suddenly a soft yet rather whimsical music suddenly filled the whole room. Without warning Gluttony began to waltz with his arms out stretched as if he were dancing with someone, and as the music over his speakers got louder he began to sing.
Garsu no me oingyou
aru yoru utai dashimashita
"Nee suteki na ka kuni e
kimi o tsurete ikimashou ka"
(the crystal eyed doll,
during a certain night sung,
"Hey shall I take you to
a wonderful world?")
Shiroi usagi oikakete
fukai ana e ochiteku
hora mou modorenai
(following the white rabbit
Alice fell into a deep hole.
See now she cannot go home.
Totemo fushigi na kuni!
Nozomi wa nandemo kanau
nemu no ki no ue de
niyari CHESIRE neko ga watau
youkoso
(such a strange world!
where whatever you wish for comes true
On top of the silk tree,
the Cheshire cat grins and says
welcome.)
at this point Gluttony imaged it was Misaki dancing with him as he waltzed and sung his song. With each turn and twist he brought his imaginary Misaki a bit closer to him as he went I circles.
Modotte oide yo, Alice
Ue kara yobu koe kikoeta
keredi shoujo no me wa
suteki ne kon kuni ni muchuu!
(you should go back alice
she heard a voice from above
but the eyes of this girl
have already been entranced by this wonderful land!)
Shiroi bara no michi nukete
subete akaku somatta
hate made ochiteiku
(running though the road of white roses,
everything gets dyed in deep red
she continues to fall till the end)
Kiniro no tokei wa
Kachiri oto o tometa no yo
korede daijoubu
yukkuri ocha ga nomeru wa
Eien ni!
(the golden clock
stopped it's tick-tock sound
but its fine
Alice will simply drink tea
For eternity!)
Now gluttony began to dance a bit faster, and in his fervour moved closer to windows, feeling the rush of the cool wind on his face as he moved in sync with his fake Misaki.
Yume no kakera no kuni!
Nozomi wa nandemo sorou
kimi ga suteta mono
"Tada hitotsu o nozoite ne"
(a world made from fragments of dreams
her wished all come true.
From the people she casted away
"you can only save one of them okay")
Ugokanu tokei to
Korogaru ningyou futatsu
sasayaku michibiki
"Nee. Issho ni ikimashou ka...
Fushigi no kuni!"
(the stopped clock and
the tumbling doll, they both
gently lead and whisper
"Hey, shall we go?,
To wonderland!)
And with the last verse Gluttony reached the window and on the very last line, pushed out with his hands, sending the imaginary Miaski backwards and out the window...
it took several minutes for his laughing to die down as he sat cross legged on the empty floor, but subside it did as he fell back and looked up at the ceiling and smiled.
"soon enough... you will taste fear... all of you."
end chapter 9
from the author : well wasn't that fun... for those of you curious the song that Gluttony sings is called alice in dream land, and it was sung by Kaito shion the vocaloid.. I fell in love with it and knew it had a place within my little world... please remember to review.
