Demonic Times of Yako
Chapter 9: Another Actor Emerges
Trembling in utter terror, the one person she believed would be impossible to meet on this train now stood before her, able to easily to kill her within seconds. Neuro hadn't arrived yet, something must be wrong. He is usually the kind of person to know about things before they happen. It was obvious that the Evil Stalkers meant to alert him were destroyed but, looking over at Rom Piku's unconscious body on the table, Yako couldn't figure out how she was knocked out without a single touch. Sai could see the curiosity in her panic. "It was poison, in case you're wondering," he said. "Don't worry, it's not toxic. It'll just knock her out. We drugged the drinks so we could get to her without having her know we were here."
"What do you want here?!" Yako muttered in her fright, digging through her purse. "We're here to kidnap you and your friend," Sai casually said. He then took notice of what Yako was doing and grabbed her wrist, pulling it out of the purse. "The hairclips…" he muttered, remembering the enigmatic items and what they were able to do to Hireki. Yako knew this was the perfect chance to scream for help. "Neu-"
A cold, pale hand locked onto her mouth, silencing her. Sai wouldn't let the plan fall apart so easily. Ai walked over to the other side of the table, lifting Rom Piku's body from the chair by the arms. "How can this be happening?" Yako thought to herself. "We're being taken away…and Neuro doesn't even know it…he can't save us!"
Awaking from his slumber, Neuro immediately rose from his seat and looked down at Godai, who remained unconscious. Lifting him by the collar, Neuro began to bash his slave into the roof of the train until he woke up. "OW!OW!OW!OW!OW! YOU GODDAMN MOTHER FUCKIN' PIECE OF SHIT SON OF A BITCH!!" Godai yelled, feeling his head throb. "No time for your foul mouth," Neuro said, no longer showing any signs of playfulness or amusement. "Grab my luggage, the girls are in trouble." Godai obeyed, not only because he would be killed if he didn't but because something seemed off about Neuro. The slave dragged the brick-filled bags and followed Neuro as fast as he could into the next train car. Sai turned, seeing the demon meters away from him.
As he entered the room, Godai could see the mutant teenager with his hands against a frightened Yako's face. It was time to make himself useful the best way he knew how. Pumping strength into his arms, Godai lifted all the bags of bricks with both hands and swung them down onto Sai, aiming for the child's skull. Unfortunately they were blocked with a single hand. The bricks dropped out one by one, scattering across the floor. Godai could see the glare in Sai's eyes along with a sleek smile. Death seemed to be the only valid fate for the slave. Sai, pulling his arm back, launched it towards Godai. The intent was to pierce his chest, letting him bleed to death. Yako could only watch as Sai's deadly hand came closer. Godai tightly shut his eyes, cursing himself for being unable to protect Yako or Rom Piku. He didn't give two shits about Neuro.
Sai's arm then swung away from Godai. Yako could also feel the murderer's grip on her wrist vanish. Rom Piku's body fell back to the table as Ai stepped away. The two were now fighting off flying monsters which Yako was unable to see clearly. Neuro, walking up to her, began to explain. "I present to you, Evil Bricks!" he said, opening his arms wide as if it were a circus. The monstrous bricks had wings and fangs, biting whomever Neuro designated. Sai's entire body was covered in the multitude of demonic construction material. He was forced to constantly shift forms to fend them off. Between this and defending Ai he was now occupied by this surprise ambush. "In Hell, some scam artists build houses with these bricks. The bricks like to steal and eat food and eventually die naturally. This forces the owners of the house to buy more food and materials and they can no longer pay for the house's rent. They are forced to give it back to the seller and he sells it again, gaining profit from whatever rent they were able to give him," Neuro said. He was fully confident that the match was his as Sai and Ai were no longer capable of fighting him or threatening the girls. He could do whatever he pleased.
Suddenly the bricks were pushed against the walls by a great force, sending a gust of wind through the room. Sai panted as veins began to crawl along his skin. "I've never had to use this much force before…" he said. Neuro grinned. "Nor have I been required to ever use Evil Bricks. Now, for your mystery," Neuro said.
"What?" Sai asked.
"Your mystery, I've allowed it to grow but it seems I'm desperate for sustenance," Neuro said, transforming into his horrid bird head. Sai could hardly move due to the last attack he did. The only thing left to do before his body could move again was watch as a towering bird stepped closer to him, awaiting its meal. "Itadakimasu," Neuro said. He could feel the teeth from the sharp beak clamp onto his torso as the mystery was forcibly drained out of his head. To the mutant, it felt as if someone was pulling his brain out of his skull while he was still alive through a vacuum. Neuro then turned towards Godai. "Quick, we are retreating before Sai recovers," he explained. Wrapping his arms around Rom Piku and Yako, he kicked the door down behind him and ran down the next car with Godai at his feet.
Tossing Yako over his shoulder like a scarf, he took off his glove and released the wretched claw it truly was. Scratching the entrance door to the train, Neuro placed Yako next to his waist again and leapt out of the train. "What the…I'm not jumping out of a train!!" Godai fussed. Footsteps started to come towards him. Sai, with blades ready, ran at him, prepared to cut him out his path. "Shit!" Godai yelled as he jumped out of the train, tumbling through the forest they apparently were driving by.
"Looks like we've lost them," Ai said, appearing next to Sai who watched at the open door. "Yeah…" he muttered. "This mission was a complete failure." Sai picked up a cell phone from his pocket and placed it on his shoulder and against his ear. He needed the other hand to rip the blades out of his knuckles.
"Hireki," he said. "Neuro got away."
The puzzle eater sat back in his chair, his face giving no reaction to the news. "Don't worry," he replied. "This mission was never really meant to catch Neuro, my real goal was to exhaust him. He would have needed to use his powers and every tool he could think of just to stop you alone. He probably ate your mystery too which is good, now he will be unable to eat it again and surprise me."
Lolita smiled as she stepped over a bloodied body on her way to the bookshelf. The office reeked of death but it was a scent Lolita was used to. She gave a quick grin at Hireki who smiled back at her, his mouth lined with fangs. "Sai" he said. "The next phase in the plan is ready. I'm at the Osaka Museum of Natural History. I want you to come here as soon as possible."
"Okay," Sai happily said, hanging up the phone. The two decided to enjoy the rest of the train ride, sitting at a booth.
"You seem rather happy," Ai said, grabbing the menus and handing one to Sai.
"I'm just glad I didn't disappoint Hireki," he replied. It would be difficult for anyone to not see the childish tone in his voice. Ai began to suspect that something was dreadfully wrong. She stared at him as his eyes scrolled the menu; he looked as if all was content, as if the pieces of his life were all lined up. She smiled and ignored it. "Excuse me," Sai said to one of the waitresses hiding in the corner. "Is this udon any good? I tried some last time at another restaurant and it was sort of unpleasant."
She continued to tremble in fear. The infamous Kaitou X appeared before her, the man no one could catch, the man who was now chasing the famous school detective Katsuragi Yako! How was she to react but to tremble in his presence?! "I won't kill you," Sai sighed, hoping the young waitress would finally come over. "I just want some udon."
Patting the dirt of her skirt, Yako rose from the ground, realizing exactly where she was. "Umm…Neuro," she said. "Isn't this a forest?"
"Yes," he blatantly said. "We'll be walking back to the office from here."
"What?! You have to be kidding me!!" Yako fussed.
"Well, I could make a vehicle from the skeleton of Godai," Neuro innocently suggested, turning to his slave. "Would you be a car for us?"
"Fuck no bitch!!" Godai fussed, stretching his arms afterwards. Before he could brace himself a body dropped onto him, sending him to the ground.
"You'll carry the genius," Neuro said.
"Is she really okay?" Yako asked.
"She will be fine. The toxins in her body are already beginning to breakdown into nothing," Neuro said. "Well, better not waste anytime. We have a few hours of walking ahead of us."
"Neuro," Yako said, starting to walk. "Why don't we just go back to the police? Isn't it safer?"
Neuro grinned, almost chuckling at what he interpreted as inexperience with demons. "It isn't that simple," he said. "Hireki will eventually find a way to kill us, especially with Sai as an ally."
"Wait! What? Sai's….is his ally?" Yako asked.
"It seems that way, only a demon can destroy my Evil Stalkers or obtain the tools to do so," Neuro explained. "Knowing that, it's safe to assume Hireki Shin offered him the tools. Besides that, I have some emergency tools back at the office. They'll protect us for a while until I'm able to eat more mysteries."
"What is it?" Yako curiously asked, wondering what the new tool could possibly be like.
"You'll see when we get there," Neuro grinned. "Or I could explain it to you now while I ride your back all the way back home."
"N-no thank you. I refuse…" Yako nervously denied. She then realized what she just heard. Gazing at Neuro as they walked, she knew he probably wouldn't understand the sweet smile on her face. "He called that place his home," she thought to herself. "Maybe there is some sentiment to him after all."
"Slave number two? You seem to be taking too long," Neuro said, looking back at the distant Godai.
"That's cuz I'm carrying this girl on my back after recovering from a fucking attack and tossing those fucking bricks all over the fucking place!!" the blonde shouted.
"We could probably get back home in time if I drag you by your intestines. What do you think Yako? What to see a trick?" Neuro innocently asked. Yako refused, realizing he may not have been kidding when he shoved his fist down Godai's throat.
Standing in the office, Sasazuka could see Godai busily working in the closet as Yako treated Rom Piku who remained unconscious on the couch. Naturally his suspecting gaze moved over to Neuro who rummaged through the drawers of the desk in search of something. "Will you be okay without the aid of the police?" Sasazuka asked, shadowing Yako. "Oh…well…we should be…" she nervously stated, unsure of how to lie about the true situation they were in. Luckily Neuro dashed alongside her, shoving her face into the warm bowl of water atop the table. "Sensei is no rookie to street fighting. If it wasn't for me blocking the way, Sensei could have snapped Sai's neck," Neuro complimented. Yako could swear he enjoyed acting like that. "As long as you're sure," Sasazuka said. "With Rom Piku's approval of staying with you and dropping all police charges, we no longer can protect you like we have before."
"Don't worry; Sensei has prepared numerous safety precautions including an emergency contact to the police station. But unfortunately she is a rowdy, burly person who rather die fighting than ask for help," Neuro said, raising her head from the water, giving her the breath of air she so desperately needed. Sasazuka, never fully convinced, left with a wave and wish of success. He was used to receive such general and blank responses from Yako and her assistant and in the end they always managed to get away and win. Somehow, this time felt different. Staring at the building one more time, he turned and walked down the stairs, heading back to the police station.
Drying her face off, Yako ringed out the wash cloth and soaked it again in the bowl of water. Gently placing it on Rom Piku's forehead, she could hear a weak murmur from the girl across from her. "Yako…" she muttered, opening her eyes. "Where am I?"
"We made it to the office," Yako smiled. "I'm just glad you're up again."
"Yeah…that poison must have really gotten to me…I could hear Sai's brain movements but I guess the poison got to me before I could do anything," Piku explained, now looking around the new environment with curiosity. She could see Godai dragging out boxes and cabinets from the closet; she knew that was meant to be her new home. Fortunately it was actually another whole room, it only appeared to be a closet due to the numerous boxes and random items stocked in it.
"Is there a bathroom in there?" Rom Piku asked, walking up to the room.
"Yeah…" Godai grunted as he pulled out a crate. "What the hell is in all these boxes?!"
"You should know," Neuro said. "It was you and your fellow worms that worked here before us."
"I know that shithead but we never took anything out of here…it was like this when he…uh…took the place," Godai said, wishing to avoid the topic of how they obtained such a place.
"Maybe these things have something to do with Akane's mystery," Neuro smiled, examining the wooden boxes. If it was true that Neuro planned to figure out her mystery and eat it, it would only confirm to Yako that he was truly desperate for energy.
She decided to put that worry aside and help with the moving, pushing some of the boxes to the other side of the office. Neuro slithered into the dark room, pushing out multiple boxes and garbage out in seconds. "I found the light," he said, flicking the switch on. "Well, well," he said with intrigue. Crawling around the pile of junk, the three stepped into the room and immediately saw what captivated Neuro so much. "What…happened here?" Yako asked, surprised by the sight-but not frightened. The group looked over at the blood stained bed that now awkwardly stood in the center of the room. Rom Piku walked over to check out the second door and opened it. "Wait, we don't know what's in there," Yako warned.
"It's just a bathroom," Rom Piku said, opening the door wide enough to show everyone. Coughing from the dust, Rom Piku clicked the light switch in the dark room. Nothing happened. "Hmm? What's going on?" she asked, turning the light on and off. "The light is on," Neuro said, wiping the thick layer of dust off the bulb. "This room is just so filthy that it appears to be dark. Even the light is blocked off by filth."
"Do you suppose this has something to do with Akane's mystery?" Yako asked.
"It would seem so," Neuro replied, walking back to his seat at his desk. "Until then, enjoy your bed."
"I'm not sleeping in that," Rom Piku said. "Besides, if you forgot, I'm rich. I'll buy some new furniture so I can make it a good home for myself."
"You know, I never really thought about it," Yako said. "But…what do your parents think about all of this?"
"My parents? Oh, they're fine with it. I already told them everything back at the mansion. They have complete confidence in you so they know I'll come back alive," Rom Piku explained. "More importantly, what about your mother? Won't she be worried about you and all this Sai business?"
"All of that is taken care of," Neuro said. "From now on you will all be living here." Everyone looked at him in shock. Living in the office? He wasn't kidding; his smirk could tell them that. He stepped atop the desk and revealed a small bag in his hand. "And what the hell are those?" Godai asked, restraining himself from attacking the monster that just imprisoned him in the office. "This is a bag of marbles," Neuro said, jumping off the desk, tossing them to the gangster. "Place them around this building. They'll be invisible to all except us. They'll serve to protect us from attacks."
"How?" Yako asked, looking at Godai as he poured them out into his hand. "Simple, those are my emergency Hell Shield Marbles. When they are aligned and placed on the ground these balls will form a protective shield around an object. In this case the object will be the office. Only a demonic amount of strength can possibly break it, strength even Hireki doesn't have. It will only let in whoever I allow it to let in."
"And what about my mother? I don't think she's going to like me living here in the office," Yako said. Neuro chuckled, sitting back down at his desk. "I've already arranged for your mother to take a vacation on Hawaii," he said. "Using Godai's connections to the information company, it was quite simple. As far as she is concerned, you're just living at home, taking care of yourself with whatever revenues you make from your cases."
"Well…I guess everything is settled then…" Yako sighed, plopping down onto the couch next to Piku. Godai closed the front door, setting up the marbles around the office as Neuro observed from his windows. Yako found it hard to believe what kind of situation she just found herself in now. Forced to live in the office with Neuro, Rom Piku, and Godai while fighting off the attacks of Sai and Hireki Shin while her mother was countries away from her, this case was growing into something enormous. Suddenly a huge rainbow light flushed towards the sky. They were only able to see it through the window. Yako and Rom Piku got up from the couch and ran outside to see the origin of the phenomenon.
"What the hell bull shit is this?!" Godai yelled out, backing away from the building. "Where's the light now?" Yako asked, seeing nothing now.
"The barrier has been set up," Neuro said, leaning over Yako and Piku. "Of course I have to make sure I don't accidentally invite Sai in. Without the Evil Stalker following him, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish him from everyone else. That's why you will be near by at all times," Neuro said, placing a hand on Rom Piku's head. "Your mind scanning will be able to identify him at all times. Naturally you all have Evil Stalkers for yourselves as well."
"When do I get mine?" Godai asked. Neuro seemed laughed, never telling Godai that he had planted one on him since the first time they met and took the office from his gang. "The war rages on, the stage is truly set for us both," Neuro said, sitting in his chair. He span towards the window, gazing at the sky above. "Hireki…your mystery will be mine."
Walking on the roof, Sai and Ai could see Hireki and Lolita sitting on the edge of the building. Both of them gazed at the glowing, night-illuminating city, thoughts unknown. "So, what's the plan now?" Ai asked. Hireki didn't respond quickly. "This museum will hopefully be the final necessary strategy against Neuro," he said. "I have to get his mystery quickly before my enemies arrive."
"Enemies?" Sai asked, sitting next to the puzzle eater.
"Mauka, she's been chasing me for a while now," Hireki said, feeling a familiar warmth with Sai next to him. He couldn't identify the feeling clearly but as far as he knew it was comfort, a good kind of déjà vu. "Who is Mauka?" Ai asked, keeping her distance from the demon.
"A woman I pissed off. Now she wants me dead," Hireki grinned. "She has the power to do it too. Only she can ruin my plans right now."
"Exactly who is she?" Ai asked, not enjoying the lack of information. Hireki decided to tell her, not knowing if the woman would believe him. "Mauka," he said. "The daughter of the devil."
Flapping its night-black wings over the city, only its glowing yellow eyes could be seen as its skin blended with the darkness. A monstrosity watched over the buildings and streets, searching for its target. "What's that in the sky?" a man asked, pointing towards two shining lights. Little did he know but he was pointing at a demon, something similar to a gargoyle. Its tail whipped through the cold wind as it flew away from the area.
Landing on top of a building, it bowed to the shadows. "Did you find him yet?" a voice asked.
"No master," the demon said, quickly begging for forgiveness. "I'm deeply sorry for my folly. Please forgive me."
"It's okay," the voice said. Emerging from the shadows, the woman's red eyes gleamed in the moonlight. A foul stench accompanied her being, one that matched the odor of a million, rotting corpses. This contrasted with her fine skin and youthful face. Her long, wavy red hair caressed her backside as she walked up to the monster she controlled, petting its bald head. "We'll find him. I know he's here," she hissed. "That damn Hireki Shin. He'll return to me what's mine!!"
Mauka has appeared on stage.
Behind the Scenes:
Yako: Rom Piku? What are you doing on the computer?
Rom Piku: Just checking my fanfiction account.
Yako: Fanfiction? You like fanfics?
Rom Piku: Yep, but no one has written a Yako x Rom Piku fanfic yet. Sometimes I wonder how popular I truly am…
Yako: Maybe it's because you're an OC so you probably wouldn't appeal to too many readers…
Rom Piku: Grr….
Yako: What's wrong?
Rom Piku: It's like every page I go to on this website there's a stupid advertisement for Corolla!
Sai: I want to know why there aren't a lot of Sai x Yako's!
Neuro: I've read some of these fanfics myself…nothing like demon world fanfics.
Yako: What are demon world fanfics like Neuro?
Neuro: The goal is the opposite. You try to create the worst couple possible and make them do the worst things possible. It's for comedy and shock purposes. The best one I've read so far is Yako x Yako's Mother. You kill her out of angsty, yuri incestuous pride while…well….it gets a lot worst after that. Too explicit for human ears.
Yako: It gets worst!?
Sai: I want to be paired with Yako!
Godai: You people are fucking sick….
