Death to Destiny
Ch. 11
Seth, Lambda, and the scientists had escaped the town almost completely unscathed; I mean sure, both Seth and Lambda were grazed a couple of times and one of the scientists was shot in the shoulder but still, things could've been much worse. Right now they were in Kagutsuchi's most quiet location recuperating as it was quite the long walk back to the outpost. Contact had been lost with the lab so Kokonoe was probably flipping out right about now. "Freedom!" the wounded scientist shouted like it was the movie Braveheart.
"Keep it the hell down!" Seth said to him. "Let's rest here for now, I doubt we'll be caught and after what happened back there I definitely need rest…" Seth took off his massive gauntlet and set it out and collect seithr to recharge itself.
"Collected damage under ten percent, fatigue levels over forty percent, requesting rest," Lambda said. "No contact with lab…"
"Ah just relax for now Lambda…" Seth said taking a sip of water from a canteen. He noticed the blood on the side of Lambda's head from the graze wound had dried up. "Lambda, could you come here for a second?"
"Acknowledging." Lambda walked over to Seth and kneeled down in front of him. Seth poured a little bit of water on his fingers and began cleaning off the side of her forehead.
He looked into her ruby eyes the whole time, when he thought he had put that part of his past behind him it shows up again right in front of him. "Don't want dried blood on our face now do we? I'm just cleaning you up," Seth said finish wiping the blood off her face. He offered her his canteen. "Thirsty?"
"Thirst confirmed, borderline dehydrated," Lambda said gently taking it from his hands and taking a long drink. "Lambda feels… better."
"Glad to hear it," Seth said smiling. Obviously that drink wasn't enough for her as she took another long drink and put her mouth on the nozzle. When she finished her drink she was gasping for breath. "Hey! I'm thirsty too!"
"Sorry…" she said timidly handing him back his canteen. "Sustenance needed…"
Seth tilted his head to the side in confusion but then she pressed her hand to her stomach and then he knew right away what the problem was. "I didn't bring anymore soup but I did bring this…" Seth reached into his satchel and pulled out a lollipop, he removed the wrapper revealing it to be a cherry red that perfectly matched Lambda's eyes.
Whatever Seth saw in Lambda's eyes before appeared again except this time it was slightly more apparent. Se snatched the lollipop away from him and bit down on it in her mouth making a resounding crunch. "It's… good…" she said an almost human tone entering her voice. "Lambda feels… strange…"
"Are you tired? We're resting so you can take a nap if you want," Seth suggested taking out a blueberry lollipop for himself. The look that entered her eyes and the almost human expression made Seth think that perhaps he could restore her memories that Kokonoe had deleted. But he'd need to extract some information from the professor before making any big moves as there might be some software in her armor or an artificial soul keeping her in check.
"Lambda will acknowledge your advice," Lambda said laying down on the ground next to Seth. "Now entering sleep mode…" She closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.
"So this is Kokonoe's little puppet eh? Lambda-11? I didn't recognize her without her visor," the scientist who was not wounded said sitting out a rock near Seth. "Only seen her once before…"
"Don't call her a puppet…" Seth said sighing. "She's a human being; she may be her doll for now… but I intend to change that."
The scientist patted Seth on the shoulder. "I owe you my life bro so I'll not tell the professor you said that, but be careful who you share your plans with. I say go for it, if you can somehow stir up her lost memories then I say you can do just about anything."
"Thanks…" Seth said sighing.
~An hour later
Lambda opened her eyes and looked to her right to see Seth sitting on a log with his back to her. "Sleeping quota reached, current status is rested. Ready to go?"
Seth turned around and saw Lambda looking at him. "Ah you're awake, are you ready? The other guys just told me the professor is impatient and I almost had to chain them to a tree to keep them from waking you up," Seth said as Lambda got to her feet and stretched.
"Lambda is ready," Lambda said finishing her stretch and nodding.
"Good. Alright people let's go!" Seth yelled to the other scientists who were playing a game of poker with a set that Seth got from his… satchel? It seemed illogical to Lambda how he would be able to fit an entire poker set in his satchel but she didn't like to concern herself with irrelevant details.
After a quick clean up they were on the move again, they were maybe half an hour of walking away from the lab but the almost unchanging forested landscape made it feel like hours. After the half an hour (felt like a day) of walking through the forest they came into a clearing with a rocky face that had a small crack running up hit for about ten feet. A security camera poked out of the rock and turned on them. Seth casually waved and jerked a thumb towards the two scientists. The security camera went right back into the rock and the doors opened. They walked down the five hundred yard long corridor until they got to the main laboratory, the doors were already opened and Tager and Kokonoe were standing in the middle of the room. "Where the hell have you been? You ass, I lost contact and was worried something happened!" the anal-as-ever, scientific genius, Kokonoe shouted. "I was just about to send Tager to check and see if anything happened!"
"Well it wasn't the most elegant escape ever but we got the job done," Seth said motioning towards the other two scientists.
"Um, I was shot in the shoulder, if you wouldn't mind looking at that…" the wounded scientist said waving his uninjured arm.
"The clinic was down the second hallway to your left when you entered at the end," Tager said.
"Thank you Mr. Red Devil!" the wounded scientist shouted shooting out the door like the roadrunner.
"Well… guess I'll go keep an eye on my colleague, thanks again, you saved both our asses back there!" the other scientist said waving and exiting.
"Don't mention it," Seth said waving back.
The large steel doors closed behind them. "About Terumi, did you kill him?" Kokonoe asked.
"No, he used a smoke bomb to escape," Seth said.
"Shit! He slips through me grasp again!" Kokonoe shouted pounding her fist on a desk. "Anyways thanks for rescuing them, maybe they'll have some usable info on tracking that bastard down."
"No problem, just a couple scrapes and bruises on the list of injuries," Seth said cracking his knuckles.
"And it appears Lambda broke her visor… guess I'll have to construct her a new one. Ah well, it's not like it's that difficult. Lambda, how did he do? Was it just a fluke you guys got out or did this shield actually prove resourceful?" Kokonoe asked.
"Ally, 'Seth Kain', proved very resourceful, excellent instincts, first-rate combat ability, and improvision make him an excellent ally," Lambda said. Then the spark in her eyes Seth saw before appeared again. "Requesting to work with ally, 'Seth Kain', on his next mission."
"Heh… I don't see why not. Judging by the lack of injury and rather impressive time it took for you to succeed it seems like you guys make a great team," Kokonoe said shrugging. "You guys didn't screw up that's for damn sure."
"Kokonoe, I have received word that the two scientists that were rescued have recovered a good tidbit of information that the clinical supervisor thinks you'd like to hear," Tager said straightening his shades.
"You go and get it for me ok? I'd like to personally debrief Seth on what happened. Lambda, go get some rest, from what I hear breaking people out of that prison is no easy matter and you must be exhausted," Kokonoe said reaching into a bowl of chips on the table next to her.
"Acknowledged," Lambda said exiting the room.
Kokonoe motioned for Seth to take a seat as she sat at her desk across from her. He did so and she began speaking. "Alright I just want the gist of things, no need for any long-ass war story ok? Just tell me what happened." Kokonoe slid a notepad in front of her and clicked a pen.
Kokonoe began taking notes as Seth told her everything leaving out the parts that made Lambda seem like she was regaining her humanity as he was afraid she might delete her memories. "And that is, as they say, is that," Seth said with his feet up on the desk and hands folded behind his head.
"I clocked you at twenty six minutes and thirty four seconds," Kokonoe said clicking a stopwatch and finishing scribbling down one last note. "You're a lot quicker than Tager that's for damn sure, if it had been him he would go through every last irrelevant detail and I'd be here for two hours if I were lucky!"
"Thanks… I think…" Seth said unsure if that was a compliment. There was a moment of silence which Seth shattered. "I had… a question… about Lambda."
"Really? Well I guess I owe you an answer for the work you've done so far, what is it you wanna know?" the half-breed professor asked.
"What can you tell me about her? I mean, her bodies clearly human but her soul seems off…" Seth said sighing.
Kokonoe bit her lip pondering how much she should unveil. "Well… that's 'cause it's not her soul. When we found her she was deceased, I revived her and placed a soul inside her."
"And what did you do with the other one?" She had better be careful with her answer as Seths left hand was slowly creeping for The Zwei Blade.
'Shit!' Kokonoe thought. 'Better make something up…' After a moment of pondering Kokonoe responded by saying, "A soul is like data, I moved it to a hard drive."
'I'm not buying that for a second! A soul is not like data you bitch!' …At least that's what he wanted to say but he had learned to control and hide his emotions. "I see… thanks for answering my question…" Seth got up and walked out of the lab.
"Where are you headed?" the professor asked.
"I'm tired," Seth replied without looking back.
~An hour later
Sector Sevens infamous Red Devil had no idea how to give the information he had just received from the scientists to Kokonoe. They knew nothing about Terumi, but they had a lead on someone who knew a great deal about him and his current 'Hazama' façade. This was the lead she had been waiting for and he was practicing in front of the full length mirror that was in his room. "Kokonoe, I have excellent news! …No, not formal enough… Ahem, mistress Kokonoe, if you'd listen to me I have quite the interesting piece of information that your elegance would be interested in." He paused and pondered. "No, too formal, dammit! Wow, it feels like I'm practicing to ask her out on a date… I haven't felt this insecure since she installed a rocket on my –GIGANTIC TAGER-…"
He shuddered at the awkward memory. He sat in the oversized metal chair at the end of his room and took off his shades to polish them (the camera, however, did not capture his eyes so his eyes color is still unknown). He thought to himself how to present the info, he was happy and he was sure Kokonoe would be too but he wanted to make a big deal of the presentation of the info. He put his shades back on and stood up. "Kokonoe there's-"
His practice was interrupted by his two-way spring to life. "Finally found a bit of spare time, Tager come to the main lab, I'll listen to what you have to say now."
"Right away," Tager said before the connection went dead. "Didn't get as much practice in as I had hoped but…" Tager shrugged and exited his room. He saw Seth leaning up against the wall drinking a bottle of Captain Morgan and waved to the clearly drunk Impregnable Shield.
"Whoa… shix Tagers…? What hash de professher be'n doin'?" Seth asked. He was definitely smashed.
"Lay off the rum, Seth…" Tager said walking past the drunkard. Tager soon arrived at the main lab, pressed a button, and spoke into a small speaker. "It's me."
"Come on in, Tager," Kokonoe's voice echoed through the speaker and the doors slowly opened. Tager walked into the room the tip of his dark, spiked up hair touching the top of the doorway as he entered. "Did the two scientists Seth and Lambda rescued have anything interesting to say?"
Tager cleared his throat and stood as straight as he could. "Before they were caught they had read a file on the former lieutenant of Hazama, Terumi's current alias. Apparently he still has a friendly relationship with him and is on leave with a broken femur. He keeps a schedule two months in advance and in one month he's visiting his summer home in a town not far from here and plans to stay for a full month. I believe we can snatch him at the end of his stay without arising suspicion for a small amount of time and extract information on Terumi's whereabouts from him."
A grin crept across Kokonoe's face. "We've got that son of a bitch… only problem is we've got to wait two months to grab his subordinate and that could be a problem… but once that's up we can swoop in and extract all the information we need!" Kokonoe performed a celebratory motion only to hit her elbow on her desk.
"Actually this could be a test for Seth to see how well he blends in, he could become a part of the community, gain the subordinates trust, and interrogate him at the last moment. He stayed under the Library's radar for four years so two months ought to be no problem," Tager said sitting in his massive chair.
"Hmm… sounds good to me, I'll assign Lambda this mission as well, she requested to accompany The Shield on his next mission and after a bunch of more intense missions I think she deserves a low key, less violent mission," Kokonoe said rubbing her elbow. "That bastard is going down… just you wait Terumi…"
"Shall I call them in for briefing?" Tager asked.
"Go ahead," Kokonoe said nodding.
"Alright, a word of warning though, Seth is well… drunk…" Tager said scratching the back of his head. Tager adjusted the channel on his built in radio. "Lambda, Seth, Kokonoe wants to see you both at the lab, now."
"Yeshurie bobby doo! Sheth ish on hisssss way!" an incredibly drunk, hopelessly alcoholic Seth said into his own radio.
"Acknowledging command, now moving to lab," Lambda had teleported right there and Seth followed in almost five minutes later stumbling in a line that could inspire the worlds most terrifying rollercoaster.
"Wuz up peeps?" Seth asked falling onto the desk with the only thing stopping his fall being a half empty bottle of Captain Morgan.
"Friggen' drunkard…" Kokonoe muttered. "We have a lead on Terumi, apparently one of his former subordinates as Hazama is coming to town in a month and we want both of you to be there to gain his trust and intercept him as he leaves."
"Woohoo! Lez shelebwate wif RUM!" Seth shouted raising his bottle into the air and taking a long guzzle.
"Blood toxicity levels above fifteen percent, activating anti-drunk protocols," Lambda said.
"Huh?" Seth lazily turned his head towards Lambda and was greeted with a massive slap across the face that made Seth do a full, stationary 360 before falling forward. "Sonuvabitch that stung! What the hell Lambda?"
"Task completed," Lambda said adjusting her new visor and turning her attention back to Kokonoe.
"…As I was saying I want you guys to intercept him and make him talk," Kokonoe said cleaning up the chips that spilled out of her bowl as a result of Seth falling on her desk. Speaking of whom, he now had a red mark in the shape of Lambda's hand on the left side of his face. "I'm sending you guys tomorrow so you'll have a month to adapt to the community and blend in."
"Understood," Lambda said nodding. She pressed her hand, more gently this time, to the area of Seth's face she had slapped. "Hand match: nine seven percent. Sorry…"
"It's fine…" Seth said, now sober, and taking Lambda's hand off his face. "So a little over an hour after I get back from a mission and you're already sending me on another one? I want a raise…"
"You're not even paid!" Kokonoe shouted.
Seth began grumbling under his breath. "Best you both get to bed early tonight, tomorrow you guys leave, we'll take care of the paperwork and decoration of the house you'll guys be staying in. And your clothing might attract unwanted attention so I'll prepare suitcases for you," Tager said shifting in his chair.
"But I like my jacket…" Seth said pulling the dark colored, long, warm looking jacket closer to his body.
"Listen Shield, that jacket is definitely going to make you stand out from the crowd as it's exactly what you're wearing in your wanted posters. As for Lambda… as if I need to comment…" Tager said.
Kokonoe looked at her watch. "Better get yourselves ready, that bastard is going down…"
End chapter.
Seth and Me: RAVENS WIN THE SUPERBOWL BITHCES! WOOHOO!
Lambda: Lambda wishes it was the Jets…
Me: I like the Jets… Sanchez can go to hell…
Tager: I for one wish it were the Redskins.
Seth: Of course you do Tager…
Me: The Ravens are awesome! Way to go out with a bang Ray Lewis! Let's win again next year!
Seth: Yeah! Go Ravens!
Kokonoe: Umm… I dunno how to break it to you guys but I'm a diehard Steelers fan and anyone who likes the Ravens can go die in a fire in my book.
-everyone stares at Kokonoe with murderous intent-
Kokonoe: What?
Me: -nods at Seth and Seth nods back-
Seth: -takes out small button and presses it-
Kokonoe: Hey! Somebody say something, dammit! –a hole opens beneath Kokonoe's feet and she falls into the darkness- -screams- Ow! I landed on my ass… Wait… what the hell is that thing…? Wait; is that a… giant raven? Oh shit! No… don't come near me… no don't! AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH HHHHHHHH!
-door closes-
Tager: I-I should go now… -leaves in a hurry-
Seth: Is there anything inbox?
Me: Actually yes! –opens letter- Souledgerev wants you to look up Lambda under… rule 34… I. Want. In.
Seth: -opens laptop- Ok… -typing- Oh hell yeah… -nosebleed-
Lambda: What is ally, 'Seth Kain', looking at? –attempts to look over Seth's shoulder-
Seth: Go eat a lollipop. –tosses lollipop into distance and Lambda chases after it- Now back to business… -stares at screen in an almost hypnotic state-
Me: Wait! Let me see! –holds tissue over nose and looks over Seths shoulder- -tissue begins turning red-
~two hours later…
Seth: I'm out of lollipops… -closes laptop in a hurry-
Lambda: -returns in a hurry- Can Lambda have more? –cute puppy dog eyes-
Seth: I'm out…
Lambda: -sniffles- D-Does Seth not like Lambda…?
Me: I have a lollipop! –gives Lambda a lollipop-
Lambda: -chomps down on lollipop happily- What was Seth looking at on technological artifact: 'laptop computer'?
Seth: I was… checking my email…
Lambda: Does email include lewd pictures of Lambda?
Seth: Wait what?!
Lambda: There's a mirror behind you…
Seth: What are you… -turns around and sees mirror- Oh shit! Who put that there?
Me: -Mutley chuckle-
Seth: Damn you…
Lambda: Does Seth find Lambda attractive?
Seth: -starts mumbling something, turns bright red, and sinks in chair-
Me: I think that's all for today! I hope you're all enjoying the book so far! Which original character (BlazBlue canon) that has not been introduced yet do you think Seth would get along with the most? Done! Leave me your thoughts in a review, ask a question etc. etc. and I will see you next time! Peace! And congrats to The Ravens!