My travels brought me to a small cottage on the outskirts of Planeptune. The smell of chemicals and something...burning immediately invaded my senses. This must be her house. Knocking on the door, I heard the muffled sounds of metal clattering onto the floor and scattered curses before the door flung open. Along with my jaw.
It was indeed MAGES. at the door, in nothing but her underwear and a long apron. Now is not the time for ogling her shapely body, seriously David, focus.
"...I was making breakfast."
"Judging by the lack of clothes, that doesn't surprise me. Hello, MAGES., it's great to see you right now but I'm here for business. This is important, may I come in please?"
She stared at me for a moment before giving me a sly grin.
"Oh yes, it must be important, seeing as I am essentially in the nude, as you call it. Your libido quite frankly impresses me, David."
"I-I'm not here for that, woman! This has to do with the Organization and a white-haired girl that tried to -."
Her hand clamped around my mouth, and her eyes swept the area with urgency.
"Get inside immediately. Spare me the details until we're safely in this dwelling."
Nodding, I hurried inside, MAGES. locking the door behind me. Letting out a sigh, she started walking away.
"Go sit at the table. I will get dressed and speak of this matter with you with haste."
Doing exactly that, I picked up a mug of coffee and sipped it. Sour, good.
"You were talking about the Organization and an assassin. Go on then, tell me the details."
"That's the thing, I don't know any details. All I know is that this girl with long white hair tried to kill me this morning, and she mentioned that the Organization would kill 'him' if she didn't bring back my head."
I jumped as she suddenly slammed the table, a look of frustration on her face.
"...Damnit! They sent Miyuki, of all people!"
"Who is...?"
"I will ignore your question and answer it at the same time. I used to work for the Organization, you see, as the Grand Magister. I was cast out dishonorably after revealing the corruption that had wormed it's way into the Organization's top leaders, and soon I had assassins after my hat. The most talented one being, of course, the white-haired Miyuki Kyo. The one she mentioned as 'he'? Toh. Her frail younger brother. Cute child, nothing like his sister."
"That...makes sense, I guess. I thought the Organization was pretty harmless, though. I mean, you told me that their main goal was obliterating a soft drink. From the universe."
She chuckled for a little bit.
"Well quite obviously that was a mask to cover their true intentions and actions. It worked, seeing as you regarded them as worthless children show villains. Am I wrong?"
"No."
"Of course I'm not. I never am, really."
I reached over and flicked her on the forehead, getting a small yelp in response.
"Don't get all haughty with me now."
"I...you're right. We're on a timer, who knows where Miyuki hid Toh this time around. And who knows how much the Organization knows of his whereabouts. Alright, you've convinced me, let's move. Where is she?"
"Planetpune's Basilicom."
Standing up and picking up her staff, MAGES. twirled it contentedly.
"That makes this a lot easier, then. Come along now, we must not waste too much time. Watch your back, you haven't dealt with the Organization before but I will assure you, they enjoy sneak attacks immensely."
"I mean, I only brought along Lid's knife. I don't exactly...have a weapon. A real one, I'm not in the thief class or whatever."
Grumbling, MAGES. walked over to a cabinet and hastily dug through it,eventually finding a beefy-looking revolver and throwing it at me.
"W-Where did you even...get this?"
"Let's just say one particular assassin doesn't have the hands to use it anymore and leave it there."
"Ok then, never ask you where you get things. Check."
"Neptune! I'm back, and I brought MAGES. with me!"
Walking into the Basilicom, I noticed that my screaming was entirely unnecessary as everyone had gathered into the living room. Nodding towards the newly appearing Oracles, MAGES. walked past me and stooped down to look at Miyuki.
"You've really messed up this time, haven't you?"
"Shut up," she snarled, life returning to her dull teal eyes. "If you...if you just died back then, none of this would've been happening! Toh...I would've gotten his medicine by now!"
"Medicine that does not, can not, and will not exist, you fool. His condition is far too advanced to treat, and you know this. Yet you seem so bent on snuffing my life that you fail to realize that you can preform miracles in almost any other line of work."
Miyuki went silent, her eyes cast down to the floor again.
"I would've thought that was obvious to anyone alive at the moment. The Organization is not the only job that pays credits, you know."
"You've worked for them in the past...you should know how hard it is...t-to leave..."
"Actually it really wasn't. Besides the occasional assassins which are actually nice workouts, I've had a rather pleasant time in this Gamindustri. Saved the world, guarded a relic, lost my virginity, it's been quite the ride here."
"P-Perhaps you should be a bit more serious about this, MAGES. This girl is in quite a dangerous predicament, and -"
"I understand, Histoire, what exactly is on the table. And I will tell you for certain that the Organization will not kill Toh if they value their lives. Again, do you think they're stupid? Their top assassin, the most talented murderer in the world, now unbound from all responsibilities and free to raze their headquarters to the ground. Yeah, no.
Nevertheless, you make a valid point. The Organization certainly isn't a force to disregard. Where are you keeping Toh this time, Miyuki? Under the floorboards of a Leanbox cottage?"
"...He's...in Planeptune."
Neptune jumped up from the couch at this, sword at the ready. For a second, I thought she'd cut our captive down, but it didn't take long to remember that Neptune is not that type of person. At all, really.
"Well then we better go grab him before Mr. Big Bad Organization Guy does! Where's he at, Yuki? Big Sis Neptune is on the case!"
"Y-You...you'd help me?"
"Well, you're kinda like those edgy anti-heroes who aren't really bad, but the guy who's orderin' ya around is, and they got your wife. So you gotta do their monkey business but you're totally cool and innocent."
"But...my brother was -"
"Yeah yeah I know! I said you're kinda like them, not exactly like them. Sheesh kiddo, you gotta lighten up a little."
Meanwhile you were the one who was so serious before...
"I...t-thank you. Really. Perhaps...perhaps I was wrong about you, Mad Magician."
"Don't make hasty judgements. They'll get you killed. Release her, we'll storm the base together and end this, once and for all. Honestly, if I could go back in time I would raze the base before this became a problem."
As Noire started fiddling with the rope, I walked over to MAGES.
"I'm coming along too, right?"
"No, it's far too dangerous for you to go. The Organization are not children or mindless monsters, you should know this."
"I do know it, but I'm pretty sure if someone is trying to take my life I'd want to make sure they were completely gone."
"And you don't think I can do it?"
"I do think you can do it, but your arrogance is not a good trait to have during this kind of situation. Seriously, the way you talked to her was not cool."
"How would you expect me to talk to her? She's tried to take my life several times. And she failed, each and every one of them failed."
"I'd imagine since you already knew what she was fighting for before all of us did, you'd sympathize just a bit more, but -"
Our conversation was cut short by the door bursting into a shower of splinters, causing MAGES. to shriek and jump into my arms. Literally, I had to shift her weight in my arms to makes sure she didn't strangle me.
"DAVID! I HEARD YOU WERE ALMOST KILLED!"
"Yeah, you can't visit my capital if you're the one wiped off the map, d-dummy!"
It was none other than Gamindustri's resident vigilante and my almost-wife Nisa. Accompanying her?
The tiny monarch and my actually-technically-wife, Sting.
A/N: Hey remember when I promised the next chapter coming 'soon'? I'm a moron, short story...short. Fuck.
In other good news, I got a new job as a night officer with decent pay. That means I can re-enact Five Nights at Freddy's with no animatronics, no magnet doors and just generally not under any circumstance re-enact FNaF. Damnit.
Also, didja guys see what I did with Toh's name?
Didja?
I'M FUNNY
...Reviews!
fangersarg-fang: The plot won't twist, but it will bend very liberally. Also, thank you for the drama chord, I don't have enough money to afford my own.
Shadow-Vanear: Hey, thanks man. Also, the key is that you need good real estate and a talented agent. None of that 'settle for seconds' bullshit; if he can't find you the best secret base in the hemisphere, he does not deserve his credentials.
Mario the World Champion: Not today, friend. Also, you already got my review on your story like 8 years ago, it was a fun read.
Flare790: It's gonna end in like 2 more chapters. Mainly because that's all I got in me and plus there are 3 other landmasses that warrant exploration and shenanigans.
Next chapter is when stuff kicks up! MAGES. opens old wounds! Miyuki fights the system! David fights a dragon probably! All this and more, next chapter! Be there sometime!
