A/N: Because this part is more on foreshadowing the Sequel fic, (I consider Arena/Ultimax as the Interquel), you can hopefully see why I split it off from last week's installment, as the mood is a little different here.
Also, Next Week, I'm doing a two-for-one posting to end this fic.. Prepare yourselves...
Thanks to DualSelf, as always...
"Coda, Second Movement"
March 25, 2012
Okina Concert Hall
"As such, in order to show this appreciation to everyone in Gekkoukan High School, my friends who helped me during my lifetime, 'she' who loved me despite my many, many faults, everyone who worked hard to invite us and make this charity concert possible, and of course the audiences who spends their time to come to this concert; I, the graduated head of the Gekkoukan Music Club, Saito Daijiro, as the final performance I will be doing for this club, we will perform a composition that showed itself during the opening ceremony for new students at Gekkoukan two years ago, for those who will be the next Golden Generations of Gekkoukan. It's a composition that is missed to watch two years ago, a composition that I look forward to since, a Composition that will encourage everyone to stand up and pledge your allegiance to whatever personal cause that you will be done in your own life. So, without further ado, we present you, MOON OVER THE CASTLE!"
Daijiro then turned around and started raising his baton, and then the music began to play.
Song – Moon Over the Castle – Gran Turismo – Masahiro Andoh
First, Naoto began playing the opening piano part, her fingers gracefully and effortlessly moving across the keys. She loved playing the piano and didn't get very many opportunities to display her skill. However, she did have a bit of a difficulty factor here as this was her first time in a long time that she didn't wear her beanie cap. Fortunately, she was still wearing her winter casual outfit of a sweater vest and slacks, but her cap, which was used somewhat to shroud her femininity, was not part of this wardrobe this evening, mainly because Daijiro said that while he respected her choice of gender expression, he felt that it would take away from the motif he was trying to set. She understood as while this was a concert performed by students, this was something where her cap could take away from the seriousness.
She had actually been considering for some time to lose her cap for day-to-day usage… But she wasn't sure she was ready yet. This was a big test for her. Her biggest worry, though, was that there would be those who would make comments in the audience.
She pushed such doubts out of her mind, though, as she kept her focus on her playing.
"Naoto-kun's really good…" Yukiko whispered.
"Really good," Charles agreed.
One person who overheard their whispers wished to agree, especially once the other instruments began playing, but he was somewhat lost in thought.
Yes, Honda Kuroshio had a lot on his mind…
March 23, 2012
Gekkoukan High School
"Still no word…?" Yoshida Takahashi asked Kuroshio that day in the school library. Fortunately, the Library Committee was busy with something else so soft talking was allowed.
"No," Kuroshio said. "Aoi-san still hasn't returned to school after the mourning period. The Principal is still trying to track her down."
"Does she know about Caitlin?" Takahashi asked.
"I called her to see how she was doing and I mentioned Caitlin to her…" Amaya said, studying with them. "She just reacted with a flat 'oh', and hung up. She called a little later and apologized for hanging up, but other than that…" She sighed. "I think she still wasn't ready to come back yet."
"Not ready?" Takahashi said.
"Well, I wasn't as close to her as you two, but she did like talking with me in and out of school, so that's just my armchair opinion…"
"Taka-san is closer to her than I. I was her platonic friend and he is her romantic friend."
'Then why is it I seem to be the last of us 3 to speak to her?"
"…" Both boys said.
"I didn't mean to make it sound like a stinging indictment…"
"And yet, not all your arrows are in your quiver…" Takahashi said dryly.
Amaya did a sheepish shrug, but then she looked at a math problem that was bothering her.
"So, how was your date with Karamoto?" One girl asked another at a nearby table.
The second girl, blushed slightly, but said, "It was awesome. She took me to this nice restaurant where we shared a nice meal and then we went to a love hotel for a few hours. She's talking second date."
"Wow… you two did it on your first date?" The first girl said.
"We had discussed it. It was a nice thing. She's good… But she won't betray me or anything like that…"
Takahashi heard that and felt bad, not only for himself, but also for Diego for a moment.
Kuroshio noticed this and said, "Taka-san. You must have at least gone to her place…"
"Yes, and I was told she was gone… And did not leave a forwarding address. Or an apology to pass along to me…" Takahashi said, but Kuroshio and Amaya already knew this part.
"No, I mean while she was in mourning. Before she left."
"Yes, I tried to see her and was rebuffed by her. She wouldn't see me. She said she loved me, but she didn't want to see me… Why? I even tried to apologize for whatever I am have been insensitive about and she still pushed me away."
"This is a loss she can't take, my friend. This has devastated her and apparently the Twin Cities is not big enough for her to seek solace, and so she needed to distance herself. But I believe, you have done nothing wrong."
Amaya nodded. "Kuro-san's right. You tried…"
"And yet, I failed… Because if I hadn't… Aoi would be here with us, studying. She may not be laughing as heartily as she once was… but she would be here…"
After that, there was nothing that could be said.
March 25.2012
Okina Concert Hall
Kuroshio didn't know what he could do for his friend other than support him…
…
But he did agree that Takahashi had had a point. Why didn't Aoi-san wish to see him? And why did she leave… if it wasn't for distance-based solace?
…
He didn't have an answer.
As the song continued, another person sitting there had an answer…
March 23, 2012
Minatodai Dorm
"And that answer is si," Diego said. "We must begin plans to rescue my chica."
Aki and Ritsu heard that, and looked troubled. Ritsu was the first one to speak. "I don't think you should, Senpai… Kirijo-san… Both of them…"
"They have no say on this… This is not going to be an official S.O. Mission. This will be of my own accord. And if you wish to tell them, Rizumu-san, then please, by all means. But I will get my Cait back from the clutches she is in…"
"Which, you still will not expound for us," Aki said. "You're asking us to assist you in any way possible, without disclosing all you know…"
Diego looked pained at Aki and Ritsu. How his heart ached to tell them what Charles had told him scant weeks before, after the Winter Dance in Yasogami. That his chica was okay, but she was scared because Mitsuru had "asked" Caitlin/Dani to go into the lion's den to stop whatever it was Strega was up to.
But once Diego found out from Charles's lips, as he had been man enough to come to the Twin Cities one Sunday to meet with Diego, that Mitsuru had been warned by Caitlin that she would be made and violated and indeed was… He could not tell his friends… Even Aki, who despite his well-meaning ham-handed goading/fight with Diego in February, had earned his way off of Diego's shit list and could be considered a friend again, for fear that it would break the group up.
Diego knew what Mitsuru had done or not done in this whole situation was egregious. Almost equally as culpable was Minato. He had confronted them in a rage. But he would not leave. No, he spoke quietly that while he was almost as Machiavellian as they, and so could understand why Mitsuru was doing this and why, despite their foreseeable separation, Minato was backing her up because it was too dangerous. He understood even Mitsuru's broken heart over her father's death and desire for revenge. After all, two of Diego's uncles had died in the violence in Argentina and his Father and two surviving brothers' vow of revenge. So this was nothing new.
But, he told them… He would stay… But he would be circumspect when they came to him with operations, as he wanted to make sure he wasn't risked needlessly. And he even vowed in front of them that he would go and rescue Caitlin when the opportunity presented itself.
So instead, Diego had to play fast and loose with facts… As soon as he came up with a plausible and viable story to tell them…
Diego then said after a sigh, "I… apologize… I did not wish to share this story with you until I was sure you were ready, as some details Cait's hermano told me is not for the faint of heart. Apparently, the offer made by Gorohito to my chica wasn't entirely for a mutual sexual benefit. Rather, he was planning on using her to gain access to Kirijo information."
"What information?" Ritsu said.
"There was a product that was in development. A special product. It was intended for the Twin Cities PD and as intended for non-lethal uses. But Gorohito wanted to know about it… to see if it could be used for… Lethal usage."
Ritsu looked at Aki dubiously. Aki had the same look. "I don't believe you…" Aki said.
"Neither would I have, when I heard this… But apparently, Tanaka was trying to find legal ways, in court, to gain access to these plans. Ostensibly to ensure there was no breach of similar technology that they had provided to the Tokyo Police… IT was laughable on its face. So they tried through whom they thought was a weak link: Caitlin…"
"And so, Mitsuru wanted to know what Tanaka and Gorohito knew, because they only would have known would have been through a leak?" Aki said.
"But if Kirijo-san gave such an assignment… that's something she would have the company staff look into internally, not have Caitlin-san go undercover…" Ritsu said.
"Have you forgotten, Rizumu-san? Anything for the TCPD is also made for us?" Aki said.
"Oh," Ritsu said.
Diego inwardly smiled and just calmly said, "Indeed… And this weapon, which was considered as an Anti-Shadow Weapon, one that would work similar to our new Revokers, would have had to have been leaked in order for Clan Yamaichi to know about it. Since there may be a pipeline of information into the Clan, Caitlin was asked to "accept" his offer and find out…"
"Why kill him?" Aki said. "She could have learned more with the long game. In fact, their pipeline may have closed down once she did that and Kirijo-san, both of them, would never know the source of the leak?"
"I believe once she heard of what happened with her hermano, she may have felt betrayed and under a sense of honor…"
"Okay, I can get behind that," Ritsu said. "I mean, not completely, because it's wrong, but it's also wrong to seduce a woman to get what you want, or a man for that matter, and then renege on that one simple promise."
Diego, once he had translated the French he had committed to memory knew that Gorohito had promised everything, except sparing Charles. It was only implied, but that was to give Gorohito an out.
However, given the fact that Gorohito was supposed to have been shot and wounded, not killed, in order to make sure he wouldn't be trouble while Dani while she figured out why Strega wanted her to accept and what they hoped to gain and she got off an unlucky kill shot, it was doubtful that Gorohito had wanted Charles dead anymore since things were too hot. Rather, Tanaka went on his own and Gorohito, being the elder brother and Patriarch paid a price for not controlling his brother. (And yes, Diego knew the logic he'd come to on this wasn't entirely sound, but then, he had heard things that mde him angry and so a few gaps in the puzzle while still being able to make out the picture counted for something, right?)
That said, the story he was telling his two friends was bullshit. Kirijo Internal Security had caught the pipeline a few days before Dani was asked to go undercover and had tied down the leak and what was given to Clan Yamaichi. In addition, it was verified that nothing of substance was given to them, past descriptions. Add to that, it was kept quiet and classified and he had no intention of sharing what was shared with him by Mitsuru and Minato.
"But it was Tanaka who went against his brother, Ritsu-san, not Gorohito who betrayed Cait," Aki said.
Ritsu looked a little troubled. But then she said, "Gorohito was supposed to keep his brother in check. He didn't and he paid the price of that lack of control…"
Aki then nodded. "Yes, she would, in that sense, see that as a betrayal on Gorohito's part, since he was the elder brother and Patriarch."
"So what's your plan, Diego?" Ritsu said. "Obviously, Caitlin-san is in trouble somehow…"
"Yes, she is… Charles told me when she was in Inaba, she mentioned she was forced by some reckless employees' actions to make peace with the other Four Families by offering herself…" He paused, and then said quietly, even though he was in a way proud of her for making this offer, only because it was true to her, "…for marriage…"
Aki and Ritsu looked at each other. "Marriage?" they said. Diego nodded.
"Yes, and please, I know you are sorry to hear this. I'm happy that you would feel this way, amigos, but facts are facts, to stop the threat of war, she did what she needed, to take responsibility for what has happened."
"So, are we crashing the wedding?" Ritsu asked.
"No, because as thrilling as that may sound, once you think about it, Ritsu-san, you'd feel it's wrong to do that…" Aki said. She nodded.
Diego felt Aki could say all he wanted about not crashing the wedding, but Aki would be roped into it by Diego. He just wouldn't include Ritsu to give her deniability. Not much to be sure, but enough.
"Indeed, the wedding in June must take place… But it cannot be just the three of us… It must be all of us who are friends to mi chica, even her brother and his fiancée… But there are some friends who will be reluctant. I believe that they will need to be gradually convinced and brought into the fold as well."
"IS there a date in mind?" Aki asked pointedly.
"November… Around the same time Yasogami's Third Years are visiting Tokyo, there is among the Five Families a 'Labor Thanksgiving Party'. This is essentially where they have the fatted calf, if you will, and then for dessert feast on the good citizens they have manipulated."
"No specific date?" Ritsu said.
"They have not held it on a specific date. I only know of this because Mitsuru said one of her Tokyo Executives is an invited guest to these things, and so is a regular attendee…"
"Shouldn't she terminate him?" Ritsu said.
"There are several legitimate businesses the Kirijo Group deals with that the Five Families run, and not as places to launder money," Aki said. "As long as they don't get into any of the illegal things, then that's all right…"
"Hmmm…" Ritsu didn't look happy about that, but even she knew that the Yakuza themselves were not inherently illegal under Japanese Law, just some of the acts they performed were, and so couldn't argue on that. "Okay, I can understand, but what is your plan?"
"We must show up and tell them that we are taking Caitlin back. Her husband is welcome to join her, but we will not allow her to be in this situation anymore."
"Isn't it more dangerous than 'crashing the wedding'?" Aki said.
"Ah," Diego said. "But you see, at the wedding, security will be quite high because they will be expecting trouble. Grave trouble. This feast, they will not expect us. OF course, we will not go in armed with guns, but we will find a way to rescue her."
"I still do not see, past our friendship, why we should be involved," Aki said.
Diego again inwardly smiled and decided now was the time to play his last card. "Mi chica, when speaking to her brother, intimated that she inadvertently uncovered evidence that Strega is operating in Tokyo. They have not contacted her, as of yet… But I am sure that they will attempt to contact her at some point."
Aki looked at him strangely for a moment, but then nodded. Ritsu's eyes widened.
"Then we must get her out of there. We need to liberate her. In fact, we could call this Operation: Liberate Caitlin!" Ritsu said, determined.
Aki actually snickered. Aki! "We're not calling it that, Ritsu-san. It's awesome, don't get me wrong, but the others may start laughing."
"Mannnnnn," Ritsu said, realizing that. "Especially Junpei-san…"
"I was thinking Ken would as well…" Aki said. "But I agree, if Strega is operating in Tokyo, or trying to, we need to get her out."
Aki then paused. "But we need not discuss this further today. While this is Diego-san's idea and we are to form the core, I ask that I research things for two weeks tactically and then we reconvene…"
Diego frowned, but couldn't fault Aki's logic, since security would still be a concern for this November party.
"Umm, I have a question?" Ritsu said.
Both boys looked at her.
"Some people have pointed out that I blurt out things that were supposed to be secret… Why are you trusting me with this, Diego-senpai?"
Diego actually didn't care whether or not Ritsu blabbed about the secret plan. Even if Minato and Mitsuru tried to stop it, they knew they would fail because he had the trump card. The intellectual knowledge that Mitsuru and Minato had intellectual knowledge of Tatsuya and Jin's carnal knowledge of Dani. And as long as he held THAT sword of Damocles over their head…
Aloud, though, he said, "Because your sense of what is right and proper outweighs the rules. While there are rules we must follow, you know that mi chica's in trouble, even if there's no direct threat at this time."
"That's because Strega's the big threat, even if they're leaving her alone right now. That's why we need to get her out before Strega strikes…"
"Indeed…" Aki said.
They then all nodded and disbanded for the rest of the day.
March 25, 2012
Okina Concert Hall
Diego thought of what happened and knew he could trust Ritsu and Aki. But he didn't know if he could trust himself.
As much as he loved Dani, their relationship was over the moment she killed that Captain, even if it was in performance of a role. It took him several days before he could reconcile that fact to a point where the pain was bearable. He could never fully reconcile it. He knew that. And he bore ABSOLUTELY NO ill will towards this boy she was marrying. When Charles told him what Dani told Charles that Orikito had been abused by his mother and brother, by all means he would have stepped aside. But he didn't know if the anger and pain In his heart… Would he take it out on his Chica?
He didn't know, and that bothered him. Even the music wasn't soothing him.
…
Would the time between then and November allow the wound to heal partway just a little bit further…?
…
…
…
At least he could trust Ritsu and Aki…
Aki slightly glanced at Diego and didn't trust him fully.
Diego told some lies and some truths. Worse, I think he knows that Kirijo-sama knows something that Diego isn't telling. Something deeper. This is not something where Senor Salazar is wishing to cause anyone to harm among us… But it is something where the secret he may carry may still hurt us…
…
I will find out what both Kirijos know… I will find it… And then… Then there will be words of some kind…
He however thought back to that day after the meeting.
March 23, 2012
Minatodai Dorm
After coming down the stairs to the Boys' floor to go to his room, coming out of another room was another boy, only 9. He had blonde hair, but a wide smile. "Aki-san…"
"Alexandre," Aki said, smiling. "Are you going to see Mitsuru again…?"
Kujo Alexandre nodded. "Hai! I need to learn as much as possible from Mitsuru-senpai…"
"I understand. She does have a lot of knowledge. About business as well as other things. What are you learning from her today?"
"She's going to explain how the Kirijo group relates to my family, I think…"
Aki nodded. The time had come, apparently. He looked at Alexandre and said, "Don't interrupt with questions. Even if there are things you may not understand…"
"Aki-san… I am not a child despite my age…" Alexandre said it tongue-in-cheek, unlike others who were as smart as him and have an ego attached. Alexandre seemed to know that he knew a lot, but he didn't know everything.
"Maybe not intellectually, I will admit. But remember, there may be things you don't know that Mitsuru-sama will explain things, but with recent events where things are strained between her and Minato-san…"
Alexandre nodded. "Plus with her business… I should not exhaust or test her patience." He paused and smiled. "I will not…"Aki said. "Do you wish me to accompany you?"
"I appreciate that, but no, Aki-san… I need to take my first steps with the truth by myself. After all, I wish to learn what I can so I can take over Kujo shipping and make it as successful as those who came before me…"
"Then I'll leave it to you, then…" Aki said, smiling wider.
Alexandre nodded and went upstairs.
"He's a smart kid. Brilliant, yet adventurous and optimistic to boot. I may have use of him to help me…"
Aki went into his room and sent a message to Kikuno, in response to an email she sent earlier in the week…
Kikuno-san, the schematics look to be set. I wish to put in an order, so to speak, within the S.O. Quartermaster…
He received a reply from her in a few minutes.
1 Battle Armor coming up, in about 3-4 weeks… My apologies, but Mitsuru-san has higher priority items in queue…
Aki nodded. Fortunately the servers for this email suite were so secure that even a moth in Aki's room would be detected. So everything was classified and safe.
I can wait, but not too long… I will need to use this after some practice…
March 25, 2012
Okina Concert Hall
And once I do, then I can make a significant contribution… Aki thought.
Takeuchi was nearby and looked at his friend Aki with interest, wondering what he was thinking. Takeuchi had wanted to ask Aki about his odd statement when they spoke last about Caitlin's "defection" as Aki had put it. However, just when Takeuchi was going to broach that subject, Asuka showed up and with a blush, admitted that she was Aki's girlfriend. (Only because when she had insinuated herself in trying to get her and Aki to their seats and Take pointed out she was being a little thoughtless, she sheepishly conceded that and spilled about her and Aki's relationship, but asked Take to promise silence. He said he would. But then after Aki and Asuka went to their seats, Takeuchi realized he hadn't asked about "Defection…"
Perhaps he was using it broadly. After all, one needn't be in Mitsuru's program to defect from the ideals of the school. And since I have no established he was seeing Asuka-san in the dorm, I will grant them their privacy.
…
But it was true, Caitlin defected to the other side on many ideals… and I will make it my vow, for Charles-san's sake, that I rescue Caitlin. Even though my words in January to her did not help her tried emotional state after she had stolen Charles-san's original body and it ended up being burned, I will do what I can more for Charles-san's sake than my own need of redemption to rescue her from the abyss…
The concert continued. A recent graduate of Gekkoukan with his hood up, (Fortunately a few others were as well, not many, bot enough for it not to be unusual) had listened with faint interest. Faint because he was thinking upon recent events…
March 17, 2012
Somewhere
Agatha had walked out a blue door, glad to be out of… there…
"God, that was the most boring month I've ever spent…" she said.
"And yet, you still seem to be the same…" a voice said blandly.
Agatha turned and saw…
"Who are you?" she said to the young man in the dark.
"Come now… You must know who I am…" he replied.
She peered down the dark and saw… "Eshigawa-san… One of Shiba's friends."
There was a very, very slight smile that played at Riku's lips, but his sulfur colored eyes did not reflect the smile. "How was the Corner…?"
"How would you know about that?" Agatha asked, more irritated than surprised, though she was feeling both.
"I know many things. But forget my knowledge of The Corner for a moment. I wish to know what you're up to."
"Up to? There are many things I could be 'up to'." She smiled. "I'll provide you a list and you can pick which one you think is most likely."
"Or… you could just tell me…" Riku said, but not wanting to play her game
"And why would I do that?" she said, sounding airy.
"Where is she?" he said, any faint humor in his voice dropped completely.
"Where's whom?" she asked, sounding innocent.
"We know you took her…"
"Took w-?"
"Don't play games with me…" he said, grabbing Agatha by the wrist. She was a little startled by the emotionless look on his face as he grabbed her wrist, rather than the action itself. Normally she would not allow this, but she decided to let this play out… Because, gods, she was bored after the Corner…
"Ah… You guys are thinking a little too linear… I haven't done it yet, but if you interfere with it by harming me then that creates a paradox…"
Riku looked at her and then let her go. "So I can't stop you from doing it…"
She smiled. "Lunatics are crazy like a fox. That sounds like a nice pet, a fox…" she then sobered. "I'm not going to harm her… She needs to go on a journey."
"To…?" he asked after she didn't say anything for 15 seconds.
"To find something she lost… And she may play a role in the coming war…" Agatha said. "And you people are just going to watch…"
His didn't change but his bearing indicated he may not be happy about that. "You presume much…"
"I can smell the Crystal Palace on you… I don't know how… But I can tell you're with them…"
"I am…"
"How…?" she said.
"A story from another time…" Riku said with a shrug. "And for another time…"
"I'd like to hear it, now, please…" she said, sounding curious.
"I got the answer I came for… Not the one I wanted…" Riku said, walking away.
"When I say 'please', I'm not asking…" she said and pulled out her portative organ.
She started playing it at ear-rape level and Riku put his hands to his ears and wailed and gnashed his teeth.
"Stop it! Stop it!" he said loudly, but not loud enough to scream. It wasn't like he was in pain.
Agatha stopped. "Lightweight…"
"I wasn't complaining about the noise. You seriously call that music?" Riku said.
Agatha gaped. No one could withstand her organ's ear-rape mode. No one.
"An… Operative for the Palace?! You people are…?"
"Shiba-san's Word of Forbidding necessitated my being called. I will make sure you don't step out of line…"
She looked at him. "Oh, yes. I know which one you are now… You somehow cloaked your identity from me. Probably courtesy of them. You're Aixes…"
He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, though it actually hid a deeper reaction.
"Hmmm… you seem to be more offended than I thought, please don't pretend to be so, Aixes…"
"Officially it's 'Iron Shadow'… He said, trying to maintain his bearing. "And you will not..."
"I don't answer to you…" she said. "And since this has not been entertaining…"
"I disagree, [Redacted]," Riku said, revealing her pre-Velvet Room name.
Agatha had been walking away when she heard that and stopped. She turned to him. "You should not have that name… And I know the Palace would not reveal it to you… Who told you?!"
Riku just shrugged. "What does it matter to the Capricious Witch? Your moods and whims change as easily as the breeze?"
"WHO?!" she asked and threw a punch.
He easily caught it by her wrist. "Careful, careful, [Redacted]. You're gonna hurt someone…"
She growled. "Let me go or you'll create a…"
"Stop resisting… And then you can go do your next task in this mission of yours… Because if you keep resisting, you'll miss your window of going back in time to get her…"
"Tell me who told you my real name was [Redacted]…"
"I'll whisper it…" Riku said.
Then he leaned closer and whispered, "[Redacted] did…"
She scowled and moved away. "Asshole…"
"I'm serious… You see… I have a gift… maybe… a skill, at least… I can divine anyone's secret…"
She paused. "What price do I have to pay…?"
"Oh… You don't have to worry about [John Doe] learning about this… the trade-off is is that once I learn the secret, I can't tell anyone…"
"Then that was pointless…" she said.
"No it wasn't… Because while I can't reveal the secret… It means that I know… And if I know… How long is it until [John Doe] finds out?"
She looked at him. "It would be better if you had this power to not blab unless I don't meet a price… Because then I wouldn't be so bored…" The blue door she needed appeared. "How do I know you won't tell them and they don't stop me in the past?"
"It's already happened. History is just fulfilling itself… However… you must make sure no harm comes to her… Because if there is any harm…"
"I promise I will not let any harm come to her…" Agatha said. "But if we cross paths again and you act like this… I promise a lot of harm will come to you…"
"Promises, promises…" Riku said.
She scowled. Despite his emotionless bearing, he was toying with her. Probably just as a warning shot that he was not an inferior to her.
Deciding to let him have his small victory. "I've got a couple of minutes. I hope you and the palace understand that during this quest I'm taking 'her' on, I'm checking on Danielle Yamata from time to time."
Riku looked at her. "Why would you do that? After all, as the Capricious Witch…"
"Too True… Too true…" she chuckled sheepishly. "Liz Yamata asked me to. She says her daughter's soul is in a critical phase and we both agree her father Theo would be an awful choice to try to save her."
"I don't see that…" Riku said.
"Regardless, Aixes, he's not in the right state. Though I've noticed that you've been observing Yamata from afar. Going to Tokyo on early Sunday mornings… Good thing Shiori doesn't know, otherwise she may get jealous…"
Riku gave a humorless chuckle, though his mind had thought back to the confession Shiori gave him at Graduation.
"She will not… Though you must…"
"I won't… After all, since the 'Football Club' is talking Balance all over the place, I would be loath to make things difficult for you in ways that make me look worse…"
"I'm deeply touched by your consideration… The same you're giving Caitlin…"
"Oh, don't get me wrong… I'm going to ask her directly what she's doing and has she lost her mind before I actually give her any pas watching out for her."
"A promise, eh?" Riku said.
"A promise… and also a debt. That is indeed a powerful force that drive one's motivation, but I guess you wouldn't want to tell me who he is, isn't it right? Still, I guess as much as I wouldn't like to work with you, I know at least you're the only one from the Crystal Palace I can confide in. Isn't that right, Aixes?"
He sighed but before he could object, she said. "Besides, it's your fault for choosing to dress like an Organization XIII/Akatsuki Reject. I guess that name will stick from now on. Better than calling you by your real name, isn't that right?"
"Too true… Too true…" he said.
The Blue Door appeared. "It's just about time…" she said. "Well, I guess it's our deal then to try and stay out of each other's way unless our paths cross and a mutual goal allows us to team up and don't deny you were considering such a deal, I would have accepted even if you uttered it. It'll nice to work with you, Aixes, as long as you're part of the solution and not part of the problem. May we each have good luck in our future, both for your tasks and my plans, and both our deal in the past… and our current deal helping these children to save Caitlin in some way. Oh well, I have a quest to go on. So I bid you an Abschied."
"Deal in the past… But… you were surprised when you saw me and when…"
"Oh, damn… Capricious me strikes again and this time with a spoiler… It'll be in my past but your future…"
"So I'm bound to a deal that you know that I don't…?"
"Sucks to suck…" she said. "Especially with the choices you make leading up to that point." She shook her head. "Such bad choices…"blazing defensively.
"I'm not malevolent…" Riku said, sulphur eyes
She opened the blue door. "That's what Christina from the Scarlet Room said… Before she involved herself in Victorian London and made things worse."
Agatha then closed the door and Riku just nodded as it disappeared.
"I would have preferred a threat of if our paths cross again, [Redacted], because then when that happens it would be less boring…" he said, hinting at things in his past, but her future that had yet to happen.
Then he shook his head. "She's always been annoying like that. I still can't believe that she and [John Doe] are related."
Then he paused. "Wait a moment, she should have gone directly to her destination from The Corner… In addition, any person exiting from the Corner can appear at any point in time on Earth… Did she plan for me being here…?"
March 25, 2012
Okina Concert Hall
Riku knew that he shouldn't have acted so "grand" (his words) with Agatha, but he needed to make sure she was an ally rather than an enemy
He knew their paths would cross again, even as the song was slowing down for the finale. And he knew he had to be prepared. For Agatha. For the Velvet and Scarlet Rooms.
For Orochi-no-Oni… Yes, he had to prepare for all.
The song was reaching its grand finale and Daijiro was conducting, still unaware of the "symphonies" playing in four of his acquaintances heads. If only he knew how tempestuous those songs would be.
But he did not and so continued, blissfully (for the moment) unaware.
While he was conducting, there was a choir of students singing the choral part, though one of them was Rise (with her hair down, like she had done at the Jazz Club for Charles and Yukiko's October Date Night, proving that as awesome as a voice Rise had, the fans seem to go nuts because of her twintail hairdo.
"This is really good…" Daijiro heard someone murmur, making him feel relieved.
He finished conducting and the song ended. There was clapping and he took a bow first and then put his arm out and everyone in the choir and instruments took bows as well.
"Encore! Encore! Encore!" Charles shouted.
"Charles-chan!" Daijiro heard Yukiko hiss.
While he was amused by this couple he only met a mere two hours before… Alas, Daijiro had no encore…
And then the band started playing something more electric.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Daijiro heard and turned and saw Jamie at the guitar. "Lads and Lasses!" What was going on?! Daijiro was confused. "Put yoor hands together foor theh oone, theh oonly…"
…
…
"CASTLEVANIA!"
Song – Castlevania Medley – As Performed by Video Games Live (TM)
Jamie winked at Daijiro and then started playing the first part, "The Beginning" from Castlevania III on her guitar while the rest of the band was backing up. Daijiro recovered and made it looked like he planned to look aghast and agog, bowed, and then started conducting as if nothing was wrong.
Now he understood. Daijiro understood. James/Jamie HAD evolved past being a lovable hentai prince/princess. Instead he/she had been practicing for this as a surprise for Daijiro, because he loved this medley too. (He probably looked at the Magazine and watched "Dangerous Prey" after he was done practicing the Guitar Part as Jamie.)
And the fact that the orchestra members knew this song well after only a couple of days, indicated that James/Jamie had slipped them the extra music to practice with, with maybe a note or a text explaining things.
It made sense, While James/Jamie may have had some resentments to clear the air about, regardless of whether it was theirs or Daijiro's, and maybe also had fear that Daijiro's resentments would burn the very bridge Daijiro was trying to rebuild, it was typical of them to always see a favor through…with a surprise along the way.
And if they tell a partial truth that seemed like the complete truth… That was a typical Sykes move… Clever boy/girl…
So he kept conducting even though this was Jamie's number so to speak.
As he did so, he was unaware of two pairs of eyes on him.
"Can we kill something yet, Chika-nee-tan?" Tsurinaga Chiaki said. He had black hair and was not really tall or short. About average. He, as well as his twin sister, were dressed in leather jackets and caps.
"No. I'm trying to find it…" Chika said. Unlike her brother, she was a little tall and had brown hair that she normally dyed purple, but didn't for this occasion… Because she and her brother were supposed to be incognito. "Use your binoculars too…"
Chiaki growled, but decided he'd do anything to keep his sister happy. "Found it…"
She then saw what he was looking at. "Oh, there he is. He doesn't know what he has on his person does he?"
"No, and that baton of his sucks, too…" Chiaki said of Daijiro and his baton. "Do we engage?"
"No… We're just supposed to see what it looks like… The Artifact…"
"Bummer… Can't we just kill everyone and take it?" Chiaki said, his red eyes reflecting disappointment.
"As much as that sounds nice, Yamata and Amagi are here…" Chika said, looking at her brother with sympathy in her red eyes.
"We could kill them…" Chiaki suggested, excited.
"Off-limits, remember…" Chika said.
"Mannnn… Date night sucks…"
"I'm trying to find someone for us… Just you and I is fun enough but…" Chika said.
"Three makes it so much better…" Chiaki said lasciviously.
"Dammit…" Chika said.
"What…" Chiaki asked.
"You want a worse 'cold shower'… Chinaman is here…" Chika said.
Chiaki gave a look of disgust and then looked in his binoculars. "Fuck me…"
"I will… With another person… But now we have to be careful getting that Artifact…"
"So we have to wait longer?" Chiaki said. "Recon sucks…"
Chika affectionately rubbed her brother's leg. "Don't I know it. But Takaya wants us to learn patience…"
"By setting us on all those people in that one Yakuza gang in Tokyo and then pulling the leash with that pig bitch in the Twin Cities… And then making us lay out here in these secluded bushes… Fuck…"
"Look, there was a good chance we would have gone over the line and killed the baby too… We've done it before with kids… Remember one of those seven houses we burned down?"
"I just remember us dancing naked…" Chiaki said.
"Yeah… That was fun… Then the sex afterwards… Anyway… The police have standing orders from Public Safety to shoot us on sight after that. If we rush in there, now, at a public event. Chances are if Chinaman doesn't get us, then the police or even Shirogane will."
"We could just summon our…"
"No… Not out here…"
"I liked it better when we could just kill indiscriminately… Let God Sort Things Out…" Chiaki said.
Chika gave her brother a sad smile and lovingly squeezed his hand. "I know, Love, but we need to be Thinking Killing Machines. The Stakes are too high…"
"Still think it was a mistake for us to be Code Green with that lecture."
"Whatever…" Chika said. "Hello…"
"Eh?" Chiaki said.
"Found our date for tonight…" Chika said. "Check out the Gremories on her."
Chiaki looked in his binoculars at a woman in a white dress with spaghetti straps and a long scarf around her neck that emphasized her top-heavy status. Not in any indecent way, but was leaving more to the imagination than most women. She was looking at her wristwatch and was irritated.
"Angry girlfriend?" Chiaki said.
"More like jilted compensated dater… Look at that scarf and those heels with that dress…" Chika said.
"Oh, so she was your date?" Chiaki said to the bystander that had seen them minutes earlier, to his short living and long post-mortem regret. As Chiaki said this he pat the dead man's face.
"Damn, we should have let him live so we could have at least watched them…" Chika said. "But, it's been a while since I slept with a C.D…."
"Let's cheer her up…" Chiaki said.
"We will have to kill her too, you know…" Chika said as she got up.
"Yeah, but at least it proves this concert was to die for…" Chiaki said.
"It sure was… But let's leave the Artifact for now… We have plenty of time…" Chika said and then she grabbed her brother by the hand.
Both of them then left the poor gentleman on the ground, going somewhere else to wait for the concert to end so they could pick their date up…
He would be eventually found and the police would investigate but hot a dead end… The Twins were good at that, killing without leaving a trace.
Meanwhile, the song was in its last phase, using the song that bridged the prologue with the main game of "Symphony of the Night…" Little did the participants or audience members know that this song portended many things for their future…
And yet, Daijiro had no need to care about that… He was friends with James/Jamie again. That's what counted.
And so when the song ended and everyone took a bow again as the crowd applauded again, then everything Daijiro worked for tonight was a success.
That was enough for now… The future could wait…
The future could wait…