Another Episode 12: Taka's Sin

Taka gulped down an entire cup of coffee before slamming it on the pristine desk in front of him. On the floor were a bunch of scattered papers ranging from court statements printed out to photographs of broken down buildings. Taka's eyes ran down the screen, analyzing each bit of evidence in the latest case he was investigating.

So what if I can't undo what Kojiro told them? I'll just dig up something better! Taka ran his mouse over a newspaper report describing Narutoya's company's conditions and felt his heart stop.

'Growing business wrapped up in abuse scandals! Company head found grooming successors through cruel mind games!' Reading further, Taka bit his lip as he ran his eyes across the screen, reading phrases like 'literal hell' and 'devastating hazing processes' before reading about several suicides and wrongful death suits levied at the company.

Sho's name creeped onto the page and Taka eyed it with suspicion. "Sho… The Sho from our class broke this case open? How?"

'Company infiltrator breaks case wide open! Charges dropped due to legal loopholes!' Narutoya's grinning face pissed him off but seeing Sho shake hands with the mayor while several other employees were handcuffed and put into the back of police cars brought some form of relief.

Slumping in the chair, Taka sighed. "Nothing comparable to what I did, though. Next!" Throwing Narutoya's files onto a pile of which multiple others had already been disposed of, Taka picked up a file with Maria's name on it. "Next is…cartographer, huh? How bad can this be?"

"Narutoya? I have… some need of you." Sho approached Narutoya sitting in the library with a cup of coffee in his right hand and a book in his left.

Narutoya scoffed and proceeded to ignore him for several moments. When Sho remained steadfast, Narutoya set the book down. "What could you want of me?"

Sho motioned to the seat next to him and Narutoya nodded with an eye roll. "Thanks for even listening to me after… everything."

"Look, if we're being honest, I earned that result. I'm blacklisted from being anything but a telemarketer. I work like a desk jockey and…" Narutoya sipped his drink and burned himself, slamming it down on the table and scaring two other students in the background. "I'm not using my talent for you."

"I was expecting that. I just don't know who else to go to; to stop these riots, I mean." Sho ran a hand through his hair. "I mean, I know, this class is made of some real… some real winners. This school is all of our only shot at having a future and… We have nowhere else to go."

Narutoya set his book down, apparently deigning this conversation to be of some note. "I made a pledge to not misuse my abilities after everything."

Sho leaned back, tilting the chair on its back legs. "If you're so noble, then why? Why did you do any of that nasty shit in the first place?"

"If I said it was my parents; that would be only half of it." Narutoya paused. "My ancestors have a habit of not letting deaths and suffering get in the way of a title. I was making myself to be a top chairman in this country. I was told day in and day out it's in my blood." Stopping himself, Narutoya looked Sho directly in the eyes. "Their dreams died with them."

"They're gone?"

Narutoya's lip quivered slightly. "Lorraine has a long list that touches many. I'm thankful I never stooped so low as them. Otherwise… Well, maybe Kicho would be over all this by now."

Sho grimaced. "So you are why she ended up that way. Why'd you toss her aside then?" Narutoya's body stiffened. "That's not in the files, after all. You did a good frame job to push her out but you never once let it be known why."

"Why I did it doesn't matter to you, does it? You don't care."

Sho grabbed Narutoya's trembling hand and stared him down. "You lack understanding of the depths that I care."

Somewhat disturbed by the serious honesty and show of faith, Narutoya pushed back against the chair, grabbed his things and turned away. "I… I didn't know she wasn't the same. We have the same talent but… She just… broke. In the end, maybe I'm worse for not breaking…"

Narutoya walked off and Sho remained seated, thinking to himself on those words.

"How many assaults can you get before you end up in prison for life?" Taka asked no one. "1,038 isn't high enough apparently!" Slamming Maria's case file down, Taka gripped his hair and pulled. "How much petty violence can you just do!? She doesn't even feel bad!" A hundred of the cases were certainly warranted. Someone made a comment or tried something that ended in a lot of suffering.

The rest? She just got so aggressive with people after a certain point.

The problem with understanding why is…Taka picked up a document that detailed the 101st encounter listed in her 'career'. Maria encountered some girl and fought her. This was the only case where the fight was started outside of her control. Akira had been off with Genji and some girl traipsing along with a gang in Tokyo encountered her and got into a scuffle. The girl wasn't identified until much later; the name was Ayaka Baikokudo. Virtually nothing came up on her in the databases outside of some 'incident file' that wasn't searchable by any of Taka's databases.

Apparently after her encounter with Ayaka, Maria became the woman she was today; overly violent and deeply attached to those that cared for her.

The fact Akira killed Genji probably is worsening her emotionally, all things considered. She met Genji first, after all.

Well, time for the next person. Skipping Honoka, Michi, and Kojiro, Taka picked up the first case file he felt could have some interesting things in it. Sho time!

Maria proudly watched the students with picket signs and banners protesting the murderous garbage admitted into the school. Noticing Naoya watching from afar, Maria decided to get some good old payback.

"Hey, meat!"

Naoya raised his head and smirked. "Oh, it's the violent one."

Maria placed a hand on her hip. "Excuse you?"

"You're violent and Akira's the drinker. You act so much alike sometimes it's the only way to tell the difference."

"I oughta clobber you." Maria threatened. "You hear me?! You go around with killers like murder bitch and child psycho and it only makes ya look like a monster too!"

A single eyebrow movement is all Maria is returned with. "I didn't assault a cop in a public place so… I think I'm in the clear."

Maria crashed her hand into the wall, chipping its paint and pushing the wood in. "Don't ya worry we'll get hurt!?"

"Well, Honoka kills nasty people and Kotoko doesn't anymore… I doubt there's anything that would put their honor into question for me at this point." Naoya nodded assuredly. "I… don't dislike you for this, though."

"Eh!?"

Turning to the crowd, Naoya reaffirms himself. "I'd be upset, too. I feel betrayed just as much as you. I have the luxury of knowing them enough to trust them but… Well, someone like you with no ties, of course you can't… I respect that." Looking into the sky, Naoya sighed. "I respect that part of you that doesn't just hurt people physically. You can think things through. Should do it more often. It's an amazing quality to have."

Maria grumbled under her breath. "Who the hell asked you!?"

"You did, technically." Naoya started heading for the classrooms. "If you keep yourself above petty shit, you could become a wonderful woman, Maria."

Naoya proceeded into the main doors and left a slightly red Maria calling him a full-blown idiot inaudible to anyone but herself alone outside.

Interesting… Very interesting… This is it! Finally, something of worth! Taka giddily slapped his hands together. "This is only the start!"

'Esteemed volunteer tied to once-thought dead gang! Graver Dangers caught in police sting!' The newspaper article was an incredibly rare find; printed out of Towa City before the Warriors of Hope incident.

Taka set the document down in a separate space; a miniscule pile of papers to begin his rise to not getting killed at his own school. Still, this gang… It had ties to Ultimate Despair of all things and only one of them lived. But why did he get away with his crimes? Who… Who the hell is this guy anyway? Inigo Aizawa; horribly disfigured from the killing of his gang somehow held on to his miserable life.

Would Shinji even know about this? If he did… Shaking his head, Taka realized this would only matter to Shinji and not his classmates. Setting Sho's file down, Taka gripped the next file and placed it delicately on the desk before him.

Sho walked down the hallway and gazed at the protesting students loitering in the halls. Maria is at least being somewhat adult this time. Wondering how the teachers would handle any of this, he stepped off into a side path and sat on a small bench in a small area cordoned off from most of the school.

Pulling out his book that carried all of the most important notes he categorized from the files Shinji had given him, Sho ran his finger over several of the most egregious moral violations. "Taka's on the ropes after all. Michi's actions sure did go far… I just hope it ends before things get too bad."

"I know she killed people but…" Taka dropped Kotoko's file back on the desk and shook his head. "Maria's family isn't something I might not want to get into… Goro Himura, though… Naoya's father, maybe?" Gripping the file in hand, Taka rose from his chair. "This should be sufficient."

Kotoko and Naoya were seated in the back of the freshly refurbished classroom. Riots and arguments had caused some property damage at late and now Akira Sanada herself was given an honorary class guard role. Dressed up like a Japanese imperial officer or something, she carried herself with aplomb and a whip as she strutted across the front of the room.

"We're not screwing around anymore. Do you all get that?" Akira winked. "Look, I don't want to do this but… I'm getting paid. So it's all good."

Hiro rolled his eyes. "Why didn't they choose a tough guy like me?" A quick strike of the whip made him recoil under his desk. "I'm sorry!"

"Hiro, you're so silly!" Aya laughed and Ryoji smiled at her side. Putting his hand on hers, he suddenly pulled her in for a hug.

Akira blew a whistle attached to a string of metal on her neck. "No PDA!"

Ryoji looked up at Akira and played dumb. "I don't have a 4.0 GPA to have one of those."

"I do!" Aya said excitedly before clasping Ryoji's hand harder.

Just then the door opened and inside stepped Taka with a stack of papers in his hand. "I have an announcement to make."

Ryoji's eyes narrowed. "If it isn't the piece of shit himself…"

"What happened was your fault." Taka shot back. Setting the files down, Taka opened them up. "I was just doing my do duty as a member of the school's student council to do some investigation on the part of Maria's rightful persecution of the school's decisions."

Akira strode between the two and held the whip in her hands, pulling it taut. "I'm not having any of this bullshit. Maria and this school can fight as they want but I'm not tolerating disruptions."

"Let him talk!" Maria shouted. "Yer just a school puppet anyways!"

"Actually, I'm working a job. Something you've never known to do. I have Yusuke to support. My future here actually means something to me."

Maria shook her head. "Yeah, right! You didn't care at all before!"

Akira snapped her whip at her friend. "Stay out of my business. You have a right to do as you are but don't dare look down on me for supporting my family. You'd know nothing of that since you abandoned them in the first god damn place!"

"You said what!?"

"Where were you when they died, then!?" Akira's temple flared. "You fucked off like a little roughneck brat!"

Maria crushed her desk in one fell punch and threw a hard right directly at Akira. Akira took the hit and didn't even flinch. "At least I didn't bring a kid into a world like this… I didn't fuck an abuser!"

Akira grabbed at Maria's hair and shoved her against the wall. "You set us up!"

Naoya stood up and grabbed Akira's shoulder, pulling her off. "Enough."

"No! This ungrateful bitch just doesn't get it! She couldn't make sacrifices for others if it killed her! She's so god-damned selfish!" Akira kicked and spat at Maria. "I've had years of this! Think about me for once, you asshole!"

"The last time I did that it HURT you!" Maria's scream and tears running down her face silenced the rest of the class.

Except for one of them.

Taka gleefully pulled open a certain paper. "Oh, here's the best part about that. Maria's brother and parents were killed in Towa City. Sound familiar?"

Kotoko stopped and stared at Taka.

"Maria, that girl right there…" Pointing at Kotoko, Taka knew he was free of her wrath now. "She killed your family!"

Akira's eyes widened and she immediately reached to stop Maria, grabbing her shoulders. "Maria, don't! Don't you give in!"

Maria gripped Akira's fingers and pulled them back, nearly breaking them. Gripping Akira's whip, Maria swung it so hard it smashed into Naoya's temple, dropping him to the floor as blood leaked from the side of his head.

"It. Was. You." Grinding her teeth, Maria's eyes turned a shade of red before she wrapped the whip around Kotoko's neck and lifted her up, trying to choke her to death.

"Fuck! Stop her!" Hiro leaped into action and delivered a kick so hard he felt Maria's ribs crack. Instead of reacting, Maria turned and headbutted him so hard he fell into several desks and chairs.

Taka flinched involuntarily from the violence but stayed where he stood.

Kojiro and Honoka burst into the room after hearing everything and ran to stop Maria. Kojiro pulled a taser out and shot Maria in the back. Maria grabbed it midair and pulled it hard enough to throw Kojiro to the floor. "This bitch pays, god dammit! First her and then the entire school! I'll tear it down with my bare fucking hands!"

Honoka actually bothered to pull out a knife; it was a rare make with several layers of metal folded over and over to harden into a thicker blade with the insignia of a carp fish at the base. Jumping forward, Honoka sliced through the whip and grabbed Kotoko before Maria could move.

Maria kicked like a mule, sending Honoka out of the room. With a shout of pure rage, Maria stepped out of the room just as school guards arrived and began pursuit.

Taka stole the show once more as he raised another file. "Hey, Naoya! You awake?" Naoya rose to his feet and gripped his head. "Goro Himura a name you recognize?"

Kotoko tried desperately to get Naoya's attention, reaching for him on the floor as she clutched her bruised neck. She tried and tried and tried to get his attention but as Honoka lifted her up and tried to check her wound while Kojiro screamed for help having realized how he had done this with his own choices, Kotoko found no chance to stop Taka.

"Kotoko murdered him. Kotoko killed him and left his tortured corpse in the Towa City Hospital. Sound familiar?" Taka's cruelty was unknown to him. He found himself justified in defending his own life. At one point he may have cared for Naoya but at that point, Taka saw only a tool to save himself.

Naoya's entire body flared in a silver glow as his eyes slowly changed color. Facing Kotoko, Naoya asked one question. "Is he lying?"

Unable to find words, Kotoko tried to strain her voice to speak. She wanted to explain. She knew she should have confessed this on the roof or at their date spot. She had been afraid and waited and now it was too late. Shamefully she nodded and cried into Honoka's chest as she gripped her for comfort.

Images of Naoya's smiling face on their many days spent together slowly began to burn away in Kotoko's mind as she lost consciousness from the stress.

His blood ran cold and Naoya walked to the door. "Hey, Naoya…" Taka placed a hand on his arm. "I didn't… really need to do that one but… I think you were owed the truth."

Naoya's steely glare faded into one of pain as he gave a half-hearted attempt at a weak smile and walked out.

With anger running in his veins, Ryoji ran up and punched Taka so hard he flopped into the desk. Ryoji grabbed Taka's hair and dragged his face across the top of the desk, knocking everything off before walking up to the second story window and breaking the glass with Taka's face, holding his body out.

Through the pain, Taka grinned. "This is what you get… I'll do anything for Satsuki…"

"Everything besides take the blame, you fuck!" Ryoji punched Taka in the stomach hard enough to cause him to cough and hack as blood spilled from his lip. "You couldn't just accept that you're a fucked up murderer… You took her down! She spent years… YEARS making up for everything… And you took it all away!"

"I was doing justice." Taka coughed spit onto Ryoji's face.

"Drop him." Ryoji turned to find Michi standing there. "Justice is pursuing the truth with intent to protect others, not yourself!" Walking up to the window, Michi snarled. "If Ryoji dropped you, I'd commit perjury just to watch you crash against the ground in a crumpled heap! I didn't pursue Lorraine for this! I didn't want scum like you doing this!"

Taka shook his head and cried fruitlessly. "But she's worse than Lorraine!"

Michi bit her lip and screamed loud enough to shake the windows enough that several bits of shattered glass fell to the ground below. "Honoka never repented! She didn't spend her entire life after the fact making up for it! Kotoko saved the lives of every innocent child in Towa City! She worked for years to save others and undo the damage she caused! You've never once acted out of any interest but your own! You let Satsuki take the god damn fall and used it as an excuse to kill! She deserved to die for LOVING YOU!"

"You… you bitch!"

Ryoji ran Taka through the remaining glass and dropped him onto the floor. Straddling him, Ryoji delivered a hard punch to his chin. "I never once killed someone. I was framed for it… I hated selling that girl out. I did wrong. However…" Placing his hands on Taka's face, Ryoji found himself inches away from jamming Taka's eyes out. "I won't let the man who murdered my future wife's parents ever play the hero card in front of me! I won't ever run from my fate if it means seeing you suffer!"

Taka began to weep as he saw the monster he himself had made.

"You ever step out of line again and I'll make Honoka jealous at what I've learned a human being can survive before I find their crypt in the middle of some broken down kingdom ages long past! I'll make you wish you had been a vegetable yourself!" Stepping up, Ryoji kicked Taka hard enough to send him flying out the window and falling into several thorn bushes below.

As Ryoji panted heavily, Aya realized the guilt Ryoji felt. Perhaps he didn't ask her out because he felt guilty… That was when she knew she had chosen right.

She wondered for a second if Kotoko had felt the same and for the first time felt true pain for her.

Walking over to Honoka, Aya glanced at Kotoko's unconscious form and sighed. "I wish I'd never told anyone…"

Honoka smiled up at Aya but the pain was clear in her eyes. "This is my fault. This is far from the first time that…" Looking over at Michi, Kojiro, and Shiori, Honoka started to weep herself. "I only hurt the ones I grow to care about…" Turning back to Kotoko, Honoka wiped off the tears that fell on Kotoko's face. "This is… my fault too now…"

"Honoka…" Ryuu reached for her. "You're not responsible. Taka is."

Hiro approached Ryoji and slapped him. "No more violence from you!"

"He deserved all of that and more!"

"Yeah, he did," Ryoji was surprised at Hiro's bluntness. "But if we go around being vigilantes, it'll only make things worse. Let's just report this to the school and… Well, Maria's right. We should just be sent home at this point."

*Memo*

Look at the damage you've wrought. How much pain can you people spread before the world itself collapses?

You want to know the next motive early? I'll tell you. It's nothing.

I don't have to raise a god damn finger to get you fucks to kill each other. I just had to get the sins rolling and now just like then, you'll do it yourselves.

How was the vote? Isn't it great seeing what choices others will make FOR you? What a beautiful existence you live in.

Forgive me if I don't cry at your funerals. But that's okay. No one will exchange false pleasantries at yours. Anyone who loved you all died or has given up on you long befgore all of this went down.

Only one of you has any worth.

The rest are just chaff to be plucked.

Aren't you disgusted by yourselves? Look on all you have accomplished and ask; was it worth the cost? If only there was some way you could undo all of this pain.

Maybe grab a time machine and try to fix it that way. So far it hasn't worked for me but… I think it will.

Even if it doesn't, I'll shed no tears about any of you at this point. If you didn't deserve this when it all started… You'll do at the end.