"Wakui-san, the deed has been done." Said Grisolle taking off some black gloves. "Muranaka is taking the bodies with them, best not to ask."
"Good." Replied Gardius, looking at the city from his office. "Now that little problem has been solved, we can focus again on the bigger picture."
"Why was it again? Money?" Asked Grisolle pouring some wine and sitting on one of the multiple leather couches. "Monsieur Gorou was part of your Yakuza family if I'm not mistaken."
"Yes, I'm glad you listen. The good Bruno days, this city has never seen a better age." Continued Gardius. "But enough of this old man rambling. How is the tournament going?"
"Tomorrow Moonson will be dueling the man taking care of the Keiko kid." Replied Grisolle. "Maybe this time you can join us to watch, instead of the lines Elizabeth writes you."
"I will love to my friend, but I'm still busy with work." Said Gardius looking at the two strange statues on his office. "There's one pice of my collection I'm still missing and it keeps me up at night."
"You and your statues." Said Grisolle laughing. "Well I won't take much of your time, I have my own matters to attend to, goodbye."
On the brightly lit hallway, Grisolle encountered Burton, one of the other chairmen. A man built like a closet with long white hair, blue eyes and round glasses. "How is Gardius going?"
"Well he's right there, you can visit him." Said Grisolle pointing at the closed door.
"I have other family members to visit right now sadly, but I'm guessing my brother is day dreaming as always." Replied Burton. "Don't you have things to do?"
"Maybe, but I wanna spend some time with my good old pals." Said Grisolle grinning.
"Maybe Elizabeth wants to procrastinate like you do, but these days are best spent working, we've been waiting for so long to now fuck it up." Gardius entered the elevator and left, going downstairs.
"I'll check on Muranaka and Strofkavitz, see what are they using the family for." Said Grisolle going on the elevator too. "That basement still gives me the creeps."
"There's a reason why I don't go there." Said Burton. The elevator left the chairman in the first floor, but Grisolle stayed, going down a couple of levels below to the laboratories. The brightly lit silver tower suddenly turned into a damp corridor made of bare concrete, almost pitch black except for the monitor lights coming from the various rooms. Good thing this was about a dozen levels below the Halls, because the sound of the equipment was defeaning. Drills and bonesaws just doing what indescribable atrocities Muranaka had in mind. A good 5 minutes passed before the cacophony of machines stopped, and a short girl with pinkish hair and a bloody lab coat stepped outside into the corridor.
"Grisolle! Nice to see you around here again." Said Muranaka. "We've been doing wonders with your recent donation, so much progress."
"Well I'm glad to hear it. What is it you're researching again?" Asked Grisolle with a bit of a worried look.
"We're looking towards understanding the effects of exposure to the material in the different zones of the human body, we still had some samples left after the last attemp so we're good." Said Muranaka taking the lab coat off. "Oh boy I need to get out of here I need a rest."
"I'm sorry Muranaka but I'm gonna need to ask you some questions, no rest here." Said Grisolle entering the laboratory's cafeteria. "Specially about that material..."
Grisolla served Muranaka and himself some coffee, prepared to interrogate them. "So, are we still working with the same theory?"
The two talked for quite a while, without any natural light it was hard to comprehend the pass of time, and Muranaka's eyes glowed with a sicly green hue that was hard not to stare at for hourse, product of their exposure to the materials they work with. While that was happening, Gardius sat on his chair, looking at the two blocks. Block A was the actual tournament, decided by Gardius himself, and block B was more like a hitlist than a tournament, Majima's name was scrapped and Enko's last name was highlighted, the remaining participants were people from families that had debts to pay to Gardius, all except but one, the hooded boy named Aluber. "Finally we meet."
"How do you know of my nature?" The hooded boy appeared behind Gardius, between the two statues. "Not only that but you posses the megaliths, how?"
"Impressed of my collection?" Said Gardius standing up. "I'm not interested in common luxury, prices of this world. I've always been fascinated with your treasures. Two statues with mystic whispers, a wooden box burned by hell itself, all of it is fascinating."
"Those objects do not belong here. In fact I assume you're the cause of all the mergings." Responded Aluber, taking his hood of.
"Perhaps. For years now I've been trying to understand it, the supernatural if you may call it that. Cards of strange nature, a man with unusual power... Oh how I desire it." Said Gardius. He speaked to Aluber like he did with no one else, as Aluber wasn't like the rest.
"If your actions don't consume you the Augurs will." Said Aluber. "The dimensions are not meant to meet."
"The Augurs? I'll gladly welcome them, how majestic must they be." Said Gardius smiling. "You, the spirit named Aluber, I'm glad you have manage to found. You will be my key to the power I so deseperately crave." Aluber frowned at Gardius, disappearing as fast as he appeared, leaving no trace. "Ophiel, Hagith, our time is coming."
The next morning went without any special events, the chairmen as busy as always were preparing the duel of today, Arata Vs Moonson.
"The stage should be ready." said Elizabeth. "The vr rig is ready to go and the hand script for Moonson is set up."
"As talented as always mademoiselle." Said Grisolle clapping. "Seeing la bella espinosa fall like that should sky rocket the tournament popularity, and we all know what more people means."
"Indeed." Said Burton. "We already own the entertainment business, but controlling the TV runtime is gonna give us all the reach we need."
"Never I thought I'd see Arata around here." Said Grisolle. "Amazing how he is still alive."
"Leaving work half done is a talent of yours." Replied Elizabeth. "Most of the time I'm the one doing the work."
"Hey don't forget about me." Said Muranaka. "My studies are the foundation of all of this."
"Studies? Do you mean you don't play human legos down there? Said Elizabeth. "Either way this whole rig is thanks to me."
"Now now, let's sit back and enjoy the duel." Said Gardius making an appareance. "I'm sure Arata is gonna do an amazing job."
"Yeah, Moonson's hand is gonna be a bit quirky." Said Grisolle. "But it's nice to have you around either way, I'm guessing something's got you in a bad mood."
"Of course! Last night I received some wonderful news. Oh, by the way, be sure to give this to Arata and the Keiko kid." Said Gardius handing him a black envelope. "It's not special, just a cordial invitation, I haven't seen Arata boy in a while and I still need to meet the kid." Said Gardius smiling. "Now, let's enjoy the show, I'm sure it's gonna be pleasant."
"Oh Gardius I don't know if you notices but." Said Burton.
"Yes, family reunion." Said Gardius leaving the smile. "The splinter in another way perfect wooden statue."
"Maybe we can talk with her." Said Burton.
"Her? Her!? That boy hasn't disappointed the Wakui clan enough?" Said Gardius getting angrier. "I don't expect him to be more than a nuissance, don't mention him."
"Okay okay leave the family feud for later, I don't wanna miss a thing." Said Grisolle pouring some wine. "The duels for this block are always intense, let's enjoy."
"Yes. Excuse me." Said Gardius pouring some whiskey instead. Burton decided not to say nothing more, not wanting to anger his brother. Muranaka sat on the floor, as close to the TV as possible, and Elizabeth stood standing, drinking some wine too.
The duel went as planned, with Moonson not being able to draw any good cards, the script was a success. Muranaka left halfway into the duel to the labs again, but the other ones were celebrating with another cheers. "I told ya. I can do everything." Said Elizabeth.
"Of course, I never doubted you Elizabeth." Said Gardius. "Now Grisolle, let me prepare the banquet for tonight, I'm sure the Keiko kid is gonna enjoy it again, HAHAHAHA."
"Of course Wakui-san." Replied Grisolle bowing.
"Gardius, I want to talk to you about something." Said Burton crossing his arms. "About the duel for tomorro-"
"You've. Talked. Enough, Burton. Don't mention that disgrace I wasted my years on." Said Gardius. "We cannot let distractions get to us, the day is approaching." The conversation ended with a cold stare, letting Burton know his brother wasn't willing to talk about her.
Grisolle went to the hall after the banquet was set up, looking for the two misfits, only founding a furious Moonson right on his face, startling him a bit. "Excuse me señorita but I have some matters to attend to."
"I don't care. Where can I find that stupid human chimney I just dueled." Said Moonson grabbing Grisolle by the neck of the shirt.
"Well well no need to get violent Señorita Mistral, I have to talk with the sir too, maybe we can work together in finding Sleed-san, and I know who exactly we should ask,"