Author's Note: So we come to another deity on Tandeki's side. I have been sitting on part of the idea since I first saw it on Supernatural. I thought I was going to have to struggle with the quality of this halo while writing the Hetalia part of the Halloween special. (It's two-thirds finished, btw. Just working on the third part before I get to the Durarara section of the special.) Then I remembered a plot point about Murata and the Asahara. Then I remembered Noriko and Mikado's parts. The latter was helped along by a monthly prompt from a writing Discord server I'm on. From there, everything settled into place. I have an idea of what I am doing next week. For now, enjoy this week's halo.
Halo Ten: Ryota:
The boy walked around the city with his headphones. They blocked out the noises around him. He shoved his phone back into his pocket. Now to make it to his destination. But first, he needed a little snack. Just a little treat before he met up with his handler.
Takiguchi Ryo was heading home for the night. He had to stay after class. He too had noticed that things had been off lately. Something told him to be on his guard tonight. Ryo couldn't help but to get the feeling that he was being watched as he walked home. The boy shoved his hands into his pockets. Just keep his head down, don't make any eye contact, don't talk to anyone, just get home.
When crossing the Mutsumata-rikkyo Overpass, he bumped into a solid body.
"Oh, sorry," Ryo was quick to say. He paused. A boy with short white hair and headphones stared at him. He wore all-black. Heavy coat, punk rocker t-shirt, baggy black jeans, and a leather collar. The silver piercings in his ears added to the punk rocker look.
"Uh… can I help you?" Ryo asked. The pale boy looked him up and down and grinned.
"You'll do just fine," he said.
"Huh?" the other boy asked. The pale boy opened his mouth really wide. Ryo's body went stiff as his own jaw was forced open. A white hazy mist flew out of his mouth. The little ball lazily floated over to the other boy.
Time to eat.
The hazy ball of light flew into his mouth. The boy chewed and swallowed it. The boy grinned like a wild animal.
"Thank you for the meal," he said, bowing. Ryo just stood frozen as the boy walked by. The pale boy smirked to himself. He got his snack and now onto Rampo Biotech.
"What's the matter with you?" Etsuko asked. Kitano looked up at the doctor.
"Is the door closed?" he asked.
"Yes sir," she said. Kitano buried his head in his hands and sighed.
"It's Chisa," he said.
"Your daughter?" Etsuko asked. The therapist nodded once.
"What did she do now?" the doctor asked. Kitano lifted his head and dropped his hands.
"They got her," he said.
"You can't mean that," Etsuko said.
"I'm afraid so," the therapist said. Kitano leaned back in his chair and sighed.
"What do you plan to do?" she asked.
"I have no idea," he admitted. The therapist looked distracted. Etsuko frowned.
"Want me to do something about it?" she asked. He shrugged and shook his head. This could create problems in this game.
"Don't worry, I will take care of it," the doctor said. "You have to stay focused on the game. We're ahead of Mam and Vozrozhdeniye and I frankly want to keep it that way." Kitano looked up at her and nodded.
"You're right. You're right," he said.
"She's your daughter," Etsuko said. "It's natural to be concerned." Kitano just shrugged.
"How are the blood knights coming along?" he asked.
"They're making progress," she said.
"Good," Kitano said. The doctor decided to stay a little bit longer. He didn't have any objections.
"So one of ours in that cult?" Yamato asked.
"Yes," Erina said. "Their leader tried to recruit me."
"I thought the Church of Light wasn't allowed in the club," Itori said.
"They aren't," Hifumi said. "He just came by himself with Miya." Midori turned her head.
"Did you say Miya?" she asked.
"Yeah," Erina said. The time tadpole started to get her memories back about her.
"You don't think…" she began to say.
"No," the truth tadpole said. "She wasn't wearing those orange and white robes. She was more like a bodyguard to him."
"Okay… How do we get her away from that guy?" Yamato asked. The tadpoles thought about this for a moment.
"Perhaps… I could-" Erina started to say.
"No!" Itori snapped. "It's too dangerous!"
"I won't join," the truth tadpole said. "I just need to let him think that I am interested in joining."
"Do you even think he'll fall for it?" Itori asked. Yukio put his hand on her shoulder, but she pushed it off. The waitress lifted her chin.
"I can make it work," she said. "I just have to sound convincing." She stared Itori down. The other tadpoles looked at her. Itori sighed and rolled her eyes.
"You aren't going to do this alone," she said. Itori rose to her feet.
"I'm coming with you," she said. Erina quickly bowed.
"Thank you so much," she said. Itori rubbed her forehead before recomposed herself. Yukio put his hands on her shoulders.
"You're doing great for us all," he whispered.
"Yeah, yeah," his roommate muttered.
With the popular teacher gone, she had only gotten started. She managed to get access to her daughter's social media with the help of Rampo Biotech's hackers.
"Here you are," Kimiko said.
"Thank you," she said. She was up for hours reading over every post and looking at every picture. Her daughter looked so happy online. Nothing could be further from the truth. Looking at every single post made the girl's mother's blood burn. They were supposed to be her friends but they betrayed her. Her daughter only saw the truth too late. The latest posts before her death showed the true despair that she felt in private. That last post showed the breaking point. The mother gritted her teeth.
She knew who her next target would be.
-Noriko-
I awoke in the classroom. Wait… What am I doing here? I didn't remember coming here. This doesn't even look like me usual classroom. No. No, this isn't right. Something's wrong here. I frantically looked left and right. Everything looked normal, but I wasn't fooled. I started biting on my nails. What's out of place here? I sat at my usual desk. There's nobody here. In fact, all of the lights are turned off. How did I even get here?
I looked down at my body. I had on my pajamas and no shoes. A chill ran down my body as I pieced together what was going on. I'm dreaming again, aren't I? That's right. That has to be it.
Then why don't you just walk away?
I looked around. Who said that?
"Who's there?" I asked.
It's not that hard. Just get up and walk out the door.
A sense of dread filled my stomach. I looked over at the door on the other side of the room. It was wide open, waiting for me to walk through it. I could just get up and walk out the door.
I shook my head. No. It's a trap. It has to be. It has to be a trap.
It's not a trap. Do you want to get out of here?
I froze. I do want to get out of here. I want to wake up.
Then get up and walk out that door.
I shook my head. "I don't want to get lost somewhere."
Do you want to stay here forever?
"No…"
Then get up and walk out the door. What do you have to lose? They had a point. I stood up from my desk. I couldn't feel the floor at my feet. I didn't have time to take that in. I ran out that door.
I wound up in someone else's living room. I got a step back as a tight feeling formed in my throat. This isn't right. My heart pounded against my chest. I feel like I have been here before. Once again, the lights were turned off. Nothing looked out of place. Couch, coffee table, two recliners, a fireplace, and a small flat screen. I could see all the way back to the kitchen. The walls and the carpet were too white. The ceiling fan did little to help. This is wrong. This is wrong! I grabbed the sides of my head.
"I don't want to be here!"
Then why don't you get out of here?
I whipped around with big eyes.
You know what to do. Just go and get out of here.
I turned and saw an open front door. The lights outside seemed to be singing to me. I shut my eyes and took off running through the door.
I found myself in a darkened hallway. My stomach turned. This wasn't it either. The vending machine to my left wasn't making any noises. Shivers ran down my body. I couldn't feel the carpet at my feet.
"Which door?" I asked. I looked at all of the doors in front of me in the hall.
Just pick one!
I turned around. "Who are you?!"
I just want to help you. You don't have time. Pick a door and just run!
I looked and saw that the lights were turning off to black behind me. I didn't have time to ask any questions. I ran down the hall towards the door at the end of the hall.
Yes, that's it. Go!
I made it to the door and pushed it open.
My stomach dropped. "No… not again." There was that giant swimming pool in front of me again. I started to hyperventilate. The water didn't look natural. Was pool water supposed to look that green and be so choppy? I only heard one thing in my ears as I stared into the water.
Dive in! Dive in! Dive in! Dive in! Dive in!
I backed away, shaking my head. "No! I don't want to do this! Please don't make me do this!"
Dive in! Dive in! Dive in! Dive in! Dive in!
"I don't want to!"
Dive in! Dive in! Dive in! Dive in! Dive in!
The voices grew louder in my head. They started to clash together in my ears. I screamed aloud as I grabbed the sides of my head.
"Who are you?! What do you want from me?!"
I'm not your enemy. I just want to help you!
I screamed as I sank to my knees in front of that demonic pool.
I woke up on my kitchen floor, panting and covered in sweat. Am I really here? I closed my eyes. I can't tell anymore.
-Mikado-
Not this again. Lilith sat across from me in my bedroom. I am starting to remember everything about her. I don't like it. She took a sip of her vodka and set down the bottle.
"We all wear masks," she said. "Some of us have cracked masks. Some of us have masks that can be either happy or sad. Some of us wear different masks around certain people. Some of us can't even tell if we're wearing a mask at all. The masks we wear come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, which is fitting because so do people." Lilith's eyes gazed up at the ceiling as she spoke. She turned her attention to me.
"So tell me - what kind of mask do you wear?" she asked. She's asked me this before. Already, Lilith looked like she wanted to jump over that table and rip off my clothes. I picked up my tea and took a drink.
"One of sanity," I said. "I feel like I am about to do something crazy from everything that I keeping remembering."
"You can't turn back now," she said. Mikado clutched the mug in his hand so tightly that it started to make dents in the sides.
"I know that," he growled. Lilith tried not to giggle. I shot a glare at her.
"What's so funny?" I asked. She leaned forward with a hungry smirk on her face.
"I can see the cracks in your mask," she said in a low voice. I took in a heavy breath before reaching for the tea kettle.
"Look, I know how frustrated you are," Lilith said. "We all just want to help you. When was the last time you were fed?" I eyed her, frowning.
"I know what you are trying to pull," I said. Lilith snickered.
"You know me so well, moi horoshiy," she purred. I felt my right eye twitching. She snickered as she picked up her bottle of vodka again.
"Do you know what I believe?" Lilith asked. "I think you wear a mask of more than sanity." I started to speak, but she held up a dainty, graceful hand.
"There's more underneath your mask," she added. "You hide so much more. Anger, frustration, desperation, misery, loneliness, and that void in your heart." She took another drink of her vodka without taking her eyes off of me.
"Don't bother lying either," Lilith said before I could argue. "We've been over this. Just own up to the fact that I can see the cracks in your mask. The question is how long before others see them too."
"They already know what I am," I said.
"Yeah," she replied. "But they don't know the extent of the damage, do they? They only see that mask." Lilith leaned in closer to me.
"I can already see the cracks getting worse," she said in a whisper. She leaned in and kissed me on the lips. I didn't push her off at first. I pulled away from her seconds later.
"What do you want from me, Lilith?" I asked. She looked at me with her flirty eyes.
"What else, moi horoshiy?" she said. "I want you." I started back away from her.
"I have a girlfriend," I said.
"I know," she said. "And I am married." Lilith leaned in for another kiss. This time, I didn't get the chance to stop her. She was already on top of me. Lilith sat up and took off her bowtie. I stared at her with big eyes.
"What are you doing?" I asked. Lilith's lips curved into a hungry catlike smirk.
"Time for your medicine," she purred. Lilith already started unbuttoning her blouse. My eyes darted up and down on her body. The old me would've looked away, embarrassed. But now, my head can't make sense of what's going on in front of me.
"What if we get caught?" I asked. "Anri-chan could be here any—" She put her finger to her lips.
"Shhh," Lilith whispered. "Forget about her tonight. You are going to need this."
"But…" I said.
"Forget about her," she whispered. "Forget." She leaned down and kissed me again. This time, she pushed her tongue into my mouth. I didn't even try to fight back this time. She's much gentler than how she usually is with me. I'm guessing it's because I'm not the man that she's lusted after in the past. Lilith's hands grabbed onto my jeans and unzipped them. As if on instinct, I reached up and grabbed her by the hair. She howled into the kiss. Lilith giggled.
"That's moi horoshiy," she whispered. She kissed me again before I could say a word.
Murata opened the door to the backroom of the church. He glared as he flung Sister Jimbo to the floor. She crashed the stone surface.
"Ow," she mumbled to herself. The woman looked up in time to see Murata glaring at her.
"I have heard what you really think of me," he growled. Sister Jimbo looked at him like a hurt little deer.
"W-W-What are you talking about, my lord?" she asked. The minister snorted.
"Don't lie to me," he hissed. Murata knelt down to her eye level.
"Now tell me," he said in a low voice. "Why are you really here?" Something about his voice sounded so soothing. Sister Jimbo sat up straight and gulped.
"I want… I want…" she said in a drowsy tone.
"Yes?" Murata asked. Her eyes looked so empty.
"I want my sister back," she confessed. Sister Jimbo awoke from the trance. The color drained from her face, but she wouldn't let him see the fear she felt.
"Heh," the minister said. Sister Jimbo glared at him.
"Where is Tomori?!" she asked. At first, Murata looked like he didn't know what she was talking about.
"Tomori? And who may that be?" he asked. Sister Jimbo clicked her tongue.
"Jimbo Tomori," she said. "You know who she is!" The minister took a moment to think.
"You know who she is!" Sister Jimbo shouted. "You can't fool me! I'm on to you! I know what you do with the girls here!"
"Do you now?" Murata asked. Sister Jimbo leaped up to her feet. She had been in this cult for close to three months now. She had been lucky to resist his charms and sermons. Sister Jimbo could spot bullshit a mile away. This guy was bathing in it.
"Just want my sister back," she growled. The minister put up his hands in a shrug.
"That will be her choice," he said. He paused and tilted his head.
"Hm? What did you say?" Murata asked. Sister Jimbo glared at him.
"You can go to hell!" she barked. "I have never met anyone who was full of shit before in my life! You are nothing but a fraud and a coward!" Murata lunged forward and grabbed her by the cheeks. Sister Jimbo narrowed her eyes.
"Oh, what are you going to do? Kill me? Rape me? Whip me? Trap me down here? Brainwash me?" she asked. "Go ahead. I dare you to do it. You don't have the balls." Murata snickered to himself.
"Don't flatter yourself," he said. He let go of her cheeks. Sister Jimbo gave him a cold look. Her cheeks burned.
"I am getting my sister back and we are going home, mark my words," she said. Sister Jimbo marched out of the back room. Murata smirked as he stared at her ass.
"We'll see about that, love," he said to himself as the door slid closed. If Murata was going to spread Asahara all over Japan, Sister Jimbo Aoko was going to have to go.
Around three in the morning, the boy with the headphones walked up to Rampo Biotech. Osamu stood outside, waiting. He held out his arms as he stepped forward.
"Hey buddy," Osamu said. The boy looked up at him, head tilted.
"It's been a while," the man said. "Your sisters are about to drive us nuts from their boredom. The boy stared with no emotion on his face.
"Anyway, I've got a present," Osamu said. "Come with me." He turned and walked down the alley. The boy followed behind. They came up to a van parked further down. Osamu walked up to the back door. The boy said nothing as the man opened it. Twelve people sat in the back bound and gagged. They all varied in background, age, and class.
"Hope you're hungry," Osamu said. The boy gave him a little smirk as he walked up to his neck meal.