Well, here's the third chapter of my fanfic. Sorry for the delay, but my lack of a computer will hinder my work. Anyway, enjoy.
Chapter Three: Who We Are
"Hey, look at this."
We were at the base, a two story building that didn't look like much but was the center of the Organization. I was just about to knock on the door, but the kid said something.
"What?" I asked, walking next to him. On the side walk, in red words, it read: Anxa is coming! Repent!
"Have you accepted Anja as your lord and savior?" the kid asked me, smiling ruefully.
I rolled my eyes, already heading back to the door. I didn't have time to read the messages that pretty much covered Twilight Town. They weren't unusual, so the writing wasn't a surprise.
Here, everyone who believed in a god or religion believed in Anja and Anxism. The belief in it was at such a fervor, one could believe it was a cult instead of a religion.
As the story goes, Anja, god of light, created the world and everything on it. In those days, its said he lived among the humans he created and interacted with them in everyday life. Then, the light was everlasting, and nothing pervaded its warm glow. Everyone was always happy, and no one fought or quarreled. That is, until a demon of pure darkness emerged. He wanted a world continually bathed in shadow and gloom, and he waged a terrible battle with Anja. His name was Zaleo.
Zaleo and Anja fought furiously and heedlessly, destroying everything around them. Finally, Anja retreated to the heavens, seriously wounded by the demon Zaleo. Zaleo, victorious, bathed the world in darkness. Except the only town or city left standing was Twilight Town, the place where Zaleo made his home.
Death and despair reigned for centuries until Anja finally sent an angel down to dispel Zaleo and the darkness from the world. This angel's name was Anxa, and he was bestowed with incredible strength and powers of light. He was also given a weapon of great and terrible power.
Anxa appeared in Twilight Town, his light dismissing the shadows around him. He challenged Zaleo to a battle, and ended destroying Zaleo easily with his weapon. No one knows what the weapon was, but it was supposedly so powerful that it could destroy worlds.
Anxa then stayed in Twilight Town, training seven chosen people to be the protectors of the world. He left, satisified that his followers could handle any evil that tried to pervade the world. Even though Anxa tried, he couldn't dispel the darkness that crept around the world. But it's said that he created another world of pure light, exactly like Twilight Town that would be revealed when he was reborn again. When someone worthy of his weapon was born into the world, Twilight Town's mirror image would also be born.
It's said that Anxa returned to the heavens, to sit with Anja, and to await the day he was needed again. That they sit side by side watching over us, and protecting us.
"Hey!"
I was interrupted by the kid snapping his fingers in front of my face. I shook my head and knocked on the door, turning back.
"To answer your previous question, no. I haven't accepted Anja." And I never would, because there was no such person or god. If there was, then why was I an orphan as a child? Why couldn't I protect myself back then? Why couldn't I protect her?
"Yeah, I think it's a load of crap too," the kid agreed, leaning against the wall next to the door. "The only people that watch over us are ourselves."
Before I could answer, a slit opened in the door revealing what would have been a pair of eyes if the person had two eyes. Instead, an icy blue eye peered out and a black patch. The slit closed and the door opened, revealing a double-barreled shotgun. Behind the gun was the grizzled old man that stood watch behind the door. Behind the grizzled old man was the dark narrow hallway that led to the main room.
"Do we always have to go through this?" I asked, gently moving the gun aside. "You should know my face by now."
"Yeah," the kid piped up. "Are all these precautions really necessary?"
"You're damn straight they are," the old man growled, lowering the shotgun. "Everybody wants a piece of the Organization, one way or the other."
"Well, as long as you do your job that won't happen," I said, smiling. "Now if you'll excuse us..."
"You punk kids are all the same," the old man muttered, shaking his hand. "Always rush, rush..."
I walked toward the door to the main room, the kid behind me.
"How long has that guy been here anyway?" he asked me, as I opened the door.
"He was here when I got here, so he's been here a while," I answered, scanning the room. The thick, black carpet and rich, mahogany tables and chairs told a different tale than the building's faded paint and chipped bricks. Three, elegant crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, bathing the room in warm light. The mercenaries were hanging around relaxedly, trading information and talking. Some wore the uniform of the Organization: a black, hooded raincoat.
I walked toward the back door, where the Boss's office was. The kid was beside me, already excited about getting paid.
"Hey, how was the mission?" a figure clad in a black ninja outfit asked. Even his face was covered with the black cloth.
"Successful, as usual," the kid replied, giving a thumbs-up. "You should know that by now."
The man laughed, shaking his head. "He's as cocky as ever, huh?" he said to me, jabbing a thumb at the kid.
"Yeah," I agreed, walking past. "Sometimes I don't think he can turn it off."
"Hey, I resent that," the kid replied, folding his arms. "I'm not cocky, I'm confident."
I opened the door to the Boss's office to find her sitting behind her gigantic mahogany desk. A single chandelier lit the room and a book-case stood against the wall.
"Can't you ever knock?" the Boss asked, standing up. I smiled and found myself wondering, as I did everytime I saw her, what she looked like under her hood. She wore the Organization raincoat, except that her's was adorned with a silver necklace shaped like bird's wing. With a musical voice and flawless brown skin, I'd expect her to be pretty beautiful. Her hood covered half her face, only revealing her one eye that glowed a bright yellow.
"Sorry," I shrugged, grabbing a seat and putting my feet on her desk. The Boss shook her head and sat down, motioning for the kid to sit as well.
"We succeeded in our mission," the kid informed her, taking his seat. "Where's our money?"
The Boss laughed, reaching behind her desk. "Straight to the point, huh?"
She pulled out a suitcase, placed it on the desk, turned it toward us and flipped it open.
"Whoa," was the whispered response from the kid as he stared at the suitcase filled with dols, the currency of Twilight Town. Even I sat up in my chair.
"Five-hundred thousand dols," the Boss said crisply, closing the briefcase. "Two-hundred and fifty for each of you."
I grabbed the suitcase and placed it between the kid and I.
"Before you leave, I also have other matters to discuss with you," the Boss said.
"And matters are those?" the kid asked, looking anxiously at the briefcase. He probably couldn't wait to spend some of it on a new car or something.
"As both of you apparently know, each of you are of the rank "Seven."
"Yes, of course," I nodded, leaning back into my chair. "Go on."
"The rank of Seven is a great achievement," she continued. "But both of you have earned the right to join the Unknowns."
"The Unknowns?" the kid repeated, a frown of confusion on his face. "Who's that?"
"The Unknowns are a sect of seven members that govern over the Organization. They are powerful and brilliant, each bringing forth their own abilities and talents to the table. I myself, am a member."
"What do you guys do?" the kid asked.
"As I said before, we are responsible for the actions of the Organization, but our power and influence go far beyond that alone. Since the Organization's creation, seven memebers have ruled over it with wisdom and strength. Whenever a member is killed or leaves, a search is began to find another worthy of the Unknowns."
"And you found us," I said, skeptical. "What makes us so worthy?"
"You two are the strongest mercenaries we have here," the Boss replied. "None of the others even come close to your mission success rate, strength, and abilities."
"So we join your little group," I said. "What's in it for us?"
"Besides power and control?" the Boss responded. She glanced at our newly acquired briefcase. "Your first week's salary alone will make that look like chump change."
Her saying that sealed the deal. I'm a sucker for money.
"Fine, I will accept your offer," I said, standing up. The Boss also stood and shook my hand.
"Congratulations, Develyn Bishop," the Boss said, to my surprise. "You are an Unknown."
"How'd you know my name?" I asked, curious.
"We do extensive background research on potential members of the Unknowns," the Boss answered. She looked at the kid. "What do you say, Andrew? Will you join?"
The kid thought for a moment before standing up and extending his hand. "Yeah, what the hell. More money, less problems. Right?"
"Then I welcome you also to the Unknowns," the Boss said, smiling. "My name is Fayexia."
A knock on the door came before anyone could respond, and the door opened revealing one of the hooded mercenaries.
"Ma'am," the figure said, voice undeniably male. "Three female figures have been spotted standing on the roof. Your orders?"
Three females? That sounded a little familiar.
Fayexia looked toward us, a hand on her hip. "Well? Any suggestions?"
"We'll handle it," I told her, turning toward the door. If it was who I thought it was, I didn't want anyone killing them until I had asked them some questions.
"Wait," Fayexia said, reaching behind her desk once again.
"If it's more money, then by all means..." Andrew trailed off when she threw two of the Organization raincoats at us.
"For two new members of the Unknowns," she said. "And besides, it's cold out there."
I threw mine on and the kid followed suit. We walked out of the door and, as I zipped the coat up, I realized what we had become. We were officially Unknowns.
As we walked up the stairs, the kid asked me a question.
"How come we're handling this?" he complained. "We could just send some of the lower guys."
I sighed and shook my head. "Five minutes on the job and you already want to shirk your responsiblities?" We passed the second floor, which was the living quarters for the mercenaries that slept here.
"It's our job isn't it?" the kid laughed, reaching the door to the rooftop first. As soon as he opened it, hard rain hammered upon us and we both put up our hoods.
We walked outside and I wasn't surprised to see the three assassins standing there, waiting.
The one with the white hair, Sonia, drew her sword and held it ready. "Send our Develyn Bishop and you won't be hurt," she said, tensing. The blue-haired assassin, Angel, did the same and so did the ebony-haired assassin.
I threw back my hood to reveal my face, and their eyes narrowed. Sonia turned to the ebony-haired assassin, "Jackie, take down the other one. Angel and I will deal with Develyn."
"They're pretty hot," Andrew whispered to me, drawing his sword. "Why do they wanna kill you so badly?"
"I don't really know," I replied, waiting for them to make their move. "But I'm going to find out."
Suddenly, quicker than quick, all three of the assassins darted towards us with swords raised. The kid jumped forward too, toward the one called Jackie.
I waited until the last second until throwing back the coat and drawing my sword, the Black Requiem, and simultaneously summoning the keyblade to my other hand. I deflected the overhead swing of Sonia with my sword, and Angel's side swing with the keyblade. I jumped back and swung my sword quickly, but Sonia ducked gracefully and thrusted her sword at me, forcing me to jump up. As I jumped, Angel swung her sword savagely, and I blocked it with the keyblade again, the clash causing sparks to fly. As I landed back down on the ground, Sonia slashed quickly and repeatedly with her sword, but of course none of them got through. As Sonia attacked, I blocked each one successfully with the keyblade and drove the hilt of my sword into Angel's head without warning. She crumpled to the ground and I pressed my attack on Sonia relentlessly, finally knocking her sword from her hands. I glanced at the kid to see him holding the other assassin at bay with his sword. He hadn't noticed the keyblade yet and I dismissed it without even thinking.
"Just kill me and get it over with," Sonia spat, turning her head to the side.
I raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Are you in that much of a rush to die?" I asked, sheathing my sword.
She looked at me suspiciously and got up slowly. "What are you planning?"
"Nothing," I replied. "I just want to know who sent you to kill me?"
Sonia searched my face for a moment, before finally saying, "We don't know. It's an anonymous source."
I sighed, exasperated. "Well, is there anyway I could meet him? Get in contact?"
The assassin narrowed her eyes, but then saw Angel on the ground unconscious and Jackie still about to be skewered. Her face softened.
"We're supposed to meet him tonight at the abandoned church on Derry street," she revealed. "We can take you."
I shook my head. "I know where it is. I'll go myself. If this guy wants to kill me, then he's at least going to see me in person first."
"You need us to be there," Sonia said. "We'll be the bait so he doesn't know that you're there. Then you can come out."
"Why so helpful now?" I asked, curious. "You could've just let us go there and rid yourself of any more trouble."
"It's because Sonia wants to kill him," the ebony-haired assassin spoke up, standing. Andrew had sheathed his sword when he saw that there was no danger apparent. "Because-"
"That's enough," Sonia said, interrupting and throwing a harsh glance toward her. She turned back toward me. "Is it a deal? We lead you to the guy, you see him. I kill him."
"Deal," I said, nodding and extending my hand. She looked at it for a moment before turning away and picking up Angel. She didn't look back, only said, "Meet us at the old train station at midnight sharp. Don't be late."
The three assassins walked away, leaving the kid and I on the roof top. He turned to me, confused.
"What the hell is going on?"
"That's what I'd like to know," I replied, putting my hood back on.