02/22/20

Writing this has been very interesting to say the least.

I've made some good progress on XCM, however the current chapter i'm writing over there...there are a lot of events that happen and i'm not sure which ones to handle first or how. I've got an idea right now but we'll see if it works out. Until then, we will be finishing this one out very soon.

File 03: General Hideo Kumon

In his room, Kumon sat, his eyes focused on an old photograph in his hands. At the forefront of the image was a very young Jaynix and Flame. The older girl had her arm around the younger one, wide smiles on both their faces.

Behind them stood Sonja and Maxwell, easy smiles, proud parents. Kumon's breath caught in his throat as it always did when he thought of his old friends.

Behind them, he stood, his arms around both of their shoulders

Despite his current mess of emotions he couldn't help but smile when he recalled the effort he had to put in to get this photo taken.

Rounding up the young Jaynix and Flame was a challenge, he couldn't keep up with their boundless energy no matter what he did. He ended up having to bribe them with the promise of ice cream.

As he thought of the joy in the girls' faces, he remembered the talk he had with Flame after he finally admitted to himself that he saw her and Jaynix as his daughters.

Closing his eyes, he whispered a silent thank you to Michael Christoph for telling him something he's known for a decade yet refused to acknowledge.

Hearing the door handle turn, Kumon slid the photograph back into his vest and took a deep breath. The door opened and in stepped Ivan Birtwhistle.

"General."

"Detective."

Ivan sat himself down his eyes focused on Kumon, a strange emotion on display.

Before Kumon could question it, Ivan retrieved a handkerchief from his coat and held it out to the General. It took mere moments for him to realize what it was for. Whispering a silent thank you, Kumon took the item and wiped his eyes.

The men remained silent as the transcriber entered and prepared to do their job.

Ivan held his hand up when Kumon attempted to return his handkerchief. With a nod, Kumon pocketed it and took a deep breath once more.

Focusing his attention on the other man, he spoke.

"I remember you, Birtwhistle. Didn't you once have a partner? What was his name?"

"Solomon. Mathias Solomon."

Kumon smiled.

"Solomon. Yes."

Birtwhistle laid his binders and forms out before him.

"He left the position with us for a higher position overseeing the Coalition's branch at the Cross. He's become quite involved with team and personnel management regarding the L-015. A step up from paperwork eh?"

Kumon nodded.

"Indeed...well then. What have you got?"

Clearing his throat, Birtwhistle began.

"Name and position for the record."

"Hideo Kumon. Coalition General and leader of the 3rd Soldier Unit also known as the Reapers."

Birtwhistle leaned back in his seat, third time through the questions. This time though, he knew there was something he needed waiting for him at the end of it.

"When did you first meet Lao Huang?"

"August 2022. I was putting together a series of joint training exercises in cooperation with the Aeacus, Rhadamanthus and Mīnōs Academies. I pulled officers from each one for the exercises and Lao Huang was among those from Aeacus. I knew much about him of course, he had a good reputation and I saw this as an opportunity to help him grow and become even better. Seeing how he handled himself let me know much about him as a soldier and as a man...at least that's what I thought..."

Birtwhistle nodded.

"He stood out at those exercises I imagine."

"He did...think of them as the Olympics. Sort of. Not nearly as grand but that was the idea. I had a point system in place to inspire and drive their competitive nature. Because of Lao's efforts, Aeacus came out on top."

"Rhadamanthus is often seen as the best."

Kumon chuckled.

"It is indeed, overall it is the superior institution. But for that week in 2022, it was Aeacus."

Birtwhistle wrote a few sentences in his binder.

"Between meeting him in 2022 and the massacre in 2041 was there anything about him that stood out to you? Any sort of change?"

Kumon could only sigh.

"None...after he graduated he dedicated himself to his work. Once he married he split his time between his wife and his work. Having a kid changed him but...for the better. Among all that joy, I didn't see anything different."

"Did you know that his wife and child had passed?"

Kumon leaned back in his seat.

"I learned of that quite a while after it happened. Lao kept it to himself, I imagine that's how he dealt with his pain. Or rather, how he failed to deal with it. I learned what happened from Nagi…a terrible loss."

Birtwhistle continued to write.

"When did you meet Jaynix Copeland?"

At the long silence that followed, Birtwhistle looked to Kumon.

"General. I asked you a question."

"I heard you…"

"Then?"

Kumon chuckled.

"I'm merely calming myself, Birtwhistle. Perhaps you don't understand the bond I share with both Copeland sisters but you won't be able to use me to entrap Jaynix. I forbid it."

"Then maybe you should have used that bond to stop her from killing the only man who would have made all of this go away."

Kumon narrowed his eyes, Ivan raising his hands.

"That was out of turn."

"Damn right it was."

Ivan brought one of his hands to his face, rubbing his nose he shook his head.

"This woman. Jaynix. The loyalty. The depths of the bonds she has with you, Nagi, Elma…"

"What of it?"

Birtwhistle glanced over at the transcriber before looking to Kumon.

"Nothing. It's irrelevant. I understand that Jaynix is important to you but I must remind you that you have to answer my questions. There must be no room for doubt."

Kumon took a deep breath. Birtwhistle asked the question once more and this time, Kumon answered.

"The day she was born. As I'm sure most people know, I was close friends with their parents Sonja and Maxwell Copeland. When Sonja told me she was pregnant it was a moment I'll never forget. Shortly after she was born they called for me to meet her...and so I did...it was a good day…"

Birtwhistle remained silent as Kumon got lost in his memories. The way he, Nagi and Elma described meeting Jaynix the first time only served to remind him that it was very likely they weren't being straight with him. At least not entirely. They were too close to the Corporal.

"What was she like as she grew up? What was she like when she first chose to serve?"

Kumon sighed.

"She was always fierce, even as a little girl. Her sister being born caused something else to grow within her. A desire to protect. When Jaynix became old enough to understand what it was, that's when she started protecting Flame...eventually that desire grew to her wanting to protect everyone. So she started working towards it when she was about 15 or 16 and at 18 was accepted into Rhadamanthus. Jaynix is strong, loyal, brave, stubborn...and kind."

Birtwhistle nodded.

"How did this capable young woman become the terror of the Lawless Sectors?"

Kumon remained silent as Birtwhistle continued.

"When did she join the Reapers?"

"2044. She, Major Tai Alistair, Strategist Eren Hills and Agent Lyla Copeland were all brought together by me that year."

"Indeed...and it was shortly after that when the whispers began. Terrorist cells in the Lawless Sectors were scared of this soldier, this woman that they began to call...the Bloodstained Corporal. Which if I recall was her mother's designation."

Kumon fell silent once again.

"However. There was one key difference between Sonja and Jaynix's Bloodstained aliases. Sonja only ever flew into a rage once…"

"It's a battle and a memory she hated."

"Yes...from then on, she controlled that rage. Used it to become one of the Coalition's most regarded soldiers. Jaynix however, cannot stop herself from allowing her emotions to drive her...operational reports from battles out in the Sectors illustrate this. After she completes her assignment, she leaves horror in her wake. So I ask again, how did a woman dedicated to protection become...this?"

Kumon shook his head.

"You know the answer. The Massacre. She lost her father, her mother and...herself. She couldn't recall what happened in the battlefield after her mother was killed, but she had nightmares of the event."

"You know this because you took her and Flame in, correct?"

Kumon nodded.

"I had to. For Sonja and Maxwell, I needed to protect them. Guide them. So for a decade I raised them…"

"All of that is to say, General...you knew, more than anyone what Jaynix was capable of. Did you think that allowing her to take her rage out on the terrorists would...cure her?"

Kumon shook his head.

"I wish...what afflicted Jaynix...that mental damage. It took her years to admit that she'd never be able to recover from it. She could handle it, manage it and accept it but she'd never be the same as she was before 2041. We all knew that...I enlisted her aid into the 3rd Soldier Unit because she needed an outlet. While we're at it we can lay off the formalities and be honest with one another, Birtwhistle."

The investigator tilted his head as Kumon continued.

"Jaynix's brutish methods of dispatching our enemies were never a problem, no one ever paid attention to it. The violence was expected. Nothing that she did out there ever mattered...until now. Now that you need someone to blame."

Birtwhistle sighed.

"General. Listen. You are the one among all who I'm interviewing today who knows the full extent of Jaynix's mental instability. You know above anyone else what she's capable of and yet, you. The one person Jaynix would have absolutely listened to if you told her that she couldn't go on the mission to battle the Lawless...you let her go."

"I-"

"Jaynix was benched as soon as you realized it was the 2nd Soldier Unit. You made that call before she and Lao even crossed paths yet you went back on it."

Kumon tilted his head.

"How did you know that?"

The two men stared at each other, Kumon searching his thoughts before the answer slammed into him.

"Steven Harper."

Kumon stood up.

"You went to Steven Harper and you-"

"Of course I did, General. I think he's the only person willing to tell me the truth."

"You mean he's the only person who can back up this...this witch hunt! This whole investigation, the goal of it was decided the moment the order came down. You don't care what I say. What Nagi said, what Elma said...what Lyla and Flame will say. You already know what you're going to do to Jaynix."

Birtwhistle stood up.

"The more important question, General. Is what we're going to do to you."

Before Kumon could ask, Ivan cut in.

"The day of the massacre...were you not the first person to find Jaynix in the aftermath."

"I was."

"She was alone. Covered in blood and entrails from innocents and enemies alike."

Kumon crossed his arms.

"What do you expect? You saw all the photos taken, the aftermath. Did you expect her not to have any blood on her at all?"

"That's not the part that concerns me General. We all know that Sonja was at the site too and that she was fighting and killing. Yet from what little information we could gather from those who were at the scene cataloguing everything...Sonja's blade, her unique, blood colored blade...was clean. As if she killed...no one."

Ivan sat back down.

"How odd."

Kumon remained silent as Ivan whispered.

"The crimes you committed. The laws you broke. Everything you did that day, General...you and Jaynix will be going down for it."

There was a long silence before Birtwhistle gathered all his supplies, opening the door to let the transcriber out. He stood there, holding onto the handle before turning to Kumon.

"You don't have to be held accountable for this General. All they want is Jaynix."

"You want me to sell her out for my safety? Jaynix? My…my purpose in life is to protect her and Flame."

"I understand that, General. But no one is interested in arraigning you or holding you for any form of treason. You can't offer yourself up if no one wants you. It's either both of you or just Jaynix. Make the smart choice."

Kumon approached the man.

"Then if you knew this...if you had this trump card lying in wait...why bother with all of these interviews?"

Ivan searched Kumon's eyes before turning away.

"I await your answer, General."

With that he left the room and headed for the next.

Kumon stepped out of the room, slowly closing the door behind him and turning to see Nagi and Elma, both of them were standing and looking at him, he could see the concern in their eyes.

Kumon merely shook his head, at a loss for words he leaned against the door and slid down to the ground. Nagi called out his name as Elma moved to his side quickly and began speaking to him.

He couldn't hear her.

His thoughts were filled with Jaynix.

All her smiles over the decade he's watched over her.

Then Steven invaded his thoughts.

And at that moment he felt it.

He felt Jaynix's rage.

This emotion within him, he knew, was what drove Jaynix. What kept her moving after 2041, what brought her to 2053 and allowed her to kill the man who stole so much from her.

Clenching his fists, Kumon desired nothing more than to find Steven.

And once he does...