Greetings people! School's started back up and things are getting a little awkward, hence why 'm not pushing every story I did in the summer holidays. things get really awkward when you try and shove physics in your schedule after all. Regardless, here we are and about time too; we're dealing with something special, for certain! Anyway, let's go!
Super hero time!
Shuujin: Issei, make sure the world is safe from brainwashing!
Issei: and Shuujin, looks like you've got a stray priest to deal with! Have you trained your peerage well?
Shuujin: with me as their king, I'll lead them to a definite victory!
Issei: But a phantom theif has never dealt with a group of this size...
S + I: Break the chains! Phone up the future!
"You say she heard some strange things?" Yasaka questioned, a hand gently running through her daughter's hair as Issei gave a nod. His first reaction was to return the girl to her mother; while he had no doubt that Rider possessed some form of medical prowess, he wanted to make sure that the kitsune leader at least knew of the occurrences. "Well, while I've heard of few creatures who could do such things, I'm more aligned to believing that some sort of magician is responsible for this."
"A magician? They actually can do magic?" Issei questioned, his mind naturally flashing back to the cards and doves that had amazed his young mind, suddenly replaced with vicious shadows ready to brainwash the masses for their own entertainment. "Well, I probably shouldn't be surprised by that… but we know how they're doing it, but we need to flush them out somehow…"
That had them in silence. A period of thought had Rider suddenly perk up however, a fiendish grin that most certainly didn't belong on the girl's face popping up.
"How about we make a huge ruckus!? If they're so intent on bringing about peace with their brainwashing thing, then a whole bunch of crime and fighting should be more than enough to draw out their attention!" the pink haired girl suggested with far too much passion, Issei taking a step away from the ominous aura that had sprung up around the technophile.
"Wait, you just want us to go on a crime spree?" he asked incredulously, Rider nodding almost immediately. "Can we even do that!? I thought we were meant to be discrete; straight up going around and committing a whole bunch of crimes in a city where all of that stuff has been removed has got to be more than a little suspicious!" But the fiendish smile upon both her and Onihime's faces were definitely unmoveable as he turned to Yasaka in questioning.
"Just remember, you shouldn't be able to link anything you do openly to the Kyoto Youkai faction and mass murder and innocent injuries will be heavily punished." The woman stated, Rider letting a sharp gasp escape her at the same time as Issei's head dropped, a small sweatdrop falling down his face at the sudden twinkle that took the older girl's eyes.
"She, is a kitsune. Kitsune, are known for their trickery and mischief." Ophis spoke up beside him, his only answer being a small choking sound. Suddenly, going to the Starway Rider seemed like a death walk on his way to being some sort of fugitive planning their next raid; wasn't this job meant to be about protecting Yasaka from those who would cause her trouble?
"Maybe I should've just continued on doing my school stuff. Maybe I could've opened up a sweet shop or something, called it Public Displays of Confection…"
Watching as they left their room, two of three girls planning a spree that would no doubt shake the world no small bit as Issei followed behind, Ophis gently rubbing his arm absently, Yasaka turned a cautious eye to the world outside, Kyoto sitting as peacefully as it could be. There was a world out there of Youkai she had to protect, that much was true, but there had also been things that had been bugging her personally. With no way to actively pursue them however with her precious place, she had been lost for action until news of a boy meeting her daughter had arrived.
It had been such a surprise when she had heard what he had been able. To harness the power of the Ouroboros Dragon as if it was his own was an act that certainly couldn't be ignored by any who had heard of it. There was no way you could mistake that power, even if it had taken the form of a young girl after its time as an elderly man and for someone to simply act as if it was his own… she had been fortunate that she learned of it so quickly; he could just as easily be with the devils right now.
The devils… there had been news of a small group of them, the same group that had asked for Issei's training, had managed to get themselves involved with a few exorcists, with what she couldn't say. Yasaka had been more than a little proud when it had been revealed that through his work, they had been able to defeat one of the devils' prized Phenexes, but when it came to exorcists, who would be able to tell what would happen? For the different factions to be mixing without her knowing too much, it was slightly unnerving… yet there was little she could do but hope her spies would be able to keep her informed, just as they had been doing about a certain group…
"At least I can be happy in the thought that my daughter isn't being exposed to whatever those girls and Issei are doing." The Kyuubi sighed, closing her eyes. She was having precious time with her daughter; the paperwork upon her desk could wait at least a tiny time.
Well screw being discrete. When you had a girl who somehow managed to acquire several none too discrete weapons, another who was more than willing to use them to their fullest extent and another who most likely would be willing to destroy anything while casually having an ice cream, there was little chance of normalcy – well, the fact that they were literally planning to go on a crime spree should've really been the first signs of trouble.
"So, we're going to go and destroy a couple of buildings, after we make sure everyone's out." Rider declared, a pointed glare refusing to do anything to the still smiling Onihime.
"I simply believe that if we can find a place where the greatest criminals prior to this peace reside, we'll be making things safer for when it is lifted." The black dressed girl explained, Issei making it a point to avoid the sinister glint in the crimson orbs attached to him.
"Sure… anyway, while we're doing that, I want you to try and see if you can go and steal something." Rider continued, a bright smile on her face even as Issei spluttered. "It won't be that hard trust me. Once the explosions start happening, people will be running away, so you'll be able to take whatever you want. It's not like the people will fight back anyway because of this brainwashing."
"But isn't that abusing the fact that they're brainwashed?" Issei countered, looking to his hands guiltily as he shuffled back and forth within the Starway Rider. "What if they don't run away? What if you accidently miss someone and you end up violently blowing them up? I know I'm not the one involved in that, but it still frightens me a little… plus, They won't fight back as I take all of their stuff if a threaten them even a little. Doesn't that thought make you feel a little bit bad when I can easily take an entire jewellery store's stock with little effort?"
"…Do you really think we haven't thought of that, silly?" the finger under his chin lifted his eyes to meet red, the sinister gleam from before lost to solemn kindness. "Do you think that in our childish energy, we wouldn't think of the potential risks that would come with such a blazon act? There will always be the chance that we have missed a quiet cry, mistaken silence for lack of life. That's why we're doing everything we have to ensure that this is safe. Besides, you can just return all of the stuff you've taken; you'll be in disguise, so you can return it normally and be praised a hero."
The thought did its job; the hesitation that plagued his mind slowly began to disappear, a reluctant acceptance taking his place. The moment he began to actively enjoy doing such a thing as literally taking all the gold from someone who was unwilling to fight back was the moment he lost the last speck of respect for himself, but in this case, perhaps he could have a small amount of self-forgiveness. The rest of the planning stage held a new tension to it, Issei silently holding out a hand that held a young girl's, at least until it suddenly held a teen blonde's that shared no similarities to the Ophis he knew.
"You know, when I saw you transform into an older version of yourself, I could believe that. You at least looked as if you just aged yourself, but when you look completely different like this, my mind struggles to comprehend it." Issei remarked as he watched Onihime and Rider depart from the Starway Rider, a note quickly slipped into his free hand as he looked into the mirror. "Then again, I don't look much like myself like this either. I don't think green eyes really suit me, do they?"
"I, will like father no matter how he looks." Ophis declared, looking upon the black haired boy beside him. They had chosen to keep the age intact, mainly because they thought a pair of teens trying to be rebellious would be somewhat understandable, but made sure to nearly wipe all remnants of his original appearance. Ophis didn't speak of how she naturally could see through the disguise, a veil of yellow wrapped around her father's body thanks to Rider's disguise technology flickering into sight before it suddenly became the disguise it was meant to be. Either way, it would only be her who could see through it.
She was special like that.
Morning Star jewellery. Upon first inspection, the brightly lit single room was no different from your average shop selling similar wares, guards watching over the contents to prevent any sort of unsavoury hands from approaching (though why they needed them in the circumstances they found themselves in was still a big question to Issei – most likely to preserve their jobs) and their targets within several different boxes around the show floor.
"Well, are you ready for this?" Issei whispered, the fake gun in hand feeling all too real in that moment. Whether it was the perfect replication by Rider or the fact that it wasn't a toy gun, but a true pistol with every inner working removed, there was no removing the feeling of deadly weight in his hands.
"I, am father." Ophis replied, the strange thought of a blonde his own age calling him dad not really leaving. Regardless, the boy stepped into the light, a single smooth gesture having the gun placed upon the forehead of the woman standing behind the desk, though her false face didn't abate in the slightest.
"It's lovely to see you today. My name is Louisa and I'll be the one serving you. Does any of our display catch your interest?" the woman pleasantly asked, the guards too unmoving despite the 'threat' that had entered their building. Perhaps it was overkill at that point, but three more Ophis' joined the room, one holding a similar weapon to each of the guards before another breath could even be taken.
"We'll be taking it all actually." Issei stated, hoping desperately that the voice he mustered up would be good enough to activate the strange magic at work. "And if I don't see it all before me right now, all of you will be lying dead on the ground."
"Understood. Ne, will you please gather up all that we have for this gentlemen here?" the lady instructed, the guard silent as they went about their given task. If they were even aware of the armed figures following behind, all identical save for differing hair colours, they didn't show it as priceless jewels and the cheapest stock were all thrown together, several bags placed in front of Issei.
"Well that will be very expensive sir. Will you be paying in credit then?" the woman asked, Issei letting a gulp escape him.
"We'll be taking this for free, don't you think?" he whispered, leaning as close as possible while keeping the weapon trained upon her forehead. "After all, you've made us go through all of this trouble. The least you could do is let us go away with these things for free – otherwise you're going to be able to see everyone's brains… including your own in a second."
"Absolutely then sir. Please, have a nice day and come back when we have some stock again!" the woman replied, giving a wave as the brunette ran as fast as possible. Following behind at a more ornate pace, Ophis couldn't help the urge that overcame her, looking back to where a man now stood in the exact same space as the woman, a light grey suit leading to incredibly pale skin. He held no malice in his eyes, but the aura meant to make people, at least for lesser beings, still emanated freely from his body. Without hesitation, the girl set off after her father with as much haste as possible. He would need to know about his and quickly.
It was far too easy. They just let him have it. He said he was going to kill them, murder every last one of them if he didn't have everything they had in front of him and they just, just accepted it. Was that how it was meant to be, how it was meant to be in an ideal world whoever did this thought up? Make everyone happy by simply making them too docile to care? They had been lucky the entirety of Mozaik hadn't been completely raided yet!
If he strained his ears, Issei could still hear the explosions from Rider and Onihime ringing out around the city, wherever they could. For all he knew, the people could be watching, refusing to call any sort of police or army to protect them; all they would have to do is make them say that as long as they stayed out of their way, they wouldn't be hurt and the people would follow like the good sheep they had been made into.
"Father, this place… the people are not good." Ophis stated, leaning from the higher level to where Issei stood at the console.
"I know… they're acting as if just letting everyone mess about with them is a good answer to everything." Issei tutted, absently flicking a switch back and forth. "Just imagine if some random guy got lucky and managed to avoid all of the brainwashing. He could do whatever the hell he wanted. He could literally kill the entirety of his place and the people wouldn't care because they thought avoiding it would be best."
"No, at the jewel place… there, was a strange person. A, man who did not seem like the others." The black haired girl corrected, a slight shiver flowing down her back. "It, was not natural. He, may be supernatural."
"Wait, so there is someone who isn't normal here? I thought that Rider's scanner said that there was no one like that here… we thought that it was just a broadcaster control…" Issei replied, his thoughts fading as he pondered the idea. "Wait a second, the scanner didn't catch this person either. For all we know, there have been people all around us who could be the one controlling the others. We were looking for someone who was obviously different from the others, but what if they were just watching as we fumbled about?"
"You, believe it is the man?" Ophis questioned, sitting herself down and poking her head through the bars. By now, Issei was pacing about the room, the sole sound of his feet tapping against the metal mixing in with the odd beeps and whistles that came in being inside of the incredibly advanced vehicle they were.
"To be honest, the idea of him does make me feel a little uneasy, but I actually don't think it's him." The brunette answered slowly, his hands wringing together as he thought. "I don't think I can actually tell you why I don't think that, but it just doesn't feel right. I feel as if we've all met the person responsible for this. Like we're all being played with like some sort of, life sized robot toy and I mean that most literally. The things we've done feel… stilted. As if they were literally being pulled out of a hat as we speak, do you not notice that?"
"I, do not." It had seemed fairly normal to her, at least based on what she had been expecting. They would investigate what was going on, try to find the answers and end up finding them and going from there. Was there really much more to think about?
"Well, it seems like we've come to answers and conclusions much faster than we should've. Do you really think it was Rider's and Onihime's normal choice to go out and randomly blow stuff up? I'd like to think that it wasn't, that they wouldn't be so reckless when it came to drawing out a single person, or possibly multiple." Issei stated. "But do you really think they would have such a weak defence, especially when it's been proven that there are people here who can clearly overcome their brainwashing if the power you sensed was right? Do you really think they would let the source of such things be discovered by simply sitting outside at the park while the children play?"
If Ophis had been annoyed at being called a child, she wouldn't show it, too involved with her father's thoughts to care.
"The person or people behind this is leading us on somehow, manipulating us in ways that are different from the others and yet not different at all. We're being played with like everybody else and like good sheep, we're just letting the shepherd lead us as if we're moving of our own accord, isn't that right?"
"…I'm surprised you noticed me before your friend here."
Let's hold it there for now! So yeah, it's time for a contained battle! How will this end out? Well, I can tell you this, it will certainly reveal a major plot point! What sort of plot point? the only thing I can tell you... is that everything boils down to being just a call away.
roll credits!