Deus Ex Sermo

Chapter 2: The Hunters

-Talking-

-Thoughts-

-Trapped Entity/ System-

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ARRIVED AT DESTINATION

A glance up and down the decrepit building was all Jo needed to confirm his suspicions. A thin streak of blood led up the stairs into the main building. The ornate, stained glass windows were all atleast partially broken. The cross on the room was cleaved in two.

"There's no way that edit is organic."

AFFIRMATIVE

A steady beeping echoed from inside the abandoned church, reaffirming the fact that a bug was inside. "Run Function: Lock - Variable: Emotion"

Instantly all of Jo's feelings shut off. All fear, anxiety, excitement, and every other emotion vanished from his system. No, vanished isn't quite right. A more appropriate analogy would be they were shoved into a safe that only he could open. They weren't lost, just sealed.

The double doors to the church opened with an overly loud, rusted creak.

SAVE STATE

A deep growl echoed from the podium. "Yes, well, I was getting hungry. So nice of my food to come to me."

The owner of the voice seemed feminine, but it could in no way be described as a woman. It was grotesquely fat, with a stomach the size of the rest of its body. Its arms would but most athletes to shame, but connected to the wrists were feet. What must have been a very lovely chest had merged into one giant breast with four nipples oozing blue slime. The 'face' was a blank slate of skin save two nostril slits. It should have been impossible for it to communicate, if it didn't have a comically large mouth resting on its stomach. The nostrils sniffed the air, drawing in several deep breaths.

"It isn't very often that a full human comes to me willingly. You will be… Delicious."

Jo watched as the thing stood on its 'feet'. The formerly hidden leg-like appendages curled forward to reveal sickles.

'So that's what cut the cross.'

"Run Function: Workspace. Mode Change: Edit."

A textile grid the same color as Jo's eyes spread from his feet, capturing himself, the stray, and the entirety of the church. The grid would have blinded most viewers, but only Jo could see it.

SAVE STATE

"I'm going to enjoy eating you!"

The stray charged, sickles raised high, poised to strike at any moment. Down they fell, easily cutting through Jo without the slightest resistance or hesitation. The two halves of his body fell to the floor motionless, save his eyes which sparked green. A slight static echoed through the air.

LOAD STATE

"I'm going to enjoy eating you!"

The stray charged, sickles raised high, poised to strike at any moment. Down they fell, only to hit air and clang against the concrete floor. Jo dodged the strike by dropping to the floor and rolling to the side. The stray, unable to stop the momentum of its swing, fell to the ground, flat on its mouth.

RUN DEBUG

The beast that had been struggling to stand went still as the grid wrapped around it, ceasing much hope of it even breathing. Jo stood over it with a look of disgust. "Even with my emotions sealed, the shadow of my disgust lingers. I will be glad when all of these accursed tools are destroyed."

Slowly, Jo climbed on top of the stray's back. "I am sorry, but this will hurt. Run Function: Extract." In one swift movement his hand sunk into the stray's back and pulled out a glowing red chess piece.

CEASE DEBUG

The first thing the beast did was scream, the same as all the others. Having a foreign object removed from a soul was nothing pleasant. Then the screaming continued, though the pitch warbled as its body collapsed in on itself. The flesh shifted like gum, proportioning itself into the vague shape of a human body. As the mouth moved up the body it expelled copious amounts of waste from its ever shrinking stomach, most likely whatever was left or inedible from its victims. Only when its limbs reshaped into something more human, when the face returned to normal, when the hair regrew to its natural orange, shoulder length, did Jo feel comfortable referring to it as a 'she.'

Even with the changes done, her screaming didn't stop. Maybe it was her memories catching up to her, and her cleaned sense of morality trying to make light of all the horrible things she had committed. Whatever it was, it scared her. Scared her so much that she eventually passed out.

"It is alright now," Jo comforted the unmoving girl, gently stroking her hair, "you are you again."

TWO BUGS DETECTED

LOCATION: OUTSIDE CHURCH ENTRANCE

"Run Function: Translate. Parameters equals variable: "HealingRoom"." Jo and the debugged girl disappeared from the church as two figures walked in. White hair and a ribbon were the distinguishable characteristics Jo could easily remember.

When the nerdy boy reappeared at his location his sacred gear shut off. Quickly, he reached for his glasses. Without them he would be worse off than a bat during the day. His destination was a mostly empty parking lot in the back of a very large, square building. Jo knocked on the blue door in front of him. It took a couple minutes, but it was eventually answered. The answerer was a rather largely built, male nurse.

"I was wondering when you would show up again. Just opened up a new bed in 'The White Room.'" That's right, the "HealingRoom" was the local hospital. The white room was a small room put aside by the hospital to care for those that Jo brought in. He would bring in patients often enough that it was necessary. The white room consisted of three beds, some books, and a television. It was meant to feel comfortable while the patients recovered, but not so much so that they became attached.

"So where did you find this one, Joshiro-kun?"

"The abandoned church, attacking everything that came near her." Well, it wasn't a lie.

"Why is it that you find so many strays at the abandoned church?" Jo had to hold back a sigh at the nurse's phrasing.

"I couldn't tell you." In truth this was the fourth stray in the last year he had found in the church, and while the Fallen campaign that had occupied it for some time that didn't stop the fact that stray devils more often than not drawn to the building.

The nurse ruffled the teen's hair before taking the orange-haired young woman that Jo had dragged behind him. There were some scrape marks on her legs from where they weren't lifted off the ground, but they weren't too pronounced.

"Anyway, thanks again, Joshiro-kun. Every life saved counts."

"I can't argue against that. Have a nice night, Hotaru-san."

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-Kouh Academy – The Next Day – ORC Club Room

Rias paced behind her desk as she took in the information she received from her [Queen]. The "Unknown", the title she and Kaicho had decided upon for their new problem, was found at the den of a stray that the Gremory clan was contracted to take out. Not only was The Unknown dangerous, but now he was insulting her by interfering with her business. This would not stand.

"Akeno, did you manage to find any more info on The Unknown from your encounter last night?"

"Ufufu, no Buchou, sorry. Though he did take the stray with him when he left." Rias cocked an eyebrow.

"Took it how?"

"Changed her back to human. Her orange hair was quite striking." The dark haired Onee-sama gained a slight gloss in her eyes as her thoughts drifted. The president snapped several times, bringing Akeno back from her fantasies.

"Listen Akeno, I want you to find this kid and follow him. If you can, bring him to me. We need to know why he is here."

"Ufufu, of course, Buchou. Though I can't guarantee he will be unharmed."

"I have no objection to that." Akeno sensually licked her lips, thinking of all the fun she could have with her new playmate.

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-Kuoh- An Hour Later - Market-

"Let's see, Eel, Pork, Shrimp, what else?" Asia was walking through the local market in Kuoh. It was only an hour or so until the market closed and she was running a few errands. After being reincarnated as a Devil, Asia began living at the Hyoudou household with Issei's family. Of course she would feel grateful and run some errands for them. True this was the first errand she ran for them as she only began living there a couple days ago, but she had no qualms with doing so. She chose the market because, according to Buchou, 'The store is full of beings from all factions. It would be much too dangerous.'

Looking through the stalls, it wasn't difficult for the blonde nun to find what she needed. "Ah, eggs." The vendor greeted her warmly. His eggs looked good quality. She was quick to buy up a dozen and be on her way. "All that's left should be the cabbage."

Too occupied with her task and her thoughts, the little nun tripped over her own feet. The seafood and pork stayed in her basket, but the carton of eggs flew into the air. It only took a second for a brown blur to catch the carton and steady her.

"Hey, you okay?" asked the boy holding out her carton of eggs.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you." Her eyes did a quick scan of the bespectacled boy. "You look familiar. Do I know you?"

"I'm sorry. I'm Masa Joshiro. We are in the same English course."

"Oh, okay. It was nice seeing you, Joshiro-kun. I still have some errands to finish. I'll see you in class."

The boy smiled and waved her away. As they walked away Asia never heard him say, "Target Aquired."

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Jo has his sights set on one of the peerage, Akeno is hunting him down, and we now know what Jo does with the people he saves. Next chapter: The Fallen. Favorite, follow, review, and I will see you all next chapter.