Deus Ex Sermo
Chapter 3: The Fallen
-Talking-
-Thoughts-
-Trapped Entity/ System-
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-The Next Evening- Masa Residence-
LOAD STATE
Jo did not look amused as his kitchen reoriented itself. "This is why I eat out so often."
SUGGESTION: COOK BOOK
"Not funny, Meta-kun." The brunette fixed his glasses, just like every other time he had reset. Jo really had no talent for cooking. His reasons for cooking were practice and boredom. The small explosions were always entertaining. It was also a good time waster in between-
BUGS DETECTED
-Those.
"How many Meta-kun?"
VARIABLES: ARGENTO ASIA AND UNKNOWN
Ah, the elusive Argento. His next target was such an impossibility. The little nun, the epitome of innocence and good will, apparently held an Evil Piece. This puzzled him as he had no clue if she chose this life or if it was forced upon her. She didn't seem like the type to willingly accept it though.
"Any ideas on the unknown?"
VARIABLE RECOGNIZED, VARIABLE UNDEFINED
"So it has shown itself to us before, yet we know too little about it to place it… Probably one of the beings from the church the other night."
PROBABILITY: 79%
"Devils don't generally get along with other devils, so they must be in a FAMILY. This means either the unknown is the PARENT, or just another CHILD to an unknown PARENT. Meta, locations."
LOCATIONS: CROSSROADS
"So they are at the park… Why is it always the park? Don't answer that, Meta." A small burst of static let Jo know Meta understood.
UPDATE: UNDEFINED VARIABLE DIVERGING
"Where are they headed?"
LOCATION = MASA JOSHIRO
SAVE STATE
A bolt of lightning shot from the sky, crashing through a window and nailing Jo in the back. His breath left him in an instant as his internal organs were fried. The smell of charred skill filled the air. A rather large hole was left in its wake.
"Ufufufu, I didn't expect him to be that weak. Buchou won't be happy about this."
LOAD STATE
A bolt of lightning shot through a window which Jo barely dodged. The blast caught his left arm, leaving a long sear mark and melting part of his shirt. A good chunk of the wall, and most of the kitchen, was gone.
"Ufufufu, this will be fun. I didn't think you noticed me. You're tougher than you look."
Looking through the hole in the wall, Jo saw a voluptuous beauty. Her dark hair was tied in a ponytail, she held a sadistic yet sultry expression, she was garbed in a red and white hakama, and she had two devil wings protruding from her back. He would have to be stupid to not recognize one of the great Onee-sama of Kuoh Academy, Himejima Akeno. Jo calmly took off his classes and clipped them to his pocket.
"I have to say, I did not see this coming, senpai. While I am flattered that you would visit me personally, I don't appreciate you destroying my home." Akeno gave her little laugh.
"You'll have to forgive me if I don't remember all of my kohai. Care to introduce yourself?"
"Weren't you going to kill me? What would be the point?"
"I wasn't planning on killing you. You are trouble, but you still are an academy student. Can't have any questions raised about why someone disappeared." Jo had to give her credit, this was at least decently thought through. 'The way she talked made it unclear if she was the PARENT or just a CHILD. Though did she also mean that she had a way to mess with memories? Has she messed with mine?'
Jo quickly turned that thought away. "I'll tell you once I've debugged you. Deus Ex Sermo." His previously blurry vision cleared and the familiar rings emerged. Recognition emerged in Akeno's eyes.
"So you're the one from the other night. And here I was just thinking you were a powerful unknown. Buchou will be pleased when I take you back to her."
'So she can sense the power of those around her. Interesting.' Then another thought crossed his mind.
"Huh, so she is a CHILD." He jumped as another bolt of lightning struck at his feet.
"What did you call me?" That sadistic expression was even more pronounced than before.
"-sigh- I really wish more people understood coding. Run Function: Workspace. Mode Change: Edit."
Once again the familiar green grid formed. It stretched from his feet until it covered a forty meter radius.
"Pretty light show. What is it supposed to do?"
Meta locked Jo's emotions before he could retort.
TASK: BUG REMOVAL – START
"Translate." The [Queen] fired off another bolt of lightning as Jo vanished from his spot, reappearing squat in a square on the grid three spaces to the left. He touched both palms to the ground.
"Extrude." Akeno's next bolt grazed Jo, but a one meter by one meter square of earth shot up from beneath her, smacking her away. Jo's eye twitched as he vaguely registered the pain in his side. It wasn't nearly as bad as being vaporized and blown up, but it still stung.
Akeno landed on a piece of intact roofing. Normally it would be expected to hear groans of pain from someone who just got a Gaean uppercut, but not her. She was moaning in pleasure as her masochistic tendencies took over.
"Ufufufu, this one may just be worth it."
"Translate."
"What?"
The cube of roof supporting her top half disappeared. Caught off guard, the devil fell from her resting spot right onto her skull.
SAVE STATE
Jo stood from his spot, grid tiles lighting up to show him the way to his target. Getting there was easier said than done given his burning side, melted shirt, and the general disarray of his home, but he managed. The room Akeno landed in was the garage, meaning the only comfort for her cranium was cold, hard concrete. Enough to knock her unconscious for at least ten minutes. Plenty enough time for Jo to fix her error. Thunder echoed in the distance.
Taking the single step to the houses foundation took much more effort than Jo would have preferred. His balance nearly went out from under him as he stumbled into the frigid room. If his emotions weren't locked then he may have taken a moment to appreciate the form of the unconscious Onee-sama. Again thunder echoed, closer this time.
RUN DEBUG
The familiar green netting took hold. Akeno may have enjoyed this bit if she weren't out cold. Jo raised his arm. "Run Func-"
TRANSLATE
Jo felt his body lurch backwards at Meta's command. A bolt of lightning many times stronger than Akeno's tore through the roof in an arc that would have decapitated Jo. Another flash of light and a huge figure with ten black wings appeared in the room.
Jo grit his teeth, his emotion lock starting to fail. "Cadre." His eyes sparked dangerously.
The huge figure reached down and tore Akeno from the net with relative ease, constantly glaring down at Jo. He was gone with a single wing beat.
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When Akeno awoke she was in bed with her [King] and had a mild concussion. Said [King] was holding on to her [Queen] like she could break at any moment. She must have cried herself to sleep if the stains on Akeno's uniform was any indication. Kiba slept in a chair near on the far wall, fully clothed and a demonic sword in hand. Koneko sat at the padded window sill, her golden eyes vigilantly watching for any possible intruders. Her gaze briefly shifted over to Akeno, bringing a small smile to the [Rook] before she went back to watching the window. Akeno couldn't help but return the expression.
Not wanting to disturb any of the peerage, Akeno simply closed her eyes again and enjoyed the embrace of her [King].
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LOAD STATE
Jo felt his hands mend for the umpteenth time. He spent the past ten half hours punching his newly fixed wall.
HAVE PARAMETERS FOR VARIABLE MOOD INCREASED?
"I don't want to hear it, Meta. That Cadre had no business interfering."
FALSE. PLAY MEMORIES.
Two windows with green borders opened in front of Jo, a short 'bwip!' sound effect following. Both showed scenes of lightning being fired from his error ridden senpai and the cadre. Rapid blinking ensued.
"Buh, buh, buh, are you implying that she was his?"
AFFIRMATIVE
"But, she's a, he's a, they can't-" The sound of a dial-up connection filled the house as he tried to piece together everything. A loud 'PING!' sounded upon his realization. "She's bugged. That's why it makes sense. Then she is at least half fallen. That would also explain why she could see the grid."
That was something Jo had concluded early on, as only angels and fallen angels could see the green effects of his sacred gear.
"Then that means there is a PARENT somewhere in Kuoh with a half devil descendant of a cadre as their CHILD. This could be troublesome."
-RINGRINGRING-
"Now what!?"
Jo unlocked his phone and slammed it against his ear.
"Now is not a good time!"
"Wow, I 'aven't 'eard you like zis in quite a while. What 'appened?" Jo knew that French accent.
"What is it, Phil?" he asked while fixing his glasses.
"I 'ave a problem, my friend. One zat requires your expertise."
"I'm kind of in the middle of something here."
"Please! Zere is no way I could get past zis zing wizout your aziztance."
"Are you going to keep calling me back until I get over there?"
"Oui."
"How long will this take?"
"Not long. Couple days at most, I promise."
"Fine, just let me find someone to watch the town while I'm away."
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Akeno and Jo had a little tiff, some new characters are getting introduced, a special guest showed up to save Akeno, and we got a little fluff with the Gremory peerage. This seems like a good place to stop. So, I want to know, should next chapter be following Jo to help Phil or should we stay in town and follow who Jo brings in to keep watch? Either way, review, favorite, follow, and I will see you all next chapter.