For the Humanity Within
Disclaimer: Megaman is owned by Capcom but the names used here are meant for fictional purposes. If real names appear here, this is out of coincidence.
III. Illuminati
"So Kamui, I haven't seen you around in the campus before." Akira started as he glanced at Kamui with a critical gaze. "Looks like you're a new face here in school."
Kamui scratched his head and replied to the statement. "You see, I just got here yesterday."
"The same day when I came in to Heaven Dragon High School," Kojiro commented, pondering on the strange event before. He can't be the same guy that I ran into last time. That can't be him.
Kamui nodded at Kojiro's words. "It must be coincidence. But you see I was in a different class."
"And that class is?" Akira asked.
"Uh, Class A. What about you guys?"
"Class B."
There was silence among them as the waitress arrived with a tray and three glasses were served. As she served them upon the table, Kojiro leaned back on his seat and glanced at the window, overlooking the view of the city. Kamui took the iced cappuccino and placed it before Kojiro as he took his frosted cup of chocolate. Akira began sipping on his cup of iced mocha as he conversed with Kamui.
"Anyways, you also came to this city as well. Why is that?" Akira asked
"Well to put it simply, my brother told me to go here with my father's approval. He also said to bring my sister along. And that's why I came here." Kamui casually replied, casting his eyes at Kojiro who still remained quiet.
"Hey, come to think of it, I haven't asked Kojiro that question yet."
Kojiro was silent as his mind drifted. The lights of the streets and buildings at a distance flickered with a lightshow of fascination. He was looking at the horizon when his silence snapped away from him.
"Hey, Kojiro, are you still there? Hey…Kojiro..."
"Kojiro,"
Kojiro snapped back into reality as he heard the snapping of Akira's fingers while his name resounded. He looked at them and smirked.
"Sorry about that." Kojiro reached his apology while he took a sip from his glass.
"Well, anyways. Why did you transfer here?" Akira repeated his question.
Kojiro grimaced with the question and kept silent. He never wanted to be asked about the reason of his arrival. Akira sensed this that he ignored his question and shrugged.
"Well, that means it's confidential. Oh, look. They're here."
Kojiro and Kamui turned and saw Kaze and Mayu enter the café, nearing their location. Kaze went to the counter to give their order while Mayu joined in this company of three and joined in the conversation. She noticed Kamui and held a familiar look as she gazed at him.
"I haven't seen you before," Mayu started, "I'm Mayu, and you are?"
"Kamui," Kamui answered as he smiled.
"Interesting, for a second, you resembled Gackt." Mayu chuckled with her statement
"Another Malice Mizer…ah, again," Kaze added as he came with two cups of café mocha.
"Kaze…" Mayu lightly scolded as Kaze sat beside her.
Kamui was puzzled with their statements that he gazed at Kojiro. Kojiro shook his head, telling him not to mind. Kamui smiled, letting time pass with merriment.
Meanwhile…
Somewhere in the city, a man sauntered alone in a memorial avenue. The bouquet of roses and daisies arranged in a manner of denoting the memorial persistence was held in his gloved hands. He entered the gates of the graveyard that stood before him with its welcoming haunting. He smirked as his short platinum hair combed by the gentle breeze caressed his face. The echoing clapping of the soles of his leather boots noted his presence as it began to be muffled in the lawn. He stopped before a grave that had a pair of markers standing side by side. Etched upon the marble are the names Yukimura and Albert, the grave was the reminder of the painful tragedy. He knelt on one knee; his jeans touched the lawn as he laid the flowers upon the grave. The wind passed, carrying the fragrance of the flowers. He rose and rolled the right sleeve of his black shirt, revealing the markings on his arm.
"I'm sorry Mother, Father. I haven't told Kojiro the truth yet. Ever since Shuen went missing during the incident, things weren't the same anymore. How long will I have to withhold from him?" he said with a burdened gaze.
The wind passed with its whistle, the sun leaning west. The breeze that made the leaves dance and his hair and his apparel of black to follow, it caused him to hear a fluttering scarf as it came. He closed his eyes and waited.
"So you're here." He calmly welcomed, feeling the presence of a stranger behind him.
"I never expect you to visit a grave at this time of day, Klaha…"
The sunset giving its orange outlay made the group depart from the café. Kojiro, Kamui and Akira were all that was left. Kaze and Mayu went on a different direction at that moment. Akira told Kamui of jokes while the quiet Kojiro walked on. Upon arriving at the intersection, Kojiro halted his pace as he felt pressure upon his body. Something was stopping him. It gave him an omen.
What the hell? This doesn't feel right. Kojiro thought to himself as he raised his hand and signaled Akira to stop at that moment.
"Something wrong Kojiro?" Akira asked as he stopped and fell silent, feeling a strange sensation.
"This doesn't feel right." Kamui added his comment and grimaced, sensing the disturbance.
Kojiro gazed around. His eyes turned left and right, keeping him alert at that moment. Kamui closed his eyes and tried to feel anything unusual. Akira felt that his eyes are deceiving him as a rift of distortion was seen on four points of the intersection. The distortion came to reveal a group of beings, humanoid in manner of shape and nature. The trio found themselves surrounded by these unnatural beings, danger ensuring its course.
"Uh, guys. We got ourselves a problem." Akira said with a tone marking the mingling of doubt and excitement.
Atop the peak of a light post was a watchful eye. The stranger stood unseen as his erect form watched the plight of the trio. The quivering scarf as it danced in the air covered the smirking visage, patiently waiting.
"If I am correct, the will of their 'inner humanity' will initiate to protect them." he whispered to himself as his arms were crossed together. "Let's see."
Kojiro stood his ground as he gazed at these beings clad in black. He assessed the situation that seemed grim as he found himself with no option of escape. Kamui knew the same of its premise as he felt his heart pound and increase in its magnitude of his tense state. Akira felt that he had no chance to a number that surrounded them. Counting them in his head, he found the odds opposed them.
"Uh, Kojiro, there are twenty of these guys. And there's no way out."
"I was aware of that." Kojiro replied with a tense, rough voice.
"What now?" Kamui asked.
Everyone became quiet. The noise of their surroundings fell into silence. There and then, the sight that Kojiro saw fell into darkness, hearing a voice that never came from anyone.
It was still and deep, distinct from what was around him.
(Note: Simultaneous event…)
"Come and see the hidden truth. The time has come..."
Kojiro heard it clearly yet his sight faded into darkness. The surroundings that resembled the city never appeared, only shadows. But a glimpse of a flickering light caught his gaze. From a tongue of fire came another until it gave a trail, a path for him to take. Kojiro was taken aghast, wondering what was going on.
"Follow the path, and see the truth." The voice echoed once more, this time, audible and pure of will.
Kojiro took a step, treading forth upon the flaming path. He continued on the path as it leads him to an ascent, a winding path that towered to the highest pinnacle. The flames ignited beside him as it revealed a hall of archaic nature. He went on as he reached the top, welcomed by crimson light.
Kamui on the other hand was led elsewhere. Kojiro and Akira are never to be found. Solitude welcomed his presence as he found himself in a white hall where a gate stood before him. The thoughts wandered in premise, asking if this was reality.
"Is this real, or is this the sanctuary of my mind?" Kamui whispered as he heard an answer.
"The sanctuary of your true humanity, it has welcomed you and longs to see you."
Kamui made no hesitation as he walked towards the gate, pushing it open and the light embraced his form. His eyes caught glimpse of a figure, a silhouette of a young man. Kamui gazed at the figure and a gasp left his breath.
"B-brother…?"
Kojiro approached the dais that stood before him, the flame flickered as the voice returned to speak.
"Prove yourself to me. Show me if you are worthy...If you are, I will guide you in the ordeal."
Kojiro closed his eyes, calming himself on that tense moment. His hand reached for the flames as it enveloped his hand and covered him in crimson aura. A marking on his forehead flashed momentarily and faded.
"Atoner…"
Akira stood before an empty gallery. Elaborate statues surrounded him with watchful and immortal gazes as they surround him. His companions are never to be found. He shook his head to see if this is imposed by reality. It came to him as he looked around.
"Wait, if this isn't the real world, what is it?" Akira asked aloud, his voice echoed within its confines.
"The sanctuary…"
:"So it's something in me right?" Akira asked again jokingly, "How do I get out?"
A pillar of light descended before him as a dais rose from the ground. An orbicular object came to presence. He snapped his fingers and smiled.
"So that's the answer." He mused as he reached for the orb. The flashes of light enveloped him and the room vanished.
"...return and we will aid you..."
The three found themselves standing on the intersection. They were surprised that the strange beings never initiated their attack. Puzzled, Kojiro pondered on what just happened. Kamui smiled with enlightenment as he now recalled something that he could only understand. Akira was perplexed on the incident.
"Guys that was weird. You felt that too?" Akira asked
"Yeah," Kojiro replied as he glanced at them.
"Fight as a warrior should. I shall entrust you my sword." The voice echoed in Kojiro's head. He gazed at his right hand and an object resembling a handle came about. He clasped it firmly and whisked it sideways, revealing a blade of light. The enemy charged at him with a claw revealed to strike him. Without hesitation, he brought his weapon to ascend in a diagonal direction, slicing it easily into half. He was astonished and remembered the voice spoke to him the moment before.
"Return and we will aid you…" Kojiro whispered. He then charged at these foes with a thrust, piercing through an unsuspecting enemy. The one on his right pounced in the air and readied its blade to strike him down. With reflex, he jumped and brought his blade into a rising uppercut slash as a countering response. It cut the skewered enemy and destroyed the airborne one.
Akira was surprised at Kojiro's actions. Kamui only watched in amazement as something began to prompt its will. The strange beings went after Kamui as they have seen the moment in grasp.
"Focus and stretch your hand. I shall aid you this way. Concentrate."
Kamui stretched his right hand upon the incoming enemies. A ring of light encircled his wrist as it revolved, bringing a sphere of energy to gather affront his open palm. The sphere grew quickly and the energy was resonating that it gave off an aura to Kamui's body.
"Now, release. Think that you pulled the trigger in your head."
He glanced at them, his focus came in a rush and the energy sphere was released at a quick velocity. It struck a group of three and destroyed them, turning them into ashes. Akira was the only one left and the ones on his side came rushing at him.
"You can fight. The tool for the battle is upon the grasp of your hand."
Akira looked at his hands and saw a pistol on each. Two of these charged on with malice. Akira, feeing the fear, pulled the trigger and began shooting at them without mercy. As they collapsed, he heard the voice once again.
"Now, focus on mimicking them. Then shoot."
Akira glanced at one of these strange beings and pulled the trigger for the shot. The being was enveloped with the light, vanishing within the luminescence and Akira changed forms, mingling with the small group. The beings surrounded Kojiro and Kamui, unable to escape.
"This would be too much…" Kamui remarked with a sigh as he felt despair stopping him but he stretched his hand and let out another shot at the beings.
"I know that." Kojiro answered as a claw slashed him yet he parried and swung the blade in a pendulum, slicing the assailant down.
It seemed grim when one of them collapsed without reason. The fallen one returned to dust but soon after, another fell. And another fell. Then another was destroyed. From one of these beings came a distortion and revealed Akira with his pistols, shooting them at point blank range.
"And that's how to end the battle. How are you doing?" Akira smirked.
"Well, thanks." Kamui thanked him as he cast his hand upon the remaining enemies, the sphere now massive in size. He cast forth a blast upon the remnants and finished the last of them. Now the whole avenue is cleared.
A breath of relief was made as the threat has vanished. Kamui leaned over to catch his breath while Akira sat on the pavement. Kojiro kept calm yet he felt uneasy. He was being watched. He gazed towards the light post, seeing another empty image.
We're being watched...Kojiro thought to himself on that moment.
Moments later…
Kojiro was in the bathroom, taking a shower. His body was pounded by the droplets of warm water as he tried to make sense of the event earlier. He stood with a doubt of thought, waiting to be washed aside by the running water.
"It doesn't make sense," he whispered, "What is going on?"
Ciel, in the shelter of her home, gazed at the stars outside the window of her room. Feeling disturbed at that moment, she closed her eyes and clasped the notebook near her chest.
"Kojiro…" she whispered with concern and faith, affection seemed to mingle in the voice and thought.
(End of Chapter 3)
Author's tête-à-tête
They have all awakened. Now that they face the ordeal of ensuing power, what is it that awaits Akira, Kojiro and Kamui? And what secret was hidden behind the shadows? Find out soon.
This chapter is inspired by the song Illuminati by Malice Mizer. This is the chapter's theme song.
Those who reviewed, I give you my deepest gratitude. Those who attempted in their guesses, I hope you feel satisfied but there will be more soon. Tune in to updates and Chapter Four is under development.
Sydney Grise