24
by Aspirator
At the First Hour
00:10 (equivalent to 12:10 AM)
"Yue!" Shouted a woman with dark brown eyes and a long mahogany plait that trailed after her as she sprinted towards him. He quickly identified her as Ruby Moon, one of his monitoring agents. "You have to see this! Yue have to!" She giggled a little at her own joke, but the commander was not amused.
"It's pronounced Yueh, not you." The commander answered irritably.
"I know, I know, but," She waved at him dismissively, landing before him to catch her breath. "This is - this is huge. Discovery of the millenium. I almost didn't believe it if I didn't see it happen myself."
Brows furrowed and interest peaked, Yue hastily followed her to the monitoring lab. It was a large center, split into three sections. The first section was filled with rows after rows of holographic screens. In front of each screen sat an Enforcer, some who wore headphones and some who only watched and took notes. The second section had nine huge lab table. Floating right above them are 3D holographic replicas of parts of the city. The 3D holograms are constantly moving as a crowd of Enforcers watch over the tables. The third section was more secluded. This was for the higher ranked Enforcers, who monitored more interesting things.
Without sparing the rest of the room a glance, the pair made a beeline for the third section and a small cubicle on the farthest right.
Ruby's job was to monitor Magic used in the city. There were usually the small spikes, which were normal for people using plain magic in their everyday lives. Then there were the level fives and sixes, when thugs on the streets would gang up on a poor innocent city goer. They'd combine their magic on the city goer while attacking. Those were the occasional spikes, because no one wanted to get in trouble with the Enforcers. Then, there were the extremely rare nines and tens. The past few that occurred were actually Enforcer Approved community projects that involved a large band of people - and we're talking thirty to forty - combining their magic. That was as high as the chart went.
The screen was already moving along with charts and graphs, constantly shifting and recording as the seconds went by. Pushing the holographic screen up with just a wave of her hand, she opened up a new window and went back to her archives. Efficiently, Ruby pulled up the chart for the day before, scrolling over to the right spot.
There were two spikes the night before. Ruby needlessly pointed them out, "it was a Ten at 11:26, there." She glanced anxiously at him, searching for his reaction. "But the interesting one…" she waved her hand to the right to telekinetically scroll over closer to midnight. The gray line had flown off the chart, not coming back until exactly midnight. "It's...it's incredible -"
The Ten made sense to Yue. Variants' powers were usually at Ten, sometimes they could emit a Twelve if they really put a lot of energy into it. Fifteen at the highest, Yue thought bitterly. The last time he battled a Variant, who threw his all into the fight to keep himself alive, his army was hit with Level Fifteen magic. Needless to say, they had to bring a nuclear bomb to beat him.
While Yue remained silent, Ruby blabbered on obliviously. "It was so - I've never seen - so I was like calculating and all that. I even got Suppi - you know from the tech department? - to help me. Oh Brother, Yue, the number I got -" she shook her head disbelievingly as yet another screen popped up alongside the chart to show her calculations. She bent to squint at them, skimming over it quickly, "I must've done something wrong - the algorithm? No -"
"Ruby." Yue growled impatiently. "Spit it out."
"Forty." She immediately responded, her wide red eyes darting to glance at the other cubicles to see if they'd heard. "It was a forty," she repeated scandalously.
"Impossible." Yue immediately responded. He snatched the screen filled with calculations from the air, holding it as it were paper. He skimmed through it quickly. All the calculations were done correctly. "No, impossible." He repeated. Stepping up to the other screens - and effectively pushing Ruby aside - Yue ignored her yelp. He drew a square with his finger over the second spike on the chart, copying it, and then placing it as if it was another sheet of paper on top of the calculations. He glanced at the woman shortly. "Keep monitoring." Before walking away with both holographic sheets tucked under his arm.
00:21
"Yukito." Takashi stated, staring at the tall adult with soft grey eyes and gentle features. He blinked at the man, repeating dumbly, "Yukito...you're the leader of the Renege." Apparently, that was what the group called themselves.
"Yup." The man nodded, the hard expression still on his features. After all, they were speaking to an outsider. "Takashi, right? And Chiharu led you here, is that right?"
Takashi nodded, subtly looking around again if the aforementioned lady would show up and validate him. No hope was found. He cleared his throat, his eyes settling back on Yukito's. "With a piece of paper detailing the directions, yes."
Yukito paused, and the circle around him closed in. Takashi shifted his feet nervously, feeling the heat of the group's stare burn into him. Finally, their leader spoke up. His tone was light, "You know, you have a reputation."
Of course he knows. He's reminded every day of it.
"A reputation…how should I say this?" Yukito wracked his brain for a euphemism. "A reputation as a pathological liar."
There it is, Takashi bit his lip. He knew he shouldn't have come. "I do have that reputation," Takashi started haltingly. "That doesn't mean it's true."
Yukito smiled a little, his eyes lighting up amusedly. Looks were passed around the room, and Takashi couldn't tell if he had said the right thing or not. Then again, he just wanted to get out of there.
Before the tense silence could stretch on any longer - to Takashi's relief - a commotion started at the far end of the room.
They all turned, Takashi especially, to squint at the entrance. The same entrance he had passed through only minutes prior.
A flash of Chestnut hair, amber eyes...Takashi tiptoed, glimpsing dark heads…a pair of amethyst eyes flashed towards his general direction -
His view was obstructed as half of the rebels surrounding him crowded around the newcomers. Emerging from the group, to Takashi's relief, was the woman who led him into the situation. She grinned at the sight of him, bouncing over.
Takashi gave her an exasperated look.
Yukito smiled, a kind, gentle one that Takashi hadn't have the pleasure of receiving just yet. "This is the guy?" The leader addressed the cheerful rebel.
"Yup! That's the guy!"
And it was as if a magic switch was turned on. Yukito turned to Takashi with a welcoming grin, the rest of the rebels that remained around him had started to smile. Some even pat him on the back and murmured welcoming greetings before scattering.
Wow, okay. Takashi sent Chiharu another exasperated look when she came to stand next to him. "So that's the magic word?" He addressed her, "'he's the guy' and suddenly they don't want to burn me at the stake anymore?"
Her warm brown eyes turned to him. She furrowed her eyebrows for only a second before she understood his predicament. She laughed at him. Key word: at.
"You said be here at midnight." Takashi grumbled.
"Something came up. Someone needed my help and I had to go." She dismissed him flippantly. "I knew you could talk yourself out of getting killed."
He stared at her blankly.
"Oh, come on." Now it was Chiharu's turn to look at him in exasperation. "You talked yourself out of getting fired when you published that article, didn't you?"
Takashi frowned thoughtfully, impressed that she knew such a little detail. After all, they barely knew each other. "Maybe," he answered lightly, to her infuriation. Had she been asking around about him? He wondered briefly what that did to her newbie reputation. Nothing good, most likely. "So what'd they say when you asked about me?"
Chiharu scowled at the taller man. But she answered truthfully, "You're a pathological liar."
Takashi couldn't help but snort.
Chiharu raised her eyebrows. "So that's actually a rumor then?"
The journalist didn't answer. Abruptly, he turned to her, his face serious. "What did you mean when you said you believe me?"
She was just as serious as he was. "Just that."
"Why?"
She was just as serious as he was. "They say it's a gift." Her eyes wandered as she continued, "sometimes it's a curse." Chiharu looked straight at him when she said, "I can tell when people are lying. I can tell when they're telling the truth." She paused, before elaborating. "It's like seeing colors. I can just...tell."
Takashi wasn't sure how to respond.
Taking his silence the wrong way, Chiharu scoffed, turning away. "That's okay, everyone else don't believe me either. At least you also know how that feels."
He wanted to say something, he did. Takashi opened his mouth to say that he does believe her - but - does he? Can she really tell when people are lying? What if they're really good at it?
The journalist turned away, letting his eyes wander and the silence settle between them. Eventually, it was he who broke the silence. "I'm starting to think it wasn't just my rumored talking skills that saved my job."
Chiharu glanced up at him in confusion, but he wasn't looking at her. She followed his line of sight to settle on the form of Rika Sasaki. Also known as The Boss at their publishing firm.
00:33
Passing several security doors which were designed to look like normal doors. Yue strode purposely through multiple hallways, not even acknowledging the thresholds that measured his features, gait, and the occasional eye and fingerprint check to allow him entrance. He burst through the doors of the secluded lab.
"You need to set up Project Dome right now." He ordered curtly.
The man - or rather, creature - addressed looked up at him airily. He even raised a white furry brow. His golden fur swayed as he sat back on his furry bosom, his golden tail with a single white puff at the end swinging casually. "And why is that?"
Oh, if the People knew a magical creature was working for them. Equality, Yue scoffed, the People were such gullible idiots. Outwardly, he scowled at the creature. "I don't have time for this, Keroberos, do it now."
Dropping the cool facade, Kero jumped up on the balls of his paws. "What? What? Something happen?" Keroberos pounced from the edge of his lab table to the land softly in front of Yue. Even with four paws firmly on the ground, Kero was still eye level with Yue. He was a gigantic intimidating creature, no doubt. It goes to show his familiarity with the creature that Yue pushed him aside to take a look at the experimental dome. Kero followed him eagerly, "Someone teleported?"
Yue nearly got a whiplash when he turned abruptly to look at the creature. "What do you know about that?"
Kero grinned victoriously. "So something happened huh? What's that tucked under your arm, hm? Is that why you're so eager to get Project Dome running? Someone had to have used magic to get in. Who was it? It was teleportation, wasn't it?"
The commander growled at the creature. "Get it set up then I'll tell you. Big Brother wanted it done," he glanced sourly at the watch, "an hour ago."
The creature, uncharacteristic to its fierce features, pouted a little. His ears flopped back and he dragged his feet. "Fine." He growled. He closed his eyes. His golden fur swayed gently as his middle rose and fell to his even breathing. Keroberos began to glow, his golden features stunning and his fur swaying more violently now as the air gathered around him.
Yue could feel the energy radiating out of the creature. He gripped the lab table, digging his feet onto the floor and gritted his teeth. He had to turn his grey eyes away from the light -
Then it was over. Kero got up with a grin, stretching his forearms and yawning. Yue turned to him to see the whole array of his sharp teeth and large tongue.
"Is it done?" Yue asked anxiously.
Kero sent him an amused look. "No." He laughed, to Yue's annoyance.
"Then what the hell-"
"I was gathering my energy. Geez, calm down, old man." Nonchalantly, Kero trotted over to the other side of his lab. With a grin he knew would annoy the commander of the Enforcers, he pressed a single button. The effect was immediate, his fur pulsing with magical energy as it shot out from his body.
The force of the magical energy threw Yue off his feet.
0:59
Her eyelids flew open, her eyelashes crashing softly against her lids, and her vibrant Emerald revealed.
Sakura's soft pink lips parted, and the first thing she breathed was, "Kero-" in a hoarse whisper.
1:00
A/N: If you're a smarticle particle and figured out the format of this story, guess how many chapters there will be?