The sunlight was warm and comfortable against his face, looking up at the clouds above with a passive expression. His two friends, Mio Akisawa and Terent Ossiku laid on either side of him. Against his own better judgment he had decided to skip school today. It actually wasn't that big of deal, he was an A list student anyways. One day of peace away from the work would matter little in the end. His two friends began talking about some sports team and why the other was better. 5 years ago he wouldn't have been able to understand a word they were saying. At the age of 6 years old he moved from London England with his mother to live with his stepfather in Japan. Learning another whole language had been one of the toughest challenges he had faced and even today he still wasn't up to scratch. Often he would accidentally spew out English in the midst of speaking Japanese. It was this that he gained his two friends who thought it was awesome that he was from another country and could speak another language.
Isaac laughed internally at the way his friend pronounced his name. Even now he still pronounced it as "Ee-zic" but it was a small price to pay. In actuality he had been very worried about moving to Japan. Meeting new people and definitely a new lifestyle. Now Isaac Grandes had some of the closest friends he could have ever wished for. Although his friends didn't even call him by his real name. It had become a habit to just call him Jericho. It was technically his middle name but apparently his friends found it a lot cooler (And apparently easier to pronounce) than his first.
Getting up and brushing the grass off of him, Jericho and his friends went to the nearest parlor. As an act of good will he ordered everything and went to the bench to eat. The conversation went from more sports to girls. He laughed embarrassed as Mio asked what he thought of "Kika Mizushi." He instantly tried to change the topic back to sports but his friends weren't fooled. For another 5 minutes he had to endure his friendly politely ridiculing him. He rather not get into his personal feelings. In his embarrassment, he accidentally swallowed too much of the flavored ice and found himself holding his head in slight pain.
"Hey Jericho! Can you get your guns out and let's go target practicing?" Terent exclaimed, Mio nodding his approval. "Eh, I don't know…" Jericho muttered nervously. "Oh come on man, don't be a little coward!" Mio responded, giving a small laugh. "Besides we all know how good you are with that rifle, I've never seen someone shoot a can that far before."
Jericho laughed but had to admit that out of any person he had ever met that knew how to use a gun, he had shown quite some skill. "But father won't be happy if I take his gun and if he finds me with them he'll…"
"Don't worry about it, just for 10 minutes ok." They whined.
He sighed, gave in and they went to his house. While his friends waited outside he went to fetch the rifle hanging on the wall, he stopped to look at himself in the mirror. He was a thin lad, 13 years old in age. Thick brown hair that ended in curls although his most unique trait was a very small pair of white bumps that protruded from both sides of his head. Right now his hair were thick enough that it all but completely hid them form sight. He had no problems with them, but felt it better to just keep them hidden. It was his own little secret, his own little bone mutation that nobody needed to worry about.
The only people who knew about it were the doctors, his family and his two best friends. The latter two had thought them so amazing that they had threatened to cut his hair off. He still fidgeted every time he saw scissors. He returned back outside and headed off into the forest with Mio and Terent.
*BANG*
The perfect shot bounded off the bark of the tree some 100 meters away. Forget excellent shot, he might as well have been the best shot in Japan itself. He was just about to take another shot when something caught his eyes. It was a girl, about the same age as him with bright violet hair and…horns?
He noticed them immediately for they stood out quite apparently on her. "Whose that?" He asked his friend looking up. "Hmm? Don't know Jericho but what are those on her head?" Mio asked. His words caused the girl to glare at him angrily. "They look like…horns…just likes yours Jericho. Relative perhaps." Terent laughed.
The girl didn't laugh though, she was looking at him quite viciously as she walked over to him. "What's her problem?" Mio said actually seeming to be worried now. Jericho himself just stood there, trying to think of anything to say to her. She seemed quite miserable and…
"Watch out Mio!"
He rushed in and pushed his friend as they collapsed onto the ground. "Whoa Jericho, what's up?" He yelled, rubbing the back side of his head. Jericho wasn't paying attention though. "What are those?" He yelled at the girl, looking shocked. The young girl likewise seemed to be a bit surprised.
"Jericho, what's wrong?" Terent asked, wondering if his friend was going under a nervous breakdown. Jericho couldn't understand why his friends were being so ignorant. It wasn't like they were hidden or anything. He could see them, floating around the girl. A pair of long grayish arms that seemed to be slightly transparent.
He was scared now.
In his fear he ran.
It was the last time he ever saw Mio and Terent.
20 years later
He stood by his wife's side smiling at the small pink haired girl in her arms. She was a sweet looking child to say the least. "Look, she has your horns." She said happily. He laughed, ruffling his fingers through his own hair. He let his fingers travel over the bumps and then looked back at his daughter. It was easy to explain this abnormality to the doctors, since the father of the child had the same predicament. Although it had to be admitted that Isaac's horns were far less noticable than the girl's had been.
Although for some reason when he looked at Elena, his daughter, he was reminded of something long ago. He couldn't remember it clearly but it felt important. It also felt ominous.
But the love for his daughter overweighed any problems of the past. She was beautiful and precious to him. He had always been an emotional man and he didn't even try to stop the tears of joy run down from his blue eyes. He placed one finger on her child's face who stirred and opened her eyes. She cooed and he smiled along with his wife.
For 3 years he would be the happiest man in the world.
Sitting in his office alone, Jericho took a long but slow drink of coffee. He looked at the computer screen, reading the names off the list casually. He closed his silver eyes for a moment, looking at the time at the bottom of the monitor. It was past one o clock. Everything was secured. He left the room.
No sounds were made except for the echo of his shoes hitting the hard metal floor of the facility. He made sure all the lights were off and all the doors were secured. He walked slowly down the long hallways, looking to the right and left. He displayed no emotion externally as he looked at the small girls and some boys asleep or trying to sleep on the ground. Everyone was accounted for in the room. Crossing to the end of the room he pressed the button on the switch and closed the door behind him.
He went downstairs crossing the night time laboratory along his way. He gave a small wave of his hand at the sounds of "Hello Jericho" but proceeded through the white door at the end of the room.
Kakuzawa Torino was typing furiously on the computer and judging from what he saw, Jericho guessed that the man had typed at least 8 pages of information. (In small text as well.) He looked up at his monitor, noticing his figure in the glare of his computer.
"Everyone accounted for?" Kakuzawa asked plainly, continuing to type again. "Yes sir, all the Diclonius are in check, the defensive measures are up." "Very good." Kakuzawa replied, pausing this time to think of what he was going to right. Jericho took this moment to read over what Torino was typing and was surprised to find out that it wasn't about Diclonius but instead the Greek gods and goddesses. He didn't bother relaying his thoughts though.
"Never a talkative man are you Jericho." Kakuzawa said as the silence lasted over 10 minutes. Jericho said nothing. "I understand…" Torino continued, speaking as if he was having a normal conversation. "I won't act as if I'm a caring person and I won't pretend that I give a damn about the lives around here. You could kill me much easier than any of the Diclonius around here, but yet you don't."
"While I disprove of your actions, I owe you for what you did for me those many years ago." Jericho replied, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "I despise your methods but I despise the Diclonius even more. In the end it all comes down to one thing…choice."
"Choice?" Kakuzawa said in a questioning manner, although he knew what the answer would be.
"Yes, the abilities to choose on your own volition. You don't care, you kill people and you manipulate them. You don't care that every life you destroy here means nothing to you. But you did it under your choice, you do not pretend that you have no volition in your making. "
"Deep words Jericho…deep words." Torino concluded.
Jericho closed his eyes, letting his sleep pass over him. Sleep as he leaned against the wall for support, arms still crossed and his head bowed. His thoughts travel back in time to that one day.
He was returning to his home when he saw it. A pink haired girl, around 15 years of age with long pink hair. Her horns were quite plainly visible. But what made him cringe was his wife holding their crying three year old daughter with one arm. The other was missing or rather it had been ripped off.
"Miyana!" Jericho cried, rushing over to her and stopping as he saw them. Arms, grayish long straggly arms rushing at him. He didn't have a clue what they were but felt that if they touched him nothing good would happen. He ducked down, breathing heavily. He was scared. He pulled out the pistol, his hands shaking so that he could barely aim. "Take Elena!" His wife yelled, shoving the crying child towards him. The child in desperation wobbled over to her father. He bent down, arms open to take the child…and watched in horror as his daughter's head was ripped form her diminutive body.
"ELE…!" Miyana screamed but was abruptly cut off, along with her head.
"Stupid humans." The girl said, taking no notice that the child she had murdered had horns as well. She turned to the man, smiling devilishly. Her arms circled around her. Ready to kill again.
It was at that moment that his heart beat stopped.
It was at that moment that he looked at the dead bodies of the two people he loved the most.
He turned to face the girl, his gun cocked, loaded and pointed. His arm wasn't shaking anymore. He starred at the murderess with tears of sorry and anger. "Why!" He roared at her walking towards the girl. He dodged to the right, seeing the arm coming toward him.
"Why did you kill my wife and child! What have I ever done to you?"
It was on the second dodge that he came in front of the girl, his gun still pointed. "Answer me. Why did you kill them?"
"W-why? Stupid bastard because I hate you! Idiot, besides I don't have a choice but to do it!"
That did it.
No choice? That's the reason? No choice! His daughter and wife dead because she thought she didn't have a choice!
It was at that moment, that the blue was replaced by silver. The color left his eyes replaced by nothing more than a deep silver glare as he rushed in, dodged the incoming arm and aimed the gun to her head.
He did not flinch.
He did not beg for mercy to God or whoever for what he did next.
He took no qualm at that moment as the pulled the trigger and watched the girl fall dead on the ground.
He became aware of the sound of footsteps rushing in. The commotion made him thank of police although some words he was not intelligible with. Words that sounded like "vectors" and "Diclonius." It made little importance to him. He only looked around when he heard a voice behind him.
"What happened here?" It was a young man, brown haired neatly trimmed and clean shaven. He wore an elaborate white suit and a similarly white tie. Despite his outgoing appearance his expression seemed to match Jericho's own. Unfeeling.
"Why do you need to know?" He asked, his voice not disrespectful but just uncaring. His grey eyes continued to look at the body of his daughter, headless and destroyed. "We got word that there was a Diclonius in the vicinity and I came here to check it out."
"Diclonius?"
"Hm? You really don't know do you. Let me explain it then…that child over there." He pointed to the bullet ridden girl. "That is a Diclonius. Who killed her?"
"I did."
"Really?" The man said, somewhat surprised. "How?"
"How else…" He repeated. "I shot her…and killed her. What more does it matter?"
The man said nothing, he seemed to be thinking intently on something else. At leas the spoke up. "You…personally killed what was considered to be a level 3 Diclonius. Whose vector range was said to be at 4 meters in range. You are either a very lucky man, or an incredibly gifted one." he looked over at the decapitated child. "Your daughter is a Diclonius?"
"No." There was a sudden rush of anger in his otherwise calm accented voice. He brushed back his hair, showing the bump on his head. "A bone mutation passed down by my genetics."
"Bone mutations." The man in the white suit said, eyeing the horn intently. "Very well then, let me explain myself. My name is Kakuzawa Torino and if I'm not much mistaken you have personally killed someone that would taken an entire battalion of soldiers to kill. I am not a judge of character but if I had to say something it would be that your life is now totally and completely worthless.
So I give you this choice."
His head perked up on the word "choice."
"I am not going to lie to you or pretend to be someone I am not. I am not a caring or forgiving man. But you are a unique man, who posses great abilities. I give you this choice. Work for me as my head body guard as well as the leader of the Special Defense Team. Or perish in your lamenting.
"I will…"
Jericho gave it immediately. "But remember this…"
This time Kakuzawa listened very attentively.
"I will despise your work, I will despite any harm you do against these so called…Diclonius. But I will work for you, and trust you and put my time into making whatever plans you have succeed. It is because you have made your own choice that I will make my own. But I am human.
If these horns are what make these Diclonius what they are then ignore it! These horns are nothing but bone mutations."
He saw Torino push his hand through his hair. "Very good." the man said. 'I'm glad you've chosen, I will get you updated on a few more aspects once we return to Institute A. Now one more question, what is your name?"
"Jericho."
"Hey you! No civilians beyond this point." A thick skinned, almost brutish looking soldier said as Jericho stepped beyond the boundary of the scene with Torino. The man in the white suit gave a small wave of his hand and said "This man is now the head of the SDT and is formally your leader." The soldier looked at his apparent leader and stifled a laugh. He stopped immediately when he felt the tip of the gun push into his forehead. Jericho's finger slowly pressed on the trigger. He didn't look at the man though, merely looking forward. Torino stopped, casually gazing over his shoulder to see what was going on, shrugged and continued walking.
"Today I came here to find that everything I have ever held dear was taken away from me. For the soul purpose because someone thought they didn't have a choice. I can promise you this, it will be my choice whether this bullet goes through your head."
He turned to the other men who seemed rapt with awe. "Stay here." He ordered them, turning his gun away from the shocked man's face. He walked away back into his house with Torino. No emotions crossed his face as he traveled into his daughter's room, seeing all her little toys, her crib in the corner. He stood at the corner of the door, watching Torino working inside. "This is your daughter's room correct?" Torino asked nonchalantly. Jericho nodded once, not feeling like talking anymore. Somehow Torino seemed to understand this aspect. For his next question was also answerable in a yes/no format.
"You are able to see arms, what we call "vectors" from the Diclonius?"
He nodded again.
"Have you been able to see them for a long time?"
Jericho paused to think about this. He remembered something long ago, a time when things were happier. His thoughts came across two boys, good children. He had met a girl, an angry looking one. He had been shocked to see these grey arms floating around her. He had run.
He had run and heard some sickening breaking and the sound of these two boys screaming in agony.
He nodded again.
"Alright, I'm finished in here. Take a good long look around here Jericho. This may be the last time you'll ever see this home again. Any happy memories you've ever had here, soak them up. I will meet you outside."
Straightening his tie, Kakuzawa Torino left the house.
Jericho slowly took his time to walk through ever room. He took his time to look into each cabinet. For as he left each room he felt whatever happiness he still had flee from him. After about 15 minutes, he turned to face the front door and walked out. But not before reaching into his closet, and putting on a long grey coat.
"I will explain things to you." Torino said as Jericho looked out the window silently from the car. "As you now know Diclonius are horned people, the vast majority of them female. There are two types of Diclonius, pure and siplitet. The siplitet main function is to spread the vector virus into other humans, effectively producing even more Diclonius. However they lack the internal sexual organs to reproduce themselves. The only ones capable of that are the pure Diclonius, and to say that they are rare is an understatement.
Currently there only three pure Diclonius that we know of, all of which are in our possession. Two females and one male. All of which are too young to mate. The latter only being a few months old. Once they grow into maturity, they will mate affectively creating a new pure race of Diclonius…although."
Jericho watched as the man put his hand to his face. "I only do this because I believe in the evolutionary advantage that it would bring the human race. Diclonius, humans, were all the same, living on the same world and the same land. But we are at war, an egoistical war where I refuse to partake in the line of losing. I don't give a damn about Diclonius, but if I am to continue my existence I must pick a side. There is no neutral in this battle."
Throughout the conversation, Jericho said nothing, he didn't nod or make any attempt to make it look like he had even heard him. Torino didn't seem to mind, and relaxed into his seat and slowly sipped on the thin red wine in his hand. After a two hour drive, with many detours alone the way, the limo finally made it into a incredible facility situated at the edge of a peninsula. It was heavily guarded on all sides. Stepping out he walked with Torino and see if it was just as grand and ominous inside as it was outside.
The entire facility was white inside with doctors and soldiers moving in and out. "This is Institute 'A' in which our primary objection is studying the social attitude and brain wave properties of the Diclonius, as well as some more of the simpler items such as Vector length and power." Torino commented walking through the hallways.
"There are approximately 60 Diclonius in here, 55 females, 5 males. The males are all siplitets and of the females one pure Diclonius that we hold. There cells are marked with three numbers."
As he did so he stopped near one of the cells as Jericho looked in to see a small girl, about the age of 5 years old shaking in fear as she saw the white suited man. She began to craw backwards.
"Amanda." Torino replied. "Also referred to as 14"
Stepping to get a better look, he read a sheet of paper currently posted on the cell wall. It read as following:
14
Name: Amanda
Vector : 6
Vector Range: 2 meters
Threat Level: Mild
"She's one of the newer ones who has come here. As you can tell she's not considered a threat to us. However that won't last long, they all eventually end up like her." Torino said, and with that he gave a casual snap of his finger and pointed about 20 cells down to the right.
Another girl was there, around 10 years old who was glaring spitefully at him. She like the other was naked but she was also chained to the wall. Vectors were swarming around her, reaching out for him, wishing to kill him. He slowly read the paper.
52
Name: Celia
Vector : 4
Vector Range: 5 meters
Threat Level: Extremely Dangerous
Approach with extreme caution.
(Pure)
"Chiba Celia." Kakuzawa Torino spoke once Jericho turned away. "The pure Diclonius that resides in our city. She was captured when she was 6 years old and since then has killed over 50 people in the 4 year period that she has been here. She's far more problematic than I can care for but since she's one of the only pure Diclonius our options are limited."
"Really…" Jericho said softly. "Let me see the rest."
After going through and seeing each of the Diclonius, Jericho felt it was time to see the Special Defense Team."
"You will address me as 'Commander Jericho' when we are on missions." He said to the group of soldiers. They were listening intently as before they had thought him some stupid new guy until Torino has spoke to them. That and the fact that one nearly had a bullet shoved into his brain instantly told him this guy was the real deal. "However outside of missions I do not care what you refer to me. As of now you will be doing target practice. You will all remain here until you have successfully shot all targets perfectly. Go."
It had been a week since he had come and although he had never had any sort of leadership ability what happened to him changed him. He knew his place and he knew how to run things. Without saying a word he watched, crossing his arms and bowing his head.
After about two hours he pulled out a Tungsten 50 caliber and in one sweep shot all targets perfectly, they shattered into pieces as Jericho pocked the gun and turned away. His men were needless to say, impressed. As the month passed by, his men's skills improved but many of them lacked the confidence that he did. It wouldn't matter if they could aim as well as he did if they constantly stood there shaking in fear.
It was also on this week that he decided to meet the most dangerous pure Diclonius in the facility.
He stood there just beyond her 5 meter range, starring unfeelingly into the dark crimson eyes of the Diclonius. He just stood there, his body still and his silver eyes starring into Celia's own hate filled irises. He saw her vectors reaching out, so close that if he moved just one step forward she could kill him. Not even a step, a movement forward would be enough. He could feel their energy against his face. The rush of air as they swiped to reach him. Their fingers centimeters from clutching him and sending him to Hell.
As he turned away he stopped when he heard her speak. Her voice was anguished and intolerable, but it was also young. It was the voice of a child and it made him thank of the cooing sound of his late daughter. It was the reason he stopped and turned his head to look at her.
"I hate you…" She growled, grinding her teeth and trying her best to get out of the chains. "You people took everything away from me! What did I ever do to you? I swear I'll kill you all one day."
He said nothing. But he thought to himself, his lack of concern hiding his emotions as he thought to himself about what she had said to him.
"I lost my daughter and wife because of Diclonius. My daughter, who shared the same traits as you was killed by her own kind. What did I ever do? What did I do, to have my life torn apart just like yours? Don't talk to me about how much life has fallen apart. You understand nothing."
He didn't relay his words though, he walked out the door. Stepping into his office he took his coffee and sipped it. After a moment he closed his eyes, and let a single teardrop run down his face.
After 4 years of working in the Institution Jericho's name was known far and wide. Although since most of the Diclonius didn't even know him they referred to him as "The grey coated man." The majority of the time he stood by Torino's side, head bowed low and holding in each hand a pair of magnum 45's. He was always seen with his grey coat on which more or less had become his symbol of authority. He had grown his hair and let it streak behind his head and down his neck, the bangs ruffled up. He hardly spoke and in fact would often go weeks or even months without saying a word. He let his actions speak louder than words.
He was currently leaning against the wall, another one of his rather normal hobbies as Torino's personal guard and his head perked up as the phone rang for Kakuzawa. The man, always wearing his clean white suit answered with a curt "Hello."
He listened to the conversation. It was his job to know what business Kakuzawa was doing and the director of Institute 'A' really didn't mind. He saw his hand turn into a fist and he saw his mouth silently curse. The call he had gotten apparently was not very good news. Jericho of course said nothing, as Torino would explain the problem in just a moment. He hung up, and swung the chair around.
"I have just received a call from Chief Kurama of Institute Z. Lucy Elfenliar, one of the Queens like Celia has escaped. They have currently sent in the Special Assault Team to find her. Right now I want every Diclonius in this facility accounted for, a red alert placed on for the next 6 hours.
Jericho didn't have to see anything to know that Kakuzawa Torino wasn't feeling his usual calm self. His face was read as if he had been yelling and his fist were so tightly clenched he was almost surprised blood was leaking out. As usual he only had to wait until Kakuzawa began to speak.
"Damn it! What does it possibly take to bring down one woman. Is Lucy that much of a problem. First they fuck everything up and decide to send 7 knowing full well her nature. But then 35 failed as well."
Jericho didn't need to bother asking who 7 and 35 were. The siplitet who was so innocent she wouldn't hurt a fly, and Kurama's daughter. A vicious killer highly regarded as the most powerful of the Diclonius. He had personally gone to Institute Z and met them himself.
7 was quite a surprise. She was bleeding profusely and wounded beyond all measures. Yet she smiled and talked and referred to Chief Kurama as 'Papa.' She was an innocent child who somehow looked at everything not as darkness but as a reason to continue. Despite the tortures she was going through, she was happy or at the least forced herself to be happy.
35 was a different story. Mariko, Chief Kurma's real daughter played her part well. If he was new he would have found the fact that a 5 year old girl could be so deadly oddly disturbing. Instead in that huge room gazing around at the many long vectors that barely reached his face. Her constant talking of "killing him" was rather annoying after his death had been constantly said by the other Diclonius. He left the room as calmly as ever.
He met Chief Kurama. He was a calm man, the type he might have enjoyed talking to before in life in simple conversations.
He also met Torino's father. The old man seemed to have some obsession with Diclonius and after seeing Jericho's own horns, proclaimed him and himself superior beings. After that Jericho knew that no matter what he would never see eye to eye with Torino's father. To be referred to as anything but human, he would never accept that.
"These are bone mutations." He had told the old man. "If you want to be called a Diclonius then so be it…but I am human." He didn't bother seeing what expression the old man gave him. He left.
It was nearing midnight and Jericho stood by the very front door on guard duty. He held one magnum in his right hand and watched as a figure came over. He narrowed his eyes and noticed that it wasn't a doctor, or scientist or guard. It was a Diclonius, slowly making her way to the door. Somehow, she had escaped and judging from the blood on her she had somehow tricked her captors.
"What are you doing Riana?" He asked patiently, still holding his gun though making no move to draw it. "Heh, you're just another one of the stupid humans." She said smugly, even smiling. Jericho didn't smile though. "Return back to your cell immediately. This is your one warning. If you do not comply I will kill you."
"Kill me?" She boasted, giving a short laugh. "You're an eyesore."
He dodged to the left, seeing her face open in shock as all of them did when he suddenly dodged their so called invisible hand. She didn't need to worry about being surprised for long. He rushed in, placing the gun precisely in her mouth and before she could even think of lifting a vector, had her entire head blown off. He paid no mind to her body collapsing into the ground. Although silently in his mind he wondered just how different it would have been had this girl been able to live a decent life.
He had her body disposed of and returned to guarding the door. He made sure to amp up the security at the end of the hour. At 1:30 AM he made his way to the facilities psychological department to do some research on his own. He had made some surprising discovery during his research as well. The scientist at the facility had made the discovery that the Diclonius had a strange formation in the pineal gland of the brain. This formation apparently was what cause the Diclonius to act so violently. Jericho had dug deeper into this and found that this so called abnormality was directly related to the Diclonius' horns. It was a unique find and he wondered to himself just how much it would in helping himself out. For now though he had more pressing businesses to attend.
"Efenliar is dead." Torino said after putting down his cell phone. Jericho closed his eyes and listened. "You remember the incident that happened at Institution Z correct?"
He nodded. Diclonius who had been clones of 35 had broken restraints and began killing everyone in the facility. He was actually willing to go and fix up the problem but Torino and suggested that he remain. It was after all his father's problem."
"Lucy killed my father and sister and from what I've heard she apparently died at a lighthouse. Not only that but the only pure male Diclonius was also killed. The only one left is Celia. I need to find another Pure Male Diclonius."
"What will you do if you can't?" Jericho asked.
"…hmmm." Torino closed his eyes in thought. "I will have to have sex with her myself although it actually disturbs me to do so. However I have found something very interesting. How much do you know about the Greek gods and goddesses?"
Jericho shrugged.
"Gods. Do they exist? Before I would say no, but now…"
He gave him a piece of paper. Jericho read it, his eyes flashing in slight surprise. From what he had read Torino was planning on defying the laws of human nature.
"This is what you want?" He asked, looking at the white suited man out of the corner of his eyes.
"No. It is what I will be doing if things do not go as I plan. Pure Male Diclonius are incredibly rare and without one the plan of creating the perfect race will be nothing. If Celia does not accept my offer I will not force her. But I will take this plan as well."
"So you wish to be a god?"
"I wish to go beyond this fruitless egoistical war."
Jericho got up, and returned the paper to Torino before going to the door. "I will support you until the end as I have before. Do whatever you wish, it doesn't matter to me."
"250 sacrifices to make yourself a god?" Jericho asked calmly reading over the report that Torino had given him. He read the paper slowly, eyeing each word and taking the entire structure in. It was an incredible and horrible concoction. "I see…" He finally added returning the paper back to Torino. "Yes, my so called Plan B." Kakuzawa replied nonchalantly. "Will you help me?"
"No. I will guard you and kill your enemies. But I will not help you make this formula" Jericho said as casual as ever. Despite his answer Torino didn't seem to be upset at all. "That's fine, I understand."
It had been 3 years since Lucy's 'apparent' death at the lighthouse. It was on the third year that Jericho found himself doing what he did best. Killing.
Eyes flickering open as the alarm screamed through the facility. He heard Torino give an disgruntled murmur of displeasure as one of the scientist came rushing in. A few of the Diclonius had escaped their bounds, no less because of incompetence of the staff. His coat floated from the rush of the air as he quickly called in the Special Defense Team. His men were ready at once, although he couldn't help but notice that even now, as he had taught them before and before to be brave, that they shook with horror.
"Calm down." He muttered, walking through the hallway with his men holding the guns each and every way, aiming whenever they came across an open door to the side. Jericho's eyes wondered through, seeing the bodies (or at least what was left of the bodies) scattered across the complex. There was quite a bit of red in the white roomed building. After going into the next floor, a single Diclonius came out. On orders they aimed and fired. Their bullets were deflected as simply as throwing a rock onto the ground. Jericho narrowed his eyes, looking around.
"Fuji…" He said to one of the soldiers silently. "Aim for the area just below her right knee."
There was a bang and a scream as the girl fell to the ground. She clutched her wound and looked up just in time to see the barrel of the gun planted at her face, and Jericho swiftly put her out of her pain. He continued his way through the hallways, looking around at the gore infested place.
"PLEASE!"
The scream came across the hallway and he watched without blinking as half a body was thrown into the opposite wall. It was a woman, a scientist, gasping before he saw her rips forcibly ripped out by the hands. At first one Diclonius came and then another, and another. In the end 5 Diclonius stood there, confident, and older so they were not new at all. They're killing intent was obvious as their smug faces. The soldiers started to back away, fear gripping them. Jericho sensed their fear and closed his eyes. There would be no point in telling them to stop acting so cowardly. Straightening up his coat, he walked over into what was certainly death.
"C-Commander Jericho!"
"Leave him be…" A voice said behind the soldiers. Kakuzawa Torino was leaning against the wall calmly. His face collect and a small cigarette between his teeth. "That is your commander, the man capable of fighting directly with Diclonius. I would take a good long look at this, learn what you can from this moment.
Also. I'd appreciate it if you all would stop pissing yourself from fear. It's annoying."
There was a long murmur of embarrassment as Torino continued.
"Compared to Jericho, those Diclonius are like an army of ants. It only takes one to stomp them all out."
Jericho stopped short of 7 meters since he knew that was the rage of the longest one. He pulled out one of the magnums, and aimed it with in the center of the group. "As the Commander of the SDT I am giving you this one warning to return back to your cells. If you do not do as I have told you I will have no choice but to kill you all."
His words were answered by a horde of laughter from the girls. His threat had fallen on deaf ears. One of them came up, a girl of about 18 with short cropped violet hair. Her smirk was thin and cold. Jericho saw the hands coming towards him slowly and he took a step back. The girl's smile deepened, seeing this as an act of fear. "Scared?" She mocked, the others giving a short chuckle behind her. The other solders were, they swallowed nervously. She took another step forward and Jericho on instinct stepped back.
"Jericho." Torino called from the back, dropping the cigarette into the nearest waste bin. "After you've dealt with them, have their bodies disposed at Lab 3."
Jericho nodded once.
"Where do you think your going Kakuzawa!" One of the girls said, saying the last name with spite. Despite this however upon seeing him she seemed to have lost some of her color. Torino actually answered her. "I have work to do, simple as that. Commander Jericho has given you his warning and you've decided to go against it. Enjoy your last moments of life."
"Stupid human. Why don't you come over here and deal with us yourself?"
"Why don't you stop pissing yourself then, or do I really frighten you that much?" Torino retorted calmly. His words igniting a fury through the wave of Diclonius. "I am not an idiot. I would be a fool to try and come at you without proper equipment. Now as the President this is my warning, cease this idiocy. You can't win, you can never win and trying to win will only succeed in getting you killed."
"Shut the hell up. You can't hurt us." She said confidently, but her color barely came back to her face. Torino shrugged and walked away. Jericho raised his hand, giving an order that his soldiers stay back. Then he rushed forward. The first vector passed of his head as casual as ever. "What the?"
The girls surprise was almost annoying to Jericho. He slid to the right, seeing another pair of hands swing to the side from another Diclonius. The gasps from the soldiers were unanimous at this point. Jericho was right in the middle, ducking and swerving what they could only assume were the vectors. He sped to the left, his eyes locked onto the closest one. He slid through another vector and wrapped his hand around her throat. He gave a quick flick of his wrist, and snapped her neck.
"Pamela!" one of the Diclonius screamed in out rage, sending all of her vectors at once. The others complied, Jericho finding himself forced backwards. They gaped in shock as he dodged the hands. They couldn't understand how the hell he could possibly be doing such a thing. They're offense went to defense as the grey coated man pulled out both magnums and began to rapidly fire at the girls. The vector slid passed his left, he aimed and then pocked his guns.
This time the shock came from both the soldiers watching and the Diclonius fighting Jericho. The man had swiftly ran forward, his cold silver eyes never blinking as he dodged the vectors. He felt their power fly passed him, their occult abilities running beyond him. Once he came in with distance, he grabbed one of the by their neck, and twisted. The second one fell.
A scream of "Yuki!" echoed across the hallway and now Jericho finally took the advantage. He spun around, ducking to avoid the incoming hands and tripped one of the other girls. In her shock she stopped her fall with he vectors only to get up and find her neck being snapped by Jericho's combat ability. He spun around, cocking a gun and forcing the attacking Diclonius to defend herself. Dodging vectors to him was as easy as throwing a ball. It was not just his ability to see vectors although it helped tremendously. It was own skill and power, years of training and years of leaving his emotions aside. He displayed no concern during this battle.
"Huh?" The girl yelped, her eyes traveling to the right. Jericho had randomly chucked his gun to the left, hitting the wall with a small *clunk.* The girl had foolish dropped her guard and by the time she looked back, a gun was placed on her head.
"…W-wait!"
*BANG!*
She fell with a mundane thud. The second to last one screaming in horror and fury, attacking without distinction which made her an easy target. She stopped, choked on her own blood and clutched her bullet wounded chest. Jericho aimed at her head and fired.
With brain splattering the wall and floor, he looked to the last Dicloinus there. Any confidence she once had was completely gone. She slid against the wall, wrapped her arms around her legs and shook with terror. He glared at her through his silver eyes, his mouth set in a frown. He raised his gun, and aimed it perfectly to her heart.
"Return to your cell Trisha…now."
She got up, shaking and tears running down her face. She looked at her fallen friends. "You will not beat me and you know I am more than capable of killing you." Jericho spoke collectedly. She swallowed, tears still running down her face and nodded. She picked herself up. She was far to frightened to even show her anger.
"H-how can y-you do this to us? How can you hurt u-us and kill us like this?" She sobbed. She put her head in her hands. "I want my mother! I want my f-father!"
She gasped as a shadow overtook her and peered up to see Jericho glaring down at her. His gun was still pointed at her, she swallowed fearfully.
"Do you know who Elena Grandes was?" He asked softly, the girl looking up shaking her head. "That is the name of my only child who died many years ago. She was only three years old when a Diclonius murdered her. Do you know what she was?"
Again the girl shook her head.
"She was a Diclonius. A Diclonius was killed by your kind. How is that fair? My wife, was killed as well. These two who had done nothing, who never even knew about Diclonius. Do you know what the Diclonius told me her reason was? She had no choice."
He tightened his finger around the trigger.
"You have a choice, everyone has a choice. I don't care what voice in your head is saying." At the end of his words the young female eyes shot open. "If you had no choice you would not be sitting there, you would be trying to kill me. It is your own choice that you are sitting here, it is your own choice that you are not attacking me. Get up."
She did, but huddled against the wall.
"I can kill you and you know that. Head back to your cell. I will see that any experimentations you will undergo be delayed until 2 days later. I suggest you rest up, next time I will not be so forgiving."
The girl was returned without a fight to her holding cell and given top security arrangement. She huddled against the end of the room, her head bowed and after a moment fell asleep. Jericho left
Jericho was standing, his arms as usual crossed. His silver eyes locked onto the vectors of the girl, watching their movement and reaction. Another ball struck Celia in the face. Torino came up to her said something which enraged her even further. He tortured her until she complied with his actions.
He didn't blink as he watched the young soul vomit on the ground from the pain and pressure. He remained impassive throughout the whole ordeal and moved only when Torino told him to come.
Jericho accompanied Torino to Institute R. It was to be mere business approach and a usual it was his job to keep him guarded from the Diclonius of that facility as well. No trouble was caused although as usual he was given murderous looks by all the captive Diclonius. It was after an hour that it happened. Torino's cell phone rang and the answer he was given was timid and scared.
"WHAT!"
Jericho turned his attention to Torino who slammed his phone onto the ground, shattering it. He went to the wall, cursing loudly and hitting it. "Shit! Fucking idiots!" He growled, causing the staff of Institute R to back away.
"What happened?" Jericho asked, narrowing his eyes.
Torino sat down in the nearest chair, clutching his forehead. "Chiba Celia has escaped from the institution."
"What the hell happened!" Torino yelled, slamming his fists on the desk. "I'm gone for the span of an hour and I find you all fuck things up! Answer me! How the hell did Celia escape from here?" There was a broad murmur of intensity everyone looking at one another, neither wanting to take the blame. They shuffled their feet uncomfortably and tried to swallow. All of them were sweating.
"Do you realize what this means…" Kakuzawa growled, looking at his staff, Jericho silently leaning against the wall, calm and collect as he always was. "Chiba Celia is the last pure Queen that we know of right now. Without her, this work is useless!"
"Sir…please! We'll fix this…"
"The hell you will!" Torino roared. "None of you have the capabilities of handling this situation. You couldn't handle it before and dammit if I'll risk you handling it again. Jericho!"
The silver eyed man looked up. "Bring your soldiers and find her."
With one curt nod, he left the room.
Jericho was not frightened, that was clear. What bothered him were his men, they shook with such fear. He had never been able to understand this fear, it had left him long ago. All he knew was to remain alert, to have a sense of his surroundings. He gave a low grunt, getting his men's attention. He had expected to meet on Celia, not a team of Diclonius. But he had faced such odds before, it was nothing he couldn't handle. His men apparently thought differently, they were facing monsters.
He closed his eyes, thinking of what to do. At this point it probably would have been better if he handled this alone. Widening his eyes in shock and his men rushed at the Diclonius, he cursed silently in his head. He watched in plain view as his men were butchered on the spot. He took out his guns and attacked.
He killed them all but Celia had escaped during the commotion. He called the Facility to collect the bodies for Torino and made his way across the city. He stopped at the very edge, the cement against the waters of the sea. He looked beyond it, the salty air hitting his face roughly. How long had it been since he seen blue skies? It brought back memories. Memories he quickly shattered into the recesses of his brain and turned around. He had more pressing issues to attend.
He returned to Institute A, explaining his failure in his mission. Torino's attitude with him was the same although his voice had a certain sense of disappointment in it. But even then he trusted Jericho. Later on they collected 64 and her and some other Diclonius find Celia as well as sending another team to search for a pure male.
"You remember what I told you long ago right? That plan that I would use if Celia ever decided to decline my offer. To become a god of this world."
"I remember." Jericho said nonplussed.
"Have you ever heard of the 99.9% theory?" He asked, looking at his guard through his hazelnut eyes. Jericho shook his head. "Of course you wouldn't, it's something I made up. It is the sense that while something may be so impossible, there stands the chance of it happening. Take this pen for example."
He took out the utensil and raised it to Jericho's head. "What are the chances of this pencil erupting into flames? Very damn little. Many would say impossible. Improbably but not impossible. This is the only reason I have worked in this facility for so long. This is the reason that I sent those Diclonius to find a pure male. A chance, a change just in case…just in case throughout everything something does happen. What are the chances of another pure male Diclonius coming?
Possible, definitely. Far more than this pen randomly combusting. But I can only wait so long. Celia will not grant my offer to have sex with her, and quite frankly having sex with her sickens me as well. I hate Diclonius and I despise humans. Although for you I'd make an exception to that rule.
I believe in higher evolution, it was one thing my father told me about that I did allow into my mind. Nobody will ever give up this egoistical war, everyone is too damn proud of themselves. You alone know this better than anyone else. I refuse to lose this war and since neither side can win I will create my own.
You were a good soldier, a good person. A better human." Torino said, turning away.
"What will you do then, Jericho?" Torino asked. The grey coated man walked to the end of the room. He closed his silver eyes and thought his answer for a moment. He pulled out his gun and reloaded it. He took the other one out and reloaded it also. "I have supported you in everything that you have done. But as you know this is one thing that I cannot support you for.
I chose the human side.
Celia chose the Diclonius side.
You chose the side of the gods."
"I didn't…" Torino said after a moment, causing Jericho to raise his eyebrow slightly. "I didn't chose the side of the gods…I chose the side I deemed most important. That side just happened to be a god."
"I see…"
"Now, will you answer my question?"
"What will I do, Kakuzawa Torino? Everything that I once love or cared for was destroyed long ago. I served you because unlike so many others you didn't hide behind your own fear or emotions. You did what you did by your choice. In the end it all comes down to choices. The choices people make every day of every moment. It is why I hate Diclonius.
It is not because they killed my daughter or wife.
It is not because they killed my soldiers.
I hate them because they always seem to believe that the world is against them. They always seem to think they have no choice in their matter. I hate it, I hate this kind of thinking.
What will I do…?" Jericho paused, pocketing his gun and walking to the door.
"I will kill Chiba Celia."
What is love? What is caring? What is emotion? For as long as I can remember I have never had such emotions. It must be a lie though for I feel something deep in my body. In my heart. I vaguely recall it, a day when I was once happy. A day when I did not know how to pull the trigger to kill, or wipe out entire lives with just a flick of the wrist. Ah, I remember something long ago. I had friends. Two friends. I can't remember their names. What happened to them? I can't remember. Wait. Yes I do. They were killed and I ran away. I was scared then, I didn't understand what was going on around me.
I had a wife. I can't remember her name. Why can't I remember? What was her face like, who was she. I don't remember…I want to remember. Wait…her name was Miyana. She was a good person. She had to be a good person. Better than I could ever hope to be. She also died…didn't she? How I miss her sweet face, how I so dearly miss it.
Am I sad? Is this sadness?
I had a daughter. She I remember, a precious thing who never got to see the full good in life. She was cherubic, an innocent child with her fluff of pink hair and her little horns. She was beautiful. She died.
Is this grief?
Jericho sat on the bench, his eyes closed, reminiscing on his past. He sighed deeply, his mind even more deeply in thought. His friends, his wife his daughter. All of them had died because of the Diclonius. All he knew now that he had spent his years killing Diclonius because they were a threat. He killed them because he possessed the ability to destroy them.
What else did it matter?
It was just as Torino said. This was a war against egos, and as he sat there on that wooden bench, Jericho thought that though Kakuzawa Torino had been a terrible being. A being destined to burn in Hell if such a place existed. He had made his entire life on choices and in the end and picked his own life to go by. For that…Jericho respected him. Sighing again, he heard the first crash. He didn't blink his eyes, but merely lifted his head a few inches to get a sense of what was going on. Another crashed echoed through the air and now the screams vibrated off his ears. People were running away, screaming and terrified beyond belief. He didn't have to wait long to see the reason. Diclonius.
Hundreds of them, perhaps escapees from the other institutions sadistically killing all the humans. He saw an old man fall to the ground, his younger son trying to help him up. He watched as the son's on chest exploded outwards, his heart floating in the grayish hands. He saw the father cry out, reaching out for his son. His supine body twisting around at the waist until he was connected only by his own spinal chord, blood leaking out slowly. He saw through his silver eyes a woman screaming in utter agony. Her jaw slowly being pulled down before it torn off. She shuddered and collapsed. He watched, his eyes starring and his ears listening.
"Stupid humans…"
"…Please!."
"Kill them! Kill all the humans!"
"Die monsters!"
"Demons!"
"My baby! My baby!"
"Kill them, for our Queen."
Our Queen? Somehow, it always ended with her, with Celia. He would have to kill her, that was the only way he knew how to end this battle. However just as we about to attack he noticed something else attacking the Diclonius. His eyes widened and noticed that hands were actually ripping the Diclonius apart.
He had of course never seen her in person, but had seen images and had been told about her by Torino and frankly everyone else. He bowed his head, gave it the smallest of shakes to make sure that he wasn't going insane. He wasn't, but it was hard to ignore the fact he was looking at someone who was thought to be long dead. Lucy was killing the other Diclonius and pushing the other humans out of the way.
He ignored the fact that Lucy was alive right now.
What amazed him right now was the fact that Lucy was killing the Diclonius and helping the humans. For as long as he could remember he had always heard that Lucy had been a vicious killer who cared for nothing more but the existence of her own kind. So why then was she helping them? He sat there as she killed the last Diclonius and the others left. Everyone else was gone and it was then that she finally noticed him.
"You are Lucy Elfenliar." Jericho said plainly, his silver eyes locking onto the dark red ones. They always had those crimson eyes. His daughter had crimson eyes. "How do you know who I am?" Her voice was dark, but surprisingly not evil. "Don't worry about who I am, I work in Institute A as the head of the Special Defense Team." He finished, watching the woman's face shade over. "You work…for the institution?" She asked, her body shaking slightly. He nodded, watching as a single vector came out of her back. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his magnum pointing it straight at her forehead. They stood there, poised to strike at any given time. Ready to kill at the slightest motion. His silver still locked onto the red eyes, which again, surprisingly were not cold or treacherous. They were merely the sights that were given for protection of a life. He put his gun away and got up.
"I have no apprehension against you Elfenliar. You helped the humans around here and so perhaps you are not as bad as people proclaimed. He slowly walked passed her, his grey coat fluttering in the wind. "Who are you?" She asked.
His answer was curt and to the point. He continued to walk away into the city, heading back to the Special Defense Team's main base.
"A human."
He walked through the brackets, looking at each weapon. He found himself a Tungsten 50 and Magnum 45 with rapid fire capability. He then found another weapon. A black metallic bow, with only one ammo. A spiked iron ball drenched in poison. Ammo that Vectors would not be able to block. He went to the lab and had his other bullets customized into explosive shells.
He stepped outside and went back to the city. It was desolate wasteland with bodies everywhere. He knew of only one place that Celia could be. Institute Z which was where Kakuzawa Torino had stationed himself. He went there, got on a small motor boat and made his way to the island.
The grass bent under his shoes, the salty air wafted into his nose. There was nobody around but as he saw at the very entrance of the door two bodies. One human and one Diclonius. He could, even with the salty breeze, smell the bloodshed inside the room. He could feel something shaking underneath him. He stood there, silently, feeling the rumble of whatever was going own beneath him without question. He closed his eyes.
And opened once the doors did. There was the sound of the doors grinding open and he saw her. She had changed greatly and not just in the physical department. Yes her horns were longer and her eyes faded to a deep black. But it was the way she carried herself. She was no longer a scared child. She had changed in the perspective. He tensed up when her vectors came out, 50 of them with range so long it was more than simple for them to reach him. He didn't flinch, but got out the Tungsten and aimed.
He did not flinch…He did not beg for mercy.
After a moment they attacked.
She was stronger than any Diclonius he had ever met. Compare to her, everyone else was small fry. He was constantly forced into the back, his stress building against him. Having to look out for so many vectors became incredibly taxing. But he fought back. He heard the gasps from the other Diclonius as he dodged but paid no attention to them.
After a moment they stopped, breathing heavily. He revealed his horns. When she referred to him as a Diclonius he instantly denied it. After she yelled "PEOPLE LIKE YOU!" he left his composure. His teeth ground against each other, sending the bullets flying in.
And yet he felt something stab into his emotions. He remembered his research, the ordeal of Diclonius apparently wanting to kill because of a Voice inside their head. With the perfection of years on him, his bullet struck off part of the girl's horn.
He remembered his daughter. His poor daughter who had died so tragically.
They continued to fight and his bullets ran out. His body struck multiple times, breaking his arm as well as his ribs. All he had left was that single weapon.
His daughter had been so precious to him. Her sweet pink hair, her cherubic face. Her small delicate little horns. He pulled the weapon out. Everything flashing before his eyes. His friends, his wife…his daughter…
Elena. Then in that moment as his aim was perfectly directed at her heart, a single blow ready to obliterate her from this world. He moved the weapon down, so that instead it struck the girl in the gut. He didn't bother dodging the hand as it rush into his chest. He felt his heart contract as the fingers wrapped out it.
"Elena." He though silently to himself. Then felt his heart and chest explode. He fell, slowly, his eyes seeing the blue skies above. It was a calm sight. It was a very beautiful sight. As he fell, his life fading from his body…he realized that he could never have killed that girl. No matter what she could have done.
For she reminded him too much of his daughter.
The blackness over came in, his chest lightened and relaxed. The blue skies vanished and before Isaac died he thought of the time when he held his small child by her hand, his wife by his side smiling serenely at him and his daughter beaming happily right back at them both.
2 days later
The young Queen gazed at his body, his eyes having been closed and his death wound covered. She wasn't sure how to react to him right now. The other Diclonius and humans stood around him. Celia opened her mouth, but closed it. It was then that another Diclonius came.
"Jericho…" She said. Looking around the facility for a moment. After a few minutes Trisha returned with a pair of thin but very beautiful blue tulips that she place don the man's chest. "Thank you." She said softly. Celia smiled serenely and had the Diclonius place the man lightly in the coffin.
His epitaph was written on his tomb, specially designed by both humans and Diclonius and another pair of blue flowers was placed on it. She felt the top of her head which lacked the horn. He had short her there and she was able to overcome The Voice inside of her head. He had purposely kept from killing her. She had spared one of the Diclonius' life long ago. Trisha had told her. He was different perhaps, and she understood just exactly the horrors he had to go through. Horrors much like her own.
He had been a good man.
He had been an even better human.
After that she walked away from the tomb. The others gave their last respects and moved away to continue on with their life. The man who though had never see it had been a key component in this long drawn out war. Everyone else was gone except for an old graying haired man. He held a photo in his hand.
"I'm proud of you son…" The man said in English. He knelt down, digging a small hole underneath the tomb.
With a thin wrinkled smile he placed the photo of Jericho, his wife and his daughter into the ground letting it rest pleasantly in the ground underneath the arch of the tomb so that neither rain, nor wind would ever move it.