"Mr Lev!" One of the many mercenaries came bursting through the abandoned warehouse entrance.
"Report?" Standing in front of Asterios containment module, the German continued working away on the tablet connected to it.
"Y-Yes! The clean up has been complete! But-"
"But...?" The air shifts, Lev's hands have paused their work. "Go on."
"T-The men were attack just before the timed bomb went off. A-And... we can't really tell from the blown up remains but... the containment pod there might be missing it's data drive."
"I see... Very well, you're dismissed." Turning around, the mercenary immediately bolted for the exit, barely noticing the white haired man he passed along the way.
"Why did that guy look like he just pissed himself?"
"Mr Sanson? Welcome back. Anything on your end?"
"Well, I found where they're keeping her. Acquiring the target is going to be a little more than just troublesome..." The executioner sighed before continuing. "Your old acquaintances at the CSC managed to get her Yakuza protection of all things."
"Yakuza? So that's the hand they've chosen to play. Well, it goes without saying what our next step is."
"We're going to be lacking in manpower here. Eric is off somewhere 'communing with his wife', whatever the hell that means." Sanson gestured towards the bull kept in the containment module behind Lev. "Since it doesn't look like you can spare that replacement you got for the Phantom, it's only going to be me and Caligula. Unless of course, our employee doesn't mind pitching in for once?"
"Pitching in? Hmm..." The German mused for a moment before a sadistic grin formed on his face. "Well Mr Sanson, it's not much, but I believe I can be of some assistance."
"Alright, as you know, we recovered a data drive yesterday from Lev's men." Leaving Medusa in Taiga's care for the afternoon, Scathach had been called back to the office along with everyone else by Olga for a meeting. "Emiya-kun, if you would."
"The drive was programmed with a auto-wipe function in case of emergencies, but it only managed to partially wipe the contents before being damaged in the wreck. Between that and whatever was permanently lost in the crash, I wasn't able to recover much but, among what I could salvage..." Shirou put up the report he found on the monitor screen. "I found this."
Project Gorgon
Test Subjects Status:
G-01) Stheno - Body unaged past adolescence, possible dormant circuits
G-02) Euryale - Body unaged past adolescence, possible dormant circuits
G-03) Medusa - Body aged to early adult, possible dormant circuits (dormant mystic eyes circuits present)
Experiment Log:
Log 000 - Project will attempt to trigger awakening of potential latent magical abilities in Subject's G-01,02 and 03.
Log 001 - G-01 and G-02 resisted exposure to external magical energy source, no changes to magic levels or circuit quality. G-03 magic levels showed initial reaction to exposure, increasing temporarily while going into shock. Further adjustments necessary.
-error-
Log 007 - G-01 and 02 still resistant to any exposure, no change physically or magically. If continued, body's innate resistance to any change may affect progress of Project G.
Log 008 - Upon increased magical energy exposure, G-03 magic circuits began mutation shortly after forced awakening.
-error-
Log 013 - G-03 magic circuit quality improvement has resulted in exceptional increase to physical strength and endurance. Increased security restraints recommended.
-error-
Log -error- Research on G-01, 02 discontinued. Recommend usage as leverage to -error-
Log 042 - G-03 mystic eyes began showing signs of mutation shortly after being awoken, bleeding from the eyes occurred during mutation process, showing signs of temporary -error- before reverting back to their regular state.
Log 073 - Following absorption of -error-, G-03 magical and physical capabilities further improved. Recommended further increase of security and subject transfer to -error-
-error- data corruption -error-
In addition to the experiment log, there were also partial images of three purple haired girls, two children and one adult. The room fell into a state of silence as they read through the report.
"That's... horrible..." Marie was in complete and utter disgust. "No one should have to go through that..."
"Stheno and Euryale... her sisters were also... Medusa..."
"Alright, Shirou, that's enough." From her seat, Nightingale barely spotted the mere moment of slight distraught on Scathach's otherwise perfect poker face. Standing up, she got everyone's attention as the monitor switched off. "Basically, it looks like Lev was attempting to awaken whatever magical potential he thought Medusa and her sisters had."
"Anyway!" Olga took back the rooms attention. "We now know why Lev is after Medusa, and we are not going to let him finish whatever he thinks he's going to accomplish. Scathach, Boudica and I have something to discuss with both of you. The rest of you, dismissed."
...
"And you're sure her abilities haven't manifested since then?" Olga asked again.
"Yes. I've been essentially by her side for the past week now, and she hasn't shown any signs of it. I don't think she's a threat to anyone."
"And in your opinion as a magus, is that likely to change?"
"You mean if she loses control?"
"Look, forgive me for not sugar coating this, but you saw that report, she's a human weapon. We need to know if she's a danger. Best case scenario, she can keep whatever's been done to her completely suppressed. If not, well, she'll need to be taught how to either suppress or control her abilities." Hearing Olga's words, the crimson haired woman recalled the night when she had seen Medusa momentarily morphed. Can she even control something like that? Or rather, would she even want to?
"The point is, Scathach-san. We're just worried of any potential risks and dangers. If not to others, then at least to herself." Boudica explained. "Since so far you're the only one of us whom Medusa-chan's being opening up to, we'll leave this to your judgement. Just, continue to monitor her in case anything happens, okay?
"...Alright." The crimson haired woman couldn't deny the logic behind their worry. "I'll keep an eye out."
"We're here." It was almost sunset when one of the CSC's company car pulled into a parking spot a short walk from the Yakuza building. "Scathach-san?" Boudica turned to her colleague sitting in the passenger seat next to her. "Scathach-saaan? Helloooo, we're here.~" When she didn't get a response, the redhead reached her hand out and teasingly poked the woman's cheek with her finger.
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was just-"
"It's about what Olga and I discussed you about Medusa-chan, isn't it?" The redhead hit the mark. "Well... Given what you saw her do the night of the attack, the possibility of it happening again is not zero, right?"
"Yea, but...- She's already been through enough, I don't need her thinking everyone around her only cares about what she's become."
"Well, we're leaving the choice solely to you, but I can say one thing. As someone who's worked with you for a long time now, you are one of the few people I know who is a good- no, an excellent judge of character. You'll definitely make the right choice, Scathach-san!"
"Boudica... Thanks you-"
"I mean after all, you apparently fallen for her enough to actually cook for her." The redhead teased, gesturing at the bag of groceries.
"Wha- It's not like that! I just thought I'd cheer her up with a meal, that's all!"
"Really? Are you not aware of just how nice you've been to her? And when was the last time you've cooked for anyone? We've been friends for a years now and you've never offered me the luxury. I can't say Onee-san's not a little jealous." Boudica giggled. Sighing, the crimson haired woman quickly got out of the car. Waving goodbye, she made her way toward the building.
...
"Medusa?" Entering the apartment, Scathach was greeted with the silence of an empty living room. Placing her bags of groceries on the counter-top near the kitchen, she began calling out to the apartment. "Medusa? Where are you?"
After a few more unanswered calls, she decided to take a look around, eventually finding her sat asleep in the middle of the stairs leading to the loft's third floor. "Huh? Is she taking a nap...?" Walking up to her, Scathach started shaking her shoulder lightly. "Medusa, wake up. You shouldn't be sleeping here."
"...Scathach...? Welcome... back..." Rubbing her eyes, the purple haired girl stifled a yawn. "Huh... Sorry, I must've... asleep..."
"What are you doing taking a nap in the middle of the stairway? You feeling alright?"
"In the middle of...- Eh?" Confirming her surroundings, Medusa was indeed in sat in the middle of the stairway, the novel she had been reading was right next to her. "I remember feeling sleepy... Guess I didn't get enough rest last night..." Sure enough, she had woken up last night after having yet another one of those dreams.
"Here, come on." Offering her hand, the crimson haired woman helped pull the latter to her feet.
"Right... Thank-" Pulling on the outstretch hand to rise, she must've still been half asleep because the second she lost her footing, the momentum sends her falling forward. "Eh?-"
*crash*
"O-Ow... What just... Eh?" Medusa could feel herself pressed up against something. Granted, she just fell onto someone, but something felt... different. Opening her eyes, her face immediately burned like a tomato. She was lying on top of Scathach, her face pressed into her bosom... and the latter only had her bra on. Medusa could feel the form of the crimson haired woman beneath her, the luscious curves of her breast and hips, as could the latter.
"U-Umm... could you... get off me?" Averting her eyes, Scathach's voice was barely audible.
"Ah! Right!-" Pushing herself off the latter in an instant, she turned around to find a blouse had been caught on the one of the steps, the piece of clothing ripped apart beyond repair. "I- I'm sorry! I'm really, really sorry, Scathach!" She immediately bowed her head, face still flushing from her blunder.
"...It's fine, you didn't mean to... Are you okay? Not hurt or anything?" Medusa shook her head. "That's good... I'm... gonna go get changed." Picking up her torn blouse, the crimson haired woman made her way towards the guest room she was occupying. Quickening her pace, she almost slammed the door behind her before sinking to the ground. "What is... Am I..." Scathach's face was flushed redder than her crimson eyes, fully aware of the small warmth that had started growing in her heart.
...
"I'm really sorry!" The purple haired girl bowed and apologized again to her again when returned to the living room.
"Medusa, it's fine. Really." Assuring the tall girl it wasn't her fault, the crimson haired woman made her way to the kitchen, grabbing the bags from the counter-top along the way.
"Huh? What's that?" Medusa pointed to the bag of groceries the latter was unpacking.
"Hmm? Oh, this? I'm gonna make us dinner." Bunching up her long crimson hair together, Scathach tied it into a ponytail with a hairband. "I'm making Twice-Baked Potato Casserole, I think you'll like it."
"Eh? But- you didn't have to..."
"Come now, I wanted to make you a meal. So just indulge me for tonight, okay? Unless you really don't want to try my cooking." Tying the apron she'd found in the kitchen around her, the crimson haired woman began preparations for dinner.
"Oh- No... Thank you..."
Placing the baking dish into a preheated oven, Scathach sets the timer before heading back toward the living room. "Medusa, do you have a moment?" Taking off the apron, she took a seat next to the girl on the sofa. "There's something we need to discuss."
"...Sure" Closing her novel, the purple haired girl was all ears.
"Well, yesterday Chaldea managed to acquire a data drive from Lev's men at a wreckage outside the city. The data drive was partially damaged, but we managed to recover a report from it. It was about you and your sisters... during your capture."
Hearing those words, the purple haired girl gasped softly. "...I... see... So... you know?"
"The report was corrupted, but there were... enough details. But I'm not going to talk about that, don't worry. I just need to ask: That night during the attack when your abilities temporarily manifested, has anything similar happened after that? Have there been any changes to your body that felt out of place?"
"...Umm... not that I'm aware of, but..." Avoiding eye contact for a moment, Medusa debated for a moment weather she should tell Scathach about it.
"But?"
"Well... I've been having these dreams recently; it also happened last night. What happens in the dreams vary, sometimes it's about old memories or places I've been to before, other times it's about... my capture. But one thing stays the same, I keep seeing my own hands, with golden scales running from my elbow to my wrist. The skin on my hands had darkened with my fingers turned into claws... claws covered in blood."
"I see... but that's all the were, just dreams?"
Medusa nodded. Seeing how unpleasant it was for her to speak about it, Scathach place one of her hands over the girls, trying to reassure here. "Okay, that's all... Sorry I had to ask about it, you don't have to say anymore. It's just that the Director and the others were asking about it, that's all."
"I-It's fine, Scathach. ...Thank you."
A short while after, the alluring aroma of freshly cooked food coming from the permeated around the apartment loft, followed by a ring from the oven. Carefully removed the baking dish from the oven, the crimson haired woman ferried two plates over two plates of food to the dining table. "Dinner's ready."
"Wow... It looks great..."
"Thanks. Although you really shouldn't expect much out of it; It's actually been awhile since I've cooked anything."
"It's okay, I'm sure it'll be great. Itadakimasu." Taking their seats at the table, the two of them began digging in. After the first bite, her mood immediately rose as the flavors melted in her mouth. "This is really good. Thank you, Scathach..."
"Your welcome, enjoy your meal." Seeing how Medusa was enjoying herself, the crimson haired woman smiled in response, the small warmth from before grew a little hotter.
Nightfall. Medusa should be long asleep, but here she was, sat up on her bed staring at nothing. Or at least, she thinks she is. "Huh...? What was I..." Her body feels weird, it felt as if she was just looking watching through her eyes, almost like...
"aLMOST LIKE A DREAM, ISN'T IT?" She feels someone's chin leans onto her right shoulder, nuzzling cheeks with her. A voice whispers in her left ear, it was her own voice, but filled with a vile and sinister tone.
"W-What... W-Who... are you...?!"
"yOU KNOW WHO I AM, mEDUSA..." Two arms circle around her from behind, sharp talon-fingers pressing painfully onto her. "...wHO WE ARE."
"W-What... are you- talking about?!" The embrace tightened, it was getting harder and harder for her to breath. The hands started travelling up, fingers rounding on her neck. "P-Please... stop- this!"
"yOU NEED TO REMEMBER!"
"I don't... know... what- you're taking about!-"
"hMPH. dON'T YOU, NOW? sO TELL ME, WHY ARE YOU STRANGLING YOURSELF?"
"Wha-" Medusa's hands, her own fingers were tightened around her own neck. "What- am... I-" Staring at her own hands, it's golden claws were covered in blood. Her surrounding blackens out, putting her in a void. Around her, images gradually start materializing. "...No... No.. I..."
"lIKE i SAID, YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE. yOU'RE REMEMBERING, AREN'T YOU?"
"R-Remembering?!- What... are- Ugh!" A migraine hits her, Medusa's head is flooded with a burst of images. Clutching her head in agony did nothing to stop the flow of memories. "Ugh! What Is... No- No! No! I can't be!-" She's remembering, the days when she was captured. The gaps in her memories were starting to fill, she could see- no, she feel the recollection. "No! NO! NO! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT-!"
"mAKE WHAT STOP? tHESE ARE YOUR OWM MEMORIES, mEDUSA. i CAN'T STOP YOU FROM REMEMBERING WHAT IS ALREADY THERE."
"I..." The blood, the screams, it's coming back. It's all coming back to her; she's finally remembering. The cage, walls covered with blood and guts. Bits and pieces of petrified flesh littering the ground. Stheno and Euryale, her sisters were standing before her, hand in hand. They were yelling at her with tear stained eyes, but she doesn't hear a thing, their voices don't reach her. "Nee-sama's...? Wha?-"
She takes a step forward, forcing the girls to stumble back. But they stand their ground, refusing to run. "Wait... No...!" Medusa has no control, she's merely a passenger along for the ride. "Please! Stop! Not them!"
"tHERE'S NO DENYING THE TRUTH, tHIS IS WHAT WE TRULY ARE."
The snakes in her hair eagerly stretch forward, she raises her golden claws as she draws closer toward them. "Please! Make it stop! Not Them! NOT THEM!"
"yOU WANNA KNOW SOMETHING? i KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL, i DO. tHEY WERE MY SISTERS TOO, OUR SISTERS. bUT HERE'S THE THING... i MAY BE THE ASPECT OF THE SELF THAT YOU'VE SUBCONSCIOUSLY BEEN TRYING SO DESPERATELY TO DENY, BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW... THE ONE WHO MADE THAT DECISION TO KILL THEM, THAT WASN'T ME..."
The last thing she sees is blood spilling forth before everything fades to black, the voice was the only thing she could her. "No...-"
"...It was you."
Stepping out of the bathroom, Scathach made her way back to the moonlit living room, courtesy of the loft's window walls. Wiping off the wetness in her hair, she tossed her towel at the sofa. Taking a seat, the living room table before her had a small amount of pebbles
"Right then..." Filling her right index finger with magical energy, she began the process of etching rune symbols on one of the stones surface. Rune magecraft was second nature to her at this point, her efficiency should be fast enough to where she would've finished in just a few minutes. But after taking more than a minute for just one stone, it was obvious she was distracted. Placing the single completed runestone aside, Scathach sighed as she laid back at the sofa. "What is wrong with me..."
The events from before were still fresh on her mind, as were the emotions that emerged since then. What happened was just an accident, Medusa simply lost her footing for a moment, nothing more. But the more she thought of the girl, the more the blush on her face was growing, her heart rate rising steadily. Feelings of embarrassment were coupled with something else as she recalled the way the purple haired girl's body pressed up against her.
Almost like... she wanted it to happen again- "Again? What?!- What am I- There's no way I could want that to... to... to happen... again...- Argh! What Am I Thinking?!" Scathach knew what was wrong with her, these were all telltale signs she had many a time pointed out to Boudica: She was in- "...What?! No way- No way! There is no way I'm in.. in... in..." Just the mere thought of the word had her face heated as if she had a fever. "GAH!" Grabbing a nearby cushion, she slammed her face into it, muffling a long scream of denial until her lungs were finally out of air, then flopping down onto the sofa. "...I'm in love..." Sighing, she clutched the cushion against her chest, her face completely flushed as she admitted it.
"At least according to Medusa, nothing has been happening to her besides those dreams about..." Finally getting her head back in check from self-inflicted embarrassment, she recalled what Medusa had told her. She couldn't help but wonder. "Her dreams, could they be happening because of-" Whatever train of thought Scathach had was cut off when the rune barrier she had set up around the apartment started picking up a rise in magical energy, coming from... "Medusa's room?!" Immediately on her feet, the crimson haired woman rushes up the loft stairs.
...
"Medusa!" Nearly slamming the door open off its hinges when she rushed to her bedroom, Scathach found the purple haired girl sat at the side of her bed. Running up to her, she bent down to eye level with her, placing her hand on the latter's shoulder. "Medusa? What's wrong? Are you oka-" Being yanked at her wrist, Scathach was suddenly thrown towards the floor. "Gah! Medusa, what are you!- Mmph?!" Slamming hard against the ground, Scathach barely had time to react when the purple haired girl sat atop of her, holding her down as she forced her lips against the former's. "What is she?!-"
"Medusa! What are you doing?! Snap out of-" Barely able to push her off, the purple haired girl immediately grabbed her wrists, slamming them above Scathach's head. Lips forcefully locked again, their eyes were forced to meet. "Wha-!" Medusa's grey eyes, they were shimmering a slight purple. She couldn't look away or close her eyes, her body frozen in place like she was under some sort of pressure. Scathach was slowly losing strength as she tried to overpower Medusa. Their kiss, she was being drained, magical energy being pulled from her body. "Dammit! She's!-" Activating the reinforcement runes on her arms, Scathach managed to shove her off, forcing Medusa to break the kiss off. "Medusa! Snap out of it!"
"Grrrgh!" Raising her head, golden scales began protruding from the sides of her neck, going all the way to the back of her jaw. "Grraagh!" Howling at the air, the canines in her teeth began to lengthen, forming fangs in her mouth. Skin blackening at her hands, her forearm was lined with golden scales as fingernails began to extend, growing into sharp claws as she picked Scathach up by her neck, tossing her towards the door.
Going headfirst through the piece of wood, the crimson haired woman painfully crashed into the concrete wall on the other side. Trying to push herself up, the floor in front of her eyes had red dripping onto it. Blood was flowing from her head down the left side of her face. "D-Damn..." Coming out from the purple haired girl's back, a long sleek tail circles itself around her waist. "This...!- Dammit, I need to stop her!" The second she was brought to eye level with the other, reinforcement runes already lined Scathach's arm as her first was heading towards Medusa's head. "I'm sorry. This'll hurt but-"
"Ugh!" Shooting towards her hand, part of Medusa's hair had morphed into a snake-like appendage. Chomping down on her wrist hard enough to negate reinforcement, it fractured her forearm, while two more went toward Scathach's legs, sharp fangs tearing into her left thigh and right calf. "Arrgh!" Holding down Scathach's left arm with her own, her right hand cup the former's chin, forcing their eyes to meet again. Claws grazed along her skin as Medusa's fingers traced their way down her neck toward her shoulder. Reaching it's destination, she ripped off the shirt and bra standing in her way, freeing the crimson haired woman's bare skin from the confines of her clothing. "Medusa- Please! Snap out- Of It! Gwaah!"
Without hesitation, the purple haired sank her fangs into her shoulder. Blood pours forth, creating a vessel for the transference of magical energy. As she lapped down the red liquid, magical energy was being forcibly pulled from the latter. "This- is bad! At this rate- I'm gonna!-" Trying to overpower her was useless, but whatever strength she still had would soon be gone if she didn't think of something. Her only usable arm is barely struggling under Medusa's grip, and her right might as well be useless under the snakes-like jaw clamping on it. Even with her reinforcement runes, she- "Huh?" An idea just popped into her head. It was reckless, and by her standards it might as well be the epitome of stupidly. But given her options, this just might work...
"This is really gonna hurt..!" Directing all the magical energy she could still muster towards her right, the reinforcement rune symbols lining it began to glow. "Focus... focus... Just need to!-" Showing on her skin on by one, the rune language began to chip at the edges. The sudden influx of energy had her runes barely holding together, the words cracking apart as her entire arm glowed bright aqua. "Here goes- BURST!"
...
"...Huh?" Medusa's mind was a daze, her body feeling unusually light. Her nightmare from before was still fresh on her mind, but something else was off. She remembered that she should be lying asleep bed, not on the ground. "What am I... doing... here-" Scathach was sitting just opposite of her... surrounded by a pool red liquid. Her entire right arm was hideously damaged, covered in blood that went all the way to her right shoulder. Her left thigh, lower right leg, there was blood on her face as well. "Scathach?! Wha- What happened? Are you-" There was a wet feeling on her lips, leaving a coppery taste in her mouth. Cleaning it off with her finger did nothing, her hands were also stained with same redness. Staring at them, she was instantly reminded of her nightmares. "...B-Blood... What... what did I... No..." It wasn't just her hands, down her chin, even her nightgown had splashes of red on it. "...Scathach... Did I... What did I..."
"...It... wasn't..."
"I... I...-" Tears flowed down her cheeks as realization hit her. History was repeating; she does nothing but hurt the ones closest to her, just like... before. "...I-... I'm sorry!" Immediately on her feet, the purple haired girl made a dash towards the front door, her apology barely audible.
"M-Medusa!- Wait-" Struggling to follow, the crimson haired woman barely made two steps before collapsing on the ground. Stretching out her hand, the purple haired figure quickly disappeared as her vision began to blur out until fading to black. "No... Please. Don't- go..."
"Ngh..." Consciousness slowly returning, her senses were immediately overwhelmed with extreme pain. "How long was I...- Argh! Damn..." Struggling to push herself up with just one arm, she stumbles to find a small trinket in front of her. "This is..." Reaching for it, she held damaged bracelet in her hand, two heart shaped rubies barely hanging of a broken string. "Medusa's bracelet...-" Following the sudden sound of an explosion, Scathach could sense a barrier had been erected around the entire block. "This- A boundary field?! Dammit, what the hell is going on?!"
Struggling forward, the crimson haired woman barely manages to make her way down to the open front door without falling. Dragging herself along the walls, she was barely able to get into the elevator, dropping to her knees immediately it descends. Pinging open on the thirty-fifth floor, the doors open to a cat-eared brunette and a Chinese lady. "Huh?- Scathach-san?! Are you okay?!"
"Fujimura...-san? Jing Ke...-san?"
"Geez... What happened to you...?- Here, come on!" Bending down, the two of them carefully helped the injured woman up off the ground. Letting the crimson haired woman lean against Jing Ke for support, Taiga hit the button for the thirty-seventh. "I'd love to know what the heck happened but for now we need to get you medical aid-" The sound of an explosion coming from below cuts her off. "Tch... great..."
"W-What... was that?"
"The building's being assaulted down low. I was wondering why the street looked strangely empty, and the lack of authorities showing up by now."
"An assault?! Dammit! Lev's forces?!" "A boundary field has been set up around the block, that's- probably why no ones showed up." Getting off on the thirty-seventh floor, Scathach tried to explain as best she could as the three of them made their way through the halls quickly but carefully. "Where is- Where's Medusa? Did you guys see her?!"
"Medusa-san? Isn't she up there with you?"
"She... She ran off..." Hesitantly replying, Scathach could remember clearly. Medusa was crying as she ran away, just before she'd passed out. "...Dammit!"
Finally reaching a set of glass doors, they led into what looked to be an infirmary. "You two, she needs help, now!" Pushing through the doors, the brunette ordered the two doctors who immediately went to assist.
"At once, Fujimura-sama!" Taking over for the brunette, they helped Scathach onto a room with an operating table, getting her atop of it.
"...O-Okay- Why do you have an operating room in your building?"
"You have no idea how many people would love for me to die of sudden complications if I were to visit a public hospital. Anyway, just shut up and save your energy. These two ladies here are my own personal doctors, they'll take care of you."
"Fujimura-sama!" Accessing a nearby computer, the Chinese lady pulled a live security feed of the building's lobby. Whatever Yakuza were engaged in the ongoing firefight were dying off one by one to large odd creatures who were simply walking through gunfire like nothing, their long tendril-arms crushing flesh as it extended. "Our forces are losing control of the lobby. Whatever those things are, they grew out from the corpses of the gunmen attacking the building, and-"
"T-They're called homunculus. You- Ugh! You'll have to destroy a vital organ it has to kill it, usually located in- in the center of it's torso."
"Miss, please refrain from moving around! You'll only make your injuries worse!" One of the doctors tried to hold Scathach down on the operating table while the other began the surgery.
"A homun... cu-what now? You magus types really come up with the weirdest of things...-" Another explosion cuts her off. Scratching the back of her head, the golden brown haired woman sighs. "Alright doctors, I'm leaving Scathach-san in your capable hands. Jing Ke, with me."
Returning to her office on the thirty-fifth, her indigo haired right hand man was waiting for her. "Ah, Fujimura-sama. We have a problem."
"What? We lose the lobby already?"
"Not yet... Here." On the wall monitor, a hallway camera feed was pulled up, showing a indigo man was going through, taking out Yakuza one after another with nothing but his fist. "Some guy got into the twenty-eighth floor... by jumping off the roof of the neighboring building."
"Well, look what we have here..." Taiga's ears furrowed in excitement, her mouth cracking a cat-like grin. Going to her computer, she began typing away at her buildings security system, setting the executive elevator to lock-down while manually taking control of the public ones. "Okay, you two head on over to the lobby and have fun. Oh, and take elevator two, one's gonna be occupied."
"What about you, Fujimura-sama?"
"Well, I have been on a phone call all day with some asshole who tried to cut me a lousy deal." Picking up her favorite naginata off the wall rack, she goes up to a wall panel in the large hall outside her office. Having the curtains retract as she dims the light, the hall transitions to illumination by moonlight. "So I think I'm entitled to cut loose a little. Hurry on now before our guest arrives."
"Understood, Fujimura-sama." Bowing, the both of them quickly left.
"DAMN YOU!" Holding down the trigger to his submachine gun, the Yakuza grunt yelled in panic as the indigo haired fighter got closer and closer. "Die Die DIE!-"
Blitzing past the bullets, Caligula sends the man face first into the wall, covering the cracked surface in blood. Leaving behind a trail of bodies, the mad fighter continues until he reaches the elevators. As if on cue, one of the two doors pinged open, almost inviting him to the empty elevator. "Grrr?"
Suspicious and on guard, he entered the all-too coincidental ride, the doors closed behind as the elevator ascends, dropping him off at a higher floor. The hallways were dark, with barely any light illuminating the path. Up ahead, a pair of doors stood shining under a much brighter light source. Breaking into a sprint, Caligula rams straight through, sending the two doors flying off their hinges as he enters a enormous moonlit room.
"Come on... Did you really have to break that too?" Taiga sighs. "Geez... bad enough you people mess up my building and put a new hole on the twenty-eighth floor, now you won't even open doors? Haa... I figured you'd have to be really dumb to enter by jumping off a roof, but this is just outright rude."
"Current head of the Yakuza, Fujimura Taiga, I presume?" A man voice echoes, coming off the indigo haired intruder who clearly wasn't speaking.
"Rule number one: NEVER call me Taiga! So, mysterious voice-san, I assume you people are the ones I was told about; the ones looking for Medusa-san?"
"Yes. I can sense a barrier just a few floors up, most likely made by Scathach given how I can't see past it. Is she there?"
"So they don't know..." "Who can say? Maybe she is, maybe she isn't. But I'll have you know I don't take kindly to people who just barge in here thinking they can do as they please." Raising her weapon, she points its blade towards the enemy. "You want up? You go through me."
"I see... So be it. Caligula, be rid of her and secure the target."
"Huh?" As the man slowly approaches her, the moonlight coming from the window behind her brightens unusually. "This one..." A smirk grows on her face. "...I see."
"Flucticulus... Diana." Activating his spell, the mad fighter immediatly charges towards Taiga. "GRRAAAGGHHH!-" Expecting his first to send her flying out the window, by the time he realizes, the mad fighter finds himself being flung through the air. "Grgh?!"
"JAGUAR KICK!" A foot instantly plants itself against his face, sending him crashing into the ground.
"What?" Lev was genuinely surprised. He thought he had been seeing things, but that clearly wasn't the case. Caligula had just been pushed back with a simple kick, a feet that should be impossible for someone who isn't part of the magus-side of the world.
"I have to wonder... If you've looked up my name, then surely you would've come across my other alias: 'The Jaguar Man'. Did you just decided to ignore it because I'm not a magus? Because you thought some lady who runs a criminal syndicate would be of no threat to you?" Twirling her naginata around, the cat-eared brunette readies her stance. "Heck, what am I going on about? There can no longer be any understanding between us. Well then... ...careful now. I'm going to run wild, yeah?
Note:
A naginata is one of several types of traditionally made Japanese blades, in the form of a pole weapon.