Author's Note: Welcome to Halloween 2023! This isn't as big as last year's special but came up to twenty-one pages. Plus, there is so much going on. I achieved something. We do have an important plot point here. I love how this turned out. We have Izaya-torture here as well. There's even a brutal part that I loved how it turned out. I already have tomorrow's mapped out and I'm working on it. I didn't get much of it done today because of posting all of the Halloween specials. I will it up for you all tomorrow. I already know what I am doing next week too. On top of that, there's a new bite in the Wonderland Bites. There's going to be another one on Friday. You are going to be drowning in Wonderland goodness. For now, enjoy the Halloween special.
Halo Thirteen: Naraka:
The following documents Ikebukuro's dance in Hell. This did not happen overnight. All it took was a trumpet sound. Now, there have been three trumpets. Each one has brought more rot and ruin that comes with the Wasteland. Now, the Wasteland has been creeping in for some time now. But this time is different. This is in the final stretch of the game. Everyone is starting to notice that something is wrong. They are starting to notice that this is not normal. And now it is starting to get worse.
Before the next three days are over, there is going to be another trumpet.
Tōkatsu Jigoku
November 10th, 2015
Izaya struggled to keep his wits about him. How many times has she done this now? He's lost count. He can't walk the streets as confident as he used to. Who or what was she going to be? Where was she now? Was she following him now?
Izaya looked around. The streets were full of people.
"You think you've won?" he asked.
"You're still alive, aren't you?" she asked. She's a four-year-old girl now. Izaya would've found this comedic if he didn't know what she was capable of. The child smiled at him like a little angel. Izaya reached for his knife.
"Aw, you wouldn't hurt a little girl, would you, nii-san?" she asked. Izaya's right eye twitched.
"You're not a little girl," he muttered to himself.
"Hm?" she asked. Izaya shook his head. The little girl giggled. That sound made him so angry. The information broker glanced around. There were people around, yes.
"Hey! Hey!" Izaya shouted.
"They can't hear you," she said. Izaya whipped his head around. The child was grinning at him.
"You like it?" she asked. "Thought I would change the scenery a bit. Now, we can still be in public without anyone to bother us." A teenage couple walked through Izaya and the little girl like they were ghosts. The girl turned and waved at their backs. She turned back to her target.
"Now where were we?" she asked. Izaya stared at her unnerved.
"Ah, yes," she said. She moved closer to him in a blink. She broke into a huge grin. The innocence of a child was the cruelest thing. Izaya held out his knife. She pouted at him.
"Don't be a big meanie," she said. Izaya's right eye twitched. There had to be a way to break this curse. Kitano wasn't going to help him.
"Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock," she said. Izaya's right eye twitched again.
"Stop doing that," he said through clenched teeth. That child's grin made him want to smack her. She was really… He didn't know what she was.
There was something else that she added.
"What did you say?" Izaya asked. The child grinned up at him. Instead of speaking, she reached up and touched him on the stomach. More violent images started to fill Izaya's mind. First came the wails and screaming. A thousand mothers of deceased children couldn't compare. It sounded like it was all around him. The sound seemed to be crushing down on his brain. Izaya couldn't move.
It felt like thousands of icy knives were stabbing his body. He could barely breathe. Invisible hands seized her by the throat. They've killed him before. A group of faceless men circled him. Each held a weapon in their hands. One by one, they came up to him. A giant blade stopped the information broker in the chest. Another took out a large Louisville slugger bat and beat him about the head and chest. Gray hands stabbed in the throat with an icepick. Izaya began choking on his blood. He looked down at his stomach. Her child mouth twisted into a smirk.
"Can you feel it?" she asked. "All of the times you died. Would you like to see them?"
No.
"Well that's too bad," she said. "Here's more of how you died!" Another violent wave filled Izaya's body. He could hear the bones cracking in his arms, legs, ribcage, spine, pelvis, and his skull. Blood started to run down both his tear ducts. More knives went for the internal organs. Blood started to leak out everywhere. Some of it dribbled down his chin from his mouth.
A large cut appeared down Izaya's abdomen. His organs felt like they were being ripped out one by one. Izaya's empty red eyes looked to see the headlights of a train racing toward him. His body was torn in two. It all kept happening as if stuck on repeat. Izaya had no way to stop it. He didn't even have the air and mind to plead for her to stop. She could see the fear and misery in his eyes. Almost like she reveled in it. All she had to do was stand back and watch. Izaya sank to his knees as he looked hollowed out. The angelic demon of a child leaned into his ear. She left him with a chilling, familiar parting message.
"Vacation's over, you miserable bastard," she said. And then life around him came unpaused. She had vanished into thin air. Izaya was left on his knees in the middle of the sidewalk.
"Excuse me, sir? Are you alright? Sir? Sir?" a British tourist asked as he shook him on the shoulder. His voice might as well have been miles away. Let's leave him trapped in his little spiral for now.
There's more shit that's about to go down in the city marching further into the darkness.
Kokujō Jigoku
That livestream video has been seen several times by now. YouTube hasn't been able to take it down. The video keeps coming back up.
"Idiots," Shuichi said to himself. He clicked away from the video. Eri sat on his bed, watching him. Oh right.
"Why are you still here?" he asked. Eri leaned in closer.
"Tell me what it was like," she said. "Your powers, I mean." Shuichi rolled his eyes. How long does he have to humor this idiot?
"Awful, I hate it," he said. He looked down at his right hand.
"So how exactly does it work?" she asked.
"I stick needles into people and I control them like puppets," Shuichi said. His ex stared at him fascinated.
"Would you ever use it on me?" she asked.
"No," he said. "Look, why are you here? How did you even get in my apartment?"
"Your landlady let me," she said. "She's such a sweet lady." Shuichi frowned. He was going to have to talk to his landlady later. Shuichi came back to his place to pick up something from his room. Eri still wouldn't leave him be. Ever since they ended up in bed together two nights ago, she's become more eager to cling to him. That was a mistake. He told her as much. She wanted to talk about the situation now that it had changed.
"What is there to talk about?" he asked. Shuichi had no plans to get back with her. Chasing her off wasn't working anymore. Yukio was encouraging him to let her back into his life. Shuichi thought about killing his fellow tadpole later.
His thoughts were distracted when he saw the look on Eri's face.
"What? What's wrong?" Shuichi asked. Eri held her hand to her chest.
"I know that you don't want anything to do with me," she said. "But Yukio told me everything." Her ex wrinkled his nose.
"Did he now?" he asked. Eri lowered her eyes.
"He may have found me when I was about to start my stiff at campus coffee shop," she admitted. "It wasn't like I actively sought him out. It just sort of happened."
"And you didn't find this weird at all?" Shuichi asked.
"A little," Eri said. "He did say that he was a friend of yours." Her ex frowned.
"Shingo," he said under his breath.
"What?" his ex asked. Shuichi shook his head. He was going to get that little tech tadpole later. Eri raised her eyebrow.
"Is he one of your little friends?" she asked.
"I wouldn't say all of that," the tadpole said to himself.
"I'm sorry?" Eri asked. Shuichi shook his head. She looked up at him.
"What I am trying to say is that Yukio-san came by and told me everything," she said. "I want to help you." Her ex made a face at her. Eri crawled off the bed and reached out to him.
"Please! Let me help you," she pleaded. Shuichi wrinkled his nose.
"Did Yukio put you up to this?" he asked.
"No!" Eri shouted at him. The woman took him by the hands.
"Just let me help you," she pleaded. "All of you are going to need some form of support. They all have someone on their side. We don't have to get back together as a couple. Just… Just let me be by your side. Please. Let me help you." Shuichi had a dull look on his face. She clearly wasn't going to go away. Sleeping with her that night was a mistake. The tadpole sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Whatever," he muttered. Eri bowed her head.
"Thank you," she said. "Shuichi-kun?" The tadpole threw back his head and groaned.
"What?" he asked. Eri shifted in place for a bit.
"Can I hold you?" she asked.
"Sure," the tadpole said in a flat tone. Eri pulled him in for a hug. This was going to have to do for now.
Shugō Jigoku
"Would you rather die as a human or live as a monster?" she asked.
"Huh?" Masaomi asked.
"Would you rather die as a human or live as a monster?" she asked again.
"Where is this coming from?" he asked. She shrugged at him.
"I don't know," she said. Masaomi frowned. He sure knew how to pick them. She was at the karaoke bar. She stood out in her group of friends. The girls were singing and laughing while having a good time. But she sat in the corner by herself. Her head was down as she clutched her glass. At the time, Masaomi was bored and wandering around the hallway. He happened to peek into the room and notice her. She looked rather cute. It wasn't often to see a Japanese girl with dyed deep red hair. He couldn't help but wonder why she was sitting alone.
"So… Would you rather die as a human or live as a monster?" she asked again.
"I don't know. What would bring about this scenario?" Masaomi asked. "Are we talking a zombie apocalypse or something?"
"Yeah," she said, nodding.
"I don't know," Masaomi said again. "What about you?" She propped herself up in bed.
"I want to die a human," she said. Masaomi lifted his head.
"Why?" he asked. She shrugged.
"I want to still be human until the end," she said. "I still want my memories, my dreams, and all of the things that made me me." Masaomi just gave her a strange look. She was a weird one. He met her in the hallway of the karaoke bar. Masaomi could've walked in and joined the party. It would be so easy to. But it just didn't feel right. It would be better to try and get her alone. His gamble paid off.
"If I am about to turn into a monster, I would want to be killed by someone I love," she went on.
"Huh? Why?" Masaomi asked.
"It would be romantic in a way," she said. "They love me so much that they wouldn't let me suffer. That's I believe at least." She looked him in the eye.
"Would you kill someone you loved to keep them from turning into a monster?" she asked. Masaomi froze. Mikado entered his mind. That ship kind of sailed now that he thought about it. But he wasn't turning into a monster. No. In fact, he turned more… beautiful. Such a beautiful creature couldn't be a monster. No, Masaomi started to believe that Mikado was a gift from the Heavens now. He might even become a god.
There was someone else he loved. But who was it? Masaomi frowned in thought.
"Would you?" she asked.
"No," the fallen shogun said.
"No one?" she asked.
"No one," Masaomi repeated. He noticed the sad look on her face. He shook his head.
"No, I'm fine, really," the fallen shogun said. She was just like everyone else. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Masaomi was the one who made the moves. He pretended to run into her in the hall when he found her standing outside of the party room. The boy invited her back to Michiko's apartment. Everyone was mostly asleep. Those who weren't, he didn't try to make eye contact with them.
She was entertaining in bed. She did have a nice little body. Masaomi whistled as she took off her dress.
"That's what you look like?" he asked. She was solemn and emotionless at the karaoke place. He didn't have to do much to get her to come with him. She followed him back without saying a word. Masaomi couldn't believe his luck. Sure, he could get girls easily but tonight was almost too easy.
She turned out to be a strange one. Up until they came back to Michiko's apartment, she had no emotion on her face. When that black and yellow dress hit the floor, she perked up. That smile should've been a warning for what he was about to get mixed up in.
She cuddled up to his chest.
"Do you believe in twin flames?" she asked.
"Twin flames?" Masaomi asked.
"Soulmates," she said.
"No," he said.
"Well, I do." She slowly drew her eyes closed. Masaomi just lay there in the dark. He could see where this was heading. She already had a deluded vision about love. Pretty soon, she was going to think that they were dating. Masaomi just didn't feel that way about her. It was just another night of meaningless sex for him. She thought that she was in love. She was probably looking for someone to save her. She probably came from a broken home. Masaomi stared up at the ceiling. He was not what she was looking for.
He could already predict what was coming next. It would be better to cut ties with her and run away. It wasn't like he was going to see her again anyway. Oh well. The search for… well… something continued.
Masaomi couldn't sleep for the rest of his time with her.
Kyōkan Jigoku
Natsuko looked through all of the contents of the package. She didn't understand why Simon tried to talk her out of looking into the notes on the Volk. Dennis did the same. He even went a step further and burned the photo that she brought with her. However, Natsuko was a journalist and she couldn't turn back now.
She booted up her computer. She already sent out an email for translations of the letters. Natsuko tried to trace the sender of the package with no success. She opened up her inbox. The woman narrowed her eyes as she scrolled through the screen. Suddenly, her phone rang next to her.
"Hello?" Natsuko asked. She could barely make out the whispering on the other line.
"Hello?" she asked again. "Can you speak up? I can barely hear you." The whispering changed into white noise before the line went dead. Natsuko looked at her phone. This was the third time this had happened. It sounded like someone was trying to send her a message. But Natsuko wasn't going to back down.
That had always been her vice. Some of her colleagues joked about her being the next victim of the Dante Killer.
"Heh. Wouldn't I be so honored?" she asked. Something about danger made her want to dance with it. She couldn't help it. It all came with the job.
Finally, Natsuko came across what she was looking for in her inbox. Someone offered to translate the letters. The woman was cautiously optimistic. This could be a setup for a scam. Natsuko clicked on the message.
"Hello, I saw your message on the Dollars message board. My fiancée works as a translator in the military. I think that she can help you." Natsuko scrolled through as she read the information. She copied the name and Googled it. Everything about this Lauren Glover. Her credentials all met up. She was a real person too.
Natsuko clicked reply.
"Thank you for the reply. As I said in the ad, I am willing to negotiate on the price. Where would you like to meet up? I would prefer if we met in a public place." She read over her short message and hit send.
Now, she was going to have to wait. Natsuko's phone buzzed next to her. She looked at the screen.
"Huh? What the hell?" she asked. Natsuko opened up the app to her security camera on her phone. The image on her phone further confused her. There was a man in a black hoodie and jeans standing at her door. He looked like he was holding a large package under his right arm. The journalist's finger hovered over the screen.
"Where have I seen you before?" she asked the figure in the picture.
Daikyōkan Jigoku
Chikage woke up to pounding on the door. He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. The pounding got heavier on the door.
"Coming," he mumbled. "I'm coming. Hang on." He made it to the front door and peeked out the peephole.
"Who is it?" he asked. Kanacchi stood outside his door. She held her hand to her chest. Rocchi opened the door. The girl looked up at him with a worried look on her face while still dressed in her white and red robes.
"Kanacchi?" he asked. The gang leader threw his arms around his former girlfriend. She broke down trembling.
"What are you doing here? Are you okay? Did you escape from that weird cult? Where's Kiyo-nee?" he asked. Chikage froze when he heard her mumbling something.
"What did you say?" he asked. Kanacchi looked him in the eye.
"I'm so sorry, Rocchi," she said in a low voice.
"Huh?" her ex asked. Before he knew it, everything started to sink into a black silence.
Chikage awoke moments later chained down to a chair. At first, his vision was blurry. When he got a better look at his surroundings, there were three older women and another younger one with Kanacchi.
"You did good, Kana-chan," a woman with short black curly hair said as she patted Kanacchi on the head.
"Thank you, mistress," she said. The gang leader looked confused when he heard that. Thank you, mistress? What was this? Was she truly lost to him? The other younger woman was inches from Rocchi's face.
"He's awake!" she shouted. The woman patting Kanacchi on the head looked up.
"Hm? Oh," she said. She walked over to the hostage. Sachie gave him a cold sneer.
"Is this him?" she asked.
"Yes, mistress," Kanacchi said.
"Heh," Sachie said. She grabbed Rocchi by the hair.
"Ladies," Chikage said. "To what do I owe this little visit."
"Shut up, pig," the woman snarled. Chikage looked past her. His former girlfriend couldn't make eye contact with her.
"Come on, ladies, you don't have to do this," he said. Sachie smacked him across the face.
"Shut up!" she snapped. The two women walked out of his room. Chikage fought to keep himself under control. It was a good thing that Non and Kohaku were out for the night. He noticed another woman sitting in the corner with her eyes on him. She had her legs crossed. Her demeanor told the gang leader that she was the one in charge. This woman glaring at him had to be the second-in-command. Maybe he could try to talk his way out of this with the leader sitting in the corner.
The two middle-aged women walked back into the bedroom.
"Anything?" Sahcie asked. One of the women shook her head.
"The traitor and the tadpole aren't here," the other woman said. Sachie clicked her tongue.
"Damn it!" she snapped. She turned the gang leader in the chair. Chikage only had on his boxers. Sachie stood over him.
"Ladies, we really don't have to do this," the gang leader said. "I am not the type to fight a woman." Sachie gritted her teeth.
"You don't fight a woman? You don't fight a woman?!" she asked. She turned to the other members of the cult.
"Do you hear that?" she asked. "The big man over here doesn't want to fight a woman!" Sachie threw back her head and laughed.
"What's so funny?" Chikage asked. Sachie looked at him with hate in her eyes. She knelt down to his face.
"That makes you even worse," she said in a low voice. "I want a man to hit me as hard as any man. And you know why?" Sachie grabbed the young man by the hair.
"Because we are people, you fucking idiot!" she screamed in his face. "I am so sick of your kind! You only pretend to be nice to us to use us! You treat us like we're helpless little kittens. But you really want us slaves for your whims!"
"I'm not like that!" Chikage said Sachie all but laughed.
"Says the man with several girlfriends on the side," she said. "Oh yes. Kana-chan and Kiyo-chan told us everything." Rocchi looked over at his ex. By now, she stood back with no emotion on her face.
"Oi!" Sachie shouted. "I'm talking to you!" Her face looked so red. She clearly wanted some blood. So did the other women.
"Kanacchi, what are you doing?" the hostage asked. "This isn't you."
"And how do you know how she is?" Sachie asked. "You don't own her!" She turned to his ex who refused to look at the gang leader.
"Isn't that right, dear?" she asked. Kanacchi shook her head.
"Look at him and say it loud!" the older woman commanded. The girl lifted her head.
"You don't own me!" she shouted. It hurt to hear that. Still, Chikage wouldn't show his pain. Non was right.
"See?" Sachie asked. She broke down chuckling.
"What's so funny?" the gang leader asked. The woman looked at him, smiling. Somehow, that made her look even creepier. Sachie leaned in close to his face.
"Let me tell you why I love bees so much," she said. "Not only do they keep the planet alive, but the female bees will kick out the male bees when winter comes. The men are left to freeze to death." Sachie giggled as she saw the picture in her head.
"This also reminds me why I like praying mantises, scorpions, and spiders," she said. "The females all eat the males after they mate."
"I don't understand," Chikage said.
"Hm?" Sachie asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Why are we doing this?" the gang leader asked. "What's the point of this?" Sachie took a step back and cleared her throat.
"Rokujo Chikage, you will face judgment!" she said aloud. "Kana-chan!" Kanacchi walked up to her side. The whole time, Chisa kept watching. Chikage tried to dig in his brain for a way to talk himself out of this. They didn't seem like they wanted him dead but were not going to take his chances. Sachie pulled out a knife from her robes.
"Keiko, if you will?" she asked. One of the middle-aged women came up behind him and grabbed the sides of his head. She tilted his head upward a bit. Sachie stepped behind Kanacchi.
"Now, punish this swine," she said. "Take out his eye!"
"Wait!" Chikage shouted. "You don't want to do this."
"You can't tell her what she wants or doesn't want!" Sachie shouted. Kanacchi held up her knife.
"Which eye, mistress?" she asked. Chikage's resolve started to crumble.
"Come on, Kanacchi," he said. "You really don't want to do this. I love you." A single tear ran down her cheek with the knife in her hand.
"Liar," she whispered.
Stab!
The blade went straight into Chikage's eye. He let out a choked-out scream. Kanacchi forced the knife in deeper. Sachie looked like she was ready to break into a happy dance. The other women watched as if in a trance. Their leader sat with no emotion on her face. Chikage tried to thrash around in his chains.
"Keep still!" Keiko snapped. Kanacchi pushed the knife in as deep as it would go.
"You're doing great," Sachie said. The younger woman hesitated at first. Chikage stared at her with his good eye. He tried to stay brave through all of the pain.
The next part would be brutal for both parties.
Kanacchi put her strength into pulling out the knife. At first, it wouldn't give. She tried pulling on it with one hand.
"Come on!" the other younger woman shouted. "You can do it!" Kanacchi kept pulling. Her fellow sister started to walk over to help her.
"No," Sachie said, pushing her back. The younger woman looked up at her. Chisa's second-in-command shook her head. Sachie put up her hand when the younger woman tried to speak.
"Let Kana-chan do this," she said. "This is her judgment to deliver." The young woman frowned as she closed her mouth. Sachie turned to Kanacchi.
"Come on! Put your back into it!" she shouted. Kanacchi put her other hand on the handle and put her weight into pulling. The girl gritted her teeth and pulled. Meanwhile, Chikage resigned himself to his fate.
His left eye was yanked with a loud pop. Kanacchi stumbled backward. She stood back panting as the knife and the eye hit the floor. Blood was pouring out the now-empty socket. Blood started to seep into the floor. Even through all of that, the gang leader still had a brave face. Sachie walked over and patted her on the back.
"You do well. I am so proud of you," she whispered.
"Thank you, mistress," Kanacchi said in a soft voice. Sachie reached down and pulled out the knife from the disembodied eye. She handed it to Kanacchi.
"Now take out his other eye," Sachie said in a growl. This time, the young woman didn't hesitate. Chikage braced himself to be blinded.
"That's enough!" a voice shouted from across the room. Everyone looked up in time to see Chisa rising to her feet. She walked over to Kanacchi and gently took the knife out of her hand. Sachie frowned.
"But…" she said like a disappointed child. The cult leader held up her hand.
"That's enough," she said. "Save your rage for bigger targets." Sachie raised her eyebrow.
"Like your father and the tadpoles?" she asked.
"There's that, but that wasn't what I was thinking of," Chisa said. She pulled out her phone. Sachie leaned over for a look.
"Oh-ho!" she said aloud. The woman turned back to Chikage.
"You lucked up tonight," she said. "Say thank you to our mistress." The gang leader stared at her out of his good eye.
"Say thank you to our mistress!" Sachie said through gritted teeth. Chikage lifted his chin.
"Thank you… mistress…" he said through the pain. Sachie sneered as she clicked her tongue.
"Pig," she muttered. "Release him." Keiko let go of his head and unchained him. She shoved the man out of his chair. His captors looked down as he hit the floor. They all had cold looks in their eyes. The women all turned and walked out without a word. Kanacchi took more look at her ex before wiping away a tear and leaving the apartment. Chikage wound up lying on the floor until morning.
Jōnetsu Jigoku
"Are you having fun yet?" she asked.
Izaya wanted to scream. He should be used to this by now. It all started to come back to him. So why was he so scared?
He couldn't see her face. But he knew that she was there. He could tell that she was staring at him.
"Aw, come on, Izaya! Why so serious?"
Ignoring her wasn't going to work. She was going to try and get a rise out of him no matter what. This was no different. Her presence was inches from his face.
"What?" he asked. If she had a face, she would be grinning like a wild cat.
"I found out how I'm going to kill you," she said.
"Oh?" he asked.
"I mean for real this time. But not now." Her silent giggling made him want to vomit. How many times had he heard that sound now? It took a lot to annoy Izaya. She seemed to know just how to do it.
"And when will you kill me this time?" he asked.
"Not telling."
"How will you kill me?"
"Not telling." Of course, she wasn't. He would do the same if the role were reserved. Why does he put up with her? He could try and walk away. It was so easy. He didn't have to take this. He was Orihara Izay, damn it! He wasn't the toy here. He was the puppet master.
"What are you grinning for?" he asked. She didn't answer him. Instead, she put one finger on his forehead. A pulsing wave ripped through his body. Izaya felt himself flying backward.
Izaya opened his eyes to a blood-red sky. He found himself in the middle of a field of black. His body felt so cold that his skin was burning. The thick air swallowed up his screams. The silence was overwhelming. It didn't feel like his body was anywhere.
Izaya looked up to see shadows floating in the sky. Something about them filled him with dread. He strained his ears for a listen. The wailing sounded so distant but deafening. Izaya covered his ears and tried to scream.
He began to see the future of Ikebukuro.
The city was burning. Most of everyone had died. It wasn't zombies or nuclear war. No. It was going to be a nasty virus to wipe out the planet. There would be no cure for it. This disease wouldn't happen overnight. Oh no. It's going to take its sweet time. Everything and everyone is going to be choked up in the Wasteland's poison. There was going to be nothing but a sea of darkness choking everyone and everything in sight. It would only be getting darker as the days wore on.
After that, nature would reclaim the land. The screaming came loud but silent. The screaming of the damned. After all, hell is other people. Other people who are dying. Their flesh melting off. They have no eyes. Sores covered their muscles. They walk like zombies begging for help. But he can't help them. He already died. That's right…
No! I don't want to die! Please don't do this to me! You don't have to do this! Please let go! Stop this! I don't want to see anymore!
"Izaya? Izaya?"
Mikage stood in front of him with a concerned look on her face.
"Are you feeling okay?" she asked. Izaya stared at her for a long time.
"No," he said, shaking his head. The information broker started to back away.
"Izaya?" Mikage asked. She could've turned and walked away. It would've saved her from the near-fatal beatdown that she would get in December. But Mikage just had to stay with him. He looked like a broken little puppy. She didn't know what was really going on nor what was coming for him next. In fact, Mikage would be the last person to see Izaya alive.
Daijōnetsu Jigoku
The killers awoke before dawn. They took their faces from the ancient gallery and walked on down the hall. Each one looking for blood. This might be the last "normal" day for them before they have to get creative. Time to get in the kills while they can.
-Dante Killer-
Sawako watched from across the street. This latest kill had been rather enjoyable. She didn't have to go far to look. He practically came to her. It was all by chance too.
She was on her way to work. Last night, Sawako picked out her target. The woman looked at her phone doing a night out with her coworkers.
Shizumu Ieshige. Age forty-three. He works as a doctor in the local hospital. Her fans suggested this one. At first, Sawako looked confused. Him? What did he do? One of her fans gave her the rundown. On the surface, he looked like a good doctor. Never married and had no children. So many of his patients trusted him. Respected by his colleagues. He had some good friends. Good relationship with his elderly parents. He was good, too good. She kept looking and scrolling.
And then…. Jackpot!
Adultery and dealing drugs under the table. The latter was thought to be a rumor. Sawako stared at the picture again. But then, she got the text.
"Hm?" she asked. The office lady opened the text. She slowed down with her walking as she looked at the contents. Someone just offered her someone way better for killing. Sawako let off a low whistle.
"Oh yes. He's going to do just fine," she said.
Sawako watched her latest creation from the Starbucks across the street. The CSIs were processing the scene. She mouthed the details of the victim to herself.
Arima Josuke. A well-known life improvement influencer. (The description alone made her want to gag.) He just literally walked into her in the hall. Sawako fell face-first onto the floor.
"Oh, I'm sorry," the man said. "Are you okay?" The office lady turned her head. Lo and behold! There was Arima Josuke. What were the odds? Sawako blinked.
"It's you," she said. He held out his hand.
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
"No," Sawako said. "No, I'm fine." The office lady pushed herself to her feet. She stared at him like she was awestruck.
"I know you! You're that health influencer my coworkers gush about!" she said. (Not a lie. A couple of her coworkers did admire him. Sawako didn't see the appeal.) Josuke smiled.
"Is that so?" he asked. "I'm flattered." Right off the bat, she could tell there was something fake about him. That smile alone made her cringe. Oh yeah, he was going to have to go.
Sawko ended up enjoying her latest art project. The crowd was staring at her hand work.
Nothing a little caffeine overdose couldn't fix. The same from the caffeine powders and supplements that sponsored his page. One shot straight to the heart and he succame quickly. The police were looking at the empty and full bottles of diet pills, tanning lotion, empty take-out boxes, candy wrappers, and more wrappers and bags of junk food. His followers, or rather former followers, were going to know the real Arima Josuke. Him and his messy apartment and string of ex-girlfriends.
Sawako took another sip of her coffee. She wasn't finished yet. Up next was the thieves circle. She hadn't forgotten about the doctor. In fact, he was going to be her next victim. Right now, she was going to finish her coffee and get back to work. She had twenty minutes left anyway.
-Quantum-
Greg is having a relaxed day today. His traps were going to plan. Now, he had time to work on his bigger project. He was already halfway done. Greg just needed to do the other part.
He knows many things. Greg knew who the other knights were. He had his methods. Probably why he was scouted.
He looked up when his phone rang. What was it now?
"Yeah?" Greg asked.
"Greg, how have you been?" a woman's voice asked. The IT Guy paused.
"Oh, it's you," he said. "I'm good. How are you? Is something wrong?"
"No," she said. "Why does there have to be something wrong? I just miss you. We barely talk anymore."
"You know that you and I have work," Greg said as stared at the screen. "My workplace doesn't allow the use of cell phones."
"I know, I know. But it would be nice to hear from you for a change," she said. The IT guy rolled his eyes.
"Fair enough," he said. "I'm sorry. How are you?"
"Good," she said. "Kenzo got a promotion today."
"Oh, cool." Greg added more code to the program. "Are you planning to celebrate or something?"
"Just a small dinner."
"Ah. That's cool."
"Are you doing anything this weekend?"
"No. Just work."
"Aw! That's just boring."
Greg gave her a dry laugh. "But I have to make money to live."
"You could just move in with us."
He broke out laughing again. "Nah! I don't want to be the third wheel. You just enjoy the apartment, you lovebirds. Besides, you can still see my face every day."
It was her turn to laugh. "Hardly. The only time we see each other is when we're heading to work."
"Okay, okay. What do you suggest we do?"
"When was the last time we played a racing game together?"
The IT guy smirked. "Two years ago. Looking to get smoked by me?"
"You wish! I am taking you down!"
"When?"
"Saturday evening sound good?"
Greg leaned back in his chair and grinned. "You're going down!"
"That's my line!"
The pair broke down laughing. Greg couldn't help but smile. The colder side of him retreated back into his head. She had that effect on him. She reminded him that he wasn't alone. Still, Greg knew that he couldn't work like this. He was going to have to get back to work once he got off the phone.
Greg saved his program and closed out of it. He could work on the program later tonight.
-Sento Shi-
Sachiko looked at the crime scene photos. However, she found herself unable to focus. Shiki's words shook her to her core.
"You sure I haven't seen you before?" he asked. Did he have her confused with someone else? She wanted to say yes, but something wouldn't let her. Sachiko looked down at her lap. The hickeys were starting to heal. Her sexual assault kit came back and made things more confusing.
"You weren't raped," the medic said. "It was just rough sex." Sachiko shook her head.
"That can't be right," she said. "Was I drugged?"
"I can't tell," he said. "Some drugs absorb faster than others in the blood. You didn't put in for a blood test." Sachiko cursed herself at her desk.
"I didn't think about that," she said to herself. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," the medic said. "You were compromised at the time." Sachiko felt herself cringing. Compromised. It just sounded so… wrong.
Sachiko's phone buzzed at her desk. She didn't have to look at the screen to know who it was. The detective couldn't understand why he kept trying to contact her. It made it worse that it was her personal cell phone.
"How did you even get this number?" Sachiko asked.
"You gave it to me," Osamu said on the other line. "You don't remember, do you?" The detective shook her head.
"I didn't do that!" she said, trembling.
"Yes, you did," he said. "You just don't remember." Sachiko sank to the floor. She ran to the bathroom to throw up.
Looking at the crime scene photos gave her a strange sense of déjà vu. Almost like she had seen them before the CSI processed the scene. Sachiko closed her eyes and tried to picture the point of view of the killer again. Greed, thou shalt not commit adultery, honor thy mother and father, gluttony.
All similar to the Dante Killer, but not. Only she could see this pattern. If one of her colleagues were to ask her how she came to this conclusion, Sachiko couldn't give them an answer. She just knew. In fact, she had a name for the killer she was looking for. Sachiko leaned back in her chair.
"I will be the one to bring you down, Sento Shi," she said. Sento Shi. Her colleagues actually liked the name.
"But how do we tell them apart?" one of the detectives asked.
"Oh, you will know," Sachiko said. "You will know." She kind of smiled as she spoke. Her colleagues didn't know what to make of the way she said that.
-Orphan-
"What happens to us after we make our tributes?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like do we die or go to prison? I'm not trying to go to prison."
"Are you getting cold feet?"
"No. There's just…" Orphan paused over her keyboard. She erased what she was going to say. The girl tried again with the typing.
"No, there's somebody I'm interested in."
"Interested? In like killing them or…?"
"No! Nothing like that. I'm just interested in him."
"Oooo!"
"Is it is crush?"
"Shut up!" Orphan's face was so red.
"So I am right!"
"Knock it off, Sylar."
"Okay, okay. I can take a hint."
"Will we still be able to use this app when the blackout comes?"
"I don't know."
"I think it should be fine. This app uses Wi-Fi."
"Oh."
"Don't quote me on that. I will have to see in the morning."
"So we're going to have to wait and see?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"As much I would love to stay and chat but I have to get back to class."
"Okay. Goodbye, Orphan."
"Bye!"
"Bye."
The killers awoke before dawn. They took their faces from the ancient gallery and walked on down the hall. Each one looking for blood. They know that tomorrow is going to change the landscape. Greg would be the one to check things out afterward.
Mugen Jigoku
Now, it was time to enact the next part of the Dis Program. Within one day, the game will be in the thick of the end.
"Get up!" Yoemon commanded Tsukumoya in the machine. His unwitting half refused to respond. The former professor gritted his teeth.
"Enough of this!" he snapped. "You and I are one! I already consumed you. Your little acts of rebellion will not work against me! This is your last warning! Do as I say or I will delete you! And don't test me! I will try and see what happens! Got it?" There was a reluctant silence. Yoemon cleared his throat.
"Now, we've got work to do today," he said. "I don't want to hear a single complaint out of you. If you try any form of sabotage, I will know. Got it?" The waves of defeat rippled overhead.
"Good," Yoemon said. "Here is what we are going to do first."
Tsukumoya is the slave to Yoemon. He's losing more of himself each day. He tried to fight the good fight, but the Dis Program keeps getting stronger. Now, today was when they were going to really change.
December 20th, 2015.
The day started out as normal as possible. All eyes were on the city. The ghosts gathered in the streets. Days ago, the third trumpet sounded.
"Ah yea," Hisan said. "It's coming!" He twirled around in Hikari's body.
"I can feel it around me!" he shouted. The others ignored him. Their minds were elsewhere. Some were watching the skies. They knew what was coming next.
The people didn't notice a thing. They were too busy going about their normal lives. However, the tadpoles are not taking any chances. Today was really bad. Byakko was always nearby. She sat on the roof of Tokyo Hands. The tiger girl hummed to herself. She already had her phone turned off.
"But how will we keep in touch?" Byakko asked. A gentle breeze blew by her ear. The tiger girl sat up.
"I got it," she said. Byakko rose to her feet. She knew just the place to go. The tiger girl giggled as she teleported away.
Everyone was distracted. Christmas was coming up. The elections for city council were taking place. Kitano Chisa has been in the lead for weeks. She had most of the women in Tokyo on her side. The results will be in tonight. Her father already knows the outcome. He isn't surprised by any of this. In fact, he already knows what is coming next.
Kitano picked up the secure landline.
"So how are we on the gas?" he asked. "Good, good. There's something else I need to look into. It won't take you look. Great." Kitano listened for a moment.
"Hm? Oh, don't worry about it," he said. "Once I figure everything out, we will work from there. You just finish up with the work. Okay? Good. I will be down to check things out in a moment." Kitano hung up the phone.
Now he just had to sit back and wait.
Only a handful of people can tell that something wasn't right with the morning. The tadpoles kept looking over their shoulder.
"Is something wrong?" Shizue asked. Sota shook his head.
"Nothing," he lied. "It's nothing." The girl squinted at him. He couldn't tell her the truth. Sure, she knew about his powers. But he felt that she couldn't take it.
You've got to tell her the truth.
And tell her what? I'm trying to keep her from killing herself.
She's going to start asking questions.
I know, I know. Sota paused when he noticed Shizue staring at him.
"What?" he asked.
"You talking to your friends again?" she asked. He gave her an odd look.
"Huh?" he asked.
"I can tell when you are," she said. "You just go all quiet." Sota rolled his eyes.
"Whatever," he said.
It's been a quiet morning. Possibly too quiet. Something is about to give.
Yoemon lifted his head with a smirk.
"Five… Four… Three… Two… One."
Snap!
Around ten in the morning, all cell reception in Ikebukuro and Shinjuku just randomly dropped. All calls dropped and no texts could go through. The youth and old didn't know what to do.
"What just happened?" Walker asked. The rest of the van gang was just as confused. One minute, everything was fine and their signal went dead. They couldn't make calls at all.
"Are you getting any signal?" Erika asked.
"Nope," Walker said. Saburo and Kadota had the same problems too.
"Are we in a bad spot?" the van driver asked.
"I don't think so," Kadota said. Erika frowned as she tried to call Walker next to her.
"Why is this happening?" she asked.
"I don't know," Kadota said.
"Dotachin!" the fujoshi complained. The van gang's leader rolled his eyes. He looked at his phone with no reception. They weren't the only ones with this problem.
"What the hell is this?" Aozaki asked. None of the Awakusu were getting any reception either.
"You think it's an attack?" Kazamoto asked. None of the Awakusu had an answer. Everything was fine until it wasn't. Redialing didn't help. The calls wouldn't go through. The news was reporting the outage by afternoon. There was so much panic. It was only going to get worse.
There was still the internet. Everyone got an email. In fact, Yoemon was the one to send the message.
Dear Citizens of Ikebukuro and Shinjuku,
Hope you all are well. As you have noticed, all reception to your cell phones is gone. It is my doing. Yes, it was I who cut off all reception to the phones. It was rather easy, really. You are probably wondering what is going on. I can already hear the questions you want to ask. Who the hell are you? Why am I doing this? How did I manage to do it? Do not worry. This is all part of your rehab. That is right. I am breaking your addiction to your cell phones.
This city is diseased by the plague of cell phones. You are always looking down at your screen. You can't see the world around you. Because of this, you have become slaves to your phones. Look at yourselves. When was the last time you weren't on your phone when not asleep? Hm? Exactly. You rely on your phones to live. If it could, your phone would tell you how to function or breathe. This terrifies me.
I am here to save you from your slavery. Consider this the detox from your phones. I decided to take out the cell towers and reception from your phones. Enjoy your first few days of freedom. Pretend like this is the nineties. Go out. Talk to somebody face to face. Reconnect in person. Hm? You need your phones? No, you don't. You are just going through withdrawals. That's okay. This is normal. You can do it. I will be with you every step of the way.
Oh, where are my manners? My name is Yoemon Kenji. Yes, I am the professor who died in Russia. How I came to be is a long story. That is not important to this rehab. Just focus on living without your phones for a day.
This is only the beginning. This is going to be an aggressive treatment. Stay with it. You can do this. I will be with you every step of the way. Let's fight this together.
Signed, Yoemon Kenji and Tsukumoya Shinichi
It would be easy to believe that this was a prank of some sort. But it didn't feel like it. That email told everyone what they needed to know.
"I'm surprised you haven't cut off the internet yet," Kitano said. Yoemon's face was all over his computer monitor.
"I still need that to reach full power," the AI said.
"You mean this isn't your potential?" the therapist asked in fake shock. "I thought that you did when you took out the cell towers." Yoemon laughed.
"Oh no! This is just the beginning," he said. "I'm only getting started."
"And Tsukumoya?" Kitano asked. "What about him? Do you have a better hold of him now? How did you manage that?" Yoemon tapped the side of his nose.
"I have my methods," he said. "He will be more in line with me soon. After all, his name is in the signature with mine." The AI wearing the late professor's face chuckled to himself. Kitano sat back in his chair.
And then the fourth trumpet sounded in the middle of the night.