Catch-22: The Plan to Change A Heart
By: M14Mouse
Summary: It is time to change a heart and save the day!
Disclaimer: Don't own them.
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.-e. e. cummings
Haru: Father has received the calling card and has informed the police.
Ryuji: Damn, that was quick.
Makoto: I figure as much. He knows how we operate.
Ann: Calling card then change of heart.
Futaba: Yup.
Ren: Everyone knows where to meet?
Yusuke: I will be there shortly after a meeting with my advisor.
Ryuji: LETS DO THIS!
Yu flipped his phone onto the table then he turned to stared out of the window.
"Master? Are they ready?" Theo said behind him.
"They are," He said.
"You seem distracted."
"We are being set up but I haven't figured out the end game. I'm missing something. I know the other side wants to get rid of Haru's father. Maybe, it is fear of information leaking or something else. Why do it now? They could have killed him long ago."
"You guess that it had something to do with their popularity."
"There is more than just their popularity right now. Clearing the board before the election? No…that isn't it. I have a board without all of the pieces. I know Shido and Akechi are involved. This whole thing doesn't scream Akechi to me. His sense of justice wouldn't allow him unless there is something else he wants. I wish Naoto was here. Her point of view would help me spot the things that I'm missing."
"You shouldn't force it. Perhaps, Okumura-san's shadow will fill in the blanks."
"Perhaps then we have to worry about Akechi. I believe that he will be there to make his move."
"To kill Okumura-san?"
"Or kill my students."
Theo's eyes widened slightly at the comment.
"What brings you to that conclusion?"
"Two birds, one stone. My students would be tired from their fight and Akechi would be attacked at full strength. They might be able to defend against his attack but…."
"There is a possibility that they can't," Theo added.
"Yes."
"What are you planning?"
He smiled softly.
"Make the odds more in our favor."
-P5P4P5-
"Hey, wait up!" Ryuji shouted as they chased after the treasure and Okumura-san.
"You won't escape," Ren shouted.
"There!" Futaba said as they chased after Okumura-san.
"Looks like we caught up to you, Mr. CEO," Ryuji said with grin as the group stopped in front of Okumura-san.
"I…I'm sorry. I've had a change of heart. I'll prove it," Okumura-san said as he kneeled on the ground and bowed toward them.
He tilted his head. Okumura-san knows….
"Father…" Haru said with a pause.
"Haru, you were always so agreeable. Whether it was school or after, you only did what I said…You've become so admirable," Okumura-san said.
He shook his head.
"Sensei?" Makoto asked.
"He is delaying. He knows what is going to happen," He said softly.
"Do you remember, Haru? You cried your eyes when my work kept me from attending your first sports day. It was then you stopped talking back to me. Honestly, you had me worried…"
Emotion Manipulation. It reminded him much of their fight with Adachi. He could almost hear the taunts that he shouted at them. He won't allow Okumura-san to put Haru through that.
"Enough," he said to cut off Okumura-san.
He watched as Okumura-san's body jerk at his tone.
"Sensei…I…"
"He is putting your strings."
Haru's eyes darted down a moment.
"I know. It's just that I'm surprised that he remembered that. Back then, Father poured his heart and soul into making delicious food. What made you change…?" Haru asked.
"Please…Forgive me but I would never last if my Treasure was stolen! Please don't do it, I'm begging you…!" Okumura-san said.
"He didn't answer her question…" Makoto mumbled softly to him.
Yes, he noticed that too.
The group looked at each other like they didn't know what to do. Finally, Haru broke away from the group and started walking toward her father. Quickly, the group followed her.
"Father…Let's end this here."
"Oh…Haru. You foolish girl," Okumura-san said as he pulled something from his pocket. It looked like a switch of some kind.
"Everyone! Move!" He said as he jumped out of the way when some type of force field appeared. It trapped everyone but him, Haru, and Morgana.
"Overcome failure at any cost, even if it means betraying others" … That is our family motto. That cold reality of kicking people down is part of business! Virtues and sentiments are for losers. What happiness can be found in acting with justice but losing the battle?" Okumura-san said as he got to his feet.
More like his motto.
"What happiness can be found through profit gained by crashing the hearts of others?!" Haru said angrily at her father.
"Better that than fail! I'd much rather destroy others than wallow in the misery of debt! Regardless, I shall soon set sail into the political realm. To the upper echelons of the world! To utopia! My name shall be etched in the annals of history!"
Isis and Veles mumbled something softly to him.
He is a fool.
Who thinks politics is a utopia? It is hell. I should know.
"Make your decision, Haru. If you cast them away, I'll let you join me on my ship. Stay, and you will be incinerated along this entire base. Now then, what is your choice?"
Haru paused, then turned her back on her father.
"You fool…"
Haru started to walk toward the others.
"Noir!" Makoto shouted to warn when her father drawn a gun.
He was about to hit his cane to summon one of Veles's roots when he saw Morgana draw his slingshot and hit the remote out of Okumura-san's hand. The remote soared out of his hands and onto the floor.
"Why you?! I was going to offer you a chance to leave these fools!" Okumura-san shouted at Morgana.
"Everything's gains and losses for you, isn't it? I pity you, Mr. CEO. You lived with Haru for seventeen years and you still haven't realized? In this world, there are tons of things that money and fame can't buy. What point would there be saving yourself?! Nobody could replace these guys, period! I would have rejected your offer from the start!" Morgana shouted back.
When that hit, the force field instantly fell down.
"Way to go, Mona!" Futaba said as she ran over to Morgana.
"You stole the show, man," Ryuji shouted as he followed Futaba over.
He glanced over from the pair to watch Okumura-san back away.
"Father…" Haru said.
"So much for the negotiation…" Okumura-san said as he glanced at his gathering students then at him.
He shook his head.
"Hmph, you rebels! There is time before launch…I will crash you all!" Okumura-san shouted before he slipped into some type of chair.
"Very well," Yusuke said.
"Bring it!" Ann shouted.
He watched as Okumura-san's hand punched the arm of his chair.
"You…! You won't get out of here alive!" Okumura-san shouted.
"It's time you surrender, Father!" Haru shouted
"Try saying that after you take down my company's elite soldiers!"
Okumura-san hit the panel on his chair and tubes dropped down from the ceiling to reveal four robots. He and Futaba moved to the back of the group and focused on support. He continuously scanned his surroundings to make sure Akechi wouldn't pop out of the shadows.
Which they defeat easily enough…then came another set of robots….then another.
Finally, the group was left with one which Okumura-san called his executive director.
Once he was defeated, Okumura-san began to rave for others to come to save him.
The tubes remain empty.
"Why isn't anyone coming?!" Okumura-san shouted.
"I don't think we should answer that. Joker, finish him!" Futaba shouted.
Ren and the others hit Okumura-san until his chair went out of control and forced him onto the floor. Haru and the others gathered around her father who got up from the ground and onto his knees.
"In the end, I am just one more in a lineage of failures. I will contact your fiancé and rescind the marriage offer. This may be the end of Okumura Foods…Forgive me, Haru," Okumura said.
"Father…." Haru said.
"Your comment has to do with the mental shutdowns, correct? What is your involvement in them, Okumura-san?" He asked.
"I admit, I spent large sums of money to help my company grow, and crush business competitors. I had a contract for those…I wish to eliminate them."
"Hmmm….since you have a contract…you know who is behind them, don't you?"
"I…I…"
Okumura-san bowed his head and started to cry.
Raccoon boy is here.
The ship started to shake.
"Damn it! Not now! Can't you stop this thing, Mr. CEO?" Morgana shouted.
Okumura-san continued to cry.
"Leave. I will make sure that his shadow returns to his body. If a shadow is injured outside of its host, it could do irreparable damage to the host," he said.
"I never knew that…" Makoto said.
"We will talk about this later. Come on!" Ren said.
"What?! Sensei! We can't leave you behind!" Morgana said.
"I will be fine. I travel light, remember?" He said with a smile.
Morgana looked conflicted for a moment.
"Look at the treasure!" Ann said as a sphere fell from the ceiling.
Morgana grabbed the sphere from the air and put it into his pouch.
WARNING! WARNING!
"Crap, we have to get out of here," Ryuji said.
"Sensei?" Yusuke asked.
"I will be okay. Go," He said.
The group nodded as they ran past him. Haru was the last one to leave as she glanced over at her father before leaving. The room continued to shake as debris fell from the ceiling. He moved forward and stood in front of the man.
"You surprised me," Okumura-san said.
"I do that a lot. You need to go back to your body. Haru did her part and now it is your turn," He said with a grin.
"Haha…yes, you're right."
Raccoon Boy!
Instantly, he closed his eyes and summoned Veles to the surface. He slammed the tip of his cane into the ground and roots shot out from the ground to act as a shield. He wasn't sure if it was the ceiling or bullet but he heard something hit the roots.
Okumura-san's eyes widened.
"I think that you need to leave."
Okumura-san nodded his head and slowly disappeared into nothing.
Slowly, he summoned the roots back into the ground.
"There are two ways that we can handle this situation. One, we can walk away and leave this fight for another day. Two, we can fight right here and now. The choice is yours," He said mildly to the shadows where Akechi is hiding.
Wow…Raccoon Boy is pissed off. He wants to tear you a new one but he left. Smart Raccoon Boy.
He summoned Veles to take him to the others.
I can imagine the next time we meet…it will have a different outcome.
Yes, it will be.
End to The Plan to Change A Heart
Next Chapter: The Rage
A/N: Well, that happened and a little bit of foreshadowing from the beginning of the fic. :D One of the few things that I planned out from the beginning. So, I'm glad that I finally made it to that part. Now, we get some fun stuff…like Boss finding out (current writing this chapter and it is a hoot), That Dancing Thing, and PQ2. I want to thank you for the reviews, kudos, favorites, bookmarks, etc. And as always, read and review if you wish.