Shion stood adamantly with her friends, fist clenched with the thought of Albedo's cruelty.
She knew that the outer borders were known for criminal activity especially in the drug trade industry but never did she imagine that Albedo would've used it's recency to his advantage.
The man had kept himself admist the shadows for so long as to make his absence a mere facade.
Peace for a while felt genuine.
Even the likes of the U-TIC organization were keeping their distance. They'd be nothing but fools to face the Durandal unprepared, knowing that a single confrontation would've been enough to kill most of their reinforcements.
But Albedo was different, the crew had no idea what strength he'd held from within.
Only Jr. knew of his brother's true extent.
Shion eventually looked back at Albedo with her eyes shaking with rage.
"It's about time you stopped playing with other people's lives, what is there to be happy about whilst someone's suffering!"
"Alisa, she didn't deserve to die!"
A depraved smile flashed at her scowl, of which only proceeded to widen the more Shion's body shook.
"The wench brought this upon herself, the very same as Rubedo has brought himself to me."
"The female form— oh how I wish it wasn't abundant, perhaps if it were I'd still have Rubedo to myself..." His violet eyes shifted onto MOMO, her own pair locked into Albedo's frightened by his eagerness to come over. "Don't come... a-any closer...!"
He still ignored her with a "affectionate" stretch of his hand.
Slowly Albedo approached her, smiling.
"You will soon come to understand futility, the very truth that the world has been hiding from you all this time." "That's right, even your beloved Rubedo has kept this insight away from your precious eyes..." MOMO gasped fighting the tears back into their rashy sockets. She eventually denied his claim, remembering the precious time of her bracelet.
"You're lying, Jr. and my friends— they'd never lie to me!"
Albedo stopped his advance with sudden laughter. It's harsh echoes sounded off the walls, giving an awful ringing effect to the ears.
"Alisa's associates can bemoan over her as much as they want, but mere pity won't bring her back." "That unsightly woman stood against me so I gave her a taste she had nothing good to live for anyway."
"But compared to my dear Kirschwassers her death was not in equal measure."
In response to that comparison hate churned at the group's stomachs.
Alisa had suffered enough being force injected with the substance let alone whatever else she endured yet Albedo still objectified her. Jr. silently shot down his rage with a clenched fist, swallowing focus into him instead. After this speech, Jr. was definitely going to get in on the first blow.
Albedo soon looked back at his twin, knowing that his remark was going to stab. "The realians would go an extra while even in ways that I wouldn't expect— and all this for just a little recognition..."
"If you were as inclined as them dear MOMO we wouldn't be in this predicament at all."
"Know that you were destined to die the moment you were brought upon this world."
"We URTV's are no different, everyone desired to rebel against us as well."
"But Rubedo knew that things would turn out this way."
"But even with that insight he still allowed "us" to suffer."
Jr. stood in complete silence. His eyes shook with sheer trauma. Jr. knew that Albedo didn't just mean variants and him, it meant everyone involved. Jr.'s friends, his new-found family everyone he'd cared about. This fight had pulled his loved ones into the abyss that he'd tried so desperately to keep covered, and again Jr. was helpless in all of it.
Not a muscle moved as if he'd been solidified.
Rage was burning but his lips could not speak. Jr.'s tongue no matter how hard he tried to form a sentence simply stayed put.
His worries of future had manifested themselves into nightmares, ones that he wished wouldn't transfer into the bounds of reality. MOMO being trapped beyond his reach and being the same vicinity as that— monster sickened Jr. deep into his stomach. But he wasn't going to let the situation go that far, not again.
Jr.'s voice resonated the dark storage room, his voice alone made everyone turn. "I... remember, you had no where else to run to besides staying behind me."
"Yeah, I know that the world rejected us but we still needed to make a good impression no matter the hate we got." Just as sentimentality rushed in the truth shot in immediately sending a less traumatic response.
"So if it wasn't for that courage, we would've easily turned into those monsters you despised so much."
Jr.'s sight eventually turned to MOMO. The girl was huddled against Shion, shaking. Mustering a brave face towards Jr's twin felt impossible.
"You seriously think it's right to get her involved into our battles?"
"MOMO shouldn't have to hurt herself for the mistakes *I've* made."
"It's not just about her either, it's about everyone." "It's sure as hell my atonement and I am going to make my amends whenever you like it or not." "So stop with dragging people under and come at me!"
The group were left with a zap of red, dust had suddenly kicked back at them blinding their eyes.
Jr. rushed forward charging a shot ahead of time. As his teeth finished their grit the bullets were unleashed upon Albedo.
His arms were the first to be destroyed.
Blood grotesquely splattered across Jr.'s face, turning his view into the bright shade of red.
For once, red had truly turned into white much to Albedo's sick pleasure.
Jr.'s twin soon retaliated with a blast so destructive that it ate away at the floor's metal panels.
Like acid the ground had melted away, stumbling Jr.'s stance. But that alone didn't stop his assault. Guns continued roar and pierce, through Albedo's upper half. His body had arched down to face the floor. Every single point in Albedo's body was beginning to feel numb. Even with his face away Jr. still felt Albedo's stare eagerly awaiting him.
"You've completely forgotten how to feel for anyone but yourself— it's quite the appalling sight."
"...The selfishness of man, the insatiable lust of committing acts of sin... it's what you are Rubedo." "A sweet, inexcusable monster."
Eventually Albedo's image disappeared, leaving his brother with one final message.
"Heh— and I wouldn't want you any other way."
Since then many hours had passed turning the hectic morning into a quiet afternoon.
Smile Bakery had closed shop for the today, donating the last of the baked goods to those in need. MOMO and Shion left the others to help out with errands, ranging from fixing roof to washing windows. Eventually, the crew separated with their reassuring farewells for the day. To gather his thoughts for upcoming battle Jr. sat upon a bench and sighed, letting his stress blow with the wind. Resonating with his spiritual link was Gaignun, still concerned over Albedo's sudden appearance.
Jr. retraced his thoughts with a firm nod.
"The illicit drugs have been destroyed."
"But even with their destruction we still couldn't avoid a single casualty..."
"Albedo got there before us— by the time I'd arrived it was already too late to do anything— it pisses me off, imagining what she went through but it's over now."
"Alisa can finally rest, knowing that the sodium crap is done for."
Jr. even with this moment of peace dwelled on his brother's abruptness. It was unusual to say the least. But what truly unsettled his mind was the apprehension hanging upon himself. Life as Jr. knew it would not stay with it's dullness as it once did, giving the harrowing expression that perhaps the two would meet once more— much to his expense. Only time will tell.