Translator

AN: Yikes, forgot has no crossed through word option. So consider words like (this) crossed though instead.

Interrogation-

(Copen's pov)

Stupid.

Imbecile.

Idiot.

Such words and other synonyms appear stamped on the reflection of his forehead in the mirror, glowing bright in Liberation Seriff glory. A splash of water from the faucet against his face and a look later they still remain as Copen looks at himself with a frown of disapproval.

Another sigh leaves him, then he takes in a deep fulfilling breath of air, after which he calmly dares a gaze over his body, making note of the new starburst of bruises that are already purpling where the striker managed to hit him. The wounds are red and raw, and his hands shake slightly from noticing how similar they look like the burn scars given far earlier by someone else.

(A painful sign about how powerful his foes have become...or how he's starting to fall behind. And the result of the mistakes he has made: If he had accepted Zed's offer, if he had killed his muse, would he be where is now? Still staring down injuries with no worthy progress to be proud about?)

That is however a good thing, because it means he already knows how to treat it. What he doesn't know is how to treat the situation that he's put himself in. Scratch that, the catastrophe he's in.

Armies and cults of renowned might have fallen to the actions of one man before, because they've dared to harm or try to harm someone the Azure Striker cares about. And what did he just do?

He kidnapped someone the Azure Striker cares about...in full sight of him. Or at the least knows the name off and took the time to try and rescue. Definitely gaining his attention – and even worse, his full wrath and attention if the latter assumes his companion is about to go through a fierce interrogation or something worse for wherever his imagination leads him- and putting a timer on his head to obtain as much information as he can before said striker recovers from the encounter.

And assuming the information he obtains is sufficient...then how to handle the source? Killing Xiao Wu though a direct solution is also blatantly the worst one. Gunvolt would immediately make it priority number one to avenge his fallen friend. And he does not need more enemies right now.

Likewise containment isn't an option either, blackmail doesn't seem to be the type that would work on Gunvolt much as it'd make him push back harder. The simplest thing to do in order to keep to the shadows (and so out of focus) and hopefully keep a smidge of 'goodwill' (or whatever you'd call Gunvolt not deciding to report him when prompted) is to shake Xiao Wu out of what info he has and then dump him into some alley. Miraculously unharmed or at least close to it.

"Easier said than done, really." he bitterly notes to himself. Then binds the last of the renewed bandages on his body. Now that he's taken care of that, the next thing to do is obvious.

Interrogate the captive for information, hope the latter doesn't try to pester-

No, better to brace for the worst and just do it. The more he tries to plan this out, the more foolish he'll look if something goes wrong. Xiao Wu does not look the type to be fooled by playing nice or tough, so there's no point in trying to make a mental flowchart. All that leaves him with is guts.

Nevertheless Xiao Wu's secrets will be dissected swift and efficiently.

"Ah, you're finally here! It's considered rude to keep your guests waiting."

The moment he enters, Xiao Wu greets him. Tone conversational and body relaxed, were it not for the obvious restrains around him then he'd look like someone that's made themselves home.

"You're not my guest," in turn his tone is mechanical. His posture stiff and looking down on the other with his full height while his eyes show deliberate neutrality. "You're my captive."

"Names, s'names." Xiao intellectually replies, then looks him in the eyes with a smile, "So?"

"So, you'll be questioned and you're going to be very forthcoming if you want to keep anything on you intact." he moves a bit closer, keeping the eye-contact all the while. Then nothing, no extra edge to his tone, just silence as he waits for a reply and any info his body language will reveal.

"I'll be happy to answer any questions you have, scout's honor." Xiao makes some sort of hand sign accompanied with a toothy smile one could consider charming. Revealing his molars. "That and I don't like ouchies in general, soooooo cooperating sounds like the smartest thing to do to me."

He doesn't reply to that. Instead moving to the first question then.

"You mentioned Interior Creators before, elaborate on how they could be useful to me."

"Pretty sure I said they were a chain company. You know what a chain comp-

Having no time to waste, Copen interrupts. "Speak short and simple, now."

He obeys, "Figure out where they obtain their supplies, follow whatever trail that trail leads to and sooner or later you'd find out whatever dark and secret headquarters these ninjas reside in."

"Why should I?"

"Why shouldn't you? I don't think you're lucky enough to not be in their radar now. And you're definitely not the type who wants to be blindsided from a sudden attack from an unknown foe."

Sensing an opportunity for more info, Copen lays out the bait. "And you know me how?"

A roll of the eyes, it must've been too obvious. "Rumors, hearsay, a few comments from Gunvolt, all of those paint enough of a picture on how you can be paranoid one moment and reckless next."

"But honestly, and I don't mean to tell you how to do things as an interrogator," Xiao continues, hands held open to show no harm. "But can't you ask more...exciting questions? We're already two questions in and you've asked me something you could figure out yourself and something that doesn't really matter in the long run. You're really messing with my attention span here."

"Whatever question I deign to ask-"

"Is none of my concern as the captive, I know, but c'mon…" letting out a groan as if he was told he has homework to do, Xiao plaintively looks at the ceiling for a moment before returning his gaze. "Why do I keep contact with ATEMS knowing they want to kill Gunvolt? Why does Gunvolt work for Sumeragi? What's Shadow Yakumo's goal in all this? Can't you ask me something like that?"

"If you're so eager to reveal those things to me." He shakes his head, not letting his attention dwindle into theories on how suspicious it is for the latter to want that. "Then go ahead."

"But that's not how they do it in the movies though, besides, who wants a ramble?"

"You're starting to reach the limit of my patience." Copen warns, "Say what you mean to say or I'll cut you open and look for the answers inside that way. I'm not your friend no matter how you talk."

This is the first and last warning, if he refuses to share then Copen will take.

Consequences be damned...or so Copen hopes Xiao Wu will believe.

"Fine." Xiao relents, then straightens a bit. "Prepare to have your mind blown away!"

Everything is going well so far, too well Copen's cynicism gripes at him. If his words actions were to be believed then Xiao was a perfectly polite kid, a little desperate for attention if anything. But the body doesn't lie, hairs slightly raised, overly moving hands to distract how tense his legs are. The boy is uncomfortable, any sane person would be, yet insists on keeping up the affable facade.

Why? Because he wants something. Whether it's trying to pull at Copen's empathy in hopes of increasing his chances of leaving this room alive or more than just that is yet to be seen.

He's a child, struggling to stay alive. Copen purged that thought, shoved it firmly back where it came from and tightened the lid. Already he missed a few words from the boy, so he listened.

"-and I don't want to sound too obtuse, but I wasn't really there for it, so, basically…his septima just went haywire all of a sudden? Like he was helping Quinn shop one moment and the next, bam! EMP WAVE! And his flashfield got her real good too. Really messed up her arm, so that, and the fact he harmed some other innocent people by accident made him feel real guilty. So badly, he willingly surrendered himself to Sumeragi just like that. I know, it's so sudden right? And therefore so suspicious too, right? No way that came out of nowhere, or so I think."

"Where did it come from then?" Copen asks, with little faith. If this is just a conspiracy theory…

"I dunno, Sumeragi? Shadow Yakumo? I bet someone messed with his septima somehow...and I know that's a weak theory but hear me out: say you want to control someone, how do you do it?"

"Excluding mind control or blackmail, it'd be carrot and stick."

"Thaaaaaat's iiiiit!" Xiao praises, making little 'woohoo' gestures with his hands, perhaps he'd even clap if he could move them that far. "Make the adept's septima go haywire, introduce a medium to solve or postpone it, and control their every action from then on."

Theories are fine and all, "But do you have proof or is that just a 'hunch' you have?"

"…" Silence, then a grimace. "I don't have anything...even so. The thought of a happy ending being suddenly yanked away. Isn't that unpleasant? If it wasn't orchestrated then what? Am I supposed to just say 'tough luck' and do nothing? Just watch as my friend gets slowly drained day by day?"

The sympathy card? Or is he genuinely getting a bit emotional? Either way, "What can you do?"

"Information for one thing," Xiao turns back to normal, or what should be called his default state, all smiles. "Oh, wait, I forgot to add, since they now know that Quinn used to house him. Whose to say they won't make her dissapear one day if he dares defy them? Heh, that would really have to be the godzilla threshold though since it's just as likely that he would just destroy their army again."

"Dunno if he would do that for me, per se. I'm not a cute girl." A pause, then a look to the ceiling as if he's considering something. "And no matter how pretty I'd look, I would never wear a dress."

A clear redirect to avoid saying the obvious 'Gunvolt will make you pay if you hurt me'. Which is all the more suspicious because why wouldn't he make a grasp at some safety?

Does he not consider himself in danger? 'I can escape whenever I want' is that what he's thinking?

Not wasting a question on that, he'd look insecure if he did. "That wasn't the first question."

"Pedantic, but true." Xiao shrugs. "Why do I 'work with' ATEMS? Simple, to keep an eye on them. I mean really that prince has no worries whatsoever about spies, I bet he made the same offer to you. Do you wanna know why that is? Why he did so in spite of knowing the risks?"

There's no way he would not want to know that. Copen nods yes.

"It's because, no matter what he does. He's destined to prevail." A pause, to gauge Copen's reaction, a single raised eyebrow. "No really, he was born with the goldest of golden spoons, inside a world that deifies his very existence with a septima that's considered the strongest there. ZedΩ is the sun of all adepts. Radiant, ever shining rays whose warmth reach everyone and a power so blinding that no matter who he meets, he'll simply utterly annihilate them. Such a simple and bizarre existence."

"He's the very kind of person my parents taught me to not become. To be arrogant, or cocky, or overconfident or act like a know-it-all. I mean, every single depiction of geniuses in fiction has them as cocky, rude assholes, and gives the excuse that because they're smart or talented, they're allowed to do whatever they want." his observation gains a touch of poison, humored disgust.

"I mean, ever heard of nice geniuses? 'Hey, this guy operated someone at eight- and he also does awesome party tricks!' No. We get the Sherlock Holmes people want to deck in the face. The type with the same ridiculous hubris-pride. Overconfidence. It's always taking them down because somehow, despite being smart, they're not smart enough to realize that they're being dumb."

"I see," Copen adds to show he's listening. Noting how Xiao is starting to get more intense.

"But the worst part, and I really mean the worst part in all this is! Is! That it makes him super dangerous too! Insanely so! Consider this: What do you get when you feed someone's ego from birth, assure them that they have nothing prove, that they're always right, that they are the best of all possible good men and that the world will one day be saved by them?"

"Someone with no sense of 'other'. The entire world revolves around his beliefs. God is him in the flesh. Right is what he believes. Evil is what he defines. Anyone who opposes him is a bully."

"How childish." Copen spits.

"Not childish, even worse, innocent. It's normal for people to follow him, it's normal for them to ignore their homes, families or even their dreams for him, because he is a good man, and it's only right that he should have their loyalty above all else. It's normal if not regrettable for them to die for him, because their purpose in life was to serve him. Any measure to destroy the opposition is allowed because he's the good guy and they're the bad guys for getting in his way, any measure."

The insistence on 'any measure' makes Copen remember an unpleasant memory. The way he almost died from an attack the wielder of Golden Trillion made while enhanced by his muse. He can see it happen again, this time not just aimed at him. But any of the latter's foes in Japan. The walking nuke unleashing devastation after devastation if he ever feels pressured enough to do so.

'The lives of the masses, although a heavy loss...is a necessary sacrifice for the sake of the world.' is the kind of nonsense he can imagine hearing from their mouth, all self-righteousness and self-pity for having had to make the hard choice that only brave men can do. Such utter garbage.

"I won't let that happen."

"Neither will I, oh, would you look at that? We do have something in common!"

"Answer the next one."

"I don't know." Xiao says plainly, then elaborates. "No, really. Other than the place we so happened to intrude earlier, which is the closest thing I got from physically seeing them. All I know is that they are Sumeragi's sister org that way's more secretive than them. People have dissapeared moments after trying to investigate them and returned completely unharmed, with not a memory of what happened and a complete disinterest in continuing it….in the best case scenario."

The unsaid is left unsaid. "Also...not to be rude or anything, but would you please and I mean pretty please with a cherry on top answer a question of mine now? If you have the heart to that is?"

Copen doesn't even hesitate. "No."

Xiao asks anyways. "Are you planning to visit S-fit anytime soon by chance?"

This is starting to get ridiculous. Can he read minds? Does he have an informant even for him? But the only people who know about his actions in advance would never betray him. "If I were to be?"

"Then be a pal and let me tag along, why not?" a ridiculous statement stated as calmly as ever.

"No." Copen flat out rejects it, then continues, suspicious "If you're proposing an alliance-"

"More like a one time coop mission!"

"-or something along those lines, then I refuse."

"And why is that?"

"Because I don't trust you."

"Does that really matter if I already know of a way inside?"

Copen's eyes widened for the first time.

"Oh, that was kind of an exaggeration, but still, it's not exactly hard for me to go places when I can just 'time stop'-" Xiao makes air quotes with his fingers, "to move past any security measure that gives me trouble. I'll even sweeten the deal and help you make one of those ex-weapons based on me."

The slayer returned to a vacant face. "What a generous offer, still, what do you seek inside?"

"Answers, same as you. All info Sumeragi doesn't want accessible but is deemed too important to erase gets nicely hidden in there after all. You get to figure out whatever research of your pa ATEMS used to make their artificial diva and I get to see if there's anything about Gunvolt there."

"To be honest, I'd love to read whatever info you would find there too, but I doubt you'd let me. So let's just make things simple and say it this way: You scratch my back once and I'll scratch yours."

"What do you slay, Adept Sayer? Wanna break into S-fit as a one time deal?"

This…

This guy.

Is an absolute headache.

"Why should I put my faith into a wild card?" Copen asks instead, and it's a good question. He's got no guarantee of the other's loyalty, reliability or even if this isn't just a ruse to escape him.

"Do you already have the winning hand?" Xiao asks back, "Then a little game of chance won't be that bad on you. Also, seriously. If I dared cheat you, will anything spare me from your wrath? Sure, I could hide back in some hidden home, but eventually you could track me down. So, there."

"And you wouldn't hold a grudge against me? Or abandon me midway?"

"Eh, I've had people try to kill me. So this doesn't really compare. Also, again, I'm not much of a fighter so the moment we're knee-deep inside a security base which ought to be filled to the brim with murder robots at the slightest alarm. I won't be getting out of there if you can't manage to."

"I've only got your word."

"Sorry, but vows that can't be broken are fictional. So what's it gonna be? Yes or no?"

Copen frowned, then raised his hand slowly, to remove the restraints. "Don't make me regret this."

"I'll try not to, my new bu-" a dead glare interrupts his sentence. "respectful temporary co-worker."

Scratch that, he's already regretting this. "S-fit. And how to get into it, start talking now."

Xiao rubbed his arms and legs a bit before standing up. "Aye, I will need some chalk, a school board and some coffee though. Why don't we leave this dreary place first and talk upstairs?"

"After you." Copen tends the way. If only because the change of scenery isn't any less secure and will also reveal whether or not the other will immediately run off the moment he sees a window.

He doesn't. Xiao Wu confidently walks beside him, as if he had always done so.

If that wasn't a sign things were turning for the weirder in his life. Then...he doesn't know.

Then again, he said he would do things differently and even deigning to enter any kind of alliance with an adept, something he feels he should be revolted towards but only feels annoyed to, is something that would count along the lines of that. A small sacrifice for the sake of progress.

"So, now that we're allies (temp). I have to ask, do you watch anime, Copen?"

Silence, not of the tense uncomfortable one, but the strange lofty one of 'what the fuck.'

"...what?"

[Some time later]

"Maybe it's the hot chocolate talking," Xiao Wu starts with the warm cup in his hands, back against a comfy couch and plate of cookies within arm's reach on a small table. "But are we friends now?"

"No." Copen responds flatly, sipping his own coffee a second after. The change of scenery to the break room is nothing more than the carrot aspect of it all. "Not now or ever, period," and that doesn't mean he'll be acting any nicer for it, not that he thinks he could feign even a faked smile.

Xiao Wu is smiles enough for the both of them. "Well, you say that now, but who knows..."

Copen's starting to get sick of the expression. "I do, now get to it once you're done."

Xiao in turn takes another moment before finishing his drink and getting up. "Right! Now, see, here's the thing…"

Conversation: How to get into S-fit.

[Xiao Wu's theme plays]

Xiao: Starting with the simple details. S-fit, also known as the Sumeragi Future Institute of Technology is a research facility hidden among the Kongo-Katsuragi mountain ranges. It's architecture mainly consists of 4 bodies making 3 different sectors and 1 main hub.

Copen: Cutting edge weapons of mass destruction which mainly consists of Tank development for one, Bio-weapons and human experimentation for the other and the last one is energy research.

Xiao: With the last one being the only public known and legal one, you did your homework.

Copen: Keep going.

Xiao: The lab is said to be surrounded by an impenetrable barrier. A doubtful claim really when employees can go in and out to head home or go to work as per the usual working week.

Copen: I can see where this is going. One should steal or forge a pass of sort to bypass the barrier? If that's your grand plan, then I'm sorry to say that this much is the easiest thing to think off.

Xiao: Which is why it wouldn't work. Everyone that goes in and out is stored within a database. If something enters that wasn't registered. They'll assume the worst and the place goes into lockdown. I'm sure you're about to say 'why not hack that database?' but that's a no go too since said database is within S-fit and can't be altered out the premise. A real catch-22 situation if there was one.

Xiao: So then...how does one go inside? How to crack the mission impossible?

Copen: I'm sure you're about to tell me.

Xiao: Well, I've got nothing definite. But I do have a hunch. Remember Interior Creators?

Copen: The company that provides materials for glaives, also a shell for Shadow Yakumo.

Xiao: Guess who has been ordering a lots of glaives...by the truckloads...

Copen: … If I think that what you're about to say is what I'm thinking.

Xiao: What am I about to say?

Copen: Hijack or smuggle oneself inside of the Interior Creator trucks to enter S-fit.

Xiao: It's the kind of thing we see in heist movies. Still, it could work, no?

Copen: It's an awful lot to bet on one thing. Also extremely crazy.

Xiao: Crazy enough to work methinks. But hey, nobody said we'd have to be inside the whole time. The facility doesn't have any roads so the only way to deliver cargo is through flying trucks, the kind that'd be dangerous to just inspect in mid-air so by the time they come to check it's contents at the entrance. The truck would have already bypassed the barrier and we can just jump out of it.

Xiao: So, how do you like my (theoretical) plan with a success chance of 95%

Copen: What's the other 5%?

Xiao: I don't know if the trucks are actually driven or auto-piloted so better to err on the cuatouis side. Don't worry though, I've got plenty of infiltration experience, in games at least!

Copen: …

Xiao: Oh, don't give me the visible silence cliche! It was just one j-

Copen: How long?

Xiao: Huh?

Copen: How long will it take you to prepare for this? To enter S-fit.

Xiao: Well, the next delivery of cargo there...should be in 2 days I think, so-

Copen: 2 days it is then. And if you're gonna say that's too little time, then you're useless.

Xiao: I wasn't gonna say that! Shoo-eesh! What met your gaze and died? But yeah, you enjoy your 2 days of rest and leave getting into S-fit to me. Can I get a ride back home now?

Copen: Nori will drive you. Now get out.

[Theme and conversation end]

"You're playing with fire." is the first thing the maid says once they're far away enough.

"How so?" Xiao replies, comfortably seated and eyeing the landscape outside the car's window or he would do so if said windows let him. Which they don't, so he just rests his head against it.

"If you think you can douse the anger he'll feel by getting close to him, It's quite the opposite."

"That's not why I'm doing it." he replies with no worry. Followed by a tired yawn.

"Then why?"

"Oh, you'll find out one day."

"Good niiiiighto, boss!" a familiar voice enters the laboratory. "You won't believe the day I've-

"Not now." Copen interrupts. Feeling a headache coming. He's had enough excitement for one day.

"Had a bad day then?" Lola asked instead, lowering her volume when she sees him flinch.

"Bad company." He doesn't elaborate, lacking the energy. "I'll explain tomorrow."

"K. But, uh, I do have something to tell you." she says, in a tone he would realize sounds hesitant if he was of a sharper mind. Now, he just raises an eyebrow and asks, "Is it really important?"

"Well, it's about Mytyl."

"Is she in danger?"

"No. B-"

"Then it can wait until later." he mildly snaps. "In fact, since we're about to do something important. I can't afford any distractions. So unless she's in danger, don't bother with trivia."

"I wouldn't consider it trivia…" Again, were he not flat tired, then he would picked up that social cue of 'I want to tell you something but I am afraid it'll upset you'. But he doesn't and so…

"I don't want to hear it." he kills the subject, "Anyway, come here, we've got work to do."

"Ok." She relents, far too easily, so suspiciously, and that's how the truth is avoided one more day.

Writer note: And that's this episode of Dragon Slayer, next time some missing scenes (The first and second phases of Gunvolt vs Zeno, Mytyl's magical girl transformation and other stuff that would be too awkward to just put in elsewhere now) and after that the actual S-fit episode.

Also the idea for Xiao's ex-weapon would just be the Time Freezer from iX2. Aka a weapon that slows down time and deals passive damage. Completely stopping tagged foes and all that gizmo.

Just call it Time Stopper instead and voila, until the next time.