Translator

As it turns out, stalking someone is no fun at all.

That's not to say that Copen expected anything specific from programming a spy drone to follow and observe the daily routine of it's target. That being Quinn Sakurazaki, but still, that doesn't mean he wants to spend the entire day alt in and out tabbing his computer screen in the hopes that something interesting happens at just the very same moment he deigns to take a look at it.

In other words, his drone doesn't have the advanced programming necessary to send a notification to him whenever something 'interesting' happens as such a command is too vague a statement.

But why not have Lola do it then? Simple, she's already occupied with taking a look at their other target, the 'new' Mytyl. A mission he let her take because observing the same target at the same time would be a waste of resources and also because deep down inside of him, the fact is…

He doesn't want to see her.

That doesn't mean he does not love her, he'd be a terrible brother if so. But still, just looking at a still image of her makes his stomach feel like it's filled with flesh rending acid. Eyes that are a blood red instead of the usual yellow, snow white hair tainted into a bleach blue and even her skin is a shade or two less pale than it was before now. In shorter words, his Mytyl died years ago and got replaced now by this stranger that she was meant to be all along. He never thought something like that would ever happen and even to this day he can't really explain in words how it makes him feel.

Well. He can. It's just that he already understands that it's illogical and that he should feel bad for feeling that way, but even so, none of that changes the fact the 'new' Mytyl is a usurper.

An impostor, she's not his sister, will never remember being her and he doesn't have the right to feel even the slightest resentment towards her because she never got a choice in the matter.

He still feels that way though. Why else would just looking at her disgust him? Why else would he leave her when she was in the most vulnerable period of her life? Why else would he not see her?

Because she'll never compare to the real one even if she tried. Because even if he stayed his mind would not stop comparing her to her past self and how she's just lacking in comparison. Because the best thing he can do is leave her life and be content with the fact whatever of his Mytyl remains in her will finally be able to live a peaceful live. One that he would never able to give her himself.

To stay and desperately hope to see any similarities between them would have been selfish. Even more if he might hurt her if she ever realizes how he feels about her. This new Mytyl will never make sense to him and it's only his love for the old one that's making him think about the latter.

"Because it doesn't make sense," Copen mutters to himself in a bitter tone, pushing away the screen he's been glaring at from early to late afternoon. "And if something doesn't make sense to me, I either shoot or run away from it….some hero I am," clearly he's spend too much time having white light shine on his face if his own thoughts are starting to torment him. So he turns the device down.

As he stands up from his seat at the secret lab, he realizes that he hasn't eaten or drunk anything since morning so it's no wonder that he's starting to feel a bit woozy. Normally this means he'd call Nori to solve the problem or he'd eat some of his travel rations, however he doesn't want to trouble the head maid when she must be working diligently and the rations taste no better than plain dirt.

This means that there's only one thing left to do and it's not sneaking into the mansion to grab a snack because that would be ridiculously dangerous. No, Copen will simply do something that he would never do in any other reality that he can think off if he wasn't starving for a treat.

It is time to head out to town and grab a bite. Incognito, of course.

Coincidentally that just so happens to be the very same kind of location that his target is currently at and he's confident that he can make it to the pinned location before she's done doing so. What better way to obtain information from her than to interact with her? Just passive observation is not doing the job.

Worst case scenario, that being she recognizes him because the Azure Striker told him about her, that would confirm the fact that she is someone important to him and then extraction will follow.

As soon as he left the safety of his lab, Copen learned that the air was very cold. Not a big surprise, considering that with December comes the start of winter. The sky was a deep gray, murky, ugly, if you didn't focus on it would look almost pitch black. But still there was light to be found in the decorated trees and buildings, be they white, red, green or any other color fit for that one specific holiday that almost everyone knows about… Christmas is only a few weeks away after all.

Still there was no pure white snow to be found, at least none that lasted til daylight, the wet puddles on the streets and the gray piles of frozen water were enough proof of that. Still Copen felt no discomfort as he traveled through the northern downtown district of Tokyo, his black winter pants, thick boots and puffy yellow jacket the perfect defense against winter's acrid bite. However that meant he wasn't wearing his iconic armor, a sacrifice he had to make as sort of covering it all with a gigantic cloak he'd stick out like a sore thumb in the crowd. One that was herding along the open streets like a sea of….people? Something like that, still the adept slayer kept on a steady path to…

A building, on a street tucked away in a corner. It's aesthetic did not clash with the futuristic look of the rest of the environment, all blue and lit up like a painful flare. Though the huge icon of a cup of coffee made of neon lights looming above the entrance alongside the well-lit interior filled with soft couches and indoor plants gives the place a cozy feeling. Something its customers must agree on as Copen can see people both young and old sitting down on their tables and enjoying their hot brews under the comfort of a warm roof. It is within that building that his target lies, Quinn Sakurazaki.

Owner of the Sakura Coffee café. A business decision she must have made after her parents have disinherited for having harbored a terrorist if only to be capable of still paying for her own roof. Or maybe this was something she always wanted to do, Copen didn't really care about that fact.

He just has a mission to take care off: Make contact with the target, obtain info and get out.

In case things go wrong, he's already set up a small emp device on a building just nearby it alongside other devices. One press of the emergency button and all lights in the vicinity will turn off and his armor will fly to his location and auto-equip itself like Steel Man has done in the movies.

That and he still had his trusty gun with him, hidden in a secret pocket.

So he should be fine. Should being the emphasis here as honestly: When do things go right for him?
It is with that thought and yet another scan of his surroundings for anything out of the ordinary that he walks into the café and almost flinches the moment he hears a small bell announce his entrance.

"Calm down...just look casual...like everyone else…" he muttered to himself as he made his way to the counter after noticing two other people standing in front of it. Using the meantime to observe the menu, only to recognize absolutely nothing on it except for the sandwich options and the obvious warm drinks such as coffee, cappuccino, hot chocolate, etc. etcetara. Not like that mattered though, worst case he'll just pick a random meal and some coffee as he has rehearsed before.

Finally, he got greeted by just some boy working at the register. "Hello! Welcome to Sakura Coffee, how may I take your order?" their voice was remarkably light and their green eyes and blue hair an easy detail to notice. Still Copen was sure he'd forget about this random worker by the end of the day, seeing them as nothing more than an obstacle slash way to make his way to the real goal.

"Give me a long black and what is the freshest thing you have cooked." Copen had to withhold an unimpressed look towards the case holding food that looked cold and hard. He knew some people baked at like specific hours but still he wasn't the type to eat a soggy six hour old cake.

The boy let out a giggle, the type of sound that meant he made a mistake and the boy thought him silly for it, "Those are just displays, sir, not the stuff we actually serve. They sure look real though."

"I see." Copen replied, then grew quiet again. Was he supposed to laugh or something?

Dead silence came for one second, but the boy quickly carried along the conversation by finally answering the request, "The most recent thing we have are some strawberry blondies, if that sounds any good to you."

Copen had no idea what those were, whatever cake trivia he ever possessed in his life already gone. "I'll take them." he made the order regardless, as he wasn't really here to enjoy the food anyway.

"They cost 2 (Insert your country's currency here, I'm not messing with yen) a piece and we got 5."

Copen quickly took out the appropriate amount, "Keep the change," he muttered at the realization that he took out a bit too much but couldn't be bothered to take back the appropriate amount.

"Alright, all of that for mr…?"

"Acura." Copen casually lied, no way was he going to expose both his name and his face.

"All of that for Mr Acura!" the boy replied, tone still strangely playful. If Copen didn't know better then he would have amused the paranoia that this boy knew him and was playing dumb in his face.

But that's impossible so he doesn't, "I'll go sit over there," and moves to take the seat he pointed at.

It didn't take more than a minute before the boy returned with a steaming cup of Long Black and a plate adorned with freshly baked strawberry blondies (Which are just strawberry cakes with a touch of lemon). As he set them down before Copen, his eyes met briefly with him again before flashing yet another kind off, kind off not, small yet smug smile. It took Copen a bit off guard, because why would anyone smile at him without some reason? Are people just that extroverted these days?

He had no idea why, but part of Copen felt like he was being made fun off. Still he grunted away the insecurity and remained stoic yet cordial, "Thank you," he said as his fingers curled around the warm, relishing the familiar searing heat against the skin of his hand. Then he noticed it.

The cute little drawing of a tiger written on the cup where his name should be. The unexpected drawing caught Copen off guard for a second, momentarily breaking through his cold exterior. He glanced back at the guy, a mix of surprise and confusion flickering through his face, awaiting an explanation and the fact the guy seemed to have vanished in tin air sadly made that impossible.

The sound of a staff door closing informed him where the guy went and before Copen could think twice about what he was doing, he stood up and followed right after the guy. One hand in his pocket so he can draw out his gun if the need to do so arises. Perhaps it's overkill, but better that than dead.

The door led him to a standard break room, whose backdoor that leads outside was also open, which leads to a standard alleyway. Big enough for two cars to park side by side but also hidden away from the public eye. Everything about starts to scream 'Ambush' to Copen, so he turns around.

And gets a gun pointed straight at his chest.

"Props to you, Mr Adept Slayer, I didn't think you'd be looking for me this soon."

The boy speaks, tone still playful but his gun arm has a solid grip, a clear warning that at the slightest motion a bullet will pierce Copen's heart. So the latter has to let go of his own weapon.

"It's kind of a pain to be honest, things are nowhere near ready for me to lift the veil, especially to you of all people. But I suppose even the best plans have to deal with a derail down the road…"

Copen could say multiple times at that, but he quickly settles on, "And how do you know me?"

That question alone dissipates the air of mystery the boy has, their eyes slightly widen in surprise before they raise an eyebrow in doubt. "I'm sorry, what did you just ask me?"

"...And how do you know me?" Copen repeats, now confused about why the boy is confused.

"You-I," the boy stops again for a second, then continues. "You don't know who I am?"

"No?"

"Then how did you find me?!"

Because he was tracking somebody else, he will not say, "I...came to eat and warm myself up."

The boy doesn't look like he believes it, "So you came here of all places to eat?"

"It is a café."

Silence.

"It is a cafe," the boy eventually admits. "But still, I guess I have a problem now."

"You do," Copen says, then moves the second the guy blinks into him to push his gun away and overpower him with his higher strength and athletics. Then points his own gun at the ground.

Where the shorter boy is not writhing underneath him nor stuck in a choke hold.

"Ooh, that would've hurt, if I wasn't me," instead the guy is now standing on the roof, the kind of height that can't be platformed in less than a second, thus announcing his status as an adept.

"How about you come down here and answer some questions, before I show you how badly hurt you really can end up if you make me chase you?" Copen replies, ready to press the button.

"See there's the fun part," the blue haired adept shrugs, "How will the bad slayer hurt me…"

"If he can't catch me?" and the kid runs of.

"This isn't the time to play games…." Copen says as he moves to chase the guy anyway, there's no guarantee he'll ever find the boy again if he doesn't. Still a thought starts to trouble him.

Factions here, factions there, how many people are going to be involved in this dragon whatever incident? There's already ATEMS and Sumeragi, that he knows. But the more he progresses, the clearer it becomes that the well he's found himself in is far bigger than he could have predicted.

He's already been a pawn once, and his presence has been predicted twice by now. How little is his understanding of things if the best he can do is just rush ahead and beat up the next person he sees?

TBC.