Star of the city…the penultimate rank. The one that's usually the career ender, why? Because of the extremely high bounty meaning some of the most powerful fixer office and syndicate and hell even wing corps will be gunning for us.
The first reception began….and my worst fear has come true. The blue reverberation. He found my parents! And he had every intention to kill them and smother Orlando in his crib. Roland and angelica's worst fear also came true. Angelica had some hope that her brother would not harm his nephew. But that's how he sees orlando. He sees him as prove of his sister's betrayal with roland. The scythe wielding lunatic was not too keen on his new step brother. So much so that he's willing to kill the proof of that. I'm sure after this display any faith she had in her brother was long gone and she now sees him the same way me and roland do. With nothing but bitterness and contempt. With his gang of distortions. Escape seemed impossible if not for one thing…an invitation to the library. Mom grabbed orlando and signed. While dad kept them at bay. It's been a while since dad's been in a fight. But he's still an armageddon knight and was able to hold them back long enough to escape.
I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god they got away." i said.
"Don't thank god Thank me. I sent that invitation when we first saw the blue reverberation and I figured you'd want your families an escape route just in case." angela said.
"Thanks angela." i said with a smile though i noticed roland and angelica weren't pleased.
"We're not booking our son angela!" angelica yelled.
"That was not the plan. Think of this as an armageddon knight recruitment." angela said.
"That was the last straw. That blue sicko is dead!" roland yelled. Not to happy Argalia was aiming to kill his and angelicas kid.
"Agreed. When that pretty boy prick comes into the library. He ain't leaving alive? What about you, angelica? Was this the last straw when it came to your brother?" i asked.
"Yes…" angelica said darkly and with anger. Me and angela went to go meet my parents.
"Mom…dad. I'm glad your both okay." i said trying to fight back my tears.
"Likewise kiddo…so this is what was once facility x-394. A library huh? I take it that the books here aren't normal?" dad asked.
"Yeah. a lot of the books here are people who came here and failed the trial and therefore are now books. You won't have to do the trial. Angela has already set up a place for you to stay for right now." i said. Roland and angelica came in as well. Mom handed orlando to them. They both looked at their son in relief. Mom walked up and looked at angela.
"So your angela. You're quite beautiful for an ai. Oh sorry. You're no longer one. My son saw to that." mom said. Angela blushed.
"Um…thank you. I owe your son a lot…saving you two was the least I could do." angela said.
"Heh! I imagine. A constantly looping hell is nothing I wish on anyone." dad said. And so mom and dad explored the library meeting everyone. Mom wanted to give hugs to malkuth and hod. Former high ranking member of the thumb. Still a sucker for cute things. Mom wanting enoch and lisa to call her grandma. I mean she's not old enough to be a grandma but i did say i was going to adopt them. They got bored with yesod and left. Much to his annoyance. Dad decided to chat with chesed while mom chatted with gebura.
"The coffee…the calming music. I see why my son went to you for stress relief daniel." dad said.
"It's been a long time since I've heard that old name…seems like so long ago that the outskirts lab happened. He used to talk about you and maya alot." chesed said.
"Really? What did he say?" dad asked.
"He said about how his child self took what you did for him for granted. And how he only really appreciated it when he became an adult." chesed said. Dad laughed.
"Yeah. that's how i was when i was a kid. Not really appreciating a normal childhood until i saw how some other kids had it…and realized how lucky i am. Going through school is better than having to do crimes to survive or be forced to pick up a rifle for some war I had no intention of fighting i say…and that's especially true for jon. Considering the world we live and he grew up in. the city is a cruel place…where people die every day. Everyone around us always look so miserable. The amount of times i went to work and saw blood covered streets…is rather disheartening. Which is why jon once believed in carmen's project. Jon may say he's only doing this to put this project behind him. But i believe there's a part of him that still believes in ayin and carmen's vision…because much like me. He wants to see a change for the better." dad said. Damn…saw right through me huh dad? He's right. A part of me still believes in the seed of light project despite the pain it caused me and my friends…i want to see change for the better. It's hard for me to see that to the sea of darkness i fell into when everything on the seed of light project went to hell. But as I've seen. It can work. And i'll see it through to the end.
I followed mom to the floor of language. And saw her chatting with gebura.
"Little kali all grown up. Both of my children have become legendary color fixers. I'm so proud." mom said.
"My name is gebura now…also don't say that me and jon are your kids. It'll make thing weird." gebura said.
"Why?" mom asked. Her awnser was with gebura blushing and looking to the side. Mom smiled. "Oh…i was wondering when you two would hook up. Took a lot longer than expected." mom said with a grin.
"Actually…it's not just me." gebura said. Mom giggled.
"Figured as much…my son is that lovable and he's more than enough love to give to multiple ladies. So who are the lucky girls? Let me guess. One of them is angela." mom said with a cat like smile.
"Yeah and the former Disciplinary Team captain of facility o-5681. A girl named catt." gebura replied.
"Disciplinary Team huh? Guess it's a thing for the karakuer men to like women that will dominate them." mom said.
"I take it the same goes for desmond?" gebura said with a grin.
"Let's just say the night jon was conceived. Desmond wasn't walking straight for a while." mom admitted with a smile. I had no interest in this conversation so I left. It was reception time again. And this time it's the office that hired molar office and gaze office to figure out w corp's singularity in promise of a big paycheck. Cane office. Apparently argalia was the one who put them up to it. And it seems the leader nemo who has a pda for a face is quite the arrogant douche. Calling gaze office "irrelevant rubbish." even bragging about bringing down 11 stars of the city…yeah i know a bullshitter when i hear one. Espically when argalia and pluto arrive with another demand for cane office. To go to the library. Nemo refused at first trying to hide his fear as arrogance. However because of the contract they signed. If they don't do what they say. Pluto can take out anything from their bodies and proved that by taking out the heart of another cane office member bada. And putting it back. He gave them same ultimatum he gave full stop office. Go to the library or die at his hands. Of course they think they'll just come here and get some books fully unaware that argalia's ultimatum was basically choosing the blender or the hydraulic press in how you want to die.
This one enoch and lisa handled. Giving us a prime show of hansel and gretel's skill. They didn't even give enoch and lisa a chance to do anything before they slash and blasted the cane office. Another reception done. And I revived two of the three members of cane office. Nemo was a coward who disguised it as arrogance. Don't need that here.
Our next reception is the liu association. An association that excels in combat and warfare. If the shi are based off the japanese ninja. Then these guys are based off of the chinese army. Considering their dragon motive and their weapons are also based on the chinese. War swords guan daos. All things you'd see chinese soldiers of the past using. The screen is showing us three fixers of section 2. Cecil lowell and mei. Discussing the distortion known as "the black overlord." that single handedly destroyed district 23. Backstreets and wing. My heart dropped with guilt knowing that the black overlord is nikushimi the distortion born from mine and angela's hatred. I made my disdain for W corp and district 23 well known. And i'm not too broken about seeing them go. But I highly doubt the 500,000 people it killed were all cannibals and w-corp goons. Just as they were chatting. A woman entered the room. One of the Liu's best. Xiao. they discussed the origin of the black overlord…what they said shocked the hell out of me.
"The black overlord is believed to have a connection to a color fixer known as the white messiah. Since the beginning of the white nights and dark days. He was seen slaying distortions no one else could and disappeared…a real ghost." mei said.
"So the black overlord is…what? The distorted that the white messiah killed coming back for revenge?" lowell asked mei shook her head.
"No…many believe that it's the manifestation of the white messiah's anger and hatred." mei said.
"How do you figure that?" xiao asked.
"Survivors that have seen the distortion have heard it mutter four names before screaming "hate. I hate you." those four names being ayin benjamin carmen and garion." mei said.
"Hmm…three of those names sound familiar." cecil said.
"Ayin benjamin and carmen we're the founders of l corp. But more importantly the head researchers of the seed of light project. The very project responsible for the white nights and dark days. It was believed that the white messiah was the only survivor of that project." mei said.
"So him fighting the distortions was to make up for his screw up huh?" cecil asked.
"If i remember correctly. That project was shut down because an arbiter came and killed everyone…most likely. Garion was the name of that arbiter." xiao reasoned.
"Still taking on the black overlord is quite the dangerous mission." lowell said.
"Indeed. It will most likely end in our deaths. Unless we find the white messiah. If anyone has a chance at slaying the black overlord. It's him. We'll investigate the library while others search for him. It won't be easy. As mei said. He's a real ghost. But we have to find him. After all. He's not one to allow such slaughter go unpunished." xiao said. And soon they were off to the library.
"Guess it makes sense that it would target district 23. You've made your disgust for everything there wether the cannibal of the back streets or w corp. Your hatred for them was well known." angelica said.
"How…how does the liu association know all that? About the old lab. What went down there. The three people that will not go named." i said. Baffled.
"My guess…they had some good info digging fixers. But that doesn't matter right now." roland said.
"Yeah. what matter is getting ready for the liu. I knew we'd retract the top dogs of the city when we became the star of the city." i said.
"I take it their different from the shi?" angela asked.
"Yep. while the shi are experts at assassination. Kill the target before they even knew what happened. The liu on the other hand. Their a combat and warfare type of association face to face with the enemy is their bread and butter. And unlike the shi. We don't have the luxury of facing our guests with nearly dead batteries. Needless to say. This is gonna be one of our toughest receptions yet." i said. However none of the top guys showed up. Like before our first receptions with certain associations. We had to chop through some mooks first. Which we did.
Our next reception was one i was fucking ready for…as we see argalia and his distortion posse torturing some outskirts folks who took up residence within the old lab. Apparently their there trying to find out about E.G.O about things like the red mists armor and the pianist. Doesn't matter to me…means he's coming to the library himself…it's payback time.
"Seems as though the blue sicko is coming here." i said.
"Yeah…you ready for this?" roland asked.
"Damn straight…that bastard isn't leaving the library alive. Even if he tries to run." i said malice in my voice. And so we go to greet our guest. Angela gave the usual greeting.
"Oh. the white messiah. So this is where you ran off to." argalia said.
"You're not leaving here alive you bastard." i said.
"Are you mad about my visit to your folks? Just let it go. They're still alive aren't they?" argalia asked like a child not knowing what he did wrong.
"That doesn't matter! You went after my parents! And roland and angelicas kid! I hope you realized that was the last straw for your sister and now she won't hesitate putting you down!" i yelled. That seemed to get under his skin.
"Your lying! My beloved sister would never turn on me for that man and bastard!" argalia yelled.
"When was the last time you ever faced reality argalia. But i digress. Step through that door. The trial begins. Win you get the book you came for. Lose and your another book for the library. May you die here." i said. Roland and angelica took this one on. Of course he's in complete denial that his sister would stand against him. Believing me roland and somehow orlando who is still a baby mind you somehow manipulated her into standing against him. Denying the simple reality that his sister is standing against him because of him trying to murder her son! Her infant son! He let his blind hatred for roland turn his sister against him. That's reality that he in his damaged brain refuses to admit. It was obvious that the two halves of the black silence we're done listening to the blue reverberation's bullshit. And we're ready to put him down like the rabid dog he is. Durndal in roland's hands. The allas workshop in angelica's hands. Argalia put up a hell of a fight. But with roland's strength. And angelica's knowledge of her brothers fighting style. The two managed to badly wound argalia. Of course he tried to make a run for it. But after trying to kill my parents and their child…there was no way in hell i was going to let him get away. I appeared behind him and stabbed him through the heart. Finally ending the blue reverberation.
A few days pass before the next reception. When i arrive in the main room. Angelica and roland weren't there. Argalia was a blue sicko who tried to kill her son. But he was still her brother. So i take it. She needs time to process it. And so the next reception began…and boy did this answer a lot of my questions involving mom. As we see a gathering of the thumb. A kurakumo clan captain who wasn't thrilled with what happened to them got his fucking jaw ripped off. Apparently that's the rules in the thumb. Respect your elders or get your jaw ripped off. I don't know who or what the capo dei capi is. But clearly it's as fucked up as who or what leads the head. As proven as when someone questions orders they lose their head…yeah. It became clear to me pretty quickly why mom wanted to get the hell out of the thumb. If this is what being in the thumb is like…yeah i'd fall in love and marry whoever got me out of it too. Still it sounds like some shit's going down between them and the index.
"So that's what being in the thumb is like…yeah i see why mom married dad. I'd fall in love and marry whoever got me out of that madness too." i said.
"I know desmond got maya out by faking her and his branches deaths. The question is how did he pull that off." angela asked.
"It involved an outskirts monster and a lot of fake blood. Being in my mom's branch was better than most. At least speaking your mind didn't cost you your jaw or head with her." i said.
"It seems your whole family are lights among darkness, even one in something as the thumb." angela said.
"Yep…however a thumb higher up would come for an inspection which meant everyone had to act like good thumb soldiers. Otherwise mom would have to have to enact the thumbs rules. And she always hated it." i said.
"Your father was a blessing for her…i also notice that they use rifles like the full stop office." angela said.
"Yeah…and mom kept hers. She didn't like keeping the piece of her past. But even hated things can have their uses. And having a weapon is kind of permamount to your survival in the city. And the thumb's rifles are not only good guns. There are also good clubs. A good swing with them can easily turn human bones to dust. While the rifles are based off a really old rifle design from centuries ago called the M1 garand. The material and tech used to make these thumb m1's allows them to keep up in this futuristic battlefield." i said. Once again we got to deal with goons before we can move up and deal with the big cheeses. And so after dealing some soldatos. The next reception shows that things are getting fucking insane at the L nest. The thumb the liu and the index and even R corp are all killing each other for that sweet nest loot. And apparently there's been sightings of the blue reverberation and the purple tear have both been sighted in the area as well. I don't know what iori is doing there. And i'm pretty sure the news that argalia is dead didn't exactly reach anyone yet. Still two color fixers skulking around is pretty fucking scary. Even for a group as powerful as the thumb. And to top it off. A lot of the thumb's member including a bunch of boris's associates, have been butchered by distortions. But unfortunately they know why argalia was skulking around the area…the library. Which led to both boris and katriel to believe that the key to winning this war for what remains of nest L is to take control over the library. And luckily for them. Kalo, their boss got his hand on an invite. However a familiar face from the index showed up. Yan he tried to warn them that going to the library was a bad idea. But of course they didn't listen. Considering the index and thumb are at war right now. Why would they listen to someone from the index. I'm not sure if he did that by his own will or if one of those prescript fortunes told him to do it. It would make him seem less stupid if that was the case considering they were going to try to remove his tongue…more proof as to why mom getting the fuck away from the thumb was a good idea…simply irritating your superior will cost you your tongue.
"I totally understand why maya wanted to leave the thumb." angela said.
"Tell me about it…just ruffling some feathers can cost you your tongue. Not to mention you need permission to do anything. I'm pretty sure you can't even go for a piss unless your superior says so. And you'd get your wang chopped off even if you let it out in your pants because you couldn't hold it anymore...the people under mom were the lucky ones." i said.
"Indeed…i wouldn't be surprised if maya immediately fell in love and wanted to marry desmond immediately after getting away from the thumb." angela said.
"It's what i would do considering how much it sucks being in the thumb as proven by seeing it first hand." i said. And so we went to greet our new guests as usual.
"Greetings dear guests. I am angela the librarian of my role's name sake. This is jon. My dear assistant." angela said.
"So it's true. The white messiah is aiding with this library of death. You'd think you would stop something like this." kathiel said.
"I don't think someone from this madhouse of "obey your superiors or you lose body parts" has any right to judge me." i said.
"A color fixer stands above even a sottocapo such as myself. You ought to pay him respect katriel." kalo reprimanding his underling.
"That was rude of me. I'll pay my price now. Denis please cut off my tongue." katriel said denis did just that much to my horror.
"katriel may not be flawless but i appreciate how quick she reflects on her mistakes. Please forgive our rudeness sir." kalo said with a smile.
"...you know simply saying sorry would have worked. You didn't have to cut out her fucking tongue! What is wrong with you people!? I swear just when you think you've seen the most deranged lunatics the city can offer someone even more batshit insane comes along!" i yelled. Ugh. I already saw enough to understand why mom was hellbent on getting out of this. You don't have to show me more.
"Excuse me jon. Your dad wanted to know what you-" mom said as she approached, however her face quickly turned to fear as she saw who our guests were.
"Maya. I believed for a long time you were dead. If your here…then that means you've deserted. Desertion is the biggest crime" kalos said. My mother was too scared to move.
"When one dares to desert. Take off all four of their limbs." boris said as he approached my mother only for me to stand in between and draw my sword and pointed at him.
"BACK THE FUCK OFF!" i yelled. Kalo sighed.
"So the white messiah will defend even deserters." kalo said.
"That deserter is my mother. If you even scratch her. I won't just kill you guys. I'll kill the entire thumb and burn it to the ground like i did the middle! And i'll start by having the capo dei capi head on a spear!" i yelled. Kalo stepped back a bit. Knowing i was serious. And knowing that what I was saying was true. The person who didn't believe me was boris who tried to break my jaw off with his fist. Which i dodged and grabbed him by the throat forcing him to his knees. And i bent his back to make it so that his head was between his legs i did with enough force to split the skin. A large amount of blood came from his stomach. I wasn't going to wait for these bastards to get into the trial room. So i warped all us in and showed no mercy to these thumb fucks. I came back soaked in blood.
"That was…the most violent i've ever seen you be." angela said.
"I'm very protective of my friends and family." i said. Mom approached me.
"Thank you jon…when i saw kalo…i just froze. I'm sorry for being so." mom said i responded by hugging her.
"It's okay mom. This showed me how….traumatizing and awful being in the thumb is. The thumb will never have you again. Me and dad will make sure of that." i said mom pulled away with a smile.
"Thank you sweetie…oh i remember what desmond wanted me to ask. We found a book on food and wanted to ask if you could use your light to conjure it so we could make a meal." mom said. My stomach rumbled.
"Yeah i can do that…i'm pretty hungry anyway." i said. When was the last time i ate? After an awesome dinner. I went to sleep and got ready for another day.