A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! Or at least, that's when it should be when this is posted. For those who don't know, besides this, I'm also posting El Tigre Del Norte and Neon Knights, a Girl's Frontline and Arknights crossover with Cyberpunk RED in particular, but also Cyberpunk in general.
There is something I want to say but that's better left for the end. Now, time for responses:
ikmalaizad11: Yeah, a lot more. And I might, or I might not, might leave things like that to the filler. I'm already busy with stories as is, maybe one day I will, but for now, too busy.
fuji92: I'm glad you're enjoying it. And, the way I see it? He'll be fine. I hope this was enjoyable.
Now, onto the story.
There is a tense silence as I enter the cafeteria of the Abydos annex, everyone waiting for the announcement as the SCHALE team follows after me taking a seat among them as I hop onto a table. "Ladies, those who are in presence and those who have the unenviable task of defending their district and, as such, cannot be here, today, I can say proudly, that no Kaiser presence has been found within the area, PMC or otherwise."
The Foreclosure Task Force began to straighten up and smile, "As of today, Abydos is officially Kaiser PMC-free! The mission has been a success!"
With that, a round of cheers rose as some of the more aware members of the Prefect Team nodded at the Foreclosure Task Force. "Though the troubles are not over, for the Prefect Team, the Foreclosure Task Force, or any club whose member is in attendance, though the future might be bleak and it might be like rolling a stone up a hill, only for it to fall back to the bottom when you've nearly succeeded, look at where you are now and appreciate that you're somewhere," I say, unable to push down the proud smile on my face while I look at the kids, from the Prefect Team members mulling my words over and some blushing in embarrassment. "It might not be where you want to be, but as long as you're willing to take the step, you can always go back and find your way. For tonight? Let's celebrate a mission well done!"
A second later, the blinds of the kitchen opened up as all of the students slowly looked over to see Master, standing proudly, more life in his eyes and form than before. "The ramen's ready, come and get some."
"Don't mind if I do." Haruna says first as she orders, "Sensei says your ramen is good, Master."
"I wouldn't know, but here it is," Master says while passing her a bowl of ramen and she takes it to her seat, the smell nearly causes her to lick her lips from her seat. Everyone watches tensely except for the Master.
Truly, such confidence is awe-inspiring.
Soon, Haruna is slurping the noodles and I join her, grabbing my own while she moans, trying to stop it as I give her a raised brow and she blushes. "Excuse me." She says, "Seems like Sensei was correct."
That opened up the floodgates, with the Prefect Team scrambling to get some except for the Foreclosure Task Force and Problem Solver 68, who already grabbed some. "What was that all about?" Hoshino asks with confusion.
"Haruna is part of a club known as the Gourmet Research Society," Kayoko explains while she sits down with them. "They're known for leaving good reviews on restaurants they like."
"Is that it?" Serika asks, confused, "Doesn't sound too bad."
"Yeah, I know." Mutsuki says, giggling, "Still, it's not like any review can be worse than getting your store blown up."
"What!?" Serika yelped, surprised.
"Good work, Haruka, Mitsuki." I say while Serika points her gun at Haruna, who simply defends herself by explaining why she blew up a restaurant using the faucet comparison again. "I could see the smoke from the main base, it must have been a good explosion."
"Uwah!" Haruka yelped, turning to me before leaning into my hand, pausing before relaxing, "E-Ehehe, thank you."
Mutsuki also smiled, "Well, just let me know if you need something blown up, I'd be more than happy to help." She says with a wink as I sigh.
Turning to Aru and Kayoko, I add, "You too, both of you. Well done."
"Thank you," Kayoko says, but even I can see the slight smile twitching. "It was...good working with you, Sensei."
"Of course, you get what you pay for," Aru says with pride and a puffed-up chest.
"She says that, but she was panicking the most when we lost communication with you." Mutsuki says as Aru's face blanks in mollification.
"Mutsuki!"
"That so?" I ask with a bit of amusement in my voice before turning to Aru, "Thanks but as you can see," he says while pointing to himself, "I'm fine."
"That's good, we'd hate to lose such a good client. Way better than the Kaiser Director." Mutsuki says with a sour expression.
"Yeah," Kayoko agrees, her face in a grimace, "but anyone's better than him, to be honest."
"H-He wasn't that bad…" Aru said, but even she wasn't exactly very happy about it
"Did he cause a lot of the people to leave, Sensei?" Haruka asks me, weirdly serious as I give her a raised brow.
"Well, from what I got he jacked up the rent a lot of the time, so yeah. Probably." I admit as Haruka pauses before a pure and relieved smile spreads on her face.
"I see." She says before turning to her ramen and eating as I slowly turn to Aru and Kayoko, who don't seem to have the answer I'm looking for and are just as put off as I was.
"Sensei," Yuuka starts, stomping forward, "I have a bone to pick with you, why didn't you tell us you were the bait?"
"You'd have argued." I retort, going back to my seat as I eat my ramen to her frustration. "It would have been counter-productive to do it any other way." Not to mention I might have been more curt and rude than necessary to incite a reaction. Still, his fault for shooting the messenger.
"Still-." Yuuka tries but Hoshino interjects.
"Bah, leave the stubborn old man, it took all of us to convince him to take you along," Hoshino says as she slurps at her ramen as similar sounds rang out in the cafeteria.
"Nn," Shiroko says, her exhaustion obvious despite the satisfaction of a good day's work in looting. "Stubborn."
"I don't think you have any right to say anything like that, Shiroko." Serika quickly retorts before turning to me. "But, Sensei was stubborn about it."
"Yup, yup. He was also very clear that he had to be the one there." Nonomi adds.
"Why is that?" Chinatsu asks, looking particularly cross.
"Well," I start before looking up and shrugging, "I didn't care enough to give him more than the bare minimum. I went in, told him what I went there to do and why, and he brought in a bunch of armed guards. Scared me a lot."
"You say that, but the Director's table was broken." Ayane points out. "And a window and the video recording showed you insulting him."
"Sensei…" Chinatsu trails off.
"Sensei~." Yuuka sternly starts as I look away, taking a drink from my soda.
"...Do as I say, never as I do."
"Still, using yourself as bait…" Iori points out, her eyes still on Problem Solver, "That's just plain stupid."
"Like 'charging a guy with hand-to-hand experience in a narrow hallway' stupid?" I ask as she sputters.
"Tha-Wai-Argh!" She groans and glares at me as I look away.
"He's got you there," Chinatsu adds.
"Chinatsu!"
"Iori," I start turning to her, "I'm literally double your height and triple your body mass, in what world does that translate to 'I can take him'."
"That's just 'cause you got the drop on me!" She retorts as I give her a flat look. "It is!"
Raising my hand, I add, "I never said it wasn't."
"Hmph!" Iori harrumphs, turning with a blush on her face.
"What's this?" Aru pipes up, smug grin in place, "Is the Prefect Team still as dull as always?"
"The only reason you're not in a cell is because this isn't our district!" Iori retorts, slamming her hands against the table and glaring at Aru, who was sweating from the ire in Iori's singular visible eye. "But watch yourself, take one step out of Abydos and I won't need to step out of Gehenna to shoot you down."
"You wouldn't be able to hit that far anyway, you don't even have a scope." Aru points out as Iori huffs.
"I don't need one." She interjects.
While the two went at it, Kayoko sent me a curious look, probably wondering why the Prefect Team went after me. I gave her a look and huffed in amusement before looking away.
"So, how did it perform?" Hibiki asks as she closes in on me, stretching out the material on my sleeve a bit as I let her take it off. "Hmmm...it looks fine, but…"
She tugs at it gently around the arm as the cloth tears a bit, to her dismay. "Seems like the materials are still a bit unstable."
"Wait, so the bullets would have ripped through?" Serika yelps while the rest of the FTF are suddenly paying attention.
"Even if they did," I interrupt, reaching up and removing the vest as I sigh in relief, "I had these, so it'd have been fine."
"Yeah." Hibiki nods, looking at the jacket with a frown, "The stitching doesn't seem off, it's probably the material, it's not meant to endure such extreme conditions. I'll have to report this to the materials club, but…" Slowly, Hibiki curls in on herself as she slowly glances at Yuuka, who is still glaring at me.
"Wait, you gave Sensei experimental gear?" Yuuka whirled to Hibiki who flinched as the treasurer bore down on her. "Was it even tested?"
"It's fine Yuuka, I was insistent on it being done a few days back," I interject as she whirls to me again and points at me.
"And you! You need to be more responsible with your funds and safety." She begins as I try to calm her down.
"But I'm fine, see?" I say as I step back, "Not a scratch."
The gas mask was good, really good, the bulletproof glass was, in fact, bulletproof, and the material did its job. Speaking of, "Imma change."
Removing the button-up shirt, I stretch in my tank top, feeling relief as I'm out of the stuffy clothing, and sigh. A second later, the uncomfortable feeling of being exposed pops up. I look around, confusion coursing through me as to why Chinatsu, Hibiki, and Yuuka were embarrassed, Suzumi had a slight flushing on her cheeks as the wing on her head fluttered, Iori was gaping, her arm pointed at me with her blush and Haruna narrows her eyes and licks her lips for some reason. I ignore it as I rustle through my Go-Bag with a frown. "Where is it?" I mutter, occasionally glancing back at the other students
The Foreclosure Task Force wasn't any better, Shiroko made no action to hide her staring, and Nonomi looked a bit flushed as she looked away, her eyes glancing at me as she fanned her face with her hand, Serika was similar to Iori as she was red as a tomato, Ayane's eyes weren't visible as a blush exploded to the tip of her ears and Hoshino narrowed her eyes at my visible injuries.
Problem Solver was also staring at me, Kayoko's was more clinical, probably glancing at my injuries, some in recognition and some in confusion and I could even see her eyes widen at Kajika's 'gift', Haruka, on the other hand, seemed to have passed out, Aru was the reddest, practically a tomato but also aware as her face seemed to alternate between awe and interest.
"Oooh," Mutsuki spoke first, teasing grin in place and leaning forward in interest, "what big arms you have, Sensei~."
"They're so I can correct bratty students like y-oh," I say as I finally find what I'm looking for.
I slip a gray hoodie out and quickly go about setting my usual body armor back along with my usual gear.
Soon, I slip my hoodie over my body armor, gloves, holster, and gear as I sigh in relief. "There we go," I say as I return to my ramen, slurping it as that seems to knock them out of their reverie.
"S-Sensei!" Ayane's high-pitched voice rang out. "You c-can't just change here!"
"Y-Yeah!" Yuuka adds, "It's against the rules."
There was a second as she realized how little those words mattered to me. However, I quickly realized why they were all embarrassed.
Of course, they wouldn't wanna see their teacher change in front of them, not to mention my scars...well none of the bad ones were visible, so I'll be fine. Besides, I had a tank top, I'll be fine.
"I had a tank top on," I add with a shrug, "It's not like I was stripping completely."
Fruitlessly, they try to argue for some reason and I rebuke any arguments with expertise and experience.
Still, what's the big deal? It was inappropriate, sure, but was it inappropriate enough to elicit this much of a reaction?
Slowly, we return to the swing of things, the girls putting on their music as I don't, instead, I head to the silence of the roof.
Parties like these were never my thing, not to mention I leave people uncomfortable as the general superior to any combatant whether that be JTF or Civilian Militia, not to mention fellow Agents.
Sighing, the lollipop in my mouth shifts as I squeeze it in between my jaws and let it slide off as I suckle on it. Maybe it'll get rid of the sour taste in my mouth.
With the mood I'm in, the girls would probably feel it and it'd just put a damper on the celebration. Considering the job isn't over, I haven't relaxed completely. After all, I'm not just looking at the Sanctum Tower for no reason.
ISAC is still tracking the Director. I know I say that I'm not an Agent anymore, that I'm not supposed to do this anymore, but I can feel it, deep in my stomach and my hands. Instinct and experience come together to tell me that he's a nuisance that needs to be taken care of now before he can become a problem.
But…
"Sensei." A familiar voice speaks up behind me as I see Suzumi nod to me. "Hello."
"'Sup." I returned, turning to her with a smile, "Thanks for your help and everything, it was appreciated."
"We didn't do much," Suzumi admits as she leans beside me, her eyes on my lollipop. "Most of the tanks and such went to go after Abydos and Gehenna in the desert." She explains, "And with the Head Prefect there, there wasn't much trouble there, so what little remained after you revealed yourself was taken care of by Hibiki."
"The fact that you were there was enough," I say, smiling at Suzumi as she frowns, narrowing her eyes at me as I slump bracing myself for the scolding that'll happen.
"Sensei, I know Yuuka already said this, but if you're going to be doing something this reckless you should at least tell us." Suzumi starts, her eyes softening as she continues, "I know you are capable, we all do, but we have our responsibilities as students of SCHALE and of our respective academies. None of us want to see you hurt."
"Right back atcha, Running Flash Grenade of Trinity." I retort as her eyes widen and she blushes, her wing moving to cover her face. "You're only slightly better than I am, at least leave the hypocrisy for adults like me."
"Oooh~," Suzumi groans, trying to hide her face, "I really didn't want you figuring that out."
"Be glad it's now rather than later." I answered with a huff, looking at the location of the festivities, "Everyone seemed tired."
"It's a miracle that's all everyone felt." Suzumi starts before turning to me in admiration to my confusion, "Going against a force as sizable as Kaiser's...it's not easy, much less in such an open area, but you deduced Faust's plan to help the Masked Mizugi Gang, used it to your advantage, and corralled a force into a concentrated area, allowing for Gehenna's forces to enter and assist the Foreclosure Task Force to clear out the rest and force a retreat once the Helmet Gangsters backed off. While they were doing that, the rest of the forces were converging on your location so Problem Solver could dispose of integral infrastructure, and once you started to fight they began to enter, allowing us the opportunity to circle and take them out. It was a risky plan, but the way it divided the forces allowed for an easier time conquering it." Suzumi notes with excitement as I raise a brow.
"Yeah, divide and conquer with misdirection. In combat, two components are needed. A chain of command and supplies. By destroying the resupply station while they're fighting they lost access to supplies and communications, and then attackin- I mean, defending myself," I interrupt as even Suzumi doesn't seem to believe me, "forced the chain of command away. Now, the soldiers were left with no choice but to pack up and leave with their superior and the daunting investigation that's going to start soon."
After all, I already sent Rin the evidence of Kaiser's wrongdoings. She can take care of the rest.
"Interesting," Suzumi says in the same tone I'd use when I was confused as hell.
Chuckling, I rest a hand on her hair and tussle it. "Don't worry about it. I'll be there in a second." I say as I crunch on my lollipop. "Just need to make a few calls."
Suzumi sighs with a shake of her head. "Alright, just don't stay for too long. Seems like the Prefect Team's leaving. We're just waiting for you to dismiss us, Sensei."
"Right, right," I say as I return to looking at the Sanctum Tower. "I'll be there in a second."
Her steps recede as I wait for them to disappear entirely. Soon, they do as I sigh.
"You can step out now," I call out as a second later, the sound of feet hitting the ground rings out.
"Ue~." Hoshino groans, "Didn't think you'd find me." She says as she joins me, looking out to Abydos. "Are you sure you're not psychic?"
"I wish. Would have made a lot of things easier." Like trying to unravel the mystery that was Keener's Rogues and the Hunters. "So, why are you out here?"
"Just making sure you're not up to anything shady." Hoshino admits, a teasing smile on her face, "I mean, last time we took our eyes off of you, you were in the middle of enemy territory before any of us could follow you."
"You were planning on following me?" I note with a huff of amusement. "That's a bit excessive."
"Is it?" Hoshino asks, turning to him, with no trace of amusement on her face or voice. "You come here, help us fight off the thugs harassing us, get injured trying to save Serika, save Serika, allow us to reclaim the files, earn us some money, fight off Binah, help us rob a bank, use the money to force Kaiser PMCs hand, buy our land, give it back to us...Look." She points to the market area of the district.
As an Agent, I rarely, if ever, saw the fruits of my labor because I'd always need to continue to the next location, whether it was brokering a peace treaty between groups, liberating a city, or just helping someone on the side of the road. Occasionally, I'd return to check in and I'd see it, but I couldn't ever stay.
But now...I can see it. A transformation. The markets were bustling with citizens as they went about their day, smiling, cleaning, and taking pictures. I can even spot some people looking inside the gates, some of them spotting me and Hoshino as they wave at us.
Slowly, I wave back.
"Sensei," Hoshino starts as I turn to her, her face set in a soft smile and her eyes glinting with life, "you gave us hope, you cared when no one did, and you…" She trails off, her hands stuck as her smile twitches as she chuckles, reaching up to scratch her chin sheepishly, "Uhe~, if my senior was here she'd probably be better at this."
Slowly, her eyes dull as I recognize her eyes, the haunted look, a look I'm familiar with. "Tell me about her," I ask her, causing her to stiffen in surprise.
"Who?"
"Your senior, what was she like?"
"Uhe~," Hoshino starts, "well…let's see. She was hopeless." She starts with a chuckle, "When I was a first-year, there were only two members in the Student Council and the entire roster as well. And she had the worst grades." She adds with a chuckle, "She was hopelessly optimistic, gullible, a bit clumsy and I was always trying to keep her out of trouble…" She slumps forward, resting her chin on the railing, "Yet, she had this...atmosphere that made her seem so...reliable. It's probably why I always fell for her words and went along with her nearly every time."
"She's a lot like you." Hoshino perks up, turning to me and I couldn't help but scoff.
"Me? Hopelessly optimistic? Gullible?" I ask in surprise, but Hoshino shakes her head.
"You're leagues smarter than she was," Hoshino assures me. "But not many people can look this disaster in the eye and say they'll do something about it and manage it."
"Wouldn't be the worst one I've dealt with," I admit, after all, doing actual first responder work after hurricane season was not a good experience.
For a second, Hoshino looks at me, from the scars on my arms, the few visible scars around my neck and shoulder, and my weapons, she seems to look at me in my entirety.
"...Your home, Sensei, must not have been a good place."
I looked at my hands and rubbed them, the cloth of my gloves scratching against each other before I ran a finger over the padding over the knuckles of each glove. "It had its moments."
Hoshino pauses for a second before looking at me curiously, "Think you can tell me about it?"
"Not really," I answer while she frowns. "But I need you to do me a favor." I say, knocking on the steel of the railing, "I need you to keep the others busy for a bit."
"Where are you going?" Hoshino asks, hand around the grip of her shotgun. "I'll go with, actually, let's ge-."
"No." I shoot her down. "You've all worked hard, so let the adults do the work from here."
"What are you going to do?" Hoshino asks, stepping in front of me, her eyes hard, "I'm not moving unless you tell me."
Leaning back on the railing, I grimace before releasing a slow hiss of air. "...I'm going after the PMC Director."
"But why-." She stops as she blinks in realization. "...Are you going to-."
"I hate PMCs." I interrupt, letting a bit of my animosity slip out while I look out in the vague direction of the PMC Director. "No, hate means that I acknowledge their existence beyond paid killers and respect something. People who lead those can't discern kindness and mercy from mockery, much less see beyond their own goals. People like those will come back. I don't like it when they do."
The silence thickens as Hoshino looks at me, her expression impassive while neither of us gives ground.
Finally, Hoshino sighs, "Sensei, should trash like that really be worth your attention?"
"That'd insinuate I'm somehow better than them."
Hoshino freezes at my words while I reel at my own, she tries to look at me but I'm already looking away.
Everything I did during my time as an Agent was a choice. Rarely did I do something I can say I did because 'I had no choice'. "That's why I'm asking you to distract the others." I tell her, pushing off the railing, "Or don't, that's fine too." I say with a shrug, "Asking you to do something like that is too cruel."
I walk towards the door but stop as I hear Hoshino's voice. "Sensei." She starts as I turn to her. She stood strong, a shaky and unsure smile on her face as the grip on her shotgun and shield was tight, "…" I can see the internal war in her eyes as she meets with my own, probably, empty eyes. Finally, she speaks, befitting her status as a teenager, "Please...be careful." She smiles again, the sun lighting her face and showing how unsure she is about all of this, "You still have to dismiss us, right?"
Unsure, confused, scared, but hopeful. That I'd do what's needed.
The pit in my stomach only increased as I could feel my stomach churn, the comforting ramen a reminder.
I might've lost any right to a moral higher ground, but when has that ever mattered?
"Yeah," I answer. "I will."
Closing the door behind me, I head down the stairs, resolving myself.
First, I need to dismiss the SCHALE team, so that's where I go first.
"Hey there." I stop by the entrance, the girls waiting as they turn to me. "Thanks again for your help. Really."
"It's no problem," Yuuka assures me with a smile. "We're honored to be working with SCHALE."
"I am too," Chinatsu confirms with a nod. However, her eyes land on me and narrow, "I'd rather you didn't pull such reckless stunts though."
"He'll be fine." Hibiki interjects, "We'll use the data gathered and make something better, don't worry, Sensei." Hibiki says with a resolved nod and I return it.
"That's good."
"The delicacy you shared with me will be remembered." Haruna interjects with a proud smile, "I might bring the others along one day."
Suzumi nods with a smile. "It's been good to see you once more, Sensei."
"Same to all of you. You're all now dismissed. So I'll see you all later." I say while I nod at them but Chinatsu stops me.
"Sensei," she grabs ahold of my shoulder as she leans in and whispers, "Are you sure you should be moving? Sena told me about your injuries."
"I'm fine," I answer, and I am. Nothing a shot of Restorer couldn't fix. "Really."
Reluctantly, Chinatsu lets go. "If you're sure. Then, I hope we can see each other in Gehenna under...better circumstances." She says with a slight grimace that resembles a smile.
"I do too," I say, lightly tussling her hair, to her embarrassment, before I step back. "Later."
With that, they begin their trek home as I turn to Problem Solver, "You too?" I ask while Aru yelps and Haruka stumbles but Mutsuki skips out, her bag swinging and Kayoko steps out as well.
"Yup~." Mutsuki says as she jumps onto my back, hugging it, "The whole thing with Abydos is practically done and we have the cash to move out to a different office."
"H-Hey!" Aru yelped before coughing into her fist.
"It's not like he didn't know." Kayoko says, "It's either that or stay here."
"And Aru would feel too guilty taking advantage of Abydos' kindness," Mutsuki says as Aru's image only continues to crumble further.
"Well, that's fine," I say as I lower Mutsuki down gently as I turn to them and smile. "Your help was integral to this, and I'm thankful, truly," I say with a bow, to their surprise.
"N-No, it's fine," Haruka starts, "you don't have to bow to someone like me."
"It's fine, Sensei," Kayoko said, her cheeks slightly flushed from his voice, muffled by the mask it might be. "We were just doing our job."
"Y-Yeah!" Aru regains her composure while I straighten up. "We're Problem Solver 68, 'as long as you've got the dime, we'll do the crime'!"
"Yup~." Mutsuki says as she smiles, "So just give us a call if you need something, 'kay~?"
"I will." I say as I scratch my cheek, "SCHALE is an investigation club, but I'm the only member and I've been finding out some people really don't like it when I put myself in danger. You got any way to keep in contact with you?"
"Of course," Aru says proudly while she reaches into her bag, and in a practiced motion brings out a card, holding a hand to her face with the same grin as usual, giving her a composed look. "Here, our business card."
Kayoko's brow twitches, Mutsuki tries to hold back her giggles, and Haruka doesn't see anything wrong while I look at Aru's ID from her fresh-Or, sophomore year since the Japanese have three years of middle school and three of high school while America has two middle school years and four high school. Regardless, a cute picture of an Aru with a younger face, glasses, and a shyer countenance looks back at me.
"Well, at least you looked better than I did when I was that age," I admit with a chuckle, to Aru's confusion as she looks at what she's revealed, her facade crumbling like wet paper.
"N-No way…" Aru says while she begins patting herself down, looking for a business card as realization dawns on her. "I-I can't believe...you saw it...it's over-ah!"
I stop her from insulting herself any further as I grab her nose. "That's enough of that." Letting go, I shake my head, "Do any of you have one?"
"Yup."
"Sure~!"
"H-Here," Haruka says, bowing as she passes the card over. "I-I'm sorry you have to receive s-such a thing from s-someone like me."
"I'm actually glad," I say, grabbing the card and gently patting her head while turning to Aru. "Try to rely on your employees on occasion, got it?" I suggest, while removing my hand from Haruka's hair before doing the same to Aru, "Besides, if you want, you can stop by SCHALE any time, it's always open, for all of you too." I remind them, removing my hand from a flustered Aru while the others nod.
"Then, good luck, all of you." I say while Kayoko sighs.
"With the stunt we pulled, we'd be lucky to get anything," Kayoko says as I shrug.
"The entire thing was stupid and daring." I admit, "Good thing both of those things are something a lot of people want."
"Joy," Kayoko says with a flat expression before a soft smile blooms. "Thank you, Sensei. I might take you up on your offer."
"Be glad to have ya," I say, watching them walk off.
Let's evade the Foreclosure Task Force for now.
Looking down, I spot Arona hugging my torso, her halo a crown of sharp red shards, and glaring at me as I can swear she's reading my mind. "Um-."
"No." Arona shot down.
"Arona…" I mentally trail off, unsure of what I want to do.
I'm going to break the motherfucker, but I also don't want Arona to see me. To see me revert to what I was, to see me torture a man. Granted, calling it torture is overselling it, I have tortured people but this is a lot easier than that.
Still, she shouldn't see this.
"...Fine." I relent as her eyes brighten and her halo shifts to green. "But," I add, "you're staying in the brick and monitoring my vitals. You're not allowed to look outside, got it?"
Arona pouts, glaring at me as I stare back, neither one of us moving until she gives up. "Fine, but you're getting me extra food. Got it!"
"Yes, yes your eminence." I let out while Arona pouts at me and I begin my trek to my bike. "For now, it's time to go."
Soon, I'm speeding off to the location ISAC set for me, glancing back, I spot Shiroko looking out the window right at me. Slowly, I decide to act like I don't see that.
Hopefully, if I decide to turn the bot into scrap, they won't be there by the time I do.
"Hoshino, where's Sensei going?" Shiroko asked her upperclassmen while Hoshino blinked. Standing up, she looked out the window.
"He's actually going right now?" Hoshino muttered loud enough for Serika and Shiroko to hear.
"Where's he going?" Ayane asked, "Did something happen at SCHALE?"
"But that's the opposite direction." Nonomi pointed out.
"He's going after the PMC Director," Hoshino answered, her gaze wandering to her shield before coming to a decision. "And we need to stop him from doing it."
"Why would that matter?" Serika asked, "It's not like we care about the guy."
"Sensei is going to kill him," Hoshino answered, causing the very air to freeze with how silent the room became. "Not as an exaggeration, Sensei's going to hunt him down."
The words registered through their minds, after all, murder in a city where every citizen is hard to kill is treated with the same gravity it should, so the idea that their teacher was willing to go that far for them was...worrying if not a bit heartening.
Still, "Let's go." Shiroko said first as the others followed.
"I'll keep tabs on him," Ayane said, typing away at her computer.
"I know he didn't seem to come from a nice place, but would he?" Nonomi asked as Hoshino didn't answer, after all, for a second, his eyes were like hers once upon a time.
"What's it matter!" Serika yelled, already by the door. "Let's go!"
Nodding, they all moved.
Hoshino has already lost one person she cares for and respects. She's not willing to possibly lose another because of themselves.
After all, she didn't think she'd be able to stop him from going through with it if she went alone.
Within an office hidden within another location, a desk in the middle with the PMC logo behind it with a coffee table and two sets of couches, one on either side, with one window to the right allowing light to filter into the room, revealed the Kaiser PMC Director's pacing. Grasping his hand into fists he growled slowly, "Damn it, where did it all go wrong!" He yelled while he slammed his hand against the desk. "They were right in my hands if it wasn't for that...thing and that teacher! Who does he think he is?"
He looked out to the dark sky, his frown increasing while he shook in anger. "Damn it! It was supposed to be easy! I swear when I see that teacher, I'll pound him into paste!"
As he spent time imagining the teacher at his mercy, the door to the office creaked open. He turned to spot one of the automata soldiers there, "What is it? I thought I ordered you that I didn't want to be disturbed unless it was important."
The automata didn't answer as the Director looked away, missing how it twitched and its screen became blue for a second.
After a stretch of silence, the Director growled, "What is it!?"
Finally, the soldier's screen turned blue as its arm loosened, its weapon clattering to the floor. It slumped over to the floor to the shock of the director as he saw its back, opened and sparking from what seemed like an ax.
Then, he felt it, something hitting his leg as he looked down to see a small ball with red lights hitting his leg, moving back and forth to his confusion. He raised a leg and rested it on the top of the ball, about to crush it to remove some of the frustration and fear he felt before calling for guards.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A familiar voice rang out along with the click of a gun's safety, causing the Director to stiffen while he looked to the side.
There, on the chair, leaning back with his feet on the desk, his eyes glowed orange and a hand on a white gun, the SCHALE insignia visible despite the darkness, engaging the safety of the gun. His hand moved to the side for a sawed-off double barrel shotgun resting beside it as he grabbed it and aimed it at the Director. "It explodes at my order."
The Director glared at the man. "...Sensei."
"I'm here." He answered, his eyes landing on the Director, "So, start pounding motherfucker."
The Director stiffened at the words. "...How did you know-."
"I just do." He answered, exasperation lacing every movement and word. "Honestly, looking at Kaiser properties and their branches and figuring out where you are is child's play. And even if it wasn't, I wouldn't have minded being wrong."
Slowly, he stood up, his backpack barely rustling despite the weapons and materials in it as he put his foot against the desk. He kicked it down, the wooden desk tipping over as the papers were scattered in the room. Slowly, he stepped forward, revealing the height discrepancy between Mateo and the Director, amusing the Director, "Now, move."
The Director just scoffed, "You have no right-."
Before he could finish, Mateo hit him with the barrel of the Backup Boomstick, causing the Director to stumble and groan. Holstering the Backup Boomstick and picking up Adam's Key, he slipped them into their respective holsters as he walked toward the Director.
Before he could reach him, the Director surged forward in an attempt to overwhelm the teacher, his large metallic form covering Mateo's own body easily.
Mateo punched his chest, the Director groaning while he stumbled back in surprise. Then, Mateo punched him again, before grabbing his head, slamming it into the desk, and breaking the wood as he shoved him away.
"Pathetic." Mateo spat out. "You act like a victim when you get what's coming to you."
"This is-."
Mateo punched him again, the pain pulsing in his hand as he ignored it. "I know you still have control over the girl's debt, so here's what's going to happen." He crouched over the director, grabbing him by his robes as he pulled him up.
He grabbed his knife and stabbed it into the 'eye' of the Director, the Director yelling in pain as he twisted it, the other eye gazing deep into Mateo's dark eyes. "If you do anything, and I mean anything to make Abydos' debt worse, I will kill you."
The word made him freeze, "W-What!? Th-Do you think the General Student Council will let you?"
"Do you think they can stop me?" He asked, removing the knife, and shoving the Director away as Mateo circled the Director cradling his eye. "I was trapped right in the middle of your home base, and I still decimated your forces when they came knocking." Mateo kicked his jaw, the Director jerking to the side and groaning. "Beyond that, do you think I'd care?"
A part of him would but he generally wouldn't.
"Now, move," Mateo said, grabbing the Director by his robes and shoving him towards the entrance. "Go!"
The Director, seeing his opportunity, ran, evading the spread of the slug as Mateo's Backup Boomstick rang out. "Guards! Sound the alarms!"
He continued running, stumbling as he spotted more and more of his personal guard in tatters until he finally left the main building as his eyes widened.
There was no one. No activity, no movement of vehicles, nothing. It was empty, but still, he continued to run. "Hey! What are you lazy louts doing!" He yelled as he ran straight to the exit, taking out his phone as he frantically tapped at an app to relay his location for a pickup, running to the extraction point.
He slowed down at the sight of a car, and stopped in the middle, "Hey, what is-ah!" He yelled as he gazed inside, only to see the blue screens of the soldiers inside while he stumbled back. The wind picked up and hid Mateo's approach.
"Wh-What!?"
The sound of a round hitting the door rings out as the Director stepped back, another nearly hitting him as he ran. More and more rounds rang out, corralling him to a single location as he ran into the night, stumbling in the darkness, lost.
Finally, he reached the hill, overlooking the set of Kaiser PMC bases, all within good distance of each other, all with the lights off. "What…"
"I know I said move." A voice rang out as a laser rested on his forehead, "But I didn't mean to move that fast."
Slowly, the teacher steps out, an old bolt-action rifle painted white pointed at him, the scope reflecting the moonlight as the Director stepped back.
Only for his heel to hit a familiar object as he looked down, the same ball with the same red light at his heel.
"It's good you're here though," Mateo said with a smile. "Makes things much easier."
"Y-You, what did you do?"
"I was simply showing my displeasure." Mateo answered, "I mean blackmailing a group of girls trying to save their district? That's just low."
"What's it matter to you, huh?" The Director burst out, "You're not their family, not a friend, you're not even from Kivotos! They're just a bunch of kids, unaware of their greater purpose! A bunch of puppets for adults like us to exploit."
Mateo didn't answer, his mask hiding his mouth and his eyes sharp but impassive, a stark difference from the expressive and kind teacher.
Slowly, he lowered it, holstering his rifle as he turned to the direction of the bases. "This is a very good setup, you know? Not too far from each other and not too far from one another."
"It also makes for a good demonstration." He said, raising a hand, revealing…
"What is that?" The Director asked.
"Our ticket out of here," Mateo said. "People have used smoke signals for centuries before us, after all. Now, all we need is kindling to cause a signal."
Slowly, he turned to the bases as the Director came to a realization. "I do not have enemies. I have victims."
Click.
"I suggest you remember that," Mateo warned as he turned his back to the bases, a series of explosions rang out. A few seconds later, the earth trembled under the force of concurrent explosives tearing through any remaining systems, personnel, and equipment as it continued in a daisy chain. Almost like fireworks as Kaiser PMCs own missiles and explosives went off, only increasing the destruction.
The Director fell to his knees as Mateo turned to see the rest of the explosions while he took a deep breath, held it for a second, and released it with a long, satisfied sigh.
"Ahhhhh, gunpowder, dust, and catharsis."
Mateo is an Agent to the core. Any good Agent blows up whatever they can for whatever reason.
I watch as the ashes of the bases fly up, the smoke creating a signal as I can't help but take it all in while I mutter to myself, and the Director, "You know, those girls are in a situation similar to yours right now," I start, "they were abandoned, left to rot with the sand as it slowly kept taking more of it with people like you taking advantage of it."
Slowly, I turn to the shell-shocked Director, gaping at the destruction of his hard work. It'd be easy, so easy to set off the explosive Seeker Mine and call it a malfunction, just a tap of my watch and it'd be over. I'd be satisfied and the girls wouldn't have to worry about him anymore.
But…
I won't.
Instead, I walk to the Director, kick him to the floor, and aim the Backup Boomstick at him. "I don't know if you're listening, but if I catch you pulling something like this again, I'll destroy you and everything you stood for, got it? And no one, not even the General Student Council will stop me."
Slowly, I stepped back, shifting the Backup Boomstick to his arm and pulling the trigger. The sawed-off barks out as the slug spread and tears the arm apart, the Director is practically done as no sound comes out except a pitiful whine.
Scoffing, I holster the Backup Boomstick and begin to make my way back-.
Until I spot a familiar drone and I freeze. Yeah, that's not good.
Still, I narrow my eyes at the drone while I activate the Scanner Pulse, the orange light spreading out as the rest of the Foreclosure Task Force comes closer and their voices become audible.
"C'mon, it's over here!" Hoshino says as she is the first one out of the foliage, followed by Shiroko, Serika, and Nonomi, stopping once they catch sight of my form.
An awkward silence pervades the clearing we're in, their eyes on the twitching PMC Director and me, the pillars of smoke behind me. Must make for a pretty scary picture.
A hologram of Ayane appears, also shifting uncomfortably like the others while I hold a hand to my hip. "So…" I trail off slowly, turning back to the smoke pillars and the Director, "I don't think Kaiser is going to be planning much against you."
"Is he…" Nonomi trails off, looking at the body of the PMC Director.
"Despite my best attempts and thoughts, it seems like he is still alive," I say as the other girls sigh in relief, well, except for Hoshino.
She could probably hear the unsaid 'for now'.
"Don't scare us like that, you shady teacher." Serika said, her eyes still on the destruction I wrought, "Still, how long were you left alone?"
"Not like it was that hard." I admit, "Go to the main camp, find the right vehicles, cause some chaos in the other ones to draw them out, take care of the ones in the main camp, then bam. Perfect trap."
Not gonna mention the preparation that it took to rig the missiles among other things.
"Impressive," Shiroko said, her eyes glowing at the destruction.
"This…won't be led back to us, right?" Ayane asks while I shrug.
"I wasn't found, so no. There shouldn't be any evidence of our existence here." However, I slowly turn to the Kaiser PMC. "Actually…" The Explosive Seeker Mine slowly inches forward but Serika grabs it.
"No, let's just...let's just go back, Sensei," Serika says, a bit desperately as she adds. "Please."
For a second, I look at them, their exhausted expressions despite their resolved eyes, and make a decision. "Fine."
The Seeker Mine turns off as I turn to the girls. "Let's go home."
The rest of the trip back to Abydos was dull, we were all tired and just wanted to sleep, so we did once we got back.
By that time, the paperwork has gone in and Abydos has reclaimed their land. Well, legally anyway.
"Hoshino, I will fight you for this," I say as I'm seconds away from leaping at this stubborn mule in front of me.
"That won't change anything, Sensei." Hoshino reminds me while she continues, slumping on the table without a care in the world and I'm seconds away from leaping over the table at her, "The land was given to us because you won't be able to manage it while keeping up with your numerous other duties. Along with this, we have to perform other duties like research into Binah and its origin, taxes, and other stuff." She reminds me. "Even if this is what's logical, it's not right to just take it, but it'd also be rude to simply refuse it, and even worse, someone else could take it, so here's the plan," Hoshino says as she turns to Ayane as Ayane nods.
"We'll register for SCHALE and you can call for us at any time," she says, reaching into a bag and grabbing a file, placing it on the table along with the others, "and we'll also help with anything you might need, free of charge." She says brightly while I flinch under such brightness.
Well, I'm definitely not telling them about the money laundering SCHALE is doing. Thank god for the cafe and the fact that I'm the advisor to the club. I can make payments under their name to the debt.
Thank god for Breaking Bad and my time as a Support Agent too.
Not to mention the SCHALE members who have no real problem with it.
"Yeah, but if you're managing it, it's yours. The paperwork's been submitted and everything and I don't expect you to repay me, much less want you to." I note and Hoshino nods.
"True, but we'd feel guilty if we didn't pay you back," Hoshino says with a shrug while Shiroko nods along with the others.
"You don't need to." I reiterate as I hold a hand to my eyes and rub them, "Hone-."
"Argh!" Serika yells and slaps her application into my face. "Just sign these and get it over with! We've got stuff to do!"
"Fine, fine," I say, sighing and looking through the papers, gold, and purple, for some reason, as I sign off on them. "There. All of you are officially SCHALE students."
"Nn," Shiroko mutters as the others smile along. "Good."
"Now, can we get some more of that SCHALE tech?" Hoshino asks with a cheeky smile.
"That was a one-time thing," I answer with a shake of my head. "ISAC…" I trail off, unsure of how in-depth I want to get into ISAC, after all, the Descent comms went into a bit too much detail than I'm comfortable with. "He's a SCHALE-only AI."
"Eh~." Hoshino groans, deflating as Shrioko's ears droop. "How boring."
"Nn. Would have been useful." Shiroko notes.
"You were thinking of using it to rob banks, weren't you!" Serika accuses while Shiroko looks away, "Don't look away!"
"As long as it's aimed at Kaiser, I don't care what you do," I say, leaving it at that, causing Shiroko's eyes to gleam.
"Hey!" Serika says, turning to me, "What kind of teacher lets a student rob a bank?"
"Was it really Shiroko if no one finds out?" I ask as Ayane's brow twitches.
"Yes!" Serika yells.
"Ooh, maybe we could hold a concert~," Nonomi says as she pumps her fists, making… something in particular move.
"Forget that!" Serika interjects as she places a paper on the table, "So I met these people at a seminar-."
"Scam," Hoshino interjects to Serika's embarrassment.
"You didn't even let me finish!"
"I don't need to." Hoshino interjects, tapping her head before she continues, "See, this old uncle has gained wisdom from previous experiences. That wisdom is telling me that it's a scam."
"You haven't even looked at it," Serika says while Ayane's eye-twitching only increases.
"Then-." Nonomi starts but I am already outside of the room with a fond smile.
They'll be fine.
"Uhe~." Hoshino starts beside me as she smiles at me, having evaded the attention of everyone in the room and gone out with nary a sound. "Sensei, you going to the D.U.?"
"Yeah, gotta hand in my report to Rin," I answer while Hoshino perks up.
"Great." Hoshino says, "I haven't been there in ages, and with how peaceful it is, I might as well go and make sure we have all of our stuff ready."
"And it's better to have someone who can hold you back if you lose patience than have them come to you and bother you about it," I ask while Hoshino seems surprised for a second before chuckling, scratching the side of her cheek.
"You saw right through me," Hoshino notes while I shake my head.
"You're a lot like I was when I was younger." I admit with a shrug, "Minus the halo." I add before looking at her, "My hair wasn't pink, my eyes weren't two col-Well, there are a lot of differences."
"Really?" Hoshino asks, surprised, looking me over, "I...find that hard to believe."
"Well, just be glad I didn't come during that time," I note with a scoff, after all, I was a lot more overbearing when I was younger, aggressive, even if it was tempered by experience in D.C. and New York. A lot more 'violence-first' and a lot better at enacting that violence regardless of the situation. A lot of those skills have dulled in favor of gaining experience with diplomacy but still, "I wouldn't have even helped, I'd probably have gone after Kaiser first."
Hoshino seems to want to refuse the idea, but she probably understands me better than most. Hina herself might have some idea, but Hoshino…
Soon, we're outside, watching as the helicopter nears us as she grabs my sleeve and tugs it, "Sensei," she says, her mouth into a smile, "you are better. Better than Kaiser, at least."
"Because clearly, that's a hard bar to beat." I joke and Hoshino pouts while glaring at me.
"I'm serious," Hoshino says. "You'll always have a spot in the Foreclosure Task Force, so don't be a stranger and stop by on occasion."
I know she was being serious, but I know what I've done better than she does. No matter the reason, I still don't think that I deserve this second chance.
But I have it, so might as well make the most of it.
"Thanks," I say to Hoshino as she smiles.
"No problem."
With the help of ISAC writing the report, Arona crunching the numbers, and me looking through both to make sure everything's okay and changing a few things, I nod in satisfaction as I pass it over to Rin, Hoshino waiting outside of the office. "Here is the report."
"Thank you for your hard work." Rin says while she glances it over, "Everything seems to be in order. It seems like your time in Abydos was...fruitful." She finishes, sending me a pointed look.
"Best time I've had in a desert, not to mention my first time seeing a snake like Binah," I note while Rin sighs. "Other than the injuries, I'm fine."
"I'm asking because of the injuries." Rin says while leaning forward, her brow furrowing in worry, "In less than two weeks, you-."
"I've read my report and lived through it." I interrupt, "I think I know what I went through. It's just par for the course at this point."
Rin sighs in exasperation, "Most people would be exhausted by this point."
"I'm not most people." I remind her, "Still, a bit of calm and rest would be nice. You too, Rinny." I add as her brow twitches.
"Don't call me that." She says as I raise my hands to placate her. She sighs before asking, "So, what now Sensei?"
"Dunno," I admit. "Might take some time, make some rounds to the other schools, do some other things. You know."
"So you have no idea?" Rin asks with a pointed gaze and I nod. She sighs while shaking her head. "Well, that's fine." Rin says with a small smile, "You did well. If you don't need anything else, then I'll get back to my work."
As she does so, I nod and stretch, reaching over the desk and gently rustling Rin's hair as I add, "You too Rin, good job. Call me if you need anything."
With that, I walk off, leaving a confused Rin behind, I spot Hoshino in the waiting area. "Didn't keep you waiting?"
"Nah~," Hoshino says, sinking into the couch further. "This is very comfy, so I might just stay here."
"No can do." I remind her, grabbing an arm as I pull her up to her feet, to her disappointment. "We need to make sure you and the girls have everything on file or else they'll come to bother you about it."
"Uhe~. Fine." Hoshino says as she stands up. "So, where are we going?"
"The Health Office and Financial Office, probably," I say while I hold a hand to my chin. "They're near here so we should go."
"Right~," Hoshino says as we head off.
So, the Foreclosure Task Force has not updated their physical information and the head of the Finance Department wasn't there.
Not gonna lie, I was more scared of the Finance Department in general, it felt like I was being stripped down to numbers.
"That was easier than I thought." Hoshino notes, both of us heading back to SCHALE with her on her phone and me leading the way. "Still…" She starts, looking up as she looks around, "I haven't been to the D.U. in a while, but I've never felt like this."
"Sorry about that," I say, scratching the side of my cheek, or mask in this case. "It's insurance, just in case?"
"In case someone invades one of the Shared Zones that houses the Sanctum Tower, the GSC, and SCHALE?" Hoshino asks in disbelief.
"Insurance," I say again as Hoshino shakes her head and looks at her phone before scoffing.
"I don't think that's much of a problem," Hoshino says, showing me her phone while I lean forward in interest and I can't help the disbelief in my eyes.
It's video surveillance of my gunfight through Kaiser's main base in Abydos, posted by… "Kronos?" I ask and Hoshino nods. The video didn't catch much, but it did catch me using their firepower against them, using my axe and knives, the Chameleon, and other things. Using anything and everything to take down Kaiser PMC soldiers.
"Yup~." Hoshino says, inspecting the video with interest, "You say you've gotten rusty?" Hoshino asks with a bit of disbelief.
"Well…" I trail off, after all, military compounds are usually full of people and once the Dollar Flu hit a lot of the places weren't very well-defended, and some PMCs took that as an opportunity. I know, after all, I've taken down a few places with heavy tank artillery. "Yeah…"
"Scary~," Hoshino says, reeling back jokingly.
I roll my eyes as I slip my phone out and read through some of the comments.
Thirst, curiosity, fear, troll, thirst, thi-okay, I know they're teenagers but there's a bit too much thirst going around.
Still, how did this get in their hands?
Whatever, doesn't matter.
Turning off my phone, I reach the SCHALE building. "So, why were you following me?"
"There isn't a lot of transportation to Abydos at this time." Hoshino says before smiling, "I also want to see the building."
"Well, whatever." I shrug, flashing my SCHALE lanyard as I enter, sure, ISAC could let me in, but sometimes you wanna do things normally.
Hoshino follows behind me as we enter the office and her eyes land on a certain couch. Jogging towards it, she jumps onto it and slumps with a satisfied sigh. "Napping spot attained."
Shaking my head, I call out, "I'm going to shower."
"See ya~," Hoshino says as she slumps on the couch.
Once I'm done with my nightly preparations, I head downstairs to see Hoshino asleep on the couch I sigh. Gently, I place a blanket over her as I nod and head to my sleeping spot.
One thing's for sure, helping Abydos was a lot easier than re-establishing a government.
Once more, a young woman closed her eyes after a long day of classes, the day she foresaw slowly approaching as she dived into the realm of dreams once more, one thing stuck in her mind, curiously enough.
Psalm 23:4 "Even though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
The young girl blinked at the new surroundings as she heard a masculine voice speak, a stark contrast to the digital voice used by the robotic denizens of Kivotos. Slowly, she looked at her surroundings to see a familiar image.
A church with a preacher spoke in front of men, women, and children, her eyes stuck on the males seated in the pews, and on the top of their heads, a lack of halos leaving her confused. Not to mention all the weapons they had and armor they wore, each one at their sides even if they were praying.
Slowly, she looked around, her confusion increasing as she tried to find what brought her here.
Then, before she could understand anything, her ears caught a voice on the side of the main hall of the church. "No." It spoke sternly and without question. Almost resembling a teacher but also something else, her heart rate increasing as she turns and her eyes widen.
She recognized the visible features of the haloless young man. The brown eyes, the brown hair hidden under a hat, all of it was a younger version of the Sensei. Unlike the calmer man she saw in the pictures and videos, this one was starkly different.
For one, the gear he wore was worn, discolored, and bulkier, like he picked it up on the side of the road or something. Secondly, the visible gadgets he had on him were limited to a shield and nothing else. Thirdly, he had a rifle she couldn't recognize and a submachine gun strapped to his backpack, the submachine gun was dark with intricate markings on it, and in his thigh holster was a revolver.
"C'mon Mateo." An older man said insistently. "Look, we just need your help to get into the Dark Zone and get some loot before leaving."
"Yeah." The woman said. "There's a cache of weapons deep in it. We saw it but we were too injured to return."
That was when the fourth difference came to life, a notable anger and frustration with his actions. "And how long ago was this? You were in the medical ward for a month, that cache is practically gone at this point and you already know how I feel about the Dark Zone. I-." He stops himself as he looks into the main area of the church and she follows his line of sight, the music drowning out the argument as a row of children all singing, some of them notice him looking and they smile at him and he does the same, waving as the children seem to brighten as he returns to the two. Huh, so he's actually a teacher?
She returned her sights to him and he hissed at the two. "I just came back from New York, I don't wanna deal with Rogues, the Black Tusk, or any idiot looking to strike it big in a contaminated zone. Faye Lau's stunt has everyone with two ears, eyes, and a mind suspicious of us. And they're right to do so! We can't go and let our greed ruin the goodwill we have here much less any goodwill we have a chance of getting anywhere else."
"I know." The man answered, trying to placate the younger man. "But we need this, even if it's empty we can fan out and look for extra parts and bring them in. We might even find some good guns while we're at it."
"Better than Theo Parnell's gun?" He asked, pointing to the rifle in his backpack. "Or the Vector I got from one of Faye Lau's lieutenants when she went rogue? The same one I used to put a bullet in her?"
Neither one said anything else, while the witness gulped, feeling queasy to her stomach at the mention of death. At how serious he was at that she realized something. He had killed before and considering the last time she saw him he was older, he will continue to do so.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a heavy sigh. "Fine, if you're so fucking insistent, I'll go." He said while picking up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. The other two watched him go as they glanced at each other. "Hurry up." He ordered as he stepped outside, the two adults going with him as the witness followed.
She continued to do so as they went to a large walled area, the wall taller than anything she'd ever seen but also making her stomach churn at what she'd seen.
Corpses riddled with bullets, graffiti on the wall cars broken, vines crawling up the building, and shop fronts broken as the three walked in silence and she kept her eyes forward. Already the idea that there are corpses around her had her feeling queasy, but actually seeing one might make her lose her dinner.
Finally, they reached the entrance and he sighed. "Let's get this over with."
They secured gas masks over their faces, testing them to make sure it was on tight, and the three Agents and their witnesses entered the Dark Zone.
Once inside, the three began to make their way through the area. The witness heard something as she blinked. "Contaminants detected."
"I got it the first time, ISAC," Mateo grumbled as he thumbed the Vector in hand, disengaging the safety as he proceeded to perform a series of hand signals. The other two Agents nodded and got in a triangular formation, with Mateo in the back and the other two up front as they began to move, a stark contrast to the formations the student has seen the Justice Task Force or the Prefect Team use.
The two at the front peeked out, sweeping their guns at their half with Mateo in the back securing their backs as they entered the alley.
Slowly, the three moved like a well-oiled machine, silent but using hand signals to speak, the two in front listening to Mateo despite being younger as his experience became obvious.
Finally, they reached the location. "We're here." The man said as they entered the alley, his eyes looking at the woman as Mateo stomped in. Mateo looked around, his eyes inspecting the area as his eyes seemed to lock onto certain places before he found something.
"So it's still there," Mateo muttered under his breath, the sarcasm obvious in his voice. "Lovely."
Slowly, Mateo went to it before placing his hand on the case and paused.
The witness' eyes widened as she saw the man and woman raise their guns as if waiting for a signal, pointing right at Mateo.
"Rogues detected," ISAC spoke as Mateo whirled back, unfurling his shield and curling behind it as a bevy of gunfire rained on his position.
Despite the hail of gunfire, Mateo props his submachine gun on a section of his shield and fires off a barrage, forcing the duo into cover as Mateo gets up and taps his watch.
The Witness watches as a sphere extends and forms are outlined, from the duo of traitors to the group closing in.
Switching out his vector, Dark Winter, for the rifle, The Darkness, Mateo aims at the alley and fires off a shot. The bullet trailed as the witness gasped at the hole found in the head of the soldier that came in, her world dulling as she became witness to a slaughter.
Mateo unfurled his shield and placed it on the floor, reaching into his bag and then replacing something in his shoulder as he tapped his watch and a cone appeared as it slowly narrowed, two traitors' eyes widening. "Ban-!"
Before they could answer, a shrill sound was heard, the soldiers coming in held their heads as they tried to ignore it and some of them had to stop for a second to reorient themselves. Even the traitors did but that didn't work.
They yelped as their knees were shot and Mateo ran out, ignoring them as he switched his rifle for the Orbit, a double-action revolver as he aimed at the group of soldiers. Each one with a gas mask and red-tinted goggles over their faces and a brick similar to Mateo's but with a diamond instead of a circle.
His first target's head jerked back, the barrel practically on his head, as he fell back and he aimed for the second and third in quick succession, hitting them in the head and the chest respectively as the third fell. After shooting the fourth in the chest twice and then kicking the third in the head and then firing twice, the soldiers scattered as they fired back but instead all that was heard was the gunfire and the sound of their bullets hitting the shield.
The witness watched, her stomach churning with each gunshot as the enemy soldier's brain matter and blood splattered onto the ground.
She heard a song play in the background, calming and peaceful, a stark contrast to the man currently slaughtering the men in front of them. He bashed one with his shield and onto a wall as he stabbed them in the throat before forcing him forward, gunshots hitting the man's armor and body as he choked on his blood. Mateo reaches for the man's pistol and fires back, nailing some in their armor and their head but no kills until he rests the hot barrel of the man's gun and shoots him in the head, killing him as he leapt to the side, grabbing the Dark Winter and clicking the firing option as he peeks out in the lull of the gunfire.
He shot back, his accuracy in close quarters a terror to see as he made each shot count, either hitting their head or getting multiple shots to their legs or arms as he pushed up.
Passing by a man he shot in the head, killing him, he aimed and shot him again before going for a man with an injured leg as he tried to plead. Mateo didn't listen and just shot him in the head, killing him as the others tried to leave.
Grabbing a grenade, he removed the pin and threw it as it landed in front of the retreating soldiers and it went off, killing some as the others looked back to see Mateo with his rifle in hand. He pulled the trigger, getting one in the head as he aimed for the next one, forcing them behind cover as he continued firing as the soldiers had nowhere to move lest they be shot as Mateo came closer.
Once Mateo stopped, the soldier came out and tried to shoot, only to have Mateo grab his gun placing the barrel of his own in the back of his leg, and fire off the last bullet into it, wrenching it out as Mateo reloads The Darkness. He aims at the Black Tusk mercenary, not saying anything as the mercenary groans and hisses through the pain.
Meanwhile, Mateo's eyes were cold, lacking any warmth that was there while he was in Kivotos, the witness unable to stomach anymore as she continued shivering, hands over her ears and eyes tearing up.
Finally, a gunshot goes off and the Black Tusk says nothing else. He fires again and the witness flinches.
Mateo lowered the Darkness, slinging it over his shoulder and onto its place beside Dark Winter as he reloaded Orbit and slowly made his way to the area where he could hear the injured hissing of the people who tried to set him up.
Reaching back, he grabbed a flashbang and threw it, waiting for the bang as the injured duo gasped and then it happened. Blinded and deaf from the flashbang, he stepped out and shot the farthest target, the woman as the man yelled desperately. "No! You monster!" He said as he tried to aim but Mateo grabbed the gun and wrenched it off his hand, then he kicked him down, placing a boot on his chest and placing his weight on it as the man wheezed, tears on the edge of his face. "How could you?"
Mateo didn't answer for a beat of silence, finally, he answered, "You've seen me mow down the Outcast, heard when I ran out the Hyenas, took down the True Sons, and have seen me take down the Black Tusk. I've killed Keener, put a bullet in Faye, and more. You see the children I teach, the people I help, and the company I keep yet ask how I can do what I can?"
The man gulps, looking into Mateo's cold eyes. "'How' is irrelevant. Just that it's done." Mateo pulled the trigger and the witness reeled as the gunshot rang out.
Mateo's eyes lose the edge they had along with the light, almost as if he was looking somewhere else that not even the witness, with all her abilities, would be able to see. He blinked, the light returning to his eyes while they shone with unshed tears as he took a shaky breath and released it through grit teeth. "I wish I knew how too."
Mateo shook his head, the witness' face contorted into horror as he watched him strip down the corpses and loot them as if it was a normal thing to do. Then he continued, leaving the corpses to rot as she looked at his back.
There, on the side strapped to his bag, she spotted a familiar symbol. A cross. Wooden. A rosary. His back was lonely, exhausted, and a bit slumped as he stopped by the entrance.
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and it changed. Gone was the lonely back, confused, and in its place was a confident young man as he walked out of the alley.
The witness would never be able to understand what she saw. How such a holy(in the words of the teachers) image can be used by such a man. How that man felt or what he felt. What he had to do.
In the same way one cannot prove the existence of paradise, one cannot know the feelings of another.
So how can a man covered by the shadow of the valley of death continue when it's obvious there's no reason to? It'll all be in vain anyway.
A/N: Now, onto other notes. Like changes and such, nothing too major. Just that the perspective will change from time to time a bit more regularly. For future volumes where Sensei isn't as major a character, it'll mostly be in the third POV while events will mostly be in the first POV unless something happens outside of Sensei's periphery.
So, yeah, nothing too important but something that should be addressed. Until then, I hope you enjoyed this.
Merry Christmas to all!