Two Months Later

It was dark in the forest. The sun had set, leaving the moon that was much larger than the one that orbited Earth. In the forest was a large paved path that split it in half, the road connecting a factory to a city. And in the side of this road laid Yuki, sitting with his knees pulled up as he leaned against a tree with his eyes closed.

“I still think we should have a mascot,” Erica said, her voice coming out from an ear piece that Yuki wore. “Something cute like a cat.”

“We don’t need a mascot, Erica,” Damian said loudly. This was the third time he had repeated this in the last hour. Yuki didn’t know how many times he said it the last two months.

“If we get a mascot, I feel like it shouldn’t be cute,” Sarah said. “We’ll need something cool and intimidating. Maybe a manticore.”

“Ew, I don’t like manticores,” Erica complained. “They’re freaky. How about a lion? They’re a cat and they’re intimidating.”

“I thought I just said we didn’t need a mascot?” Damian cried, exasperated.

“Lions are weak,” Sarah countered, ignoring him. “May be something more like—.”

“Please be quiet,” Yuki whispered calmly as he watched the road before him with complete focus. “I’m actually working here.”

“Oh, sorry,” Erica said, quieter.

“My apologies,” Sarah said.

“Much better. Uriel, I need an update,” Yuki said. “How close are we to game time.”

“The target should be in sight within the minute,” she replied. “I can see it moving right now. Also, if we are getting a mascot, why not make it something like a dragon?”

“One minute. I’ll take your word for it,” Yuki said before ignoring the argument that flared up from Uriel’s last comment.

[How are things going on your side?] Akira asked him. [The comms have been lighting up for the last hour.]

‘They others at the base are arguing over whether or not we should have a mascot and what that mascot should be,’ Yuki explained. ‘Uriel said the mark will be here in less than a minute.’

[Don’t they have to ask you about that whole topic? You are the boss and will be the one that makes the final decision.]

‘Well that’s how it would be normally but we’re not that normal in the first place.’

Pinpricks of light suddenly flared into existence in the distance. The target had just made its appearance.

‘Remember the plan,’ Yuki told Akira.

[In and out in five minutes, right?]

‘Exactly.’

The soft hum of the engine from the truck that was cruising down the road soon reached Yuki’s ears. With a small wave of his hand, he gathered the air beneath and compressed it until it became a cushion. Then he used it to propel himself up into the air just as the truck was about to pass him. Before he landed on the top of the truck, he softened his landing with air again.

‘Alright, you can come out now,’ Yuki said.

Akira appeared next to him with a quick flash but made no noise. She looked at him and he nodded back at her. They crouched down and placed their hands onto the top of the container the truck was towing behind it. Together, they carved out a hole from the metal container and slipped inside.

[So what are we taking?] Akira asked.

‘Everything,’ he replied.

Surrounding them were crates filled with, from the report Tiar gave Yuki, materials such as ores and parts that were mainly used for technology and weaponry. Exactly the type of things that Yuki had been wanting for while. And trucks like these were the perfect targets for him to get these things.

[How long are we going to keep pillaging supply trucks?] Akira said as they stored the crates into their rings.

‘As long as necessary. It’s helping us improve our own technology and it’s also a giant pain to Mason Inc. to have to deal with all of this.’

[I just feel like we could be doing something more significant to annoy the Shikaku.]

‘This is perfect for annoying them,’ Yuki replied. ‘We are decreasing their profits by stealing their products. We’re hurting their supply line which sooner or later they will have to deal with. This just a build up for the bigger event.’

They cleared out the entire container, leaving it completely empty. Then Yuki slipped back out through the hole that they created in the roof and pulled Akira out after. They sealed the metal hole up, no mark of their entrance being left. Yuki jumped off with Akira disappearing back into him.

[Bigger event?] Akira asked, continuing their conversation.

‘Did Uriel not tell you everything?’ Yuki asked back.

[She told me that the Mason Inc. and the Shikaku were connected,] she said. [She didn’t give me any specifics.]

‘The bigger event is the eventual collapse of Mason Incorporated,’ he explained as he began to run back toward their guild base. ‘Mason Incorporated is the largest technology company in Ethros. They are a supplier and a seller. No other company can even rival their size and technology.’

[I know that at least,] Akira interrupted. [I need to know why you want them to collapse.]

‘Mason Incorporated isn’t just connected to the Shikaku; they are ran by the Shikaku,’ he said. ‘The CEO and many of the chair members can be linked to the Shikaku in some way, shape, or form. And if we can link them, then it’s safe to say that they are working together. Whether they are collaborating intentionally or not doesn’t matter. Since they are basically the Shikaku, it’s our job to make their lives as hard as possible and try to bring down their technological empire.’

[How does raiding trucks do that?]

‘It’s going to help lead up to an opportunity to do that,’ Yuki corrected. ‘As we steal more and more from them, we will be a growing thorn in their side. And since they don’t know where their precious technology and materials are going, they will become more and more anxious until they actually try to do something. Maybe they’ll start sending guards. I don’t know. But they will do something and that is when we will be able to strike.’

[So until then, we’ll be just trying to annoy them until they snap,] Akira clarified.

‘Basically.’

[And Tiar is there to keep us updated about how things are going over at Mason Inc.]

‘Mhm.’

[Then what about Zoe’s assignment?]

‘She’s in a governmental position right now,’ Yuki said. ‘Zoe will just be monitoring things that happen there. Things such as corruption, scandals, government officials, and whatnot.’

[How about the entertainment industries? How are we going to watch over them?] Akira asked. [I forgot to ask you this before.]

‘I’m not quite sure yet,’ he said. ‘It’s on the planning list. Along with a few other things.’

[Like?]

‘I can’t believe that the others at the base are having an argument over mascots when we didn’t even create a name for our guild.’

[Now that you mention it.]

‘I also want to upgrade our weaponry and create some new things with the materials and parts we stole. Then once we get larger, we’ll need to go out recruiting again. I’ll need to ask Erica about that though.’

[What can I be doing?] Akira asked. [Lately, I’ve kind of bored so I’ve just been doing magic research.]

‘You have freedom to do whatever,’ Yuki replied. ‘I’m not limiting you to a single task.’

[Oh, really? Thank you then. I’ll see who needs help then.]

‘I’m planning do some of the items on my list this weekend,’ Yuki continued. ‘I just hope that something doesn’t pop up before then.’

He stopped running and stood in the middle of a meadow, the little lights of fireflies flying around him. The cool breeze blew by his hair as he created a magic circle within his right palm and snapped his fingers. The circle dissipated as the ground rose up before him. A metal door that was inlaid with decorations opened for him, revealing a well lit staircase that led down to the guild headquarters.

[I hope so too,] Akira said.

---

 

The next day, Yuki was sitting in homeroom as the bell rang and Mabel clapped her hands to quiet the room. She stood and gave the students a bright smile.

“I have some news that I know will be exciting for most of you,” she began. “For the last month, you have all been practicing and learning within a controlled environment. It’s time that we change that. You all need something a little more practical.”

Yuki heard ohs and murmuring throughout the room. It seemed that a lot of the students knew what was about to be announced.

“This weekend, we will be heading back to the Libra Forests,” Mabel announced. “And there, we will be doing a little special. We will be destroying some monster nests.”

There were cries of excitement from the students gathered in the room. Yuki stared impassively at Mabel as she spoke.

‘Well there goes my plan for the weekend,’ he thought. ‘Oh well.’