Crunch-

 

Hot arid winds and an almost unlivable environment. Extreme temperatures in both night and day. Amidst these rough gales was a man walking through the desert.

 

Covered in a tattered cloak that hid his face in a dark shade, he walked through the winds that wanted to repel him. One hand held the hood of his cloak and the other held a flapping, rectangular piece of paper that looked worn out from use.

 

‘...I found you…’

 

Given information from an informant, he was headed to his ‘target’.

 

‘Doctor…’

 

Wrrrmmm-!

 

The roaring of a loud engine entered his ears.

 

‘Hundred… No… two-hundred meters away.’

 

The loud desert storm messed with his usual impeccable hearing that could discern even things up to three-hundred meters away.

 

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?”

 

He ignored the man and simply walked past the large fortified car. The man behind the wheel felt anger rushing to his head.

 

“Shoot him!”

 

The group of hooligans inside and on top of the car shot their automatic guns at the man only a couple meters away.

 

‘...I guess this trespasser is dead… better report this to the higher-ups.’

 

The man reached for the walkie-talkie beside him but a sudden voice came behind himself.

 

“Thank you for the gift.”

 

“!?”

 

Before anyone else could process, the man killed everyone and threw their bodies out.

 

‘...The cartel is quite annoying with their territorial controls.’

 

Taking off his cloak, Takara showed his face and drove the car in the direction where the Doctor was located.

 

It had been half a year since the case with the Whitechapel Cult and Takara had found one more of the Nine, Neuro. But killed him quite easily. He worked inside a hospital as a neurosurgeon.

 

Before he died Neuro merely looked at Takara, gave his final words and let himself be decapitated.

 

He worried if a mental implant or illusions were used to make him think he had died, but nothing of the sort happened.

 

All around him were sand, dirt, shrubs, and the occasional animals that could survive the desert heat and the ruthless cold of the night.

 

‘He was smart to take cover in such a remote yet fortified place…’

 

It was around a month ago when Takara got a message from one of the uncountable number of contacts of informants that they think they had found something.

 

There were just as many, if not more numbers of submissions thinking they found one of the Nine and had given them to Takara but to no avail.

 

After the Whitechapel incident, Takara got paid quite a hefty sum into a secure bank account and using that money he started a ‘hunt’ within the Spy world. The hunt was simply to find any of the Nine (now Eight) people, using his photographic memory to draw perfect replicas of each of their faces.

 

Why only have a singular person working when you could mobilize the entire Spy world? There was speculation of course but it was quickly quelled after he showed his official Silver (4-star) license.

 

That was how he got ahold of Neuro’s location, and most likely some more in the future.

 

The website up now had eight pictures along with each link going into more detailed photos and descriptors. A hundred and twenty-five million was the prize of each confirmed location.

 

The one with Neuro’s picture had a red cross to show his bounty had been claimed already.

 

‘To think another bounty has already been submitted…’

 

‘Who was the one to submit this again?’

 

Takara zoned out for a second before the name came up, Giga. He had heard some things about this prodigy of the computer. Like Shion Yozakura they were in another league compared to other hackers.

 

‘If I remember correctly, Yozakura was the one who gave me the first one… right?’

 

‘Hm?’

 

The car rolled to a stop and in the front of the car were children, seemingly dying from starvation.

 

“Please-!”

 

“Please don’t die-!”

 

“We’re almost there-!”

 

One child was urging the other to not give up but they were already on their last legs. Perhaps it was because of how focused the batter child was to not allow the other to die, but they didn’t notice Takara walking towards them.

 

“Do you need help?”

 

“You can speak Spanish?”

 

The child momentarily fell into shock as an asian man started speaking in their native language.

 

“...Yes, now do you want that child to die or do you need help.”

 

Takara reached out his hand signaling for the child about to pass out. The child looked momentarily in conflict as they shifted the other child to a more comfortable position.

 

“...If you trick us, I’ll kill you.”

 

The child looked at Takara with a sharp glint, but he knew that it was merely a bluff.

 

“...If you manage to do that, I would be surprised.”

 

Easily taking the child off the other, Takara waved his hand for the other child to get into the car alongside himself.

 

Hum-

 

The engine started again and for a brief moment there was only silence.

 

“Where are you headed to, I’m also going in that direction, I’ll help you get dropped off and give you some supplies before going.”

 

“...Why are you helping us?”

 

Takara didn’t respond and just stared at the scenery outside for a moment.

 

“...I know what it feels like to starve and feel the harshness of the wild and society… You just remind me of myself when I was still surviving, it’s my own selfish wish, pay no mind to it and just accept this as ‘good will’.”

 

“...We’re heading to the ‘miracle doctor’, there were rumors of a village that formed that man and my friend is sick with a disease…”

 

Takara heard the soft sobs of the child but kept quiet like he couldn’t hear a thing.

 

“Are you also going to the miracle doctor?”

 

“...Maybe…”

 

The rest of the journey was quiet and tranquil, it almost seemed alien just how much of a difference the inside and outside of the car was.

 

There were moments where gunfire was prevalent before another moment of peace.

 

‘Mexico has quite the issue as well…’

 

The cartel held rule in Mexico and controlled drugs, weapons and various smaller gangs that held rule over various pieces of land in Mexico. This was all thanks to the presumed Gold-rank that controlled everything from the top.

 

‘It’s like another England all over again…’

 

The difference was that Mexico had no Knights in shining armor that secretly protected them to the best of their abilities. There were only sins and varying interests in Mexico.

 

But because of that, Mexico had been attacked on both sides of its border, a non-stopping war between the cartel and the United States along with Guatemala.

 

‘How funny that Doctor is called a ‘miracle doctor’.’

 

It was ironic, he was being called a miracle doctor yet to get to that place he had tens perhaps hundreds of sacrifices.

 

Soon, Takara could see a sight of a small village, one with a population that couldn't have been over a hundred.

 

“This is the place, yes?”

 

“Uh huh… Thanks mister, but I have to go see the miracle doctor now…”

 

“Sure… sure… go on ahead…”

 

He waved his hand, seemingly not caring about the children.

 

‘Why are you here, Doctor…? What are you planning…’

 

After a few minutes of stalling and trying to come to non-existent conclusions, Takara left the car and covered himself with his cloak to better fit in the town.

 

“Hahaha!”

 

Children were laughing, playing like how normal children should have been.

 

‘...’

 

“I see… so you came to me to help you?” A familiar monotone voice came from a house ahead.

 

‘...Doctor…’

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

“Now… where do you think you're going… One?”

 

“!?”

 

I was about to walk to the house to kill Doctor but another voice came from behind…

 

“...Combat?” My eyes widened with shock, never would I have thought that two of the Nine would stick together, everyone had their own agendas after all.

 

I couldn’t sense him…

 

I looked at him, he seemed to have mellowed down quite a bit and… he was missing an arm… 

 

Combat looked into the house, before saying, “Let’s go talk somewhere else…”

 

I turned to face the house with Doctor inside, complicated feelings resounded within me. As I followed Combat a certain scene caught my eye.

 

Bump-

 

“Ow…”

 

‘The kid is in danger…!’

 

I was about to protect the child who bumped into the child but Combat kneeled down.

 

“...Are you alright?”

 

The child replied with a happy tone before leaving.

 

“...What is the meaning of this…? Combat… aren’t you a person who would have killed that child?”

 

“...Not now. A bit further.”

 

The hot wind blew and I saw his sleeve flapping around. We eventually reached our destination, somewhere outside of the town and under a dried up tree giving minimal shade.

 

“Now then… speak, what do you want to say?”

 

Combat’s hair too was down, his ‘punk aura’ was gone.

 

“...You know why I’m here, Combat.”

 

He swayed his head, like he didn’t get my words.

 

“Do I really though?”

 

“...Do I need to be straight forward? I’m here to kill both you and Doctor, that much should be obvious after what you made me and the rest of the Termites do.”

 

“Say… do you like the sky?”

 

‘Always people changing the subject…’

 

I stared at the sky with Combat, the blue enveloped the entire world and listless white clouds drifted by. It was the despairing difference between a wartorn country and the sky seeming like heaven.

 

“Yes… I do like the sky.”

 

“That’s good…” Combat said, his head faced the floor.

 

“You said you wanted to kill me? Go ahead, I don't have a purpose in this world anymore anyway.”

 

‘This… isn’t what I wanted…’

 

It seemed like everyone was simply moving on from their own transgressions… The only one that put up a fight was Virus, she was the only one who fought to the bitter end. 

 

“You know…? I also killed Neuro, he did the exact same thing as you did.”

 

“Did he? He was also a soft person, kind and considerate. I don’t know how Technician ever recruited him… He was the one person who shouldn’t have been there…”

 

“So… why are you doing the same? You aren’t Neuro who has still kept his humanity, you’re a damn murderer! How can I live peacefully if you have already moved on!?”

 

My unfiltered rage came out like a torrent. Combat stayed silent and took the verbal bashing without complaints and soon I was mentally tired.

 

“...Why? You don’t deserve a second chance… Your class alone killed at least a couple…”

 

I left lost, I expected when I met Combat it would have been like Virus where a battle would play and my rage would lessen and perhaps my void of a heart would heal somewhat. But… expectations often fall flat, and with over five years worth of time it was inevitable that most people would change if they wanted to or not.

 

So… what now?

 

Do I kill him?

 

Do I let him live and act as if nothing happened?

 

There are no right choices in life, and this divided path seemed to swallow me whole.

 

“...You’re right, I don’t deserve another chance. I’ve only done horrible things even before I joined the project. Do you know what my nickname was back then? It was ‘Mercenary King’... What a childish name, I used it with pride in the past but now…” Combat expression oozed with melancholy and nostalgia. ”It just seemed so childish.”

 

“...I’m done. I’ll kill you another time.”

 

The place where Combat’s grave should have been postponed to a later date.

 

My mind was a mess. Memories of the brutal teacher repeated in a never-ending loop. Hours of running, training… Though I suppose the effectiveness worked in the end.

 

I don’t know… The fog within my mind wouldn’t clear. 

 

I soon found myself walking through the town. This didn’t happen with Neuro, I killed him with no hesitation. Was it because of expectations? I had so many different thoughts of how interactions would go that eventually that was what I expected from each of them.

 

The sounds of happiness and laughter seemed to be the complete opposite of my own mood.

 

‘?’

 

Looking down, I saw a child handing me a piece of jerky.

 

“Want?”

 

“S-Sure…”

 

Taking it, I bit into it.

 

‘Bland…’

 

Of course in this war torn country there wouldn’t be luxuries such as seasonings, food was merely made to be eaten, not as a luxury.

 

It was bland… but it felt like the best thing I had eaten in years.

 

“...Thank you…”

 

I ruffled the kid’s hair before she giggled and left.

 

My aimless wandering led me back to the house where Doctor was at, checking people’s health.

 

Knock- Knock-

 

“So… You finally came for me. Is Combat dead? I haven’t seen him in a while.”

 

Doctor was taking a break it seemed. He held a cup of water, and stared out and into the village.

 

“...No, he’s not dead, rather I would like to speak with you.”

 

“Speak? How surprising, I thought you became a rage-induced monster.” Doctor covered his mouth and said under his breath, “To think that you would ask to speak…”

 

‘How did the two of them become irritating instead of frightening?’

 

My lips twitch at the apparent joke.

 

“Both you and Combat gained a sense of humor at the very leasts…”

 

“Humor? Who said anything about humor? I speak my thoughts, there is no point in hiding them after all. But we are getting off track, what do you wish to speak about?”

 

My mouth gaped open for a second before it closed and reopened.

 

“...What happened? Why is Combat so mellow, and what happened to his arm?”

 

“Many questions…” Doctor sighed, most likely at the wasted time. He was a fanatic of time management. “But it all started back when our project ended and we had our last meeting…”

 

~~~~

 

How was the monologue and pretty much everything in this chapter? Any criticisms? I think I did okay but I felt like I could have improved in some areas…

 

I don’t think most of you care, but in my ‘PLEASE READ’ I forgot to say ‘I hate bastardizing a work’

 

But to clarify it even further I meant it as ‘I hate it when it isn’t lore accurate and people do less research than needed.’ For example, Fate works are quite heavy in lore so you would need to play quite a few games, read novels, etc…

 

That’s why I don’t mass produce anything… (Even though my ideas docs have like 60+ ideas…)

 

Anyway, Futaba’s birthday is coming up so look forward to the book cover for a day I guess.

 

(Yes, somehow I got into writing a chapter a day, I don’t know what overcame me…)

 

(UNEDITED)