I took a nap.
Also… My writing streak! 😭
~~~~
Tap-
Tap-
Tap-
“...”
Tap-
“Argh, damn it! Who is going to start this damn meeting!? This is our last one so let’s get it done and over with.” Combat impatiently yelled, the other eight people merely sighed as if to say ‘As expected’.
“Our last meeting, How exciting~!” Trick buzzed with excitement.
“Does anyone have any more c-coffee? I think my body is going through a withdrawal process… It’s only been half an hour…”
Neuro’s body shook, and his hand that held his cup shook even harder causing him to hold it in place with his other.
“Go get it yourself.” Virus said, her fingers not stopping at writing her code.
“A-Ahh…”
Neuro desperately ran out of the meeting room, unintentionally causing a mess for Stealth who was counting his money that flew all around the room.
Swish-
In just a second all the flying money was back into neat piles.
“Well isn’t this just lovely~? Everyone here for the final meeting…” Technician said, smiling at everyone.
Doctor looked at his wristwatch, “Let’s get this over with…”
Knowledge merely kept reading her book, holed up inside her own world of imagination and illusions.
“Let’s celebrate~! It’ll be our last meeting, so why don’t we celebrate~” Technician brought out bottles of wine and champagne trying to get the other into a festive mood like he was.
“I’ll pass…” Virus said in a monotone voice, she once again was glued to her screen and didn’t even bother to look up.
“If it causes me to lose track of time then I’ll gladly decline…”
Soon everyone declined and Technician fake act was still on putting on a dramatic act.
“Oh, how sad, my own employees don’t want to celebrate with their boss.”
“Was that a threat? It won't work you know, today’s the last day we’re here trapped with you.” Combat said, his hand behind his head and his chair’s two back legs balancing to keep the man in his comfortable position.
“Oh the tragedy~” Technician put the back of his hand on his face, acting out a one man show.
As time passed, the meeting came to a close without any mishaps or anything out of the ordinary.
The last place the Nine gathered was at the entrance to their base where they said their goodbyes and parted in separate directions.
‘So much time… What’ll I use it for…’
Doctor felt conflicted with his newfound excess of time. He had always been a pioneer of medicine and the human body but in truth he hated his abilities and just wished to be left alone.
“What to do, what to do…” Combat grumbled.
“You’re still here, Combat?” Doctor expressed his surprise, he had expected Combat to rush off running back to a war to reclaim his previous title of ‘Mercenary King’.
“Oh, grumpy old man, I’m thinking about which war I should go to… have any ideas?”
Doctor checked his wristwatch.
‘Twelve o’ clock in the afternoon… I suppose I could spare a few seconds.
“What about the Cartel and their war on two fronts?”
“The one with a Gold-Rank? Hmm… yes, yes… I can see myself bathing in his blood and taking over the cartel…”
Combat daydreamed of the allure of taking over the large organization.
“Do you have anything to do, old man? If not, why not come with me, no… Come with me! You shall be my second in command!”
Months had passed and both Combat and Doctor had made their way through the inner workings of the cartel located in Mexico.
“So… you both managed to make your way here… I wouldn’t have thought the famed Mercenary King would ever want my throne, nor did I think I would ever meet you. Considering how you’ve been gone from the face of the Earth there was some speculation that you died… Truly, these past few months have been quite intriguing.”
A man with a tan skin tone with a shining black suit said, his eyes locked on the wine glass in his hand as the liquid swirled around before he drank the rest in a single shot.
“But… you seem to have rusted up quite a bit, King. Look at you, all pathetic and bloodied up from just from my subordinates.”
His voice had a deep, calm tone that could make people obey, a type of oppressive aura that wouldn’t disappear.
“Hah, you say that but you haven’t moved a finger, what a coward.” Combat clicked his tongue disappointed at his already clear loss and how to fight would be unsatisfactory.
“...Oh? Coward? No, no… you must be mistaken, I’m no coward, I just haven’t simply seen a reason to move. But since you are so desperately keen on fighting me, come.”
The man folded one arm behind his back and the other waved, challenging Combat.
…
“!?”
“Do you see? The difference between us, you old veteran. But since I am such a benevolent leader and you have killed quite a few of my men, why don’t you and that doctor of yours swear allegiance to me?”
His hand flicked as the remnants of Combat’s blood stained his floor, Combat’s right arm, his dominant arm, was severed cleanly off his shoulder.
*
*
*
“...Afterwards, we lost horribly, and we struck a deal with the Gold-Rank. We would be allowed to live in his territory but we had to act as his doctor and soldier, respectively.”
As Doctor concluded with his story, the last droplets of water within his cup disappeared and the night sky made the air around us cold.
‘...So that’s why Combat matured so much…’
I wanted to say I felt some pity but my already conflicting emotions didn’t let more complex feelings into the mix resulting in me feeling nothing, merely satisfied that my question had been answered.
“...Now that you know everything, what will you do?”
“...I’ll watch, I will most likely kill both of you, just so you know.”
I had overstayed my welcome, I left through the front door and walked back to my car.
Even in the darkness of night, the laughter of children didn’t cease and only amplified more.
‘...If my life had been peaceful… would I have been like them?’
An interesting question, but I would have been detached with no place to belong no matter if I had a family or not. I was an adult in a child’s body, a body snatcher. I was not a child, nor was I an adult anymore…
Problems would have been prevalent either way, the thought was merely hopeful wishing to escape my accursed reality.
“Mister…”
I saw the child from before, the one that asked me for help.
“...Do you need anything?”
“U-Um… thank you… If you didn’t help us my friend would have died…”
“...Don’t worry about it, like I said before, just take it as ‘goodwill’ from an adult.” I calmly said to the child who looked flustered and embarrassed and messed with their hair.
‘Though… That is a bit of a paradox…’
“Ugh…”
“Have a good night's sleep kid, you'll need it.”
This was most likely a type of safe haven where the outside world (the Gold-Rank) orders not to interfere. If I kill Combat and Doctor for my own selfish reasons, these people would be vulnerable again.
‘I’ve been headpatting a lot lately…’
Just a few hours ago I did it once… so it adds up to twice in a single day. It reminds me of the extremely small moments with Sinclair… Though with my last memories with her, she was just a puppet to become a weakness for me so did she even remember our moments?
‘What am I thinking about…’
I just slightly smiled as my cloak acted as my blanket.
My body moved, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep – though I didn’t need to – my closed eyes opened to find the entire universe before my eyes. Stars, some bright, others dim, but each held an inherent beauty that only nature itself could bring.
‘...Time to go to sleep.’
*
*
*
“...They’re here…? For a second time…?”
“...Is it because of that outsider?”
Although the village was half composed of children, adults were still present. Various eyes conspicuously looked at Takara.
‘...How annoying…’
“Let us through! We’re here on the orders of the Drug Lord himself, if you don’t want trouble let us pass!” A loud voice boomed and the fearful villagers made their way for the men.
The men darted their eyes around looking for their mission.
“You, the one in the cloak, you’re the trespasser that killed our men aren’t you?”
“...If I am?” Takara answered with not a hint of anger and only of pure confusion.
“...We’d have to kill you…”
“...Ha.”
“...” The men stood silent wondering if their ears hadn’t played tricks on them.
“If I did as you say, don’t you think you would need more men to kill me?”
The men warily took out their weapons and shifted their bodies in defense.
“...Or we would take you to the Drug Lord…”
‘...A Gold-Rank… Would I be able to beat him?’ Takara pondered.
“But… if this is all you could muster, I’m guessing that the war is finally taking a turn?” Takara gave his observed notes. If Combat had indeed slaughtered many of the cartel members it would make the most logical sense as to why the Gold-Rank didn’t send any more people.
They simply were running out of men to keep things in check. If it came to worse he would most likely rely on child soldiers…
“...Leave, I already killed your men twice now, but I have no intentions of making an enemy of the Cartel…”
Bang-!
Ting-!
Two men fell with each half of a bullet stuck in between their eyebrows.
“How stupid to test me. Did you think I would bluff? Leave, this is your final warning, if you don’t comply I’ll eradicate the members of the Cartel within this country.”
The rest of the men left in a hurry, their earlier arrogance nowhere to be seen. Takara picked up the two unfortunate bodies and began to walk a bit ways outside of the town.
“...What do you want, Combat?”
“...Hm… You can sense me now? As I thought, you’re gifted…” Combat said. He had been following Takara the entire time. “It’s been a couple of days but you can sense me… what a monstrous brat…”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Takara focused on controlling Aiki and started slowly making two separate holes for the bodies, but the speed started to quickly increase.
“I just wanted to say, you’re a kind person.”
Takara stopped the wind and dirt hit the ground with a thud. He turned his head, scrutinizing Combat, but as always Combat had the same tired and defeated look on his face.
‘I’m not kind…’ He wanted to say, but after a moment of looking he started on the graves once more.
Only five minutes later and the graves were done. Each body lowered into the separate holes and were quickly covered up by dirt. Several other graves could be seen alongside the two new ones, each one with its own twig cross.
After giving a short prayer, Takara returned to the town with Combat.
“...Why do you pray, I know you don’t believe in religion…” Combat ended the silence.
Indeed, even though Takara experienced the famed transmigration, he had merely chalked it up to an unexpected scientific accident of some sort since no answer could be found.
“...It’s not for me, it’s for the men who died, they might have believed in a religion. I pray for their sake, not for myself.”
Once returning to town, children greeted the both of them with happy faces.
“Mister, let's play again today!”
“No me!”
The various children crowded the two of them and Takara replied, “Why don’t you ask him?”
“Mister, let's play!”
Soon the crowd of ‘play hungry’ children left dragging Combat and Takara found himself in yet another conversation with Doctor.
“...Even though we don’t get much information in this isolated country, I still get pieces of information… I heard about a Spy with a particularity… one who puts flowers on top of their victims? Was it you?” Doctor asked, his hands wrapped around the cup.
“...What will you gain from that knowledge?”
“...I suppose nothing in particular, but in this barren wasteland, there isn’t much to expect or to hope for and hearing that intriguing piece of information made me think of you, I wonder why?” The Doctor’s habit of keeping time was starting to disappear.
There was too much time and nothing to do except for small experiments but that would waste precious medical resources that could be used on patients. Takara’s appearance must have brought out old habits but those have long since gone.
“...Yes, that was me.”
“Hm… May I ask why?”
“The flowers?”
Doctor slightly nodded his head.
“...I suppose it’s to respect people’s deaths no matter how corrupt they are…”
For a moment there was silence as Doctor digested the new and seemingly enthralling information.
“Have you decided?”
Takara’s hand covered his mouth before replying, “Yes.”
“...So this is the end… Hmm… Not as frightening as I thought.” Doctor said, taking a sip of his water.
“...I’ve decided on helping the people here escape onto the United States borders, it’s the least I could do after I kill the both of you.”
“I see… When are you going to kill us?”
“...Tomorrow or the day after at the latest.”
Doctor swirled his thumbs thinking about the dates.
“... Once you accept that death is in every direction no matter what path you take, it becomes quite easy to give up on life.”
Takara replied a few seconds later, “I suppose so…”
~~~~
This entire arc is very short, the rest of the arcs aren’t going to be that long (except for one) then the first volume comes to a close. Yesterday I was feeling so tired because of my messed up sleep schedule and even now it’s 12 a.m. on the next day.
This entire section is more so ‘slice-of-life’ before the next major arc and finale. It’s supposed to be more melancholic and nostalgic. (Hopefully it seems that way.)
I’m going to sleep now.
Fun Fact: Futaba’s birthday is 2/2… Actually it’s quite easy to remember all the Yozakura birthdays because from oldest to youngest it’s only one month and a day +1. Ex Kyoichiro: 1/1, Futaba: 2/2, Shinzo: 3/3… etc…
Gah…
I’m done, I’m REALLY going to sleep now.
