RE:volt! Chapter 52: My Name is... 

 

“Al…Ece? Capu-capull”

“It’s pronounced Alice Capulet. Sound it out.” Ark said as he pointed at the letters on the card in Thirty-Four’s hand that had her new name. Thirty-Four blinked, repeating her new name over and over again as she stared at her card. 

“Al-ish, alicsh, alice. Alice.” Thirty-Four said, blinking rapidly with a smile on her face before she hugged Ark. “I'm Alice!”

“Oh-ok.” Ark said before turning to Thirty-Three with Alice still holding onto him as he handed the other girl her card. “Since you don’t know how to read, your new name is Morgana Capulet.”

The girl scowled.

“Tsk, you say it like it’s a bad thing. Why do I need to learn how to read when the only thing I’ll be doing is smashing stuff?” Morgana replied as she snatched the credit card, eyeing the device closely. 

“Careful you barbarian.” Ark spat, stopping the woman as she began to bend her card. “If you break it, I’ll put you in time out. Seventeen, come here.”

“Hi!” The girl said, smiling brightly at Ark with Thirty-Four’s face scrunching up. 

“Your new name is Selena Felt.” Ark said, handing the peppy girl her card.

“Nope.”

Ark blinked as the girl refused the card. “What do you mean nope?”

“I don’t like it.”

“Six-Two-Six chose that name for you, be grateful.” Alice hissed.

“Nope. I’m Seventeen.” The blonde maid replied. 

“I… Look, you need to have a name. A number isn’t going to cut it out there in the world.” Ark tried to explain, but the girl shook her head.

“My name is my number.” 

“So what? You’ll change your name to Eighteen next year?” Morgana chimed in, her head cocked with annoyance as she spun her stick in her hands.

“YUP!” Seventeen replied unapologetically. 

“Ok, we'll come back to this.” Ark said as he pinched his nose and beckoned to the two boys sorting through their loot of berries and mushrooms with Ninety-Nine, the man reaching them about the flora. “Axel, Isa. Come here. You two will share the same last name. Ansem.”

The two boys approached Ark, taking the cards he held out that had their names on them. 

“Great, I'm stuck with you AND have to pretend to be your brother.” Isa moaned.

“What about Saix and Roxas?” Axel asked, staring at his card that had his name before looking up at Ark. “Shouldn’t we get cards for them too?”

Oh boy…

The edges of Ark’s eyes crunched a bit on their sides as Axel spoke about the two boys Two-Two-One and Forty-Five. The others of their group who had gotten separated during the attack. Isa looked at Ark before chiming in.

“He already does.” Isa said, saving the day and nudging Axel in the side with his elbow. “We just gotta find them is all.”

“Really? Then let's go!”

“Easy you idiot, not now. There are helpers probably looking for us.”

“Then…”

Ark took a breath.

“Alright listen up!” Ark spat. “Pay attention to what I’m about to say.”

At Ark’s command, the gathered former slaves snapped to attention, defaulting on their training and immediately forming into rows with Seventeen, Alice, and Morgana in the front, and Axel and Isa in the back. 

“Sebastian here is going to explain how the cards work.” Ark said as the demon stepped out of the shadows with an umbrella in hand, using it to obscure him from the sunlight.

“Salutations.” The butler said, smiling at the group. “As the young master here has proclaimed, I shall now speak to you about the form and function of the credit cards.”

Sebastian flicked his wrist, summoning a card into his hand.

“A credit card is a magical identification card used by the Empire that keeps track of your social points and scoring. Points, are the currency used by the Imperium. Enough of them, and you could get a castle, a noble’s title, even an army.”

Thirty-Three raised her hand.

“Yes madam?”

“How many potatoes can we we get with points?” 

“It… depends. On the economy and value-”

“I’m… just going to cut you off there.” Ark interjected. “We’ll keep questions till the end. Continue Sebastian.”

“Yes young sir. On your cards, there is a blue circular dot, press down with your fingers on that dot if you will please.” The butler instructed, with everyone including Ark following suit, revealing a blue box that appeared from each person’s card.

 

[Loyd Ark]

[Status: Commoner]

[Affiliation: Mercenary Group, Nobodies] [CEO: Felone Montague]

[Occupation: Independent Mercenary]

[Credit Ranking: E]

[Social Credit: 3,000sc]

[TRANSFER>]

 

Rank E huh? Ark said to himself, waving his free hand through the magical hologram. In a way, it reminded Ark of his SPELLBOOK, as if they were based off the same system.

“An important object of note, is you should never hand your credit card to anyone. Ever. Unless you absolutely trust them. If someone asks for your credentials, you need only press the glyph on the card.” Sebastian explained before going over the ranks and statuses.

Ark and the others were all E class, the lowest of the low before F. If he or the others lost their points or entered into the negatives, there was a high chance their credit ranking would be labeled F, sentencing them to prison or slavery. 

Unlike in Ark's time where currency was handled via coins and bargaining, the modern age had moved on to credit lines and magic cards, items that did away with the cumbersome issue of coin pouches and metal bars.

With enough points, one could buy land, magic items, even another human being. The higher one's credit ranking, the higher their social standing, with those possessing high amounts of points being nobles.

Ark eyes the card in his hand, staring at the stylized words printed on his card that read Jasper Industries.

Of course he'd think of something like this. Ark said to himself, unwittingly smiling.

At least you know where to start. 

Ark's smile evaporated as Sebastian continued to explain the functionality of the credit card. Yeah, maybe.

Don't tell me you're having second thoughts now.

No. Absolutely not. Ark replied, his eyes furrowed and so distracted he didn't see Ninety-Nine approach him. 

“So kid, you registered us as a company…of Nobodies…” Ninety-Nine said, standing beside Ark with his hand resting on the boy's shoulder. “I didn't tell you my name so you could bind me to you.”

“Problem with that?” Ark said, folding his arms.

“A little. What if I don't want to run a mercenary group?” The old man said, his brow raised. “What if I want to return to my old life?”

“I'd say tough shit. And you're an idiot if you think you can return to your old life. You're marked just as I am. You have nothing, and your best bet is to throw your lot in with a bunch of kids.” Ark said, eyeing the group of teens smiling and showing each other their cards.

Felone chuckled. 

“Ah, well when you put it that way…”

“Sorry, I don't mean to be harsh.” Ark said.

“No, I get it. Alot of responsibility. But do you even know anything about running a company?” Felone asked. 

“No, that's why you're here. You have experience managing people and following orders. You'll be our handler. You're the only one that can.” Ark said, observing as Seventeen splintered off, the girl sitting alone.

“Well… when you word it that way, you make it seem like an obligation.” Felone said, patting Ark on the shoulder with a laugh before his withered face adopted a stern look with a hint of sadness. He leaned down, the next words spoken whispered in Ark's ear. “Are you sure you want to go down this path? You're finally free. You can do whatever you want. You don't have to fight.”

“We have to eat somehow. You said it before, A war is coming. The risk is high but… so are the rewards.” Ark said. “We'll put them to use doing the things they know best and when they're ready…”

“What?” Felone asked as Ark trailed off.

“We'll cut them loose. Give them a choice to live their lives.” Ark said. “As they are, they wouldn't survive on their own.”

“Sometimes I forget you're only what? Fifteen? Sixteen?”

“Almost sixteen.”

“Right… a self taught mana user at sixteen.” Felone muttered in disbelief. “And what's the deal with the butler?”

“We have an understanding and he's sympathetic to our cause.” Ark replied as the mephistos finished his lecture and began approaching the pair. 

“Gives me the creeps if ya ask me.” Felone replied as the butler stood before Ark and bowed.

“Mr. Ark, Mr. Montague.” Sebastian bowed. “With this, I must take my leave for now. If you head due west, you should find yourself within the premises of Arlonia. A small hub for adventurers.”

“Thank you Sebastian.” Ark said. 

“Please, call me Sebastienne.” The demon said with a wicked smile before vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

Suddenly, the entirety of Ark’s group was standing before him with the exception of Seventeen, the group smiling at Ark.

“What's your name card say?” Alice asked, smiling at Jack.

“Uh. Loyd Ark.” Ark replied as Alice suddenly stuck out her hand.

 

“Please to meet you Mr. Loyd. I'm Alice Capulet.” Alice said.

Ark blinked, taking the calloused hand.

“I'm Morgana… Capulet” Morgana cringed, jabbing her hand out and looking away as Ark shoke it.

“Axel Ansem.”

“Isa Ansem.”

 

“Ah… I'm Loyd Ark. It's a pleasure to meet you.” Ark said, smiling at the gathered group as sunlight beamed down on his face. 

“Aw. Isn't that sweet.”

 

Season 1 FIN.

 

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Stay tuned for Epilogues.

 

*Sebastian’s Plan*