The Wild Masks

We are so back skull

The longest chapter of the Wild Masks after what might be the longest break in between chapters :disappointed: I sincerely apologize for the intermission, but I can now say with confidence that Saturdayโ€ฆ is over.

Tonight on Top Gear
I get on the wrong flight
James chickens out of a swim
And Hammond gets a facelift

I am absent in both

He is just like me (trying to make history) fr fr

6 Likes

Ch 32

โ€”

Chapter Thirty Three
Causatum

โ€”

The elevator doors slowly opened.

The figure that emerged from them was silent, sullen, and methodically scanned the floor as he walked. The door he approached looked like a large inset panel instead of an intended portal, but the peculiar metal key he inserted in the only visible notch in the door prompted its opening all the same, sinking slightly into the floor before sliding inside the wall and disappearing from view.

A young woman sat inside, showing no visible recognition of the door having opened. There was a small television at the opposite end of the room displaying footage taken from the body camera of a police officer, which shakily recreated the arrest of a masked individual at Fukanuma beach from the dramatic perspective of the officer on the scene. The young woman was visibly distraught, her otherwise effortlessly flawless hair frizzled where she had repeatedly pulled on it, and gave some vague recreation of the motion as the masked figure in the footage was forced to the ground.

After a moment of tense silence she suddenly and violently registered the presence of her silent guest, and her red skin went pale as she jolted away violently, tipped over the computer chair she had been sitting in on her knees, and came crashing down to the floor with a dramatic squeal.

Pulling herself up the back of the chair, she got a better look at the incredibly short man standing in front of her. He would have appeared slightly taller than he was if his chestnut hair were curled into an afro instead of sitting matted on one side and pulled about on the other, as if a tornado had whipped him about. Half his face was stained with grey dust, which also coated most of his suit and pants, occasionally interrupted in its gradient across his body by a smear or imprint of something pressed against it.

โ€œYouโ€ฆโ€ She gulped, forcing down her heart out of her throat as the little man slowly approached. โ€œYouโ€™re with Corey? Where is he? Is everything okay?โ€

The man was motionless for a moment, eyeing her throat with an air of suspicion. Then he removed one of his hands from the pocket it had comfortably occupied, his eyes returning to watch hers as he gently presented a small, matted mess of golden hair.

โ€œHurry, Kohaku.โ€ He whispered, his voice too weak to do anything else. โ€œWe must hurry.โ€

โ€”

โ€œIโ€™m here, Iโ€™m right here.โ€

Renโ€™s eyes blinked rapidly. The hand that Race was not holding had been poking into the side of his arm with some force, and it felt like a bruise was inevitable. Oisim stood at the other end of the room, his shirtless body mostly obscured by a large Japanese cloak thrown over his shoulders, and making it clear by his mannerisms he had been watching the entire display unfold. Ren tried and failed to suppress a nasal exhale at his flustered frustration, earning him a slow blink in reply.

โ€œโ€ฆTone, whereโ€™s Tone?โ€ He blurted out, trying to swing his curled-up legs off of the hospital bed to little avail, as Race held him firmly in place. โ€œWe need to get to him, I donโ€™t know- I canโ€™t-โ€

โ€œWolf Mask.โ€ Oisimโ€™s voice growled slightly as he spoke, dominating the small room with absolute ease. โ€œHe is being escorted here by my police. I will tolerate only your silence until he arrives.โ€

โ€œTheyโ€™re my team.โ€ Ren tried to snarl back, but a creeping shudder marred the energy he attempted to convey. โ€œI wonโ€™t have you or anyone else telling me what I can or canโ€™t do to protect them.โ€

โ€œI believe you will find silence wiser than this protest.โ€ Oisim sneered, and it seemed as if he would say more, but his attention was drawn to the hall, and he swiftly exited the room, leaving Ren and Race alone for a brief moment.

โ€œWhereโ€™s Corey? We need to find Corey-โ€ Ren whispered, trying yet again to stand only for Race to grab his knee and forcefully pull him back onto the bed. โ€œRace, we need to find Corey!โ€

โ€œCorey was found near the shore by Oisim,โ€ Race breathed, finding it just as difficult to whisper as she had before. โ€œHe carried him to the hospital and scared the staff to death just by showing up. Ren, this thing has gone public, theyโ€™ve got footage of Tone at the beach where they arrested him. We canโ€™t get out of it this time.โ€

โ€œCorey mustโ€™ve known.โ€ Ren breathed, clutching his bicep in frustration. โ€œHe saw this happening and chose to move forward. Weโ€™ve gotta have faith that whatever he saw, whatever plan he came up with, itโ€™ll be alright. That everything will be okay.โ€

โ€œMake him stand.โ€ Oisimโ€™s voice announced his presence before he reappeared in the doorway. โ€œBring him to the hall. We have much to discuss before the departure.โ€ His ominous face disappeared as quickly as it had reasserted itself.

โ€œTake it slow.โ€ Race cautioned, but to no avail, as Ren immediately threw his legs over the edge of the bed and tumbled onto the floor. โ€œI guess itโ€™s been a while. Do you need a hand?โ€

โ€œYes,โ€ Ren grumbled, one hand gripping the frame of the bed as the other gripped the side of a shelf, and between the pair he raised himself up enough to let gravity slowly pull his knees open again. โ€œItโ€™s the kind of thing I didnโ€™t know I could forget. Is Kohaku here?โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t know.โ€ Race replied, sliding her shoulders under Renโ€™s arm and raising him up from his lowered position. โ€œIโ€™ve been in here the whole time. Now take it slow.โ€

Ren suppressed an instinctual exhale of frustration at his clear weakness, but Raceโ€™s advice had to be heeded lest an explanation be necessary for Kohaku. His weak knees finally found the strength to at least partially support his weight, and with significant assistance he trudged through the door and into the poorly-lit hall.

โ€œWait a second.โ€ Ren paused, his eyes widening as he looked around the hall. Kohakuโ€™s awkward expression and the appearance of Bekko and Shusui were almost completely ignored by his realization, but as the moment passed his eyes fell upon Goshiki, whose scowling face was made even fatter by the neck brace he wore, and the equally white sling holding a fractured arm padded with bandages failed to diminish the threatening presence he possessed. An IV drip stand was at his side, and the padded appearances of his attire implied there were more injuries than the clear fractures and the sickening black eye he wore.

โ€œThis is the same hospital.โ€ Ren said after he recovered his bearing, looking to Oisim for some sign of reply. โ€œThe one after the fire. Tone was down here.โ€ He looked around the long hallway for some indication of the elevator that had taken him even deeper into the structure.

โ€œSave it for the autobiography.โ€ Toneโ€™s voice broke into the scene, his steps quieted by the power of his mask. Kohaku flinched away from his approach, revealing his hands coated in cotton bandages and medical tape. The rest of his body was relatively untouched, and Renโ€™s searching glance for the alleged blood-stained portions of his suitcoat was noticed by the subject of his gaze. The two locked eyes for a second as Tone continued marching until he was right in Oisimโ€™s face, the three members of the Kin Gin Rin freezing in place.

โ€œMakuei.โ€ His voice shifted to a much more dangerous tenor as he stared down the giant out of the top of his eyes, the undamaged eye of Goshiki rounding on him with fury as he continued. โ€œYou owe a lot of explanations to everyone here, explanations that canโ€™t wait until later. Koi Blood was waiting for me when I moved the limo, Koi Blood tried to kill Race last night, and several days ago Koi Blood tried to kill me and Ren. You had every opportunity to give us advanced notice about these attacks, and youโ€™ve instead put us and everyone else directly in harmโ€™s way thanks to your actions.โ€

Renโ€™s eyes traveled to Kohaku. Her posture was noticeably shrunken, looking up in fear at the imposing figure of Oisim across the hall, and was so focused on his presence that Ren escaped her attention entirely.

โ€œI want to know why we werenโ€™t informed.โ€ Tone continued, his bandaged hands slowly curling into fists and straining the medical tape atop them. โ€œAbout the attacks, about your activities in the Pangolins, and about the civilians at the hotel.โ€

โ€œBut they got escorted out.โ€ Ren looked at Tone with clear confusion on his features, and when the metal mask refused to acknowledge his inquiry, Oisim took his focus, returning the stare with a tipped head and a dismissive glare from the bottom of his eyes.

โ€œThey werenโ€™t moved.โ€ Tone continued staring into Oisimโ€™s eye sockets, never breaking his stare for even a moment. โ€œBodies are still being discovered. No survivors have been located thus far. I donโ€™t know what exactly heโ€™s told you but you can assume the rest of itโ€™s a lie, too.โ€

โ€œBold assumptions-โ€

โ€œNow you listen to me.โ€ Tone snarled, his voice growing even more threatening. The muscles that could be identified under Goshikiโ€™s padded attire visibly tightened. โ€œI have had to kill a lot of people this past week, and every single one of them is your doing and your responsibility. Youโ€™ve actively tried to destroy this group over the last few days with information that could only have come from you, provided to these hit squads to strike as effectively and efficiently as possible-โ€

Tone flinched away from Oisimโ€™s massive hand, which darted out with lightning-like speed to the side of the Wild Maskโ€™s head a fraction of a second before a cloud of steam erupted from the massive figure. Goshikiโ€™s hair rapidly unfurled, the sai holding it in place now pressed into the knuckles of Oisimโ€™s hand, the majority of the main prong broken having broken off with a sharp SNAP and landing on the floor. Oisimโ€™s forehead stopped glowing a moment after, and the startled expression on Goshikiโ€™s face quickly relented into his typical stern scowl as he snapped to an apologetic bow.

โ€œHow did you get that?โ€ Toneโ€™s voice sank to a low rumble, his eyes furiously staring at where the oni mask had jumped out of the tangle of tattoos across his forehead.

โ€œI have kept you safe.โ€ Oisim lowered his hand, still focused on Tone with an unchanging expression. โ€œI have fed you, clothed you, healed you. I do nothing by compulsion. You question me in arrogance. You will be answered with action.โ€

Oisimโ€™s head tipped back as his gaze shot over Toneโ€™s head, forcing all but Goshikiโ€™s eyes to turn towards the man that had appeared next to Kohaku. He was dressed in a surgical gown, his gloveless hands folded behind his back, and if he were ever to straighten his hunched, aged posture, he would be the same height as Ren. โ€œShinkoku na risuku ga arimashita ga, kare o antei saseru koto wa kanล deshi ta.โ€

Oisim slowly inhaled a long breath during the statement and quickly exhaled it through his nose once it finished. โ€œEnglish.โ€

The man gave an apologetic bow. โ€œI am sorry. I said there were serious risks, but it was possible to stabilize him. It is unclear how things will turn out. We request that someone close to him remain on call in the likely event that he wakes from his coma.โ€

โ€œNo.โ€ Tone immediately replied, but his slow turn towards Ren indicated it was to his superior he was speaking, as the verbal command interrupted the motion of Ren drawing his phone out of his pocket. โ€œIโ€™m staying here.โ€

โ€œTone,โ€ Ren tried to respond, but felt at the pit of his stomach with a groan before studying the floor for a brief moment. โ€œAlright. But, if I need you, I want you to show up.โ€ He took a couple large breaths as Oisim blinked repeatedly at the display. โ€œWhen youโ€™re occupied Rook can-โ€

Ren became silent, looking down at the floor in melancholy for a brief moment before returning his eyes to Tone. The Wild Maskโ€™s questioning glance was almost immediately answered by Oisimโ€™s gently extended hand.

โ€œWolf Mask.โ€ The giant mumbled, his vicious scowl and glowing eyes descending into visible weariness as the silver mask in his grip prompted a violent start from Ren. โ€œIt is said that the Demon can restore life. We are fortunate that your Rook is now as incomprehensible as the mask he has become, and such drastic measures are unnecessary.โ€

Ren weakly reached out and cradled Rook in his hands, the seam lines where the mask had fragmented impossible to detect under a silvery sheen of strong-smelling paint. There was no word in reply to his touched expression, but the sensation of sight through the lifeless eye holes of his mask made it clear Rook was as present as he had ever been.

โ€œTake me to him.โ€ Tone continued, marching up to the surgeon and staring directly through his soul. Before any other demands could be made, he slowly turned around and escorted Tone down the hall and through a heavy door on the right.

โ€œThe police are waiting.โ€ Oisimโ€™s voice broke back into the scene, his eyes locked onto the apathetic expression of Shusui. With a glance at his superior, the boom operator gave a sharp and decisive nod before walking past Tone and extending a hand towards Race, the sodden cigarette in his mouth eternally disintegrating into ash.

โ€œThis is where we part ways.โ€ He mumbled, showing little concern for Raceโ€™s flabbergasted expression. โ€œNo, thereโ€™s no backing out now. We all have sacrificed a great deal, but thereโ€™s no limit to sacrifice. The authorities are going to want a lead on Koi Blood, an answer for why the Makuei family split apart. I have to be the one to give it to them.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s life in prison for me,โ€ He smirked, ignoring Renโ€™s nonverbal attempts to interject and offer an alternative course of action. โ€œTo buy master Makuei and the faithful of Koi Blood a little more time. Itโ€™s a shame youโ€™ll never be able to visit.โ€ He reached further, pulling Raceโ€™s static hand upwards to shake his before letting it drop limply to her side.

Taking one last pull of his cigarette, he dropped the butt on the floor and ground the heel of his shoe into it. Silently he turned, walking down the hall behind Oisim and entering the door to the stairs.

โ€œIt is time for you to leave. Goshiki and Bekko will show you to the exit.โ€ Oisim folded his arms across his chest, refusing to make any further eye contact with anyone in the room, conveniently ignoring both Renโ€™s nervous glances and the shock on Goshikiโ€™s features. The command could not be ignored, however, and despite the clear physical incapability advertised by his bandages, the puffy-faced bodyguard moved forward with a threatening presence, ushering Ren and Race along as quickly as Ren could stagger, Bekko having to take as large of strides as he possibly could to keep up.

After what felt like an eternity of silence, Kohakuโ€™s eyes traveled up to meet the giantโ€™s, the latter showing just as much difficulty in locking his eyes onto hers. She stood in silence with him for a moment longer, both trying to understand the silent language their eyes spoke so well.

โ€œHi dad.โ€

โ€”

Ch 34

4 Likes

Tonight on Top Gear
I get sad
James gets mad
And Hammond puts on makeup

Since the major fight is finally out of the way, I figured it was a good a time as any to cover a few of the theories that have been proven right (or wrong) regarding information that has come out over the course of the last few chapters. Donโ€™t worry about accidental spoilers if you got quoted; I split each userโ€™s quotes into its own dropdown inside the big dropdown. Youโ€™re welcome :sunglasses:

Why isn't Nota doing theorizing anymore :(
NOTa

Correct :sunglasses:

The Assassinโ€™s sunglasses are/were his mask. The fact that he was incapable of sight without them should give you an idea of what exactly they do.

I donโ€™t know no nothinโ€™ 'bout no ice Iโ€™m just cold (consider this your just desserts for not theorizing triumph:)

Correct :sunglasses:

Incorrect

Correct :sunglasses:

Incorrect :pensive:

Rukah

This got answered in other dropdowns and I forgot to respond at the time it was posted, but correct :sunglasses:

Chub

Correct :sunglasses:

โ€ฆbecause he signed up for the story so yknow :man_shrugging:

Wild

Oisim Makuei has been watching over the Wild Masks and stepping in on occasion. He not only removed Renโ€™s damaged car but supplied him with a replacement.

Next chapterโ€™s going to be a pretty big revelation so stay tuned :goo:

5 Likes

Ch 33

โ€”

Chapter Thirty Four
Atone

โ€”

โ€œThe old man is dead.โ€

The silhouette turned, his blue eyes glistening in the limited light. โ€œHow do you know for certain? He could be putting us through another test.โ€

โ€œSurviving that kind of explosion?โ€ The man scoffed. โ€œCome off it. Thereโ€™s no way he could have gotten out of there in time, on such short notice. And he definitely didnโ€™t hire the masked group that attacked him.โ€

โ€œWhat, the Serows?โ€ The blue eyes blinked in confusion. โ€œI thought they disbanded after the airport attack. Youโ€™re telling me theyโ€™re still working together?โ€

โ€œTheyโ€™re not the Serows.โ€ The man backed to a window, leaning his arm against an old wooden table and looking out into the moonlit night through the dirty window. โ€œThey never were. One of the Serows went rogue and killed the rest of them, from what Iโ€™ve heard. Rikuto called him a renegade, a traitor to the yakuza and the Serows, and ever since then heโ€™s worn the title as a badge of honor.โ€

โ€œSo wait.โ€ The blue-eyed man held up a hand in protest. โ€œHe managed to kill all the Serows, and then he, what, made his own Serows instead? How much of this did you actually see?โ€

The man at the window turned towards his compatriot, revealing the jagged scar running down one side of his face and sealing his eyelid shut. โ€œSorry, I didnโ€™t mean it like that. Itโ€™s justโ€ฆ This is a lot of information at once. Why werenโ€™t we told? Why didnโ€™t Rikuto lay low with the ceremony, like I told him to? Doesnโ€™t that old codger have more masks somewhere that he couldโ€™ve-โ€

โ€œDidnโ€™t.โ€

The blue eyes rolled in annoyance. โ€œYes, Shingo, whatever. So.โ€ He stepped out of the shadow, the moonlight falling on his flax-colored moustache. โ€œWhat do I tell the men?โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re the boss, tell them whatever you want.โ€ Shingo replied with a casual shrug. โ€œThereโ€™s nobody left to run the Kumagai clan, if the old man really is dead, so itโ€™d be wise to hold on to as large a piece of the yakuza as you can. Being a foreigner puts you at a pretty big disadvantage in terms of your legitimacy, and your name isnโ€™t exactly easy for us to pronounce.โ€

โ€œI appreciate the honesty.โ€ The man replied with a sarcastic smile. โ€œTell the men to disperse for now. Get the idea across without saying it that this death is just another one of his loyalty tests, and weโ€™ll be hearing from him soon. That way weโ€™re likely to hold out longer than the other disconnected parts of the clan, and give a clearer impression of loyalty.โ€

He had picked up a ring of keys with one finger as he spoke, and both he and Shingo stared in silence as they began rattling against each other. The latter swiftly drew a handgun and approached the old metal doors at one end of the woodshop, while the former slowly moved towards the small wooden door at the opposite end.

โ€œIโ€™ll be honest,โ€ A figure behind a stack of wooden boxes murmured, prompting the blue-eyed man to almost instinctively snap to face him. โ€œWhen I heard you were not only the head of the last Kumagai branch, but the brains behind Rikutoโ€™s whole outfit, I was kind of expecting a better hiding place.โ€

โ€œWho are you?โ€ The man shot a glance at Shingo, who stared into the metal doors without the slightest change in his stance or posture. โ€œHow did you get in here?โ€

โ€œI mean, cโ€™mon.โ€ The silhouette rounded the tables in the middle of the room, passing by and bumping into Shingo, who immediately toppled sideways and crumpled into a heap. โ€œRikutoโ€™s workshop is the least subtle place to show up at, even if heโ€™s not been to Yubara in quite a while. Iโ€™m beginning to think you donโ€™t have any other hideouts left.โ€

โ€œAnswer me.โ€ The distinctively scandinavian accent was somewhat stereotypical, but blended in with a genteel coolness that commanded both attention and admiration. โ€œYouโ€™re one of those renegades, arenโ€™t you?โ€

The metal mask the silhouette wore reflected off the light coming from the window, which also revealed the jacket atop his dark hoodie. โ€œWe knew you people would show up somewhere, so we chose to watch the most obvious spots. I guess we read you like a book.โ€

โ€œThereโ€™s a wealth of info you two possess. And while you donโ€™t know that weโ€™ve already cleaned up the remaining branches, thereโ€™s still plenty we can use. So why donโ€™t you scrape up your partner in crime and we can tend to that fainting episode I caus-โ€

He had glanced back at Shingo as he spoke, giving the man plenty of time to pull out a handgun from his pocket and pull the trigger. His eyes blinked through his visceral reaction to the sight of Shingoโ€™s new piercing, freeing up his previously trapped eyelid and redecorating the wall behind him.

The gun rattled for a brief moment as it was aimed at him, and the safety snapped into place when the slightest pressure was applied to the trigger. โ€œRight, Tone. Guns first, Tone.โ€ The silhouetted figure grumbled under his breath, occasionally pausing between sentences to force back down his gag reflex as he strode across the warehouse and closed the gap between him and the man who was now frantically trying to force the safety off again. โ€œThey can shoot you, Tone, take the guns out first. Remember to take out their guns, Tone.โ€

Forcing the safety back into place, the man pressed the barrel up against the bottom of his chin and pulled the trigger, only for the hammer to softly tap against the firing pin. The next second the gun was ripped from his fingers, a gloved hand gripping tightly around his throat, and the silhouette pushed him through the old wooden door and down the sharp gravely slope.

โ€œIโ€™ll be honest, I was only interested in Shingo.โ€ The silhouette, now revealed in the bright moonlight to be the broad-shouldered young man under the alias Tone, kept his grip around the fellowโ€™s throat with a steady level of choking pressure. โ€œYouโ€™re just another threat to take out. He couldโ€™ve told us where Rikutoโ€™s masks are hidden. He could have given us all the information we need to cut off your little groupโ€™s funds for good. But you just had to kill him, didnโ€™t you?โ€

The man tried to respond, but a sudden tearing occurred in his throat, and the scream that followed was little more than a hoarse whisper. โ€œI know the first thing youโ€™ll do once Iโ€™m gone is call up your boys and tell them where to hide. But without killing you, thereโ€™s no good way to shut you up in the meantime.โ€

โ€œThat pain youโ€™re rolling in is the sensation of your voice box being torn out.โ€ Toneโ€™s eyes rounded on his victim with pure malice emanating from them. โ€œI tried to make it as painful as possible. But that can be fixed, canโ€™t it? A little surgery, a nice organ donor, and youโ€™ll sound enough like yourself that nobody will question anything.โ€

The man, who had been sending swipes at Toneโ€™s face which fell just short of his mask, suddenly gripped the sides of his head and wheezed out a growl. โ€œThatโ€™s the feeling of a brain lesion right where your body controls speech function. Foreign accent syndrome, they call it; only my version completely destroys that particular subsection of your brain. No matter what kind of help you conjure up, youโ€™ll never sound like yourself again.โ€

The river was swelling from heavy rain, and its speed had greatly increased as a result. โ€œI hope you can swim after an injury like that. Iโ€™m not sure why youโ€™d choose to do something so dangerous.โ€ Tone wickedly grinned beneath his metal mask, looming over the horrified fellow as he bent him backwards over the riverโ€™s edge. โ€œBut at least we didnโ€™t kill you. Weโ€™ve got a no kill rule, after all.โ€

The man dug his fingers into Toneโ€™s sleeve in an attempt to hold on, too disoriented to do much else. Tone responded by raising his terrible fist in dramatic fashion and slamming it into the manโ€™s skull, smashing him into the riverbed and sweeping him downstream. His frantic thrashing was quickly lost around a bend in the river, and the last second lieutenant of the Kumagai clan was gone.

Slowly trudging back up to the wooden door, Tone passed through the woodshop with all his neck muscles tightened to their limit to prevent his glancing at the body of Shingo. The metal doors opened with a rusty squeal, and Toneโ€™s footsteps across the loose gravel in the drive received a pulse after he stepped out of them, smoothing out the gravel and erasing any indication of his having walked there.

โ€œAnd thank you for the ride out of here.โ€ Tone smirked, slowly approaching the lone vehicle in the empty gravel drive. โ€œI know you wonโ€™t be missed, but I still appreciate the sacrifice.โ€ Sidling into the driverโ€™s seat, Tone reached down and pried open the front panel to hotwire it.

A pause to allow a glance towards the rear of the vehicle helped personify the thought going through his mind. Repeated attempts to distract himself from it proved unsuccessful, and with a sigh he exited the vehicle, walking to the rear of the sedan and opening the trunk to see if anything was inside.

Tone immediately lowered the trunk lid until it almost closed, giving him an excellent view of the back windshield and the distorted reflection of his wide-eyed shock. Softly opening the trunk again, he stared in silence at the sleeping figure of a boy nestled inside, having wrapped himself in a thin blanket and fallen asleep nearly in the fetal position.

Toneโ€™s fingers closed hard around the handle for the trunk lid. There were only two possible reasons for this; one of them, however distasteful, was still one he could easily live with. The otherโ€ฆ

โ€”

Coreyโ€™s eyes slowly opened.

Almost immediately he could feel the same drugged sensation he had detected several hours before. Sleep had waned it considerably, but it still held power over his senses, and slurred his reaction to being in the passenger seat.

Lifting himself off of the passenger door, he wobbled in place for a moment before a paper cup was practically shoved directly into his face. โ€œHere. Youโ€™re horribly dehydrated. Take sips every now and then.โ€

โ€œMm.โ€ Corey mumbled, accepting the cup with his hands close to his chest, kept in place by a much more efficiently wrapped blanket. After his tongue had tasted the much-needed water, the realization suddenly hit, and he blinked at the stranger to his right several times before speaking. โ€œWho are you?โ€

โ€œIโ€™d say Iโ€™m a friend, but I have no idea who you are.โ€ Tone replied, his hoodie having been slid to the side to obscure the left side of his face as best he could. โ€œWant to tell me how you got trapped in the back of this car?โ€

Corey looked out the passenger window. The sun was just beginning to turn the dark sky indigo, slowly building to the monumental reappearance of the celestial body. โ€œIโ€ฆ Dad gave me something. Said it wouldโ€ฆ Helpโ€ฆโ€ He smeared his hand across his face, rubbing his thumb across one of his eyes as he looked out across the mountains whenever they werenโ€™t obscured by the terrain.

Toneโ€™s breath grew sharper. โ€œYouโ€™ve been drugged. Did your father do that?โ€

โ€œNo, he wouldnโ€™t-โ€ Corey murmured, cutting himself off as the situation forced itself back into his cognizance. "Whereโ€™s my dad? Who are you?"

โ€œIโ€™m not your brother.โ€ Tone huffed, his voice becoming defensive the moment he opened his mouth. โ€œItโ€™d be easier if- look, whatโ€™s your dadโ€™s name, kid?โ€

โ€œI think,โ€ Corey swallowed, his hand tightening around the paper cup and denting the side. โ€œYou ought to tell me your name first.โ€ His eyebrows raised slightly as he leaned forwards, catching quite enough of a glimpse of Toneโ€™s face to comprehend what it looked like. โ€œAnd take your mask off.โ€

Toneโ€™s hands tightened around the steering wheel as his face tightened into a scowl. โ€œThe mask,โ€ He snarled, ripping his hoodie off his head and revealing his beanie-covered scalp and charred shin fused to the metal face covering he wore, but catching himself a second after and forcing a long and methodical breath. โ€œDoesnโ€™t come off.โ€

The silence that followed prompted Tone to send a glance at Corey, doing a double take as his brain registered the horrified expression written across the kidโ€™s face. โ€œLook-โ€ He apologetically covered his head back up, refocusing on the road as much as he could. โ€œMaybe itโ€™s better if we donโ€™t tell each other too much. I donโ€™t want to get you into trouble. But if you want my help finding your dad youโ€™ll have to tell me who he is.โ€

โ€œNooa,โ€ Corey replied, a practiced Finnish accent slipping effortlessly into his otherwise perfect American before disappearing immediately after. โ€œItโ€™s like Noah, but it- you have to-โ€

Toneโ€™s demeanor changed to the degree that Corey was able to notice the shift in attitude. All the irritation that had infected his character was gone, a cold and sobering reality bearing down on him in its place. The agony in his hands from gripping the wheel was incomparable to the icy chill which swept over the rest of his skin. โ€œDo you know him?โ€

Toneโ€™s mouth hung open for a moment, his saddened eyes searching desperately for a way out of saying what seemed inevitable. โ€œIโ€ฆ Iโ€™m sorry. I think heโ€™s dead.โ€

โ€œWhat?โ€

Tone instantly regretted looking back at Corey, who was now visibly shivering, the water in his hand rippling back and forth inside the paper cup. โ€œWhat? No- Heโ€™s just, I sawโ€ฆโ€ His pause gave his small body the opportunity to start hyperventilating. โ€œYouโ€™re wrong. Youโ€™re LYING. He didnโ€™t say he was dying, he said he- Youโ€™re WRONG!โ€

The fist that slammed into Toneโ€™s arm was by no means threatening, but his fragile skin smarted heavily as it made contact. โ€œSTOP LYING!! Heโ€™s alive, he HAS to be! He HAS to be alive!!โ€ Coreyโ€™s voice started warbling as tears streamed down his face, unknowingly crushing Toneโ€™s heart into a ball with each staggered inhale.

โ€œWhy would you take the only one I had left?โ€ Corey swallowed, his eyes pleading with Tone for some kind of solace to contradict the horrible truth he now had to face. โ€œI CANโ€™T go on alone! PLEASE-โ€ His hand dropped the cup of water, letting it tumble onto the floor and dash its contents along the way as his newly-freed fingers clung desperately to the sleeve of Toneโ€™s jacket, quickly losing the battle with his emotions. "PLEASE TELL ME HEโ€™S ALIVE!!"

Toneโ€™s neck muscles fought as hard as they could, but as Coreyโ€™s final plea broke into anguished sobs of Please bellowed into the sleeve he smeared his face against, as his body slowly slumped over the center console, the Wild Mask could fight back no longer, reaching a gloved hand across his body to rest on Coreyโ€™s trembling head and offer some words of consolation which, while barely effective, would have constituted doing something, at least.

His hand never made it there.

As Coreyโ€™s desperate cries came and went without relief, Tone slowly drew his extended hand back towards his body, rotating it until the soaked palm of his glove could be seen, a pair of red droplets having already rolled down the inside of his forearm into his sleeve. A long and shuddering inhale followed as the driving became instinctual, the anguished wails faded into white noise, and the rest of the world grew blurry and abstract as an unrelenting rhythm of pulses echoed in his mindโ€ฆ

โ€œโ€ฆOverโ€ฆMy soulโ€ฆโ€

โ€”

Coreyโ€™s eyes slowly opened again.

Despite not falling asleep, he had lost track of time, driven to absolute exhaustion by his cries. Wiping a sleeve across his crusted nose, he deeply inhaled the cold morning air as he slowly processed his new surroundings.

The town of Minakami was normally scenic enough, but the autumnal colors of the mountainside made it much more desirable, even if the autumn was so young only a small part of the trees had turned. The western sky was glowing orange, promising that before long, the sun which touched the mountaintops would soon brighten up the rest of the sky as well. A side road that ran under the highway lead to a quaint crossing overlooking the town, and there Tone had parked, leaving Corey alone in the vehicle to process his emotions.

Coreyโ€™s eyes landed almost instantly on the burly figure, standing at the side of the road, staring at the mountain range with a melancholic air, his hands folded behind his back. Despite his heart still feeling so raw โ€” or perhaps because of it โ€” Corey softly opened the car door and stepped out.

Tone processed the sound of the car door opening and the soft approach of Corey, pausing to pull his blanket even tighter around himself, but was so consumed in his depressed reverie that he did not prioritize it until Corey asked, his voice weak from its prior effort, โ€œAre you yakuza?โ€

Tone snorted, catching himself a split second afterwards and tempering his cynical inclinations. โ€œMaybe itโ€™d be easier if I was.โ€ He mumbled, tipping his head down towards the descending valley and the numerous homes dotted around inside it. โ€œWas your father involved?โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t know.โ€ Corey blinked away an incoming tear. โ€œHe always kept things hidden. He tried to keep me hidden too, especially from those men in suits that kept showing up. I donโ€™t think they ever found me.โ€

Another long pause was finally broken by a sniffle from Corey, pushing Tone to redirect the conversation in reply. โ€œWhatโ€™s your name?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆCorey.โ€

Tone looked back at Corey in surprise, the same resolute determination in his voice now radiating from his face as he stared up at the Wild Mask. There was a finality as well; whatever was at stake with Corey sharing his identity had been thrown to the wind, the blonde-haired boy solemnly standing to face whatever came from his decision.

A gloved hand was extended, but as Corey reached out to meet the handshake it faltered, flinching away slightly from the incoming hand. Corey responded by gently grabbing Toneโ€™s wrist and keeping his hand still long enough to complete the gesture.

โ€œIโ€™m tired.โ€ He said, trying to keep his face as flat and cold as possible to prevent any emotion from slipping through. โ€œCould I rest at your home for a while? Just long enough for me toโ€ฆโ€

Tone stepped forward and knelt down to match Coreyโ€™s height, placing his hands on his shoulders as he tried to fight back a fresh wave of tears. โ€œIโ€™ll do whatever I can to help. Thatโ€™s a promise, kid.โ€

Corey replied with a very shaky nod, letting out a shuddering breath as Tone wrapped his arms around him and gently pressed him against his shoulder. The rhythm of pulses in Toneโ€™s mind slowly synced up with the beat of Coreyโ€™s heart.

โ€”

โ€œI am.โ€

Ren looked at Tone with an air of incredulity, a smile slightly cracking through his otherwise suspicious expression. โ€œYou didnโ€™t drop his ice cream or something?โ€

โ€œThis is serious.โ€ Toneโ€™s voice grew threatening, Ren rolling his eyes and snapping off a piece of a narrow chocolate bar with his molars. โ€œI already told you Iโ€™m putting my foot down about this, and I wonโ€™t take no for an answer under any circumstances.โ€

โ€œCould you at least ask first?โ€ Ren raised his eyebrows while keeping his eyelids at the same level. โ€œIโ€™m much more receptive to ideas if theyโ€™re politely introduced.โ€

โ€œFine.โ€ Tone hissed through his teeth. โ€œMay I please force you into taking in this orphan kid that I found in the trunk of a yakuzaโ€™s automobile for the foreseeable future, no questions asked?โ€

Ren leaned off the restroom door, cracking it open slightly and peeking out. Corey was in the middle of arranging refrigerator magnets on Raceโ€™s stomach while she slept in the computer chair, looking back with dinner plate-sized eyes at Rookโ€™s mask which sat on the computer table and repeatedly egged him on.

โ€œI think thatโ€™s a unanimous vote.โ€ Ren softly closed the door, turning his attention back onto his associate. โ€œButโ€ฆ While Iโ€™m not going to make you say anything, itโ€™d really help if you gave me some information about what happened. Iโ€™m kinda left guessing otherwise, and you know how much I love jumping to conclusions.โ€

The slight smile worn as he delivered the sarcastic self-deprecation fell in response to Toneโ€™s silence. The room grew still as the two locked eyes, the unrelenting stare of Tone speaking without words that which he could never say aloud.

โ€œDoes he know?โ€

Tone shook his head to the most minimal degree in reply. Renโ€™s eyes shifted their focus to the wall behind him, his fingers tapping against the side of his thigh as the familiar irritation gnawed on the back of his mind.

โ€œWhen will you tell him?โ€

Tone slowly blinked, walking forward and resting a hand on Renโ€™s shoulder, his unyielding presence making him seem much taller than before. Several more seconds would pass before he spoke again, his voice no longer threatening in its inflections, now dominated by a controlled application of notes and emotion, each word now characterized not by an impulsive striking out, but by a much more powerful reservation implying the strength lying underneath was far greater than anything he had displayed before.

โ€œIโ€™ll leave that up to you.โ€

โ€”

Ch 35

6 Likes

And there it is :relieved: The super-long flashback chapter Nota predicted existing forever ago has finally come to fruition, and Iโ€™m sure heโ€™ll be disappointed by it when I finally read it to him

Oh, did I mention? Nota thought he could escape his theorizing responsibilities by not theorizing, but I have been keeping him up to date by other means :smiling_imp: Heโ€™ll have thoughts on this chapter before long.

Tonight on Top Gear
I go to the bathroom
James goes for a drive
And Hammond has a magnetic personality

6 Likes

Ch 34

โ€”

Chapter Thirty Five
Dolor Odeum

โ€”

โ€œThatโ€™s Renโ€™s chocolate.โ€

Raceโ€™s head turned just enough to reveal the mask on her face, her eye flatly glaring from across her shoulder. The door to the apartment suddenly sank an inch into the floor, rolling back towards the wall for a brief moment before abruptly reversing the motion and clicking back into place.

Race swung her legs over the edge of the roof, seated on a raised edge meant as some level of privacy for the buildingโ€™s theoretical tenants. She peeled the wrapper away from the long chocolate bar and cracked nearly half of it off with her teeth, letting the candy dissolve in her mouth as the first few streaks of color tore through the black clouds.

โ€œYou plan on telling him about that?โ€

Race clenched her jaw for a moment before tipping her head towards the street below and forcing out a very sharp and subtle nod. Stuffing the rest of the bar in her mouth, she balled up the wrapper and chucked it off the roof, flinching as it bounced off the back of her head.

An odd clay figure floated back towards the rooftop, gently resting on the ledge next to her. It vaguely resembled a warrior, with short stubby limbs wrapped around its cylindrical torso. The sculptures were collectively known as haniwa, although none of the variations of the terracotta figure were designed with broken faces, the gaping hole left behind covered by the pointed silver mask it wore.

โ€œRen said you went too fast.โ€

Race looked away for a brief moment, her stone-like features softening ever so slightly. Despite her reluctance to discuss the events surrounding Wildโ€™s death, she knew Rook wasnโ€™t asking for her benefit.

โ€œI told him that because it was easier.โ€ She turned her gaze out towards the violent sky, watching an orange tear in the dark blanket that covered it grow ever larger. โ€œThose eyes arenโ€™t just eyes. They go deeper and deeper the more you look into them. I tried to go faster than them, but I couldnโ€™t. They were too fastโ€ฆ The time it would take to get to them kept falling inside. They kept going on forever.โ€

โ€œAnd thatโ€™s what happened to Wild.โ€ She gave up trying to fight against the urge to wrap her arms around herself. โ€œAs soon as he lit up, the eyes drew him in. They drew in everything around them, too. The air, the world itself bent towards them. I tried to move faster, butโ€ฆ I couldnโ€™t save him.โ€

โ€œAnd thatโ€™s what happened to me.โ€ Rookโ€™s voice was melancholic.

โ€œThatโ€™s what would have happened to Tone if you hadnโ€™t swapped with him.โ€ Race looked up at the silver mask as her features grew softer. โ€œHe would have gotten his body stolen away and be left trapped in his mask if you hadnโ€™t pulled him away. You saved him from that.โ€

โ€œHmph.โ€ Rook snorted, his voice descending from self-pity to an ill-fitting contempt that made Race do a double take. โ€œWould have been better if I was dead.โ€

โ€œWhat?โ€

โ€œDidnโ€™t hear me?โ€ Rook barely turned to acknowledge her presence. โ€œIโ€™ve never saved anyone from anything. My sacrificing for Tone put him in the direct bath of the blast, and now heโ€™s in constant pain across his entire body. Heโ€™ll never see his own face again because his mask is fused to it.โ€

โ€œI tried to swap with Corey and sacrifice myself for him, too, and now heโ€™s in the hospital with a broken neck and Iโ€™m once again back where I was before.โ€ His voice grew more and more venomous as he continued. โ€œNothing I ever do has turned out right. Ren canโ€™t see that, so nothing will change, and Iโ€™ll keep getting everyone killed.โ€

As Race opened her mouth to respond, the terracotta figure abruptly disappeared, a small and clearly frightened bird sitting in its place. It took a moment to gather its bearings once more before abruptly flying away.

โ€”

โ€œThe heck is this?โ€

Race looked back over her shoulder at Ren, his hand limply pointing at a white and brown streak on the floor. There were heavy rings under his eyes, and although he was putting in a clear effort to look fine, the white strips of tape over his cheekbone and chin made his slight limping and hesitations in movement stick out like a sore thumb.

โ€œBird poo,โ€ Race began, but seeing Renโ€™s expression immediately become exasperated chose to get directly to the point. โ€œRook and I were up on the roof.โ€

โ€œShe ate your chocolate.โ€ Rook interjected, his voice still carrying some of the venom from before. Renโ€™s puzzled glance did not have the time to grow into anything more, as he suddenly dropped the suit jacket he carried over his shoulder and rummaged about his pockets for a moment.

โ€œI gotta get to work.โ€ He pocketed the phone he had removed for a glance at the time, scooping his jacket up off the floor and haphazardly stuffing his dress shirt into the waist of his pants. โ€œRace, could you clean th-โ€

โ€œ-atโ€ฆโ€ He trailed off as Race set the bottle of cleaner down on the table. slowly returning her mask to its pocket. โ€œIโ€™ll drop you off on the way. Take it easy, Rook.โ€

โ€œWhatever you say, sir.โ€ Rook replied, the sting in his words once against drawing Renโ€™s attention. Race moved in between the pair before anything could come from it, scooping up a folded suitcoat and opening the heavy door. Ren stepped through the portal as Race sealed it behind him, neither one feeling particularly comfortable with sending Rook any kind of glance in reply.

โ€œHmph.โ€ Rook grumbled as the room descended into silence once again.

โ€”

Ren grimaced as the side door squealed on its hinges. It took him a moment to realize the noise did not come from the hinges or any part of the door.

Moving as quickly as his cumbersome rubber overalls would allow, Ren sidled into the loop and froze in place as his eyes landed on Kohaku, collapsed onto her knees in the middle of the floor, several crab halves strewn around her. It was to her benefit that she did not wear makeup, or it would have completely washed off her face from the sheer volume of tears she was producing.

โ€œI canโ€™t help it.โ€ She gulped, trying to recompose herself as Ren dropped to his knees next to her and lightly gripped her shoulders. โ€œHeโ€™s dead, heโ€™s deadโ€ฆ His little smile, the way he would-โ€ She gritted her teeth in an attempt to fight off another wave of tears.

โ€œRen!โ€ Another voice whispered, much harsher and much smaller than Kohakuโ€™s. Ren slowly turned towards the rolling garbage bin, and after a moment he grabbed it by the base and rolled it out of the way. A very short man stood behind it, dressed in a three-piece suit and sporting a military-style flat top. His typically ruddy and approachable face, however, was marred by clear and unmistakable gravity which seemed to indicate the change in hairstyle was more than just a cosmetic choice. โ€œWhat took you so long?โ€

โ€œYou couldโ€™ve called.โ€ Renโ€™s brow lowered, unable to hide his offense with Bekkoโ€™s popping in at such an inopportune time. Kohaku blinked and breathed, trying to slow the beat of her wounded heart as she eyed the littlest member of the Kin Gin Rin.

โ€œYou should know we donโ€™t do things like that.โ€ Bekko replied, pocketing his hands as he stepped forwards. โ€œOisim needs you, son. He needs you and Tone to go to Oroshimachi station immediately. Something important has come up, something we canโ€™t handle on our own.โ€

โ€œIf you canโ€™t tell Kohaku about it,โ€ Ren breathed through his nostrils as heavily as he could manage, finding it much easier to stand up to Bekko than he could ever consider resisting the heavy gaze of Oisim. โ€œThen you can forget all about it.โ€

Bekko rolled his eyes, scratching at his cheek as he glared at Ren. โ€œAll right. Someoneโ€™s derailed a train, Ren. A train full of passengers. And the way it looks right now, that someone is Hawk.โ€

โ€”

There was a sickening stillness in the room.

Race tried to take her eyes off of the glass in front of her, but found her vision continually returning to the supine figure. Several thin tubes ran under the surgical gown he wore, an oxygen mask was adhered to his face, and yet despite being surrounded by the best medical technology on the planet, there was an uncertainty as to what would be the outcome. Still, Coreyโ€™s delicate appearance remained almost angelic despite being wreathed in tubes and drowned in the obnoxiously bright fluorescent light above him.

โ€œYou didnโ€™t answer your phone.โ€ She mumbled.

The figure turned to glare out of the corner of his eye at her, the glowing white light reflecting off his eyes and the small round dent in his metal mask being the only real indication of who the silhouette was. โ€œWasnโ€™t going to risk disrupting the equipment by having it on me. Iโ€™ve been smothering the signals yours is giving off since you walked in the room.โ€

โ€œRen needs you. Oroshimachi station. Asap.โ€ Race sighed, pushing her hands further into her pockets as she reverted her gaze back towards the glass. โ€œTake my phone wherever you put yours and hurry to Ren.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not leaving.โ€ Toneโ€™s voice echoed in his throat, turning his head so both eyes could stare into hers. โ€œTell Ren to find somebody else for this.โ€

โ€œHawk is back.โ€ Race replied, not bothering to face Tone as she spoke. โ€œSomehow he went and derailed an entire train full of people almost right outside the station. I canโ€™t outspeed the eye heโ€™s got.โ€

A long silence followed, culminating in Tone slowly rising from his seat and walking past Race, casually accepting the phone she handed to him without bothering to glance at his passing. She leaned against the wall as the sickening silence resumed, unable to take her eyes off the youngest Wild Mask on the other side of the barrier.

โ€”

Ch 36

6 Likes

I miss the feedback :pensive:

Well, finally got through this chapter after forever and a half :skull: Hopefully the chapters will flow more regularly after this point, and hopefully Nota will posit some of the many thoughts heโ€™s had in vc about the story in the topic itself :pleading_face:

Tonight on Top Gear
I fell on the floor
James stares at a child
And Hammond is for the birds

6 Likes

poor rook :(

5 Likes

Wait what

3 Likes

Ch 35

โ€”

Chapter Thirty Six
Chary

โ€”

โ€œWhatโ€™s wrong with these people?โ€

Tone landed in the dark subway tunnel. The ruined train was not yet in sight, the debris from the massive impact caused by Rook having been cleared in record time. Pipes had been rebuilt, the area in question had been sectioned off, and the military had been dispatched to cover the incident from public view.

Yet despite the massive tarpaulin obstructions hurriedly constructed to keep prying eyes away from the ruined hotel, it was simple work for Tone to distract those on duty, one by one, and disrupt both comms and security systems with his mask in order to gain access to the giant hole leading to the underground railway.

โ€œTone, I know you donโ€™t like my exit strategy, but itโ€™s going to be the best option for us.โ€

Tone continued walking in silence. Ren had spent several minutes complaining about the Japanese governmentโ€™s insistence that trains continue to run through the damaged subway line, all while Tone slowly climbed down the many layers of piping that had been replaced over the course of the night. It was good enough to temporarily resume operations, according to them, yet hardly good enough to stop dangerous madmen from dropping onto the tracks and derailing entire trains.

โ€œAt the rear. Brace for noise.โ€ Tone finally replied, flexing the power of his mask against the burner phone he spoke into. It produced an awful squeal as the systems inside the device fried themselves, spitting out puffs of smoke and toxic fumes with the delicious odor of overcooked circuit board. Radiowaves were under strict surveillance, requiring a slightly more creative method for getting around the authorities.

Approaching the rear of the train, Tone carefully crept under the shadow of the vehicle, passing by several cars before entering the shattered window of one of them. The most destruction was the first car at the front, which had crumpled against the train engine and killed most of the people inside. Tone had no intention of traversing through that car, but as he approached the front of the train, he went prone to avoid the searching light of one of the officers on patrol. He would need to find a creative way around.

Pulling himself through another window, Tone crawled against the side of the train, getting as close as possible to the front as he could without being seen. A massive crowd had assembled around the edge of the railway, trying to see past the police barrier which despite the large presence of officers and military personnel did an abominable job at hiding the damage and what was the obvious cause of it.

The front of the train had flipped onto its side, the underside facing the station and proudly displaying the corpse harshly mashed against the front wheel. A groove had been run through the body aligning with the direction of the wheel, evidently caused by the rail itself gnawing away at his torso as the train desperately held to the rail as long as it could.

Standing up, Tone placed his foot against the wall and pushed himself upwards, sliding across the nose of the train as his outstretched hand barely brushed against the body of Hawk. His head remained the same as Ren had observed it the night before, except where once was the glowing demon eye now rested a morbid crater, his face falling inwards to form a cavity which ran nearly to the back of his skull, all reduced to grey, lifeless flesh.

A glance was sent towards the rail station. With an inaudible sigh, Tone pressed two fingers into the back of Hawkโ€™s head, flexing the powers of his mask against the figure. After a couple of minutes, the brutal Pangolin crumpled in on himself, spilling down on the ground in a torrent of dust.

The reaction from the crowd gathered was immediate and far beyond what Ren had predicted, several screams preceding a loud roar of noise and an equally loud military response. As a number of soldiers began approaching the front of the train, Tone slipped back down onto the ground, gripping the forehead of his mask with both hands as he prepared for the outcome of Renโ€™s escape plan.

โ€œBAKUDAN GA ARU!!โ€

The cry turned the crowd from panicked to absolutely frenzied, nearly everyone turning and running in different directions. The officers, both military and police, immediately tried to restore order to little success, conveniently ignoring the peculiar distortion of air that moved from the railway up through the terminal and into the restroom.

Ren emerged from the subway out onto the streets of Sendai, navigating his way through the panicking crowd as he tried to spot Toneโ€™s emergence. It took every fiber of his being not to jump out of his skin when Wildโ€™s face appeared in the shadow of the station.

โ€œLike it?โ€ The face asked, not moving as it spoke. โ€œJust in case my knocking out the security cameras at the station wasnโ€™t thorough enough. Changing the lightwave frequencies when they contact my mask-โ€

โ€œGet rid of it right now.โ€ Ren shut his eyes and veered away from Tone in repulsion. โ€œPlease never do that again as long as you live. Your face is bad enough without defacing the dead to hide it.โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s no way to talk to a man who just John McClaneโ€™d his way through an entire subway line.โ€ Tone smirked, but Ren could tell his matching the level of banter in the conversation was more forced than ever before. It would be unwise to continue it.

โ€œWhat did it look like down there?โ€ Ren pulled his sweater tighter around his body as he walked. โ€œI thought I killed him thoroughly enough. Do they have the eye?โ€

โ€œWell he certainly didnโ€™t have it.โ€ Tone grunted, abruptly pulling Ren behind a building as a police car came speeding down the road. โ€œI think weโ€™re in trouble no matter what, but perhaps itโ€™s for the best if the government has the eye. That way the psycho wonโ€™t be able to get his hands on it.โ€

โ€œWhat psycho?โ€ Ren flattened his pinched sweater and signaled to an approaching taxi.

โ€œRen, the only reason the military showed up at the collapse of the hotel tower was to throw up barricades in a hurry.โ€ Tone stepped back into the shadow to avoid the potential gaze of the taxi driver. โ€œThink it through yourself. Someone got to Hawk, got him past everyone there and down onto the tracks of the same train line that he and Rook fought on last night.โ€

โ€œI know you, Ren. When you killed Hawk you killed him dead. This isnโ€™t some postmortem phantasm haunting us.โ€ He stepped out of the shadow, the face of Wild nestled inside his hoodie as he marched towards the waiting cab. โ€œItโ€™s the real deal.โ€

โ€”

โ€œAnd thatโ€™s all we know.โ€

Kohaku didnโ€™t bother looking up to express how unsatisfied she was with the explanation. An annoyed groan made its way out from between her forearms, her head having collapsed on them at the beginning of Renโ€™s speech. Tone stood with his back leaning against the door, his arms folded across his chest, silently watching the expressions of everyone present.

Rook floated at the other end of the room, wavering ever so slightly as different points were brought up. Bekko, who had been quite attentive at the beginning, now fidgeted in place and kept feeling about his attire in the hopes he still had a candy hidden somewhere. โ€œSo,โ€ Ren exhaled, repeatedly wishing Race could have been present. โ€œAny thoughts?โ€

โ€œThmmfmf thlfft yffthfl thmg rvr.โ€

โ€œโ€ฆUh?โ€ Ren craned his neck forward, blinking several times at Kohaku before pressing his inquiry. โ€œRun that by me again please?โ€

โ€œThis is the least useful thing EVER.โ€ Kohaku drew her head out of her forearms as dramatically as possible. โ€œLook, even shorty agrees with me! I- OOP.โ€ She clapped her hands over her mouth and stared at Ren, only looking back down at Bekko after he sent her a grin in reply.

โ€œThis is a tall order, but your speech came up short, son.โ€ Bekko gave up trying to find a candy and slowly paced about the room, pocketing his hands and sticking his thumbs out, which anxiously felt around the pocket buttons. โ€œFrom what youโ€™ve said, weโ€™re dealing with someone whose only defining characteristic, outside of being rather clever, is his ability to drag a body to a hole in the ground. That would apply to most of the current room.โ€

โ€œWe also know he can evade some of the best security tech in the world, at least in the public sector.โ€ Tone breathed, not willing to change his angle against the door and by proxy make things easier on his respiratory system. โ€œIf heโ€™s working with the Pangolins โ€” or if heโ€™s some kind of leftover of Rikutoโ€™s โ€” he took his sweet time getting involved and there doesnโ€™t seem to be any reason for it.โ€

โ€œMaybe he took the eye.โ€ Ren touched his chin instinctively as he spoke. โ€œMaybe heโ€™s the last line of defense. To keep the eyes safe if the Pangolins couldnโ€™t handle them.โ€

โ€œWhat if heโ€™s someone new?โ€ Kohaku leaned forwards on the countertop, sitting cross-legged in the computer chair. โ€œYou guys arenโ€™t the only freaks running around; maybe somebody got his hands on another mask of some kind.โ€

Ren sighed and massaged his forehead. It was obvious โ€” perhaps most with Kohaku โ€” that everyone was forcing their more sociable sides to appear in light of what happened. โ€œIโ€™m going to bring Race up to speed after Tone takes over for her. If itโ€™s okay with Oisim, I want you to stay with Kohaku from now on. Until Corey is more stable I canโ€™t afford to have-โ€

All the eyes in the room turned to stare at Rook, who finished his audible snort by snickering under his breath. โ€œCome on, Ren. The kidโ€™s neck is broken; you really think heโ€™s going to get better from that?โ€

โ€œI meant-โ€

โ€œNo you didnโ€™t.โ€ Rookโ€™s manner grew more and more blatantly condescending as he raised himself up just enough that Ren had to look up to meet him. โ€œYouโ€™re too busy living in your pretend world where there are no consequences for your actions to see that Coreyโ€™s never getting better. Heโ€™s going to be spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair, and itโ€™s all because of us.โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t think that-โ€

โ€œYou donโ€™t think, period.โ€ Rook snarled. โ€œYou couldnโ€™t find the exit of a one-door hallway. Youโ€™ve never come up with a good plan in all the time youโ€™ve lead the Wild Masks. Itโ€™s cost my neck and Coreyโ€™s; how many of our necks have to break before you stop pretending that youโ€™re the leader and-โ€

The room filled with a low-level squeal which made all its occupants flinch, and Renโ€™s angry expression melted into shock as Rook abruptly descended, the haniwa he rode upon coming down too sharply and splitting up the middle.

Tone gently rose from his position against the door, the same ear-itching noise reverberating through the room as the individual fragments of Rookโ€™s mask threatened to come apart at their seams. Stopping directly in front of Rookโ€™s mask, he slipped his hands into his pockets.

โ€œRen is in charge.โ€

He bent his knees, bringing his face down until his mask was almost touching Rookโ€™s, the cold fire in his eyes barely visible through the top of its eyeholes.

โ€œNot you.โ€

Standing back up, the buzzing abruptly ceased, and Tone slowly walked back over to the door, only Bekko daring any sort of movement. Renโ€™s head twitched for a brief moment; that infernal buzzing Tone had produced seemed like it was lingering in the roomโ€ฆ As if it was coming from-

โ€œOh.โ€ He slipped his hand into his pocket and withdrew his phone, missing the button to answer the call a couple times before finally placing his finger on it. โ€œHello?โ€

โ€”

Ch 37

3 Likes

I am willing to accept these comments as feedback :triumph:

Tonight on Top Gear
I look at a train
James performs a disappearing act
And Hammond falls over

Tone go easy on him, heโ€™s had a really rough week :pensive:

Oh you didnโ€™t know?

That Goshiki, Shusui, Asagi, Shiro Utsuri, Bekko, Taisho Sanke, and Kin Gin Rin are all types of koi? And that one of the most popular and prevalent types of koi in the world is Kohaku?

Because in all fairness, neither did Nota :sunglasses:

4 Likes

Ch 36

โ€”

Chapter Thirty Seven
Obit

โ€”

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โ€œCorey Died.โ€

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โ€”

Ch 38

3 Likes

Womp womp :man_shrugging: :triumph:

Tonight on Top Gear

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3 Likes

Well, guess that wraps up that.

3 Likes

Ch 37

โ€”

Chapter Thirty Eight
Skin Game

โ€”

Ren slowly stepped out of the elevator.

The funeral had been a consistent ordeal. Oisim had formally disbanded Koi Blood, going so far as to hold a press conference at the same time the funeral took place, flanked by private security outside of his infamous yakuza gang. Despite his notoriety, the cult status of the yakuza as a whole and the imposing stature he carried gave law enforcement second thoughts about trying to apprehend him in public. And, much to Renโ€™s chagrin, he had confirmed reports about a group of vigilantes in masks running about and getting into violent fights with both the yakuza and other mask-wearing domestic terrorists.

And yet, he knew it couldnโ€™t be helped. There were too many witnesses to Rookโ€™s defense of the subway, in addition to the security footage from the hotel, which now floated in the unknown aether of potential dangers alongside Oisimโ€™s public announcement, which stripped them of any potential Koi Blood security at the funeral itself. The same private security that flanked the yakuza boss also accompanied them through the entire affair, as only a select amount of people were allowed to attend.

Open casket. Black tie only.

Coreyโ€™s burial suit had cost more than the one Ren purchased before his death, and despite his covering medical costs and security costs, Oisim would not lift a finger to help take the burden of any expenditures the funeral generated. Any connection between the two groups, he said, would only serve to โ€˜make Wild suffer through the same pains as I.โ€™

Which all added up to a very tired and very stressed Ren fumbling with the key and barely reacting to it clattering loudly on the floor. With a slow blink he stooped down and pried it up with his fingernails, slowly climbing back to full height and scraping it against the wall until the key slipped into the slot.

The door slowly drew itself to one side, and as Ren returned the key to his pockets and trudged inwards, his tired eyes snapped the rest of his body upwards as a familiar mask sat in the middle of the room, suspended on its foul cloud and nibbling on an ornate Japanese pipe with its massive ivory teeth.

โ€œ๐ผโ€™๐“‹๐‘’ ๐’ท๐‘’๐‘’๐“ƒ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐“€๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘”, ๐ผ ๐“ƒ๐‘’๐“‹๐‘’๐“‡ ๐‘”๐‘œ๐“‰ ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐“‚๐‘’๐‘’๐“‰ ๐’ž๐‘œ๐“‡๐‘’๐“Ž.โ€ Its empty eyes turned to face Ren, the whole mask tipping to emulate an air of mischief. โ€œ๐น๐“‡๐‘œ๐“‚ ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐ผโ€™๐“‹๐‘’ ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐’ถ๐“‡๐’น, ๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐’ถ ๐“ˆ๐“Œ๐‘’๐‘’๐“‰, ๐’ถ๐’น๐‘œ๐“‡๐’ถ๐’ท๐“๐‘’ ๐“๐’พ๐“‰๐“‰๐“๐‘’ ๐’ท๐‘œ๐“Ž.โ€

โ€œWhere. Have. You. Been.โ€ Ren could feel his teeth grinding together as he stepped through the portal, slowly closing the distance between himself and the loathsome mask to which he spoke.

โ€œ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰โ€™๐“ˆ ๐“ƒ๐‘œ ๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“Ž ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐’ถ๐’น๐’น๐“‡๐‘’๐“ˆ๐“ˆ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡ ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’พ๐‘œ๐“‡, ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ƒ.โ€ The Demon mask seemed unaffected by Renโ€™s words. โ€œ๐ฟ๐‘’๐“‰โ€™๐“ˆ ๐“ˆ๐“‰๐’ถ๐“‡๐“‰ ๐’ท๐“Ž ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“‰๐‘’๐“๐“๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡ ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“‚๐“…๐’ถ๐“‰๐“‡๐’พ๐‘œ๐“‰๐“ˆ ๐’ถ๐“‡๐‘’. ๐’Ÿ๐’พ๐’น ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“Ž ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰ ๐’ถ๐“‰๐“‰๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’น ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’ป๐“Š๐“ƒ๐‘’๐“‡๐’ถ๐“ ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“‰๐’ฝ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š?โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t have to tell you anything!โ€ Ren barked, swinging his hand out as he spoke and clipping the ornate pipe, knocking it across the room. โ€œYou decided to duck out after you got stolen, and your not staying put got Corey killed! Youโ€™re what he was looking for in there, werenโ€™t you?โ€ Ren stepped forward, bringing himself inches away from touching the leaf-like miasma holding the mask aloft. โ€œIf you didnโ€™t run away heโ€™d still be alive.โ€

โ€œ๐’ช๐“‡ ๐ผ ๐“Œ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“๐’น ๐’ท๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐’น๐“ˆ ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’ซ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐‘”๐‘œ๐“๐’พ๐“ƒ๐“ˆ ๐“ˆ๐“‰๐’พ๐“๐“.โ€ The mask hardly seemed irritated by Renโ€™s anger, looking almost directly down at him from its position in the room. โ€œ๐’ฒ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐“Œ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“๐’น ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐’น๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐‘’ ๐’พ๐’ป ๐ป๐’ถ๐“Œ๐“€ ๐’ธ๐’ถ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐“…๐‘œ๐“ˆ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐“ˆ๐“ˆ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐“€, ๐’ฝ๐“‚? ๐’Ÿ๐‘œ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“€๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“Œ ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“Ž๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐’ถ๐’ท๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‰ ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐“€ ๐’น๐‘œ๐‘’๐“ˆ, ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐ผ ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“๐’น ๐’น๐‘œ, ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐ผ ๐’ถ๐“‚ ๐’ธ๐’ถ๐“…๐’ถ๐’ท๐“๐‘’ ๐‘œ๐’ป? ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“…๐‘œ๐“Œ๐‘’๐“‡ ๐ผ ๐“Œ๐’พ๐‘’๐“๐’น?โ€

โ€œ๐’ช๐’ป ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡๐“ˆ๐‘’ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐’น๐‘œ๐“ƒโ€™๐“‰. ๐ผ๐’ป ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐’น ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“Ž ๐’ธ๐“๐“Š๐‘’, ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“Œ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“๐’น ๐“ƒ๐‘’๐“‹๐‘’๐“‡ ๐’ถ๐’น๐’น๐“‡๐‘’๐“ˆ๐“ˆ ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐“ˆ๐“Š๐’ธ๐’ฝ ๐’ถ ๐’ธ๐’ถ๐“‹๐’ถ๐“๐’พ๐‘’๐“‡ ๐’ป๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐‘œ๐“ƒ.โ€ The maskโ€™s voice took on a sneering aspect as it continued. โ€œ๐’ด๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“Œ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“๐’น ๐’ท๐‘’ ๐’ท๐‘œ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐“‡๐‘’๐“‹๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’ธ๐‘’ ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐“‚๐“Ž ๐“‚๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“…๐“‡๐‘’๐“ˆ๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’ธ๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐“ˆ๐“‰๐‘’๐’ถ๐’น ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’ป๐‘œ๐“‡๐“‚๐’ถ๐“๐’พ๐“‰๐“Ž ๐ผ ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐“ˆ๐’พ๐“ˆ๐“‰ ๐“Š๐“…๐‘œ๐“ƒ.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re going to apologize right now.โ€ Renโ€™s eyes almost glowed with rage. โ€œAbout killing Corey, about your failure to stay put, and for disrespecting me. Or youโ€™re not getting the eye.โ€

The mask was silent for a moment before a soft chuckle escaped from between its teeth. โ€œ๐’œ๐“๐“ ๐“‡๐’พ๐‘”๐’ฝ๐“‰, ๐’ธ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“๐’น. ๐ผ ๐’ถ๐“‚ ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“๐“๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐’ถ๐“‚๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’น ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐“ˆ๐“‰๐“‡๐’ถ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡ ๐’น๐‘’๐’ถ๐“๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘”๐“ˆ.โ€ It descended, the miasma lessening as the mask bowed itself to the ground, backing up to ensure it did not collide with Ren as it did so.

โ€œ๐’ช๐“ƒ ๐“‚๐“Ž ๐“Œ๐‘œ๐“‡๐’น ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐“‰๐‘’๐“‡ ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐’ป๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡, ๐ผ, ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘œ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡, ๐’น๐‘œ ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“Œ ๐’ฝ๐“Š๐“‚๐’ท๐“๐“Ž ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐’น ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“‰๐’ฝ ๐“‡๐‘’๐“…๐“‡๐‘œ๐’ถ๐’ธ๐’ฝ ๐’ถ๐’ธ๐’ธ๐‘’๐“…๐“‰ ๐“‡๐‘’๐“ˆ๐“…๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐“ˆ๐’พ๐’ท๐’พ๐“๐’พ๐“‰๐“Ž ๐’ป๐‘œ๐“‡ ๐’ถ๐’ธ๐“‰๐’พ๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐“ˆ ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐’ธ๐’ฝ ๐“‰๐“‡๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“ˆ๐“…๐’พ๐“‡๐‘’๐’น ๐‘œ๐“ƒ ๐‘œ๐“‡ ๐’ถ๐“‡๐‘œ๐“Š๐“ƒ๐’น ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“…๐‘’๐“‡๐’พ๐‘œ๐’น ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“‰๐’พ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐’ธ๐’ฝ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘œ๐“‡๐“…๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“ƒ ๐’ž๐‘œ๐“‡๐‘’๐“Ž ๐“‚๐‘’๐“‰ ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐’น๐‘’๐“‚๐’พ๐“ˆ๐‘’.โ€ Despite the spiteful selection of words, the mask spoke with a buttery sweetness that made the poison glide like silk into Renโ€™s ear. โ€œ๐’ฒ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐ผ ๐‘”๐’พ๐“‹๐‘’๐“ƒ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘œ๐“…๐“…๐‘œ๐“‡๐“‰๐“Š๐“ƒ๐’พ๐“‰๐“Ž ๐“‰๐‘œ- ๐ป๐“‚๐“‚. ๐’ฒ๐‘’๐“๐“, ๐“‚๐“Ž ๐“‡๐‘’๐‘”๐“‡๐‘’๐“‰๐“ˆ ๐’ถ๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰ ๐“Š๐“ƒ๐’ป๐‘œ๐“Š๐“ƒ๐’น๐‘’๐’น, ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐’น ๐ผ ๐’น๐‘œ ๐’ถ๐“…๐‘œ๐“๐‘œ๐‘”๐’พ๐“๐‘’ ๐“ˆ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐’ธ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’๐“๐“Ž ๐’ป๐‘œ๐“‡ ๐“‚๐“Ž ๐“‰๐“‡๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“ˆ๐‘”๐“‡๐‘’๐“ˆ๐“ˆ๐’พ๐‘œ๐“ƒ.โ€

โ€œWhyโ€™d you hesitate?โ€ Ren tried to force some of the anger back into his voice in the hopes it would help his presence seem more commanding.

โ€œ๐น๐‘œ๐“‡๐’ธ๐‘’ ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐’ท๐’พ๐“‰.โ€ The Demon mask lifted itself back up just high enough to force Ren to look up at it. โ€œ๐ผ๐“ƒ ๐“‚๐“Ž ๐“…๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐“‰, ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“Œ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“ˆ๐‘œ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐‘œ ๐“Œ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰ ๐“ˆ๐‘œ ๐“…๐“๐‘’๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐’น ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“‰๐’ฝ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’พ๐’น๐‘’๐’ถ ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“‚๐‘’๐’น๐’น๐“๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐’ฝ๐“Š๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ƒ ๐’ถ๐’ป๐’ป๐’ถ๐’พ๐“‡๐“ˆ. ๐ผ ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐’ธ๐’ถ๐“Š๐“‰๐’พ๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐‘’๐’น ๐“‚๐“Ž๐“ˆ๐‘’๐“๐’ป ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘œ๐’พ๐’น ๐“๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐‘”๐“Š๐’ถ๐‘”๐‘’ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐“‚๐’พ๐‘”๐’ฝ๐“‰ ๐’ถ๐“๐‘’๐“‡๐“‰ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‚ ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐“‚๐“Ž ๐’ถ๐’ธ๐“‰๐’พ๐“‹๐’พ๐“‰๐’พ๐‘’๐“ˆ.โ€

โ€œTheyโ€™d know youโ€™re here from just a word?โ€

โ€œ๐’ž๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“๐’น, ๐’พ๐“‰ ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐“‰๐‘’๐“ƒ๐“‰ ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐’น ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“Œ๐‘œ๐“‡๐’น ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐’ธ๐’ฝ ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐’ถ๐“‡๐’น. ๐ผ ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐‘”๐“‡๐‘’๐’ถ๐“‰๐‘’๐“‡ ๐’ถ๐“‰๐“‰๐“Š๐“ƒ๐‘’๐“‚๐‘’๐“ƒ๐“‰ ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐“ˆ๐‘œ๐“‡๐“‰ ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“ƒ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘œ๐“ˆ๐‘’ ๐ผ ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐“€๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“Œ๐“ƒ, ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐’น ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“ƒ ๐’ฏ๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐‘’ ๐“‰๐‘œ๐“๐’น ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’Ÿ๐‘’๐“‚๐‘œ๐“ƒ ๐ผ ๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’. ๐ผ ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“๐’น ๐’ป๐‘’๐‘’๐“ ๐’พ๐“‰ ๐’ท๐‘’๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“ˆ๐“…๐‘œ๐“€๐‘’๐“ƒ, ๐ผ ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“๐’น ๐’ป๐‘’๐‘’๐“ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“ˆ๐“…๐’พ๐“‡๐’พ๐“‰ ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐‘’ ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐‘œ ๐“ˆ๐“…๐‘œ๐“€๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“‰.โ€ The maskโ€™s words grew less and less focused, as if Toneโ€™s mentioning its existence was some holy rite to be awed by.

โ€œ๐ต๐“Š๐“‰ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐’ท๐‘’๐‘’๐“ƒ ๐‘’๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“Š๐‘”๐’ฝ ๐‘’๐“๐“…๐“๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐’ถ๐“‰๐’พ๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐“ˆ.โ€ It suddenly recollected itself, glaring at Ren with an air of having said too much. โ€œ๐ฟ๐‘’๐“‰โ€™๐“ˆ ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐‘’ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘’๐“Ž๐‘’.โ€

With some hesitance, Ren reached into his shirt pocket and removed an amber eye, slightly larger than one of his own. The large pupil it possessed seemed to descend inwards to a limitless degree, and staring at it for too long started to pull at the edges of his psyche. Forcing the thought out of his mind, he lifted the eye into the air.

โ€œGeh-โ€

The eye dramatically flew from his grip, looping around the mask before slotting into place behind one of its empty eye sockets. An unbearable silence stretched for several seconds as Renโ€™s heart refused to descend from his throat.

โ€œ๐’ช๐’ป ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡๐“ˆ๐‘’.โ€ The mask spat, its words far harsher than those it had spoken before. โ€œ๐’ด๐‘’๐“‰ ๐’ถ๐‘”๐’ถ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐ผ ๐“‚๐’ถ๐“€๐‘’ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“‚๐’พ๐“ˆ๐“‰๐’ถ๐“€๐‘’ ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐“ˆ๐“Š๐“‚๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“ˆ๐‘œ๐“‚๐‘’๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“Œ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“๐’น ๐“Œ๐‘œ๐“‡๐“€ ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‰ ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐“‚๐“Ž ๐’ป๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘œ๐“‡ ๐’ป๐‘œ๐“‡ ๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐’ธ๐‘’.โ€

โ€œI thought there would be some kind of, yโ€™knowโ€ฆโ€ Ren swirled his hand in the air as if he could draw the words closer to him. โ€œMid-stage form or something? Now that thereโ€™s one eye?โ€

โ€œ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐ผ๐’ฎ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐’ป๐‘œ๐“‡๐“‚.โ€ The eye rotated around its pupil, slowly feeling the slightest of inconsistencies in the wooden mask which held it. โ€œ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘œ๐“๐’น ๐’ป๐‘œ๐‘œ๐“ ๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐“‰๐‘’๐’น ๐“ƒ๐‘œ ๐“‰๐’พ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐“‡๐‘’๐“Š๐“ƒ๐’พ๐“‰๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐‘’ ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘’๐“Ž๐‘’๐“ˆ ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“‰๐’ฝ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐“€ ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐“ˆ๐‘œ๐‘œ๐“ƒ ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“…๐‘œ๐“ˆ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐“ˆ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐’น ๐’พ๐“‰. ๐ต๐“Š๐“‰ ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐’ธ๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐‘’ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐’ป๐“Š๐“ˆ๐’พ๐‘œ๐“ƒ,โ€ The mask suddenly loomed, the lone eye catching Renโ€™s gaze. โ€œ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐“€ ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐“ˆ๐“‰๐“‡๐“Š๐’ธ๐“‰๐‘’๐’น ๐’ถ๐’ป๐“‰๐‘’๐“‡ ๐“‚๐“Ž ๐“‹๐’พ๐“ˆ๐’ถ๐‘”๐‘’. ๐ผ๐“‰ ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐’ฉ๐’ช๐’ฏ ๐“‚๐‘’. ๐ผ ๐“‡๐‘’๐“ˆ๐’พ๐’น๐‘’ ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘’๐“Ž๐‘’๐“ˆ ๐’ถ๐“๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐‘’.โ€

โ€œBut you need both eyes to come back.โ€

โ€œ๐ผ๐“ƒ๐’น๐‘’๐‘’๐’น.โ€ The mask slowly turned from Ren, moving across the room and descending to the pipe, which had landed at the base of the wall. โ€œ๐ผ ๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐’น๐‘’๐’ธ๐‘’๐’พ๐“‹๐‘’๐’น ๐’ท๐“Ž ๐’ถ ๐“‡๐’ถ๐“‰-๐“๐’พ๐“€๐‘’ ๐’ป๐‘’๐“๐“๐‘œ๐“Œ ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡ ๐‘’๐“‡๐’ถ, ๐’ถ๐“ƒ ๐“Š๐“‰๐“‰๐‘’๐“‡ ๐“‚๐‘œ๐“Š๐“ƒ๐“‰๐‘’๐’ท๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“€ ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐‘œ-โ€

โ€œA what?โ€ Ren sighed, gently pushing the mask out of the way and retrieving the pipe for it.

โ€œโ€ฆ๐’œ ๐’น๐‘’๐’ธ๐‘’๐’พ๐“‹๐‘’๐“‡.โ€ It accepted the pipe with an offended air. โ€œ๐ป๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐“‹๐‘’๐“ƒ๐“‰๐‘’๐’น ๐’ถ ๐’ธ๐“๐‘’๐“‹๐‘’๐“‡ ๐“‰๐“‡๐’ถ๐“… ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐’พ๐“‚๐“…๐“‡๐’พ๐“ˆ๐‘œ๐“ƒ ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐’ท๐‘’๐“ƒ๐‘’๐’ถ๐“‰๐’ฝ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“ˆ๐‘’ ๐‘’๐“Ž๐‘’๐“ˆ, ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐’น ๐“ˆ๐‘œ ๐’น๐’พ๐“‹๐’พ๐’น๐‘’ ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐’ท๐‘’๐“‰๐“Œ๐‘’๐‘’๐“ƒ ๐“‰๐“Œ๐‘œ ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐’ป๐’พ๐“ƒ๐’พ๐“‰๐‘’ ๐“‡๐‘’๐’ถ๐“๐“‚๐“ˆ. ๐ต๐“Š๐“‰ ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐“…๐“๐‘œ๐“‰ ๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐“Š๐“ƒ๐’น๐‘œ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’น.โ€

โ€œ๐ผ ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐‘’ ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡ ๐“†๐“Š๐‘’๐“ˆ๐“‰๐’พ๐‘œ๐“ƒ ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡ ๐‘’๐“Ž๐‘’๐“ˆ, ๐’ธ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“๐’น. ๐ต๐“Š๐“‰ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐’น ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡ ๐“๐’พ๐’ท๐‘’๐“‡๐“‰๐“Ž ๐“‰๐‘œ๐’น๐’ถ๐“Ž. ๐’ฒ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐’ถ๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡ ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“‚๐“…๐’ถ๐“‰๐“‡๐’พ๐‘œ๐“‰๐“ˆ?โ€

โ€œRace was the only one who could attend.โ€ Ren leaned against the wall with his hands slowly finding their way to his pockets. โ€œTone and Rook couldnโ€™t come because of theโ€ฆ The masks. Kohaku couldnโ€™t be there either; Oisimโ€™s very protective of her at this point.โ€

โ€œ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’น.โ€ The Demon mask threatened to jab the pipe into Renโ€™s face to bring his gaze up from the floor. โ€œ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐’ถ๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“Ž ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐‘œ ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐‘’๐“ƒ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡ โ€˜๐‘…๐‘œ๐‘œ๐“€โ€™, ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’ธ๐’ถ๐“๐“๐“ˆ ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“‚๐“ˆ๐‘’๐“๐’ป. ๐ป๐‘’ ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“๐“ ๐’ท๐‘’ ๐“‰๐’ถ๐“‡๐‘”๐‘’๐“‰๐‘’๐’น ๐’พ๐’ป ๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐‘’๐“‹๐‘’๐“‡ ๐’ป๐‘œ๐“Š๐“ƒ๐’น ๐’ถ๐‘”๐’ถ๐’พ๐“ƒ. ๐’ด๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“‚๐“Š๐“ˆ๐“‰ ๐’ป๐’พ๐“ƒ๐’น ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ƒ ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐‘œ ๐’ป๐‘œ๐“‡๐‘”๐‘’๐’น ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐’ธ๐“‡๐’ถ๐’น๐“๐‘’ ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐’น ๐‘œ๐’ท๐“‰๐’ถ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡ ๐’พ๐“‚๐“‚๐‘’๐’น๐’พ๐’ถ๐“‰๐‘’๐“๐“Ž. ๐ผ ๐’ป๐‘’๐’ถ๐“‡ ๐“ˆ๐‘œ๐“‚๐‘’๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐‘’ ๐‘’๐“๐“ˆ๐‘’ ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐‘’๐“€๐“ˆ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐’น ๐‘’๐“Ž๐‘’.โ€

โ€œ๐’œ๐“ƒ๐’น ๐“ˆ๐“‰๐’พ๐“๐“ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“ˆ๐’พ๐“‰๐’ถ๐“‰๐‘’ ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐“€.โ€ The mask grumbled, its eye trying and failing to simulate a long blink. โ€œ๐’Ÿ๐‘œ ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰ ๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“ˆ๐“‰๐‘’ ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡ ๐“‰๐’พ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’. ๐’ฒ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐’ธ๐’ฝ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐’น๐‘’๐“ˆ๐’พ๐“‡๐‘’?โ€

โ€œI want to change the deal.โ€

The Demon mask roared. The air pressure in the room suddenly changed, and Ren crouched down as his eardrums strained. But the bellowing of the mask quickly revealed itself to be an extremely violent laugh, which dimmed the lights with each blast of sound that reverberated into the walls.

โ€œ๐ผ ๐“‚๐’พ๐“ˆ๐“ˆ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“‰๐’พ๐“‚๐‘’๐“ˆ ๐“Œ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐ผ ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“๐’น ๐“๐’ถ๐“Š๐‘”๐’ฝ ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐’ป๐“‡๐‘’๐‘’ ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐ผ ๐’น๐‘’๐“ˆ๐’พ๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“‰๐‘œโ€ฆโ€ The mask looked down at Ren from the bottom of its eye socket with a familiar air of whimsy. โ€œ๐’ด๐‘œ๐“Š ๐’ฟ๐‘’๐“ˆ๐“‰! ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐’ท๐‘œ๐“ƒ ๐“‚๐‘œ๐“‰ ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡๐“ˆ ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐’ถ ๐’น๐’ถ๐“‡๐“€ ๐“‰๐’พ๐“‚๐‘’. ๐ผ ๐’น๐’พ๐’น ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰ ๐“€๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“Œ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‡ ๐’ฝ๐“Š๐“‚๐‘œ๐“‡ ๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐“ˆ๐‘œ ๐“…๐‘’๐“‡๐“‚๐’พ๐“‰๐“‰๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘”.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not joking.โ€ Ren clenched his jaw, staring death into the golden orb. โ€œI want to change the deal. These terms are inadequate for what I had to sacrifice to get your eye back.โ€

โ€œ๐’œ๐’ถ๐’ถ๐’ฝโ€ฆโ€ The maskโ€™s jaw opened in time with its pleased adumbration. โ€œ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰โ€™๐“ˆ ๐’ถ ๐’ป๐’ถ๐“‚๐’พ๐“๐’พ๐’ถ๐“‡ ๐“‰๐‘’๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‡. ๐’ฎ๐‘œ ๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“Ž ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐’ท๐‘’๐’ป๐‘œ๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š, ๐’น๐‘’๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐’น๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐ผ ๐“‡๐‘’๐“๐’พ๐“ƒ๐“†๐“Š๐’พ๐“ˆ๐’ฝ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“…๐“‡๐’พ๐’ธ๐‘’ ๐ผ ๐“‡๐‘’๐“†๐“Š๐’พ๐“‡๐‘’ ๐’ป๐‘œ๐“‡ ๐“‚๐“Ž ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐“‡๐“‹๐’พ๐’ธ๐‘’๐“ˆ, ๐“Ž๐‘’๐“‰ ๐“‹๐‘’๐“‡๐“Ž ๐’ป๐‘’๐“Œ ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐’ท๐‘’๐‘’๐“ƒ ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“๐“๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’ถ๐’ธ๐“‰ ๐‘€๐’ด ๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’น ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’ท๐’ถ๐“‡๐‘”๐’ถ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐’ท๐‘’๐’ป๐‘œ๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐’พ๐“‡ ๐‘œ๐“Œ๐“ƒ ๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐’ป๐“Š๐“๐’ป๐’พ๐“๐“๐‘’๐’น.โ€

โ€œ๐’ฑ๐‘’๐“‡๐“Ž ๐“Œ๐‘’๐“๐“, ๐ผโ€™๐“‚ ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐“‰๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’๐“ˆ๐“‰๐‘’๐’น.โ€ The mask nibbled away at its pipe with a playful spring in its voice. โ€œ๐’ฒ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐‘’๐“๐’ถ๐’ธ๐“‰๐“๐“Ž ๐’น๐‘œ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“ˆ๐’ฝ ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐’ถ๐“‚๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’น?โ€

โ€œI want Corey brought back to life.โ€

There was a low squeal that slowly crept from all the edges of the walls, like a bass teapot about to explode. The lights in the room slowly dimmed until they flickered off, the air pressure in the room once again lowering. A few nearly indiscernible waves of blue light started sneaking up the walls, dancing about in delicate patterns like winter lights. The orange eye glowed.

โ€œ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’โ€™๐“ˆ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐’พ๐“‡๐“‡๐’พ๐“‰๐’ถ๐’ท๐“๐‘’ ๐’ฝ๐“Š๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ƒ ๐“ˆ๐“…๐’พ๐“‡๐’พ๐“‰ ๐ผ ๐“€๐‘’๐‘’๐“… ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐’ถ๐“‡๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐’ถ๐’ท๐‘œ๐“Š๐“‰.โ€ The mask hardly moved as it spoke. โ€œ๐’œ๐“๐“ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“ˆ๐’ถ๐“‚๐‘’, ๐’ถ๐“๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“Ž๐“ˆ ๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“‰๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘”, ๐’ถ๐“๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“Ž๐“ˆ ๐’น๐‘’๐“‚๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐’น๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐’พ๐“‰๐“ˆ ๐’ท๐‘’๐“‰๐“‰๐‘œ๐“‡๐“ˆ. โ€˜๐’ข๐’พ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ, ๐‘”๐’พ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰, ๐ผโ€™๐“๐“ ๐’ป๐’พ๐‘”๐’ฝ๐“‰ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’น ๐’พ๐’ป ๐ผ ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐“‰๐‘œโ€™. ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰โ€™๐“ˆ ๐’ฝ๐‘œ๐“Œ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’ป๐’พ๐‘’๐“ƒ๐’น ๐“‰๐“‡๐’พ๐’ธ๐“€๐‘’๐’น ๐“‚๐‘’, ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“‰๐’ฝ ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐’ธ๐“Š๐“ƒ๐“ƒ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“Œ๐‘œ๐“‡๐’น๐“ˆ ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐’น ๐’น๐‘’๐“‹๐’พ๐“๐’พ๐“ˆ๐’ฝ ๐“…๐“๐‘œ๐“‰๐“ˆ.โ€ It lowered itself above Renโ€™s head once more, bearing down on the leader of the Wild Masks with an unrelenting pressure smashing into his mind.

โ€œ๐’ฒ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐“Œ๐‘œ๐“Š๐“๐’น ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐‘œ๐’ป๐’ป๐‘’๐“‡ ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“ƒ ๐“‡๐‘’๐“‰๐“Š๐“‡๐“ƒ, ๐’ฝ๐“‚๐“‚? ๐’ด๐‘œ๐“Š ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐’ถ๐“๐“‡๐‘’๐’ถ๐’น๐“Ž ๐‘”๐’พ๐“‹๐‘’๐“ƒ ๐“‚๐‘’ ๐’ž๐‘œ๐“‡๐‘’๐“Ž, ๐“ˆ๐’ถ๐’ธ๐“‡๐’พ๐’ป๐’พ๐’ธ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“‚ ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘”๐“‡๐‘’๐’ถ๐“‰ ๐’ถ๐“๐“‰๐’ถ๐“‡ ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“‰๐“‡๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“ˆ๐’ถ๐’ธ๐“‰๐’พ๐‘œ๐“ƒ. ๐’ด๐‘œ๐“Š ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‹๐‘’ ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“๐‘’๐’ป๐“‰ ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐‘œ๐’ป๐’ป๐‘’๐“‡. ๐’Ÿ๐‘œ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐“€ ๐ผ ๐“ƒ๐‘’๐‘’๐’น ๐’ด๐’ช๐’ฐ ๐“‰๐‘œ ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“๐“๐‘’๐’ธ๐“‰ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐‘’๐“Ž๐‘’ ๐’ป๐‘œ๐“‡ ๐“‚๐‘’?โ€ The lights along the walls took the shape of the miasmaโ€™s edge, which now fanned across the floor and threatened to engulf Ren from all sides. โ€œ๐ผ ๐’ถ๐“‚ ๐“ˆ๐“Š๐“‡๐“‡๐‘œ๐“Š๐“ƒ๐’น๐‘’๐’น ๐’ท๐“Ž ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘œ๐“ˆ๐‘’ ๐’ธ๐‘œ๐“ƒ๐“ˆ๐“Š๐“‚๐‘’๐’น ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“‰๐’ฝ ๐“…๐‘’๐“‰๐“‰๐“Ž ๐“‹๐’พ๐’ธ๐‘’, ๐’พ๐‘”๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‡๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“‰ ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐’ฝ๐’ถ๐“‡๐“‚ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“Ž ๐’น๐‘’๐“ˆ๐’พ๐“‡๐‘’ ๐‘œ๐“ƒ ๐‘œ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐“ˆ. ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐’ถ๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“…๐“๐‘’๐“ƒ๐“‰๐“Ž ๐‘œ๐’ป ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“๐“๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘”.โ€

โ€œNo there arenโ€™t.โ€ Ren snarled, standing up from his partially collapsed posture and staring down the golden orb which hovered above him. โ€œYouโ€™re a giant floating mask whoโ€™s attracted hitmen and yakuza who want to kill anyone in between them and your eyes. Find someone who wants to put up with all that, or amend the deal.โ€

โ€œ๐’ด๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“‡๐‘’๐’ถ๐“๐“๐“Ž ๐“Œ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“‰ ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“‚ ๐’ท๐’ถ๐’ธ๐“€, ๐’น๐‘œ๐“ƒโ€™๐“‰ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š?โ€

โ€œI will do anything to get him back.โ€ Renโ€™s jaw could not lock any tighter. โ€œEven if I have to go through you.โ€

โ€œ๐’ฏ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐“‡๐‘’ ๐’พ๐“ˆ ๐“๐’พ๐“‰๐“‰๐“๐‘’ ๐‘’๐“๐“ˆ๐‘’ ๐ผ ๐’ถ๐“‚ ๐“ƒ๐‘œ๐“‰ ๐’ถ๐“๐“‡๐‘’๐’ถ๐’น๐“Ž ๐’ฝ๐‘œ๐“๐’น๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“‰๐‘œ.โ€ The Demonโ€™s presence in the room diminished until all that remained was his glowing amber eye. โ€œ๐’ฑ๐‘’๐“‡๐“Ž ๐“Œ๐‘’๐“๐“, ๐’ธ๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“๐’น; ๐ผ ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“๐“ ๐’ท๐“‡๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ๐’ž๐‘œ๐“‡๐‘’๐“Ž ๐’ท๐’ถ๐’ธ๐“€ ๐’ถ๐“ˆ ๐“Œ๐‘’๐“๐“. ๐ต๐“Š๐“‰ ๐ผ ๐’ธ๐’ถ๐“ƒ ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐‘’ ๐“‰๐’ฝ๐‘’ ๐“‡๐‘œ๐’ถ๐’น ๐’ถ๐’ฝ๐‘’๐’ถ๐’นโ€ฆ ๐’œ๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“ˆ๐“Š๐“‡๐‘’ ๐“Ž๐‘œ๐“Š ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“๐“ ๐’น๐‘œ ๐’ถ๐“ƒ๐“Ž๐“‰๐’ฝ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘”?โ€

โ€œIf Iโ€™m dealing with you,โ€ Ren felt his lungs puffing up as his mind found no more pressure from the maskโ€™s presence. โ€œHow much worse can there be?โ€

The laugh was noticeably subdued. โ€œ๐’ฒ๐‘’ ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“๐“ ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐‘’, ๐ป๐‘œ๐“‚๐‘’๐“ˆ๐“๐’พ๐’ธ๐‘’โ€ฆ ๐’ฒ๐‘’ ๐“Œ๐’พ๐“๐“ ๐“ˆ๐‘’๐‘’.โ€

โ€”

A sleek black headstone sat in an empty graveyard surrounded by armed men.

Three men lowered their eyes to its inscription. The tallest wears a black hat to partially hide his tattoos. The shortest wore a mask made of metal, hiding the tears that slipped underneath.

The third man had no face at all.

Nestled in the open hand of the shorter man, he and his associates all silently stared at the black obelisk until the tallest finally gave the slightest of gestures, and the trio softly departed across the wet grass.

The inscription was left alone, the name Corey Partanen chiseled into the otherwise untouched surface. There was a message on the hearts of all the men at the graveyard, from those inside it to those who tactfully guarded its perimeter, one too delicate to put to words.

The fourth man watched.

โ€”

Ch 39

7 Likes

Lookit that, itโ€™s the character that has appeared the least in this entire story! I sure wonder if weโ€™ll be seeing more of this dastardly fellow :smiling_imp:

Tonight on Top Gear
I talk with a wall decoration
James visits an old friend
And Hammond tags along

Sheesh dude thatโ€™s cold, who would be so cynical like that

4 Likes

Me when I donโ€™t read the chapter (I missed the giant update).

3 Likes

Ch 38

โ€”

Chapter Thirty Nine
Amaranthine

โ€”

The door slowly closed behind Race.

The glistening white walls were less pristine than the shadows of the panel lines were dark. There was no light in their surfaces, none of the cheery glow that prompted Renโ€™s sighs and forced Tone to smile. The gloomy air seemed to seep out of every door and compartment like a mold, poisoning everything it made contact with.

Plopping down in front of the pile of clothes, Race slowly clawed through it, pulling out anything that was obviously far too small for her to have worn. A hint of purple caught her eye, and she drew it out from the base of the pile, looking at it with a cold expression before water finally escaped from her lids, wetting the front of the hoodie as she wrapped her arms around it and held it close.

โ€”

Ren closed the car door with far more force than it required, making him flinch in response to how easily it moved. He was accustomed to old silver sedans, not the slick black coupe which by comparison felt like a concept car.

โ€œWeโ€™re good.โ€ He mumbled, setting a slim briefcase in the passenger seat which instantly disappeared. โ€œIโ€™ll have to come back some time soon.โ€

โ€œWhy?โ€ Rookโ€™s question felt alien, its authenticity missing during the days prior. โ€œI mean, you got it all taken care of, right?โ€

โ€œYes and no.โ€ Ren felt for the ignition to no avail, finally craning around the steering wheel and realized for not the first time that it had none. โ€œThe court is satisfied, but the police arenโ€™t. I think they suspect some kind of foul play and arenโ€™t satisfied with the story of him fooling around the stairwell. But theyโ€™re too busy trying to get their hands on that footage from the hotel to split their focus.โ€

โ€œWe need to find it first.โ€ Rookโ€™s eyes were empty, but Ren had to blink to assure himself they had not just flashed blue for a moment. โ€œThe longer we delay, the likelier it is someoneโ€™s going to get to it first and use it against us.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re not wrong.โ€ Ren pulled out the key fob from his shirt pocket and started the car. โ€œButโ€ฆ Itโ€™s way to soon for something like this. We need time to recover.โ€

Rook seemed like he wanted to say more, but he remained silent. Ren sighed as he slowly drifted out of the parallel parking space, the sentiment Rookโ€™s wordless response carried all too clear to him.

โ€œI want him back, too.โ€

โ€”

โ€œHey, Iโ€™m back.โ€

Kohaku threw up a peace sign along with the most pitiful fake smile the world had ever witnessed as she entered through the sliding door, Bekko close at her heels. โ€œWhereโ€™s Ren?โ€

โ€œShower.โ€ Race mumbled.

Kohakuโ€™s artificial smile disappeared as the air of the room became more apparent. Race was sitting on the floor, her arms wrapped around her knees, staring into a bag of clothes. Her mask was lying in the corner of the room, the scuffed portion of the wall indicating she had thrown it there.

Turning towards Tone, Kohaku got even less help in response. He was busy staring into the wall opposite the door, hands in his pockets, almost completely motionless. Bekko tapped her calf and made a gesture to move along, a nod of his head and a closing of his eyes trying to mask the danger he was anticipating.

โ€œWhatcha need?โ€ Rook floated up from under the extended counter, the haniwa he rested on patched with what was in all likelihood far too little tape. โ€œRen probably wonโ€™t be too much longer, if you need to talk to him.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s fine, I justโ€ฆโ€ Kohaku looked around despondently before flopping her hand against her thigh with noticeable force. โ€œIโ€™m just so sick of dad lately. He just- I mean, Makuei. Iโ€™m so ticked off every time I try to tell him anything. Itโ€™s always โ€˜I know whatโ€™s best, Kohakuโ€™ and โ€˜Donโ€™t go making these kind of connectionsโ€™ and stuff. Where was all this โ€˜fatherly adviceโ€™ for my entire life that now he thinks I care about his opinion?โ€

โ€œWhatโ€™s he doing now?โ€

Kohaku did a slight double take, more annoyed than anything else at how Rook drove the point. โ€œHeโ€™s saying I need to stop coming here because you guys are โ€˜troubleโ€™. As if the entire yakuza wasnโ€™t trouble before all this, and I didnโ€™t have any choice about attending every single stupid-โ€

Bekkoโ€™s presence by the door caught her attention, and a slightly worried glance was sent in his direction. He looked about awkwardly before returning a comical shrug.

โ€œWell, I justโ€ฆ I think itโ€™s time I stopped depending on him for everything.โ€ She walked to the wall aside Renโ€™s door and leaned against it. โ€œIโ€™ve got enough money that I could travel pretty much anywhere I want to, I justโ€ฆ I wanted to extend the offer to you guys, if you wanted to come with. Norway, America, the U.S. I mean, Spain, Italy, France-โ€

โ€œYeeuck.โ€ Rook made the best possible attempt at a gagging motion that he could as a mask.

โ€œWhatโ€™s wrong with France??โ€ Kohaku folded her arms across her chest, and Rook internally smiled at her usual attitude taking the opportunity to assert itself.

โ€œI canโ€™t smoke, so I wouldnโ€™t fit in that well.โ€ Rook attempted to lean against the wall, but the motion was too bizarre and he gave it up. โ€œThatโ€™s definitely a question for Ren. Weโ€™re kind of bound by our promise to defeat the yakuza though, so I donโ€™t think weโ€™ll have the option until that happens.โ€

โ€œWell,โ€ Kohaku huffed, rolling her eyes. โ€œWith Koi Blood gone I donโ€™t see how you have any other attachments to this place.โ€

Her face fell as the last words exited her mouth. The temperature seemed to drop as the air in the room suddenly changed, Bekkoโ€™s blatant grimace making it abundantly clear her choice of words was exceptionally poor. After a moment of silence Rook slowly floated towards Race, who had shrunken down ever further in the meantime.

โ€œI, uhโ€ฆโ€ Kohaku swallowed, her awkwardness competing with her melancholy as Bekko combined his grimace with a repeated cutting motion of his flat hand across his neck in an attempt to get her to stop. โ€œDo youโ€ฆ Happen to know what, umโ€ฆ What his last- his, his last, uhโ€ฆโ€

โ€œHis last words.โ€ Race replied, her voice so weary it almost resembled an actual whisper for once. โ€œThe doctors said he came out of his coma for a brief moment right before he died. He said something they couldnโ€™t understand but followed it up with โ€˜I forgive you.โ€™โ€

โ€œI guess that means all of us.โ€

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BANG

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BANG

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BANG

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BANG

โ€”

He still processed the conversation. He still saw the white wall in front of him. He still felt the mechanical hum of the medical equipment many of the panels concealed, equipment that he had never seen and never had to use.

Equipment he failed to use.

The room was mostly quiet, but the noise in his head could not have been louder. It was the noise of a thousand scenes all fighting for dominance, forcing him back to past events where he could have done better. Should have done better.

โ€œโ€˜I forgive you.โ€™โ€

โ€”

โ€œThatโ€™s not sugar free.โ€ Toneโ€™s eyes skimmed the ingredients list and grew more and more visibly appalled as he read.

โ€œBut it says sugar free right there.โ€ Corey retorted, gesturing with his head to the top of the beverage. โ€œWhereโ€™s the sugar in it?โ€

โ€œCorey, aspartame is worse than sugar.โ€ Tone turned the can around and shoved it in Coreyโ€™s face, tapping half of the ingredient list with his finger and obscuring the word he was trying to draw attention towards. โ€œThat stuff causes cancer. Youโ€™d lose all your hair and end up like me, except not nearly as good-looking.โ€

Corey raised an incredulous eyebrow at both claims. โ€œAnyone ever tell you youโ€™re a health nut?โ€

โ€œJust recently, as a matter of fact.โ€ Tone returned the beverage and pulled out three of the sugar-sweetened variety to Coreyโ€™s evident disappointment, as it meant he could only enjoy the delicious drink on occasion.

โ€œWho said it?โ€

โ€œYou.โ€ Tone smiled, ruffling Coreyโ€™s hair and prompting him to send an extremely careful punch at Toneโ€™s side. โ€œLetโ€™s grab some more of basket caseโ€™s chocolate and we can get out of here.โ€

โ€œCould we shop here when the store is actually open?โ€ Corey inquired, hoping there was some way Tone could hide his mask and not look immensely stupid by doing so.

โ€œOf course not.โ€ Tone jingled a set of keys in his hand, looking down at Corey with a smirk. โ€œThen we wouldnโ€™t be able to rearrange all the fish carts and make Ren go crazy.โ€

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BANG

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โ€œListen.โ€

Tone lazily rolled his head around on his neck until his eyes happened to land on Ren again. โ€œMm?โ€

โ€œCorey has to go to school. Thatโ€™s the law.โ€ Ren stared hard at Toneโ€™s disinterested eyes, which broke contact to perform a dramatic roll. โ€œHeโ€™s not fifteen for a while now, and we donโ€™t have the means to homeschool even if we could. You have to pick a school.โ€

โ€œI was homeschooled, and I ended up perfectly fine.โ€ Tone flopped his still crossed arms to emphasize how fine he was. โ€œBesides, according to the government, he doesnโ€™t technically exist, so how could they arrest you for it?โ€

โ€œListen.โ€ Ren gripped the bridge of his nose until the bone started to ache. โ€œWeโ€™re not having this discussion right now. You want to look into that sort of thing when Iโ€™m not at risk of going to jail, thatโ€™s fine. But for now, just find a school please.โ€

Tone sighed as best he could with the mask in the way. โ€œOkay, boss. Iโ€™ll take a look around. But I reserve the right to final say with anything regarding the school or his attending.โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s what I want.โ€ Ren leaned forward and patted Toneโ€™s shoulder. โ€œI know your standards. You wonโ€™t settle for anything but the best.โ€

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BANG

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โ€œFor the love ofโ€ฆโ€

Race looked back over her shoulder at Tone with a perfectly flat expression. โ€œCanโ€™t think of anything to love?โ€

โ€œWhy do I hear Corey selling a buick?โ€ Tone grumbled, suspecting he already knew the answer.

โ€œIt means throwing up.โ€ Ren replied, saving Raceโ€™s face from being forever locked in confusion. โ€œI think we ought to start making him meals to take to school. That food barely meets its own definition, and it digests about as well as a rock.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s the stomach that digests.โ€ Tone turned towards the fridge, not giving Ren any opportunity to retort to his pedantic snark. โ€œIโ€™m gonna need ginger ale for him when heโ€™s through. You might want to-โ€

โ€œ-slow down on the way backโ€ฆโ€ Tone trailed off as Race abruptly disappeared, the door slowly rolling back into place. โ€œThanks for taking this one. I donโ€™t want to think about what would happen if I gagged a bit too much from that.โ€

Ren gave a half smile and a nod as he pushed his sleeves further up his elbows and disappeared back into the restroom. Tone sunk down into the computer chair, folding his fingers and staring despondently at the floor as the retching noises continued.

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BANG

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A gloved hand was extended, but as Corey reached out to meet the handshake it faltered, flinching away slightly from the incoming hand. Corey responded by gently grabbing Toneโ€™s wrist and keeping his hand still long enough to complete the gesture.

โ€œIโ€™m tired.โ€ He said, trying to keep his face as flat and cold as possible to prevent any emotion from slipping through. โ€œCould I rest at your home for a while? Just long enough for me toโ€ฆโ€

Tone stepped forward and knelt down to match Coreyโ€™s height, placing his hands on his shoulders as he tried to fight back a fresh wave of tears. โ€œIโ€™ll do whatever I can to help. Thatโ€™s a promise, kid.โ€

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Red dots were strewn across Kohakuโ€™s face.

That was the first thing that entered Toneโ€™s mind, followed closely by the realization that it was Kohaku, and not the wall, he had missed by an inch. His eyes were almost as wide as hers, both staring at the other in shock, her background consisting of more red dots scattered across the wall she leaned against.

Rook glanced back at the wall which he now floated aside. It had splintering cracks stretching out in every direction, almost touching the ceiling, and the center was repainted with an artistic splattering of crimson which ran down in heavy droplets to the floor. Race had fallen over and now stared up at Toneโ€™s back. Bekko silently returned a half-drawn handgun to his jacket pocket.

Toneโ€™s hunched and tense posture slowly and shakily drew itself back to full height, towering over the occupants of the room with his presence. His eyes remained locked on Kohaku until, with a lowering of his brows, he abruptly turned and disappeared out through the door, which slowly opened for him.

Silence ruled in the apartment for nearly a minute, with Race being the first to realize the sound of running water had also disappeared. As her gaze drew towards the restroom door, it violently swung open, a visibly moist Ren rushing out while struggling into a white t-shirt. โ€œWait here, everybody wait here.โ€

โ€œRen?โ€ Kohaku looked up at him, water having built up under her eyelids during the silence and finally spilling over as she spoke.

โ€œIโ€™m on it, everybody stay p-PUT!!โ€ He yelped as his bare feet slipped on the apartment floor, instinctively slamming his palm into Bekkoโ€™s scalp to use him as leverage as he scrambled out the open doorway. โ€œDonโ€™t worry!โ€

โ€”

Ren was beginning to worry.

For Tone, yes, but also for his poor feet.

Having made the decision to forego the automobile in his pursuit of the Wild Mask meant walking for an innumerable amount of blocks through the city with no shoes on, and his soles felt like they were about to start bleeding as badly as Toneโ€™s hand was. Still, he hopped yet another fence and grimaced as he hit the concrete hard instead of trying to find a safe way down, unwilling to lose even a second of progress.

A silhouette sat at the edge of the concrete, motionless, staring at the water as it slowly crept towards him before receding over and over. Ren slowly stepped forwards, his hands in his pockets, the cold concrete burning against his skin. This was Haneda International Airport, but Ren knew it by another name, one that he learned from Tone years ago.

It was the place that Hie died.

For a while the two stared out across the ocean, Ren standing in the shadow and Tone illuminated by moonlight. His sleeve had been rolled up, and his opposite hand held a black fabric brace, previously concealing the network of twisted, black wounds running through his forearm, still just as charred and glowing red beneath the cracks as the day of the fire. The water beneath Toneโ€™s legs occasionally rippled as crimson droplets fell, the world demanding tears in any form.

โ€œI shall miss him when the flowers come, in the garden where he played;โ€
โ€œI shall miss him more by the fireside, when the flowers have all decayed.โ€
โ€œI shall see his tops, and his empty chair, and the horse he used to ride;โ€
โ€œAnd they will speak with a silent speech-โ€

โ€œTone.โ€

Renโ€™s voice was strong, but he could not hide the wavering tremble in his throat. โ€œI knew what Corey said. Race told me the doctors heard him perfectly; she was obeying my instructions to keep it from you.โ€

Toneโ€™s head lowered with the slowest of motions as tears finally found their escape across the outside of his mask, running down the smoothed divisions of metal with mechanical perfection. He did not turn away as Ren softly seated by his side, the silence stretching on until the universe found it impossible to withstand.

โ€œDo you know when Corey died?โ€

Ren fidgeted in his seat. He knew the question was rhetorical, and his last attempt at responding to Tone had been answered with intolerable silence. Another stretch of time unbroken passed between the pair, ending with grace as Tone slowly drew and released an unfathomably long breath that swept the universe away with it.

โ€œRight now.โ€

Gently returning the brace to his forearm, Tone methodically secured it in place before covering his arm again with the two heavy layers he wore. He drew his legs up over the edge he sat upon, slowly pulling himself back to his feet as Ren matched his speed standing up.

โ€œAnd they will speak with a silent speech of the little boy that died.โ€

Tone sniffed at the cold, which eagerly rushed in as the pair stood and stared out across the water. The unbroken hand was pocketed; its battered counterpart hung in the bitter night air. โ€œLetโ€™s go home, Ren.โ€

He trudged off, pulling himself up and over the fence in deliberate fashion. Ren watched him for a moment, his teeth pressing together until they ached, the freezing air burning through the skin of his feet and into his bones. The bleeding hand he watched seemed to burn in the night, all fire and fury behind the knuckles that burst against the wall.

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He couldnโ€™t tell him.

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Not yet.

โ€”

Ch 40

3 Likes

I keep stretching the limit for how long these chapters can get bruh2

Tonight on Top Gear
I go for a walk
James does some fingerpainting
And Hammond gets caught on tape

:fearful:

Rectifying this is highly recommended :triumph: Especially now that Corey has canonically lost his lunch :smirk:

5 Likes
I miss Lamarindariunockius

You actually got me to tear up at Coreyโ€™s death.

I knew what heโ€™d ask as soon as i read this. Somehow, i have a feeling it wonโ€™t turn out so simple.

Well, i may have to reread a lot of this anyway, itโ€™s hard to keep up with all the factions and leaders.

I love this plot twist. Thatโ€™s how you get a mask that canโ€™t be easily removed.

I forget where it is, but i also love the detail about how they contort space to fit in peopleโ€™s pockets

Also like how Tone has gone from โ€œi get the stupid noise maskโ€ to clever and precise uses of his maskโ€™s ability.

4 Likes