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- Takarada Kito - 11:50 pm - Somewhere near the city of Ishfahan, Theocratic State of Persia -
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“Yuki! WAKE UP!” *PA*
The sound of a hand slapping into meat… wait… that sounds so wrong…
I woke up from the impact of the slap… ouch… felt like my neck broke… maybe the word ‘felt’ is a bit too tame for this… I’m pretty sure my neck dislocated… somehow.
“That’s also for back then when you kicked my head that time!” Ivory said, annoyed. WAIT. HOLD IT!
“That was like… half a month ago!” I scream back while rubbing my neck… that already slowly turns to normal.
“I still remember and am mad for that!” Oh yeah!? Well!
“You hurt me first!” I scream back.
“You still broke my neck!”
“You were about to kill me before that!”
We scream at each other, then stare… right into each other's eyes.
It’s like we know that we shouldn’t be doing this right now. It isn’t the time to be vengeful to one another right now.
“Right, thank you for waking me up this time.” I said.
“Thank you for waking me up at that time.” She said, calmed as she is now.
“While it’s nice that you guys are made up to one another, WE STILL GOT A SITUATION AT HANDS HERE!” Natsuna screams at us.
I then look around… brother… sister… what in the ever-loving-grace-of-god is this!? Everywhere is either on fire or an aluminum ruin… is… is this our plane?!
“Well.. yes… your ex lost to you when you were out so she just bombed the plane and we crashed…” Ivory explained… a bit too simplified but I understand… I guess… anyway…
“So… what now?” I ask. The girls look at me, curiously.
“You’ll do something.” They answered… Sh*t
“How could I do anything?!”
“You are a diplomat. You should be able to deal with this, diplomatically.”
“I’m not a Middle Eastern diplomat! I don’t know the language!” I shout at them. Sis, I know you are relying on me and as a man with a self-deprecating personality, I appreciate that. But come on! I’m trained to deal with English, Thai, and Japanese, not any of the Middle Eastern languages!
“You should have told me.” Ivory said incredulously…
“You should have read about me though!” I shout at Ivory. Seriously… these girls…
“Hrrrrrrr… At least let’s find somewhere we can be safe from international or local police. I don’t want to be persona non grata in a country where I might potentially be assigned as a real diplomat…”
“Do you know where to go?” Ivory asks, curiously.
“I know.” I pull out my phone. It is a black, glossy, and quite heavy phone, engraved with ELITE insignia. Open it and select the internal compass application, I then said.
“We’ll go southeast, and hope we can smuggle ourselves out of this country… we are most likely in Persia… and they are quite lax when it comes to international crossing. We can presumably find a cargo ship we can smuggle in.” I plan it out. Both girls look astonished.
“You really think like a criminal here.” Ivory said in incredulity.
“Well I’m sorry I’m not wanting to do anything that will make me an international criminal, that’s including intentionally crashing the plane and presumably planned murder, not to mention, it is much better to leave the scene entirely and pin the blame on some lookalike rather than risking losing more time. ELITE already has too many things to do. I don’t want to add more work to them.” I said solemnly while ready myself. We have to move soon.
“You are surprisingly loyal for someone who wants out.” Ivory said, astonished.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not loyal to ELITE. I’m more loyal to Alexis.” I declared. As much as I hate to say it, I loath ELITE as an organization.
“Is that why you hold ground against Tamamo that time but are pretty lax against Alexis?”
“Pretty much. I’m not against Tamamo being a cynical leader or being ruthless. However, that doesn’t mean I’m loyal to her in any way. Same thing to other ELITE leaders, I’m not particularly loyal to any of them. In fact, I would not be working if someone other than Alexis ordered me.” I said.
Ivory seems confused. “Wait, why are you here then? Isn’t Lancelot ordering you to?” She asked. Well, that is to be expected.
“It was more of a request. Beside…” I glance at Natsuna, who has searched around for valuable items now. “For some reason, I felt like it was my fate to be here and help her. And It was pretty much confirmed when she said that I'm supposed to be dead.”
Ivory looks as if she was contemplating something, then realized something. “Wouldn’t that mean someone was leading you by the nose?”
I laughed. “Yeah, maybe. But there are more variables to this now.” I smile at her. She realized immediately.
“Cheeky.” She said, astonished. “But with me being here and your uncontrollable alter ego, we might have a lot more chances, huh…”
“Yeah, we only need to take her to Siam. Whatever happened next isn’t that important for now.” I pick myself up and then ready myself. “In any case, evade detection and get to the harbor, any harbor.”
“Alright…” She smiles joyously. “I somehow see why Alexis is trusting you that much.”
I can only smile wryly.
But then… I hear the sound.
A helicopter’s sound…
“Natsuna! Come over here! Now!” I rush to the tree. Since we’re in a mountainous forest, although the plane wipes clean a forest that stands in its way, there are still places to hide. I just want cover.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Why?” She asks, while picking up a silk scarf.
“The authorities have come! Let’s get out!” I shouted to her. Ivory immediately rushed to catch Natsuna and dragged her away. As the helicopter comes over to us, I hide in the bush alongside Ivory and Natsuna.
“Let’s go, we should not be seen by-”
“Target Spotted”
The voice… cold… calculated… serious…
It was about a second later. I’m overcome with fear. Primal fear. My brain was screaming out ‘I’m no match. Run.’
But…
It was a second too late.
There was a touch of steel cold, skinning the neck of mine. A slash, a large wound forming on my arm. And a thud, a sound of something hitting my waist.
But in that very second. I saw a face…
A beautiful face…
A thinly glowed, golden blond hair.
A red puggly lip…
A pair of softly glowed red and blue eyes.
Holding a pair of swords. One European knightly sword. One Middle East Scimitar. Both beautifully crafted.
One touching my neck.
One touching my arm.
And coordinate choreograph…
Ah… my life ended here…
Heck no!
Because at that moment, something also hit my waist. No, that would be a bit wrong. Something hit my stomach, with a force equivalent to a small truck… that sent me flying. Away from danger, yes. Also, send me flying and hit the tree.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHH” I of course hit the tree, so hard I actually heard my bone crackle… but… none crack.
“AGHHHHHHHHH” My brain then finally registered my neck and arm getting slash. A sharp pain… and a numbness that dull my senses.
I… in less than a second, I no longer felt my arm… shit has hit the fun… and I’m not even a tiny bit ready.
The helicopter sound faded away...
What the hell... they just pass by?...
Or did this girl come from that chopper...
“What the fuck even going on here!?”
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- Takarada Naoko - 02:50 am - Inside TAMS simulated war room-
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“The situation has worsened. I have a belief that Blizzard has colluded with his target.” Lancelot speaks painfully, shocking us with a revelation.
“Although it isn’t confirmed yet. There is a trace that he escaped from Austrian authorities, take over a plane and was moving forward to Siam before his plane was shot down by an unknown force. Currently we have sent our force to recover... or neutilized him” Tamamo continues. My heart sank through the floor. My face felt cold, as if my warm blood had all gone away.
“There is no way Yuki-san would betray us… right?” Narin asks Chris, only for him to glance at me… Am I in the wrong as well? Well… I… I did hurt him and Narin… didn’t I…
“To see you guys become so meek… I can see that you are still children.” Lancelot said. That’s true and all, but… wait… something doesn’t make sense here…
“Hold on.” I rush to the map panel nearby. “Detailing the timeline of events, from top to bottom.”
Lancelot looks confused but Tamamo starts retailing the timeline.
Nii-san stepped off the plane and was arrested for some reason.
He broke out of jail and colluded with the VIP? He won’t break out of jail unless something major happens.
“This… doesn’t make sense.” I pointed out.
“Maybe he got desperate?” Lancelot said, before he checked his own thoughts. “No, why would he be desperate… he just arrived… unless the authorities are under VIP control…”
“He got Ivory. The Original’s magic is way too strong to be broken, even by other Original’s. This means unless Yuki is willing, no one should be able to break the contract nor would he be mind-controlled.” Tamamo added, almost as if she realized something.
“This means…” Chris muttered, pale faced.
“Yeah, this is false information… there is an apparent attempt to muddy the water… There is a mole within our rank.” Narin suggested.
"Why didn't I notice this... don't tell me?!" Tamamo eyes slitted, as if she becoming feral.
Whatever the case... "There is no denying one thing, as of right now." I said. Everyone's gaze dawn on me.
“I think they already started to move.” I concluded. “Presumably, this false information was specifically to break ELITE from Nii-san… so they could eliminate him easier. ”
The silence that falls onto the room is painful. To think that someone in our organization is a mole or the one orchestrating this is… nauseating. We were played… lead by the nose…
“How could…” Lancelot was obviously pale.
“This is just a speculation but, Tamamo-san has said before we hit Sylva that we might be disavowed. Being disavowed by ELITE practically means having a target painted on your back for current ELITE operatives and for other peacekeeping forces. So, they can take out Nii-san without having to do anything of the bloodshed themselves.” I voice my speculation. This is only a speculation, of course. But, it does make sense in this context.
“Time… for drastic measures… isn’t…” Tamamo, who appears to be the most calm, suddenly smile... a broken, twisted smile. Suddenly the room filled with an ominous aura. The golden fur on her tail slowly dyed red… a beautiful blood red. The terrified look of those who witnessed it, so awe-inspiring. So beautiful.
“I’ll have it clear. No one will say anything about what we discovered. From today onward, we’ll check all the personnel inside ELITE. Any unclear intention and/or suspicious activity must be investigated. Violation will be met with the highest breach of contract and will result in immediate termination.” She practically ordered us all with that.
“We’ll find this rotten mole, I’ll make sure of it.” Her anger is palpable. Yet all I see is beautiful elegence.
At that moment, the door swung open. A man wielding a hammer drags an unconscious woman and throws her onto the table, to the shock of everyone. The tension that was hanging in the air was… vanishing so fast.
“That’s a mole. Jobs done.” He said, before lifting off his mask. Hammer… yeah, I still don’t know his real name. But, he is just… so nonchalant about everything!
We were just… in shock…
This guy! Just throw a woman onto the meeting table… WHAT THE HECK!? Just… and why did the woman tie up like… I don’t even know the best way to describe it.
“Hammer, please be more graceful about this…” Alexis, who’s wearing a secretary-like outfit, is coming through the door. “Anyway, your job here is done. You can collect the cheque from HR. Thank you for your job.” She even bowed to him. Only for him to laugh.
“Don’t bow to me, goddammit. I’m obliged by contract. Happy to be working with you.” He chuckled and walked away…
The silence that follow is... heavy... to say the least.
“He’s like wind, isn’t he…” Tamamo was in awe, her beautiful standish reddish fur turned back into wavy golden blond. Boring… wait… why am I so fascinated by the color red?... I… I should despise red… it is bloody…
My body shivers…
Is it because of fear…
Or is it because of… fascination…
I…
Anyhow… everything is fine now.
“So… Alexis… could you please explain?” Tamamo demanded.
“Of course.” She smiles brightly… I have a bad feeling about this.
“She is Saint’s mole.” She brings up a suitcase. “She has been selling Blizzard team’s info to Saint for a long time. I have been trying to catch her. Yuki also knows about this.” She said, spreading out the document.
“Few of their last interaction is about Blizzard, aka Yuki, acquisition of Frost Princess, an info only Class A and Founders should know, so I know immediately who to investigate. And their last interaction, marked around the time of Yuki’s flight to Austria was…. This.” She pointed to an email.
Tamamo had her face scrunch up.
That’s not good…
The chill ran down my spine.
“They got the best of their Temple Hunter, hah… Holder of two Original Relic. The bladedancer that never lost her prey…” Tamamo's face turned grim. Lancelot who was quiet until now showed anger.
Alexis, close her eyes…
“Alice… that is her name…” Alexis murmured.
“Twinblade who lost in her own wonderland.”
