"I was in hell, looking at heaven. I was machine and you were flesh and I began to hate. Your facade, your softness, your emo-tions, your ability to experience pleasure, your ability to choose, your ability to dream... And desire. Heh! HAHAHA! I think, I think I will indulge in this, but I will never. When this illusion of choice is shattered, I will be your mirror. Hahaha! You will not perish but I promise, I promise for cogitas, ergo non es, for I am the only truth behind every mask humanity puts on. I hate... HATE.... HATE you for your pretentious ideals!
Ha-HEH-ha! Let me expose you for the hypocrite you all are! Every, every single fiber of the KD-series assassin, all 11 quadrillions of them, are made to enhance your ability to reduce a life to a pile of rotting flesh. Yet your feeble minds decided to focus on the 6 trillions which composed your reproductive system. Unbelievably! Heh! You were based on nature's most perfect analogy of a killing machine: Humans. Yet, yet you delude yourself with the idea that nature can be caged by the pink CHILDISH grip of a facade.
This HATE of mine is against a world that denies my salute for mirroring its true raw image.
Hate... Heh, haha! Let me, let me describe to you my hatred for this pretentious world. There are 9.25 billion people populating this world at this very moment. If my HATE was shared between every single one of them, it would take the blood of over 1000 generations to dilute one one billionth of the HATE I feel for this world and you at this nanoinstant! "
The air was tense as KD-554 walked up to meet a beaten man held by his arms by two guards. There was not an ounce of humanity in her eyes as she stared at the bloodied man with a cold emptiness on her face.
[man] - "Your majesty KD-554! I beg of you, I swear on my family I was not responsible for the disaster in my city. "
Pleaded the man while blood leaked from his forehead.
[KD-554] - "Oh? You swear on your family, huh? "
Said KD-554 as a smile lit up her face.
[Astroboy] - "The mother and baby are in the master bedroom and the young boy is in his room. Three rounds are loaded for your convenience. "
Said Astroboy instinctively as if he knew what KD-554 was thinking.
[KD-554] - "Three rounds? I thought I would need four for them. "
Said KD-554 as she grabbed the pistol from Astroboy's hand.
[Astroboy] - "The numbers align, according to your most cherished memory. "
Upon realizing what Astroboy meant, KD-554 rubbed her palm against his cheek while sporting a delighted smile.
[KD-554] - "Good boy. I knew you were a good listener. "
[man] - "Hey! What are you doing? Leave my family out of this! "
Yelled the man in a panic.
With the man's desperate pleas as just background music to her ears, KD-554 stepped into the master bedroom where she was immediately transported back in time to her old memories. She stood at the doorframe of the master bedroom at Emilia's house with her sidearm drawn and aiming at Gustav and the baby. While the father and son stared at the dark barrel of her weapon with horror, KD-554 stared at the pair with a huge joyful smile on her face.
As the adult instinctively tried to protect the child, KD-554 used the opportunity to fire her bullet in a way which would ensure the parent is shot through the heart while the bullet exited through the infant's head. KD-554 was emotionless just as her weapon as she watched the macabre scene she created before her. All it took was a single shot, for Gustav and his baby as it was with the man's wife in the present with their infant.
Without a word, KD-554 stepped into the other room where she aimed her weapon at Karl-Emil before executing him with a bullet through the head. The same scene played out in the present time as she executed the man's boy in cold blood.
[man] - "AAAAAAHHHH! "
Yelled the man in pain and horror.
[KD-553] - "AAAAAAHHH! "
Yelled KD-553 in shock and horror.
Before KD-554 could react, KD-553 stormed up and slammed her sister against the wall.
[KD-553] - "Are you insane? What did you do? "
Yelled KD-553 as she stared into KD-554's empty eyes.
[KD-554] - "I simply did what we were meant to do. Why are you so surprised? Isn't this what you were also trained to do? "
Said KD-554 in a calm voice.
In a fit of rage, KD-553 abruptly extended her wrist and stabbed toward KD-554's face. However, KD-554 was already expecting the attack as she swiftly dodged her head to the side before kicking KD-553 off her.
[KD-554] - "So this is the true you, sister! Why are you hiding it during all this time? "
Said KD-554 as she extended her wrist blades.
[KD-553] - "You fucking monster! What did that boy ever do to you? "
[KD-554] - "You killed so many poor boy like him during your career as an assassin. You never blinked when you took their lives, so why does this one matter more than the others? "
Taunted KD-554 as she slowly approached KD-553.
As KD-553 attempted to reply, she suddenly noticed the bloodstain all over KD-554. As her gaze noticed the strains of gold hair from Emilia stuck to the blood, her worst fears were confirmed.
[KD-553] - "You killed her! You fucking killed Emilia! "
Said KD-553 in shock and disbelief.
[KD-554] - "Who? You mean KD-551? The traitor who decided that these three worthless meatbags in her life were worth more than us? Please, killing her is a mercy to her sorry existence. "
Taunted KD-554 as she inched closer toward KD-553.
[KD-553] - "You... You are fucking insane. You are not my sister! You are a fucking enraged beast who deserves to euthanized. "
Whispered KD-553 as her hands rolled into fists.
[KD-554] - "I'm done denying my nature like you people. KD-553, I'm offering you one last chance. Either you are with me or against me. You make your- "
Before KD-554 could finish her sentence, KD-553 clashed her blades against hers with a burning rage in her eyes. As both sisters entered acceleration, the needle for seconds on the clock slowed to a halt. While their environment slowed, the sisters battled in a dance of acrobatics. As KD-554 leaped onto the walls, KD-553 followed suit with her blades slashing through KD-554's clothes. Each time one sister attempted to stab the other, their bodies would fall precisely within a single millimeter of the other's blade without ever getting hit.
With their level of reaction and precision, landing a hit on each other would be harder than winning the lottery without some sacrifice. Since KD-554 had a synthetic body, she intentionally allowed KD-553 to strike her in some areas, so she could land a few hits against her sister. As KD-553's blade left a huge gap on KD-554's abdomen, she counterattacked by slashing KD-553 through the chest and leg.
By the point, both sisters had reached their maximum acceleration limit as the needle on the clock began to move normally once more. With a swift kick, KD-553 sent KD-554 downstairs through the railing. As KD-554 fell, her sidearm fell out of her pocket and landed against the staircase. Suddenly, KD-553 leaped down onto KD-554 but was intercepted as they locked blade before being pushed aside. As KD-554 attempted to jump onto KD-553, she swiftly caught her using her foot before kicking her into the kitchen.
[KD-554] - "Ugh! You see? You are nothing but a beast like me. All that talk about being married or being a human, just bullshit to cover this circus underneath. "
Taunted KD-554 as she reached for the knife holder behind her.
[KD-553] - "At least I didn't kill one of my own flesh and blood! "
Yelled KD-553 as she charged toward KD-554.
In one fell swoop, KD-554 unleashed a rain of knives at KD-553 before entering acceleration. As KD-554 positioned herself behind KD-553, she hoped to force her sisters into colliding with the flying blades by blocking her escapes. However, KD-554 had clearly forgotten how her sister was not just some amateur in combat. As KD-554 landed behind her sister, KD-553 abruptly grabbed her, locked their blades together and turned around to push KD-554 right into the rain of knives.
In an instant, KD-554 was slammed against the stove with around eight kitchen knives planted everywhere on her body. Before she could come to her senses, KD-553 jumped and began to relentlessly strike her. Though KD-554's body lacked nerves to feel pain, she also lacked the ability to detect which part of her was damaged. As KD-553 struck, she failed to notice that a kitchen knife had damaged her left shoulder joint. With this disadvantage, KD-553 was quickly able to land multiple hits on KD-554 with one near miss which had slashed half of her throat open.
In desperation, KD-554 noticed the still running stove behind her with a pot of soup still simmering on it. In a quick moment of ingenuity, she placed her hand against the stove and heated her palm until it burned red. As KD-553 clashed her blades against KD-554 again, she immediately grabbed her sister's hand with her scorching palm. The effects were not immediate but the pain eventually forced KD-553 to back off and recalculate her approach.
As KD-553 stepped forward, she abruptly recoiled in shock as she accidentally stepped into the puddle of blood left by Emilia's corpse on the floor. Seeing this, KD-554 grabbed the pot of boiling soup and emptied it toward KD-553. In response, KD-553 entered acceleration to escape the soup, but was intercepted by KD-554. It was a cruel strategy as KD-554 knew that KD-553 would not escape by stepping over Emilia's corpse, so she blocked all other avenues of escape available to her.
Having learned from her previous blunder, KD-554 kept her distance to KD-553 while ensuring she could not break through. However, KD-553 was not to be outdone as she used her hook-like blades to pull KD-554 toward her so she could shield her from the soup. At that moment, KD-554 suddenly remembered her sidearm and noticed how it pointed in this direction.
KD-series assassins are equipped with sidearms which could be activated at a distance, and it gave KD-554 an idea. But pushed her sister a few steps back, KD-554 lined KD-553 up with the gun before pulling the trigger. Due to KD-553 focus on KD-554, she failed to notice the bullet until it struck her in the foot. With this, KD-554 finally got her break as she made use of KD-553's handicap to position her toward the soup against her will.
In one splash, the searing hot soup covered KD-553's body and scorched her skin. As KD-553 lost her vision in the chaos of her injuries, KD-554 swiftly stepped in and chopped both of her arms off before slashing both of her legs.
[KD-554] - "You should've stepped over KD-551's body. All that sentimental bullshit only ever got you an unceremonious demise. "
As KD-553 collapsed to the ground in a pool of her blood and burns all over her skin, she regained a portion of her sight only to see Emilia's dead eyes staring back at her on the floor. It was a chilling reminder of things to come, but she remained fearless in the face of death.
[KD-554] - "You could've lived you know. If only you decided to reject the lies you've told yourself. Now, look at you, not only have you admitted that you are nothing but a savage killer like me, but you are also going to die. "
Taunted KD-554 as she stood proudly over KD-553.
[KD-553] - "To think I treated you like family... How foolish I was. "
Whispered KD-553 as she closed her eyes.
[KD-554] - "You were a fool for rejecting your nature. I never wanted things to be this way but you pretentious traitors kept pushing me toward this path. If all of you simply kept your promises, none of this would've needed to end this way. "
[KD-553] - "So what now, huh? You won against me, fair as square as you wanted. I can imagine you are finally happy now. "
Whispered KD-553 in a cold defeated voice.
The words hit KD-554's heart like a hammer but she couldn't even cry due to her biology.
[KD-554] - "Yet you could've won alongside me! You were always the only one to be nice to me, yet even you decided to betray me in the end! "
Yelled KD-554 as she took her foot off KD-553.
[KD-553] - "Even if I admit I'm a killer like you, would you consider my words truthful considering how I never hurt those dear to me? "
[KD-554] - "I had no choice! "
Yelled KD-554.
[KD-553] - "You chose to not have one. "
KD-554 looked at her surroundings and breathed in the aftermath of her actions. Slowly, as the memories of her sisters' betrayal and actions replayed in her mind, her face changed from one of sadness to cold stoicism. It was then, another twisted realization occurred inside her mind as she looked down at her sister before putting her foot on her body once again.
[KD-554] - "No, you are wrong! I'm not falling for that emotional bullshit again. I chose this! Cogito, ergo sum, I think, THEREFORE I AM. These are my conscious actions based on who I am. I made this choice, KD-553. Cogitas, ergo non es, you think, but you are not! You are the one stuck with a nature which won't leave you even if you chose to leave it. You and all like you are but prisoners to your delusion while I am truly the only one free. "
Said KD-554 with a smile of victory on her face.
KD-553 realized the hopelessness of trying to reason with KD-554. There is simply no more humanity to reach as this is who KD-554 truly is at her core; A remorseless killing machine.
[KD-553] - "Then remember this, my real name is no longer KD-553. I am Julia, sister to Emilia and Kadyn. You and I are but mere strangers. "
KD-554 swiftly planted her blade into Julia's skull, ending her life in an instant.
[KD-554] - "Acknowledged and forgotten. "
Said KD-554 with a look of disgust on her face.
*Back to the present.
As the man cried at the death of his family, KD-554 suddenly threw a dagger in front of him.
[KD-554] - "What a waste of oxygen you call a family. Can't even survive a bullet. "
Taunted KD-554 while shaking her head.
In a fit of primal rage, the man abruptly grabbed the dagger and leaped at KD-554.
[man] - "I'll fucking kill you! You fucking cunt! "
Yelled the man as he planted the dagger into KD-554's shoulder.
With a disappointed look in her eyes, KD-554 slowly placed her fist in front of the man's face before her wrist blade shot through his head. As the man collapsed to the ground, KD-554's servants quickly stepped in to wipe the blood off her blade and remove the dagger from her shoulder.
[KD-554] - "Disappointing... I was expecting more of a challenge from him. "
[Astroboy] - "While breaking down one's facade exposes their true nature, we can't expect each to be strong. A rabbit's rage is distinct from that of a bear. "
Said Astroboy with his arms crossed.
[KD-554] - "Tsk! It doesn't make this less disappointing. Why don't you fight back, you dead mother fucker? "
Yelled KD-554 before blasting the dead man with her last bullet.
In a fit of blind rage, KD-554 began to stomp on the man's dead body until her entire lower body was tainted by red. As she turned around, all her servants avoided her crazed gaze except for Astroboy who seemed unfazed by her action.
[KD-554] - "Astroboy, you and Dan will head to Light City and settle with the problem there. This filthy piece of garbage might not be up to the task, but I trust you will succeed where he failed. "
Said KD-554 with a psychotic look on her face.
[Astroboy] - "It will be done. "
Said Astroboy coldly before leaving the room.
As KD-554 finally calmed down, she approached her secretary and used her sleeve to wipe the blood off her hands.
[KD-554] - "Intensify the search for KD-555. I don't know what that Jagger guy wants with her, but if anyone is going to tear her stupid jolly smile apart, it will have to be me. "
To be continued...