Chapte 50———Aftermath of the Garden Incident (MOVE ON) ——————————————————————————
The day after everything happened, news hit the N.U.S.N——The Rescue Garden Facility was attacked by the Shinra Army, and only a few injured persons were reported, but none of the students were hurt physically.
Yet, they were all traumatized by this incident.
Next week, everything in the states of N.U.S.N was given a public appearance by Pearline Bishop about everything and apologized for the thing.
Infusco and Vaniguzu were swiftly apprehended and placed into the custody of Schwarzwald, an extremely hush-hush maximum-guarded prison for villains.
The scandal proceeded to become more prevalent as Lino brushed it off in an indifferent tone. He stated, "We have no intentions of canceling the Skirmish Festivals. We have to move forward with our heads held up high to ensure that the Shinra Army. From what I heard from the Mayor and NATO that we will not declare war on the Shinra Army. She is only a toddler, and toddlers tend to crave attention. We will not give her our attention."
Those words left the world speechless at the N.U.S.N.
The next day of Akina Willoby slept terribly and couldn't wait for the day to be over when it was only 8:30 a.m. She turned in her bed while she kept on thinking about the whole incident. Chief Apex, or Enapay Walker, hasn't contacted her since the Incident and the Skirmish Festival was about to begin. She needed to confide in someone who isn't
Those teeth from Infusco still haunt her. They still do due to how eerie they were not supposed to be those types of colors, how she felt he was going to bite her head off.
She did not want to fear yet she was only eleven. She was still a child.
A week after everything has happened, the city known as Christine has been a ghost town: No one had uttered a noise. No criminal was stupid enough to do anything in Yorkney: This was a time to self-reflect on the future.
There was something that bugged Akina. She had a personal conflict, one that she looked like she suffered from. I'm supposed to be this ultra-strong person where I can leap high and be strong as an anime character? If I can do all these incredible things, then why do I still have fear in me? I wanna know...She rolled her eyes about her thoughts, she wished to have no fear. Ryoji...He's fearless without Iggy...It's everything about him! He's the ultimate Donut Steel character. Even being this Ultiman feels...Like it's missing something...Like...
Her thoughts ended when her adopted brother, Marcus Duncannon, darted to her room with his stuff on.
"Hey, Aki, We're going to Beri's in five minutes. Can you get ready?"
She was ready to get out of this bed and was already prepared to leave the house. Akina needed some answers to dull the fear; she needs some level of adventure. The first thing Akina took with her was her phone and a bag of healing ailments. Just in case she had another encounter like in the alley when Ryoji saved her. She didn't want that to happen to her.
The two siblings snuck around the window ever since August Duncannon, had become increasingly paranoid after the Garden and kept to his office. Not one sound was made that alerted him of his children sneaking around. They both sighed in relief and left with an Uber.
—Plum Creek—
Leaves fell upon Akina and Marcus as they walked into one of the entrances of the Plum Creek community, one of the safest neighborhoods in Yorkney, without the trouble it gets from scumbags.
The two walked casually to Beri's home without having a sense of danger. When they would drive
Beri's home was bigger than it seem on the inside since of the optical illusion it brought. The door was wide open.
Books were disheveled and papers were around in his room, along with a Nintendo Wii still operating and kicking as he had a game set with Meta Knight in Super Smash Bros Brawl. He had the Nintendo Switch in his room as well but he loved the feeling of nostalgia. He also loved how Meta Knight was powerful in that game. I miss it when he could just glide to that Zelda stage. Good times...
"You guys are already here?!" Beri beamed as he hugged both Akina and Marcus, he was happy to see them.
Rather, happy for them to be alive and well.
And Cecilia appeared behind Marcus with a soft "Boo", rattling him as he jumped into his sister's arms. It reminded Cecilia of Scooby-Doo, the old Finnish version of it.
How...adorable. She lit out a small grin, thinking how adorable Akina looked while she held her brother in her arms. Her wings ruffled up in a...emotion she'd never thought she could feel. An emotion that is associated with positivity...I shouldn't think like that...
Cecilia returned to her more dour self as she saw that her classmates were looking at her.
"She seems a bit more-e cheery."
Beri agreed with her as he paused his game, and whispered in her ear. "I think it's because of you. I asked her to be on our team."
Later in the dining area of the Sosa family, talking about the Skirmish Plan commenced with Beri being the leader of this team. Akina was not so confident to lead, Marcus was too immature, and Cecilia...Had an acquired taste.
"Akina will get Gold, Cecilia gets silver and Marcus'll get bronze."
"What about you though?"
Beri hesitated a bit before giving out his answer. "I'm focused on getting you three to the top 3. That's all."
"Every year is different. We all know that."
He pointed out the obvious in this section. "Every three years, the first course of the Skirmish is the Great Tree Run, where everyone has to run to the top of the Great Tree and the first 80 have to make it through to make it to the second round. Then it's some beefed-up version of Laser Tag with actual plasma guns and actual targets on our backs." Cecilia gasped at his planning in amazement. "Beri. You are a genius." She wanted to be a bit nicer to everyone today was the anniversary of a person she once respected greatly, whose life was ended at the hands of her mother.
She decided to be a little bit nice today with her peers, even Marcus—A boy who hated her guts. "This year will be the Great Tree Run and laser tag. How did you figure it out so quickly?"
Beri was not in the mood for Cecilia's sarcasm attack and her twisted stabs at his stature. Except, this time around, She was genuine towards him.
"I can handle laser guns. Can you, bird?" Beri barked back at Cecilia, he was having a rough day ever since the accident. His mom and grandpa were scared that Beri almost had a brush with death from that Shinra since he was grounded for a month now. He could still play his games but only forty minutes or else.
He sighed deeply and apologized to Cecilia. "Sorry about that. Being grounded is a bitch and I acted recklessly with that one guy." Beri couldn't look at her in the eye since he looked at his plans...
"Bro...." Marcus muttered under his breath in disbelief. He was starting to sweat from all the tension between these two.
What is going on, today? Akina wondered as she saw how the two were acting. CeeCee's acting sweet and Beri's not acting all sweet. Is today Opposite Day? Her fingertips were jolting in fear, she just didn't want some war between the two. Maybe she wanted to play it safe.
She still had her remaining strength to help her should the two fight right here in his home. Akina was ready, even though Marcus could see a sort of light-emitting away from her body.
Of course, he jumped back from fright, but not from his sister. Marcus was never afraid of his adopted sister.
But an apex predator in the middle of the room could do the trick.
"Oh shit!! A jaguar?!" Marcus yelled, even getting Cecilia very startled and getting close to Akina suddenly and Akina did the same.
Only Beri was happy to see a jaguar in his room.
"Tezca. What are you doing up?" Beri asked his pet jaguar nonchalantly.
If a person has had a pet Jaguar for as long as they can remember, they would lose some of that fear that is associated with big cats.
Tezca was much older than the average Panthera Onca, having more white fur on his paws and face and his eyes were weary, and had one blind eye. He looked like the average Jaguar, however; He had a rose gold canine implant since he was once foolish. Tezca was too cocky for his good before his tooth was smashed to pieces by prey.
"I came to tell you that your mom and grandpa are coming home soon, Beri. In about twenty minutes or so." Tezca gave them the heads-up before clarifying what he meant. "Since the incident, Beri isn't allowed to have any guests due to your little stunt rescuing Cecilia Harmaajärvi, who stands right in this very room."
"What should I do?" Understanding how Tezca was helping, Beri always asked for his pet's sage advice. Beri had high respect for him, for his wisdom was relevant to the current situation they were in.
"Simple. Make them leave. Same with the Duncannons. The two are close together but no Harmaajärvi around except the small one. All alone herself. No family." Those two words set a fire in Cecilia's eyes, a quiet flame, that would go to become an inferno in the future if left unchecked.
The jaguar then looked at the other two, he was suspicious of them since they seemed to make Beri even more fearless.
Even the pink one is making me hungry for a steak...They should leave before I lose control... Tezca thought while warning them. "I prefer if my owner won't be harmed next time, you three," Tezca growled at them before jumping on the couch and resting his head. "Is that all swell with you?"
Akina and Marcus agreed immediately, Akina didn't know if the jaguar was going to eat them and spit them out.
"I didn't actually-" Marcus tried to bring up the fact that he was not a part of the group, let alone that he was still scared by this jaguar. In fear, he became quiet and never spoke again.
Cecilia looked downwards to her pocket and reached for her pocket and her thick eyebrows widen in amazement. Or at least something that resembled the emotion commonly associated with amazement, Finnish girls were still weird to Marcus: He couldn't figure them out. He knew he was eye candy and the class seemed to stare at him at times. Bro...I wonder what goes on in her head at times. Maybe she's like...Screw love and shit...
Maybe he finally knew he was once eye candy before Ryoji took over as his successor.
Cecilia announced to Akina and the rest of her classmates that were there. "I have somewhere to be."
"Course you do." Tezca rudely bellowed at the white-haired girl with large wings.
"And thanks for saving me, Willoby. And thanks to you too, Beri. Goodbye." Cecilia said her goodbyes before flapping away to parts unknown.
What's up with that Jaguar anyway? Akina thought as she was the last one to leave the Alliyma Sosa house.
There was no noise now.
As soon as his friends left, Beri turned toward his pet, who left to go to his bed. "Whatever you're scheming, I want no part of it in this household. So why don't you pull more of your shenanigans after school?" The voice of Tezca echoed the hallways like a Disney villain.
You son of a bitch...You just gave me an idea and I thought of it as scolding at first...
"Luckily, I'm a natural genius..." Beri arrogantly boasted before getting hit in the head by his own doing. Karma has a way with people.
—In Vermillion Valley—
In the great Vermillion Valley, the boredom was getting to Funka Berunji. All she was permitted was to stay indoors all week until the skirmish. Even her stepmother, Erika Berunji, was teleworking at home since her business was suspended for the time being.
She was immensely bored.
So bored in fact, that she managed to lose twenty dollars into the swear jar. So bored that she wanted to be ground so she could ruminate about the Incident.
Funka couldn't train for the Skirmish.
That pissed her off.
She couldn't visit her friends or vice versa, she was technically grounded for a good reason—It was for her good. This way, she wouldn't be targeted for being the daughter of Captain Molotov.
Her stepmother gave her an extremely detailed clarification of it that every second of her "prison" infuriated her even more and her punching bag received new holes in it.
Then, all the memories from the Rescue Garden Incident race inside her head of her being in the skies with that Heart-Bond. Funka is terrified of heights and planes and anything to do with the atmosphere, all because of how her biological mother disappeared from a plane and left her.
Kazama made me feel safe: He saved my life from that Venom ripoff...Maybe he's trying to be a Protector like the rest of us...Maybe he ain't so bad, after all...
She quickly changed her mind and doubted him mentally.
Nah. He has to be hiding someone from all of us. I know it... Funka was defiant in finding out the truth. She could see right through his dumbfounded persona. I gonna find out and maybe call Private Eye one of these days and invade his personal life...That's my declaration!
All these conflicting thoughts were hitting her head, giving her these entangling notions about the one guy he hates the most besides John Wayne Gacy.
Funka also hated clowns.
All before she looked at her window, Funka saw a small red and green hummingbird consuming some nectar next to her window seal. Hummingbirds mesmerized her since she was a small girl.
Huh, aren't you a cutie pie! She muttered to it while petting it slightly before flying away to eat some nectar and away from Funka.
Well. She shrugged and went on to read a book about powers and their hypothetical origin of them, or at least better than laying around in bed.
—Somewhere in Jupira—
Jupira was the one place where crime had to thrive since Avignon had a few spots. It flooded the entire state like Niagara Falls, where a McDonald's was on top of two red-light districts.
And in a dark alleyway, there is always crime there. Cecilia Harmaajärvi was there by herself, she had a dark secret that no one except her family knew about it. Killing scum was her hobby: The blood was foul for her and this was her ultimate sin.
Why do idiots stand in my way? Why does evil truly exist here when there is so much to stop it in its place? What is the whole point of heroes if all of them are just vainglorious hounds? She tend to have these radical philosophies while she stood above the bodies of those she killed.
Her moral alignment shifted throughout her life; she went from being Lawful Good in following every law there was to Chaotic Neutral, where she had apathy for the constitution. No one on the streets cared about it, even the heroes that were frequently on the boulevards here on the N.U.S.N cared very little for the law they imposed.
Funka Berunji needed to pay attention to her rather than Ryoji Kazama, who has genuine intentions in hopes of redeeming himself at least. Cecilia, on the other hand, did not want redemption.
She wanted satisfaction from her hell. This was doing so. Cecilia wasn't proud of it, but it had to be done and it eerily brought a smile to her face for some reason.
It feels weird...It feels good when I do this...When I kill bastards and pieces of scum. Why? It's not normal...
Her phone rang, and she stopped smiling when she picked up. It was her estranged, older brother; Eerikki Harmaajärvi, the Pale Rider and N0.1 Hero of the Nordic Region. She hasn't seen her family since the whole fight with them in the first place was about....three years ago.
Thinking about it gave her memory problems at times.
"What happened exactly in the Garden?" His voice had no ounce of concern for her, she was dead to him
"None of your business. I'm safe, Eerikki."
Every time he uttered a breath, his breath would produce a chill through her iPhone. It would make Cecilia shiver a bit from fear, she feared her brother. She couldn't imagine what he'll do
Just even thinking about Eerikki snapped her out of her bloodlust and what he'll do to her if he found out.
The disappointment was there in his voice. It was always there when he spoke to her.
"The Skirmish will be in a week. I will arrive during this time and I will see the progress you've made thus far since your time at Surwick. If you sully our name into the dirt one more time, there will be consequences. Do I make myself clear?" The voice of Eerikki suddenly roared at her. "DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" He wanted her to answer quickly and she couldn't.
"Y-yes, sir." Cecilia stuttered before her brother hung up on her. She scoffed in the end; her brother, one of blood, could treat her like this. Cecilia wanted to be loved, but she didn't know how to love. All of it was foreign to her before.
She leaned on the wall of a building before crumbling down to a snowy white-haired mess. She sniffed and sniffed in sorrow, locking herself into a fetal position as she wanted things to get better for her.
She wished for her solution to get better, she never prayed in her life.
Why is everything in my world so shitty compared to everybody else?!
Then, her Samsung vibrated euphorically. Cecilia's senses were on high alert, so she took it out quickly
and a text message appeared out of thin, digital air.
It read:
Hey Cecilia I'm glad your on the team 😊
Why is she texting me all of a sudden?
Me too, and it's "you're", Willoby. Everyone knows that English grammar is really hard to make perfect, but I'll see you soon.
All before she tapped the send button, her thumb and her mind realized something terrible about that text——She was going to be predictable and rude to Akina. Ever since she met her, this Willoby has been nice towards her. Sure, she snapped on her before...Yet, that was her mistake.
Her small fingers pressed on the keyboard, to fix her mistake. Cecilia has been too rude towards a good, decent human being that did nothing to her.
After editing her text, it looked more like this:
Me too, Akina. Better get ready for it too, you're our trump card, after all...Also, get some rest. The Skirmish is going to be one of our toughest trials left.
thank you and Imma be training for the Skirmish! Ur also have a trump card since you got wings, U too 😄
She wiped her tears, smiled a bit, and standing up finally. Better to leave than to get caught by the corrupted cops that run around here.
Gosh...The American schooling system is screwed up...Better leave before Officer Rampart and his bitch comes through these streets.
—In Gartham, Houndspire—
During the cold rain once again, Ryoji was eating some salmon with some arugula on the side while Igneus was wolfing down a tomahawk steak.
The other main character of this story was analyzed as he always did in his free time. He was watching Modern Family understand complex social structures within families and communities.
Back in the guild, it was hard to come across a good-hearted person or someone without twisted morale. Sure, Ryoji has killed people before, yet he had no pleasure in doing it. Castillo, Ryoji's closest ally, was also that way except he wanted to be a hero.
A true one, unlike Ryoji Kazama with his warped view on protecting.
Maybe he was supposed to survive instead of me? I felt like I got the long end of the stick this time...Ryoji thought while suffering from survivor's guilt.
His former partner from Ravenskreig, Joseph Vigouroux, was assembling his attire for tonight's press conference with ZiON. "Ryoji, it'll be smarter if you and your new mentor would stay on the low. Reste loin de lui en attendant. Got that, mon ami?" Joseph advised, putting his red handkerchief in his front pocket elegantly.
Then Ryoji spoke back to him.
"I cannot. You know this. I need to speak with him to resume my training with him! That's what this whole part of this journey—I need to become stronger than ever and—"
"Yadda, yadda, I have no time for the whole backstory!" Joseph interrupted his friend as he prepared himself to head out.
"Where are you going?"
"De telles conneries. Did you forget now? I'm running with ZiON now and work calls for me. This whole mockery of Yami Shinra has risen a shitstorm within corporate and I must go where ZiON is needed. Don't venture too far from my apartment."
"I won't."
"And NO killing bad guys, mon ami."
"I won't. I give you my word." Ryoji promised his friend while looking at him dead in the eyes. His friend left the apartment and silence befell the rooms surrounding Ryoji.
Igneus finished his steak and all it out a burb loud enough to irk the hell out of Ryoji. He commented, "You were never one without manners." Ryoji wiped his mouth and went away after smelling the rancid aroma that came from his breath. So disgusting at times...
He simply laughed at his Bonder and jested with him. "Says the one who always got a long stick up his Croatian-Japanese ass."
"Go to hell."
"You first."
And they bickered like an old couple for the whole night long.
—In the streets of Navotitlan—
Takeo Fukuazan wandered at night to appease the cursed spirit in him. This Kamakaze was ravenous and kept him up where he snuck from the bathroom window. It was hard to keep it in control
Walking around to see a mob large enough marching towards Surwick, so he hoped to avoid them before a sharp-eyed protestor spotted him
TO HELL WITH SURWICK, and DEVILS IN DISGUISE for their signs.
Someone threw a tomato at him. That wasn't the first one and not the last one as he was hit by a barrage of tomatoes from the angry mob.
He was not fazed by it anymore.
"Why are you still alive?!"
"Go back to where you come from, demon!"
"You ruined everything!!"
Everyone that has lost something back in 2006 has a grudge against him, even targeting his foster parents in spite.
They spat at his face and called him names and he did not budge.
All he wanted was to prove them wrong.
That was before smoke took over the air, prompting him to escape and making him wonder if someone was following him.
What the...Is someone following me?!
"you're not alone." He heard a whisper and turned around, yet no one was there.
Weird...I thought I heard a girl's voice...
If Takeo was really smart, then why was he oblivious to Su-Jin Nieswurz. The girl that had a crush on him for the longest of times.
Did he see me? I hope he didn't see me spying on him...
She hoped that Takeo, her unrequited crush, has not identified her as the culprit through all those times
Su-Jin was aware of what she did was wrong to stalk her classmate, but this was the only way she could speak with him——With the plants.
—In Somnus—
Michael Kresh has been one of Lino's trusted followers for some time now. Even more so while he was thousands of miles away from his boss,
"Even you got limits. Whenever you think you need help or gonna suffer from burnout, please let us know and we'll help you out. You know we will."
Lino was no longer the same person now as in 2006, the last time he felt like himself.
He used to be a joking man that loved many good things and was filled with life.
That was the past, no need to dwell on it...
Things had to continue to pace his plan of true security in the N.U.S.N.
The next phase of his plan has commenced, now—Anything goes in this plan and many possibilities can happen.
The world didn't need him or his power, some heroes are still operating overseas and under the seas.
If he has to die this year for the greater good and be reunited with his beloved for the rest of eternity, so be it.
Suddenly, his phone vibrated with an authentic jolt.
When are we training? The Skirmish is coming up very soon and I need your assistance...
Tomorrow, young Padawan. Come by my office tomorrow through the window on the second floor then we'll speak about it. Until then, stay out of trouble and listen to Vigouroux.
Roger.
Lino heard some footsteps coming into his private chambers, he already knew who it was.
"You see a lot of yourself in him. Don't you?" Hanianna questioned her mentor out of curiosity.
He enjoyed communicating telepathically, his mouth would become dry as he talked more and more. So, communicating this way was his favorite way to do so.
They enjoyed their little telekinetic conversations with one another. Hanianna showed mastery over it. Telepathy is an art and like art, it can be subjective. Many people dislike telepathy as it feels as if someone could dig into their thoughts and pick up something they didn't want to hear.
Lino knew that was a lie. There was one apprentice in his life that there was no cunning, no manipulative, no ruthlessness in that person.
The one that got away.
He knew he would have. It was wrong of him to think so, but he cared very little about her at first until her Ultimen genes became more dominant. Now, she is an asset.
How strong she will become?
That was the eight-year-old question that Lino had been asking himself since he knew her since she was but a wee baby.
She's an Ultiman now...Full-Blooded and will have no control over how she will do things...I am looking forward to what Enapay will do to hone her skills...
He didn't want to have her for too long, her parents would start to worry about her.
Hanianna told him as she hugged her master tightly, Lino never liked hugs...They felt warm and serene, reminding him of his mate at one point.
The memories. Oh, how sweet the memories were.
All before everything went to hell.
———Track 50 Ended———
CHARACTER PROFILE:
CIVILIAN: TEZCA (17)
OLD APEX PREDATOR
BIRTHDAY: 7-5
HEIGHT: 29.5 inches
LIKES: His adopted family, Beri, varied meat
DISLIKES: Strangers, his loved ones being in danger
A jaguar imbued with the ability to speak and the intelligence belonging to a man, Tezca is a strange case.
He carries an air of mystery around me wherever he goes and the neighborhood of Plum Creek is familiar to him, no longer frightened by him.
They even say he brings good luck whenever he shows up in houses.
Met Lino one time and Lino is still weirded out by the old jaguar Beri calls his pet. Too creeped out where Juan Carlo Sosa, Beri's grandpa has to arrange poker night somewhere other than his house.