"Roar, men! Down with the false despot. Follow our salvation. Reach freedom, overthrow the King!" Students still in the PE uniform wore scattered pieces of armour over their frames and held large polearms or swords taken from the defeated guards in their hands.
"YEEAHH!"
"OVERTHROW THE KING!"
"THE FALSE DESPOT!" Spittle flew from their mouths as rage covered their faces. It was the picture of an incited rebellion. Of revolution against a despot.
"Form up. Eradicate the prisoners. Leave not a single standing amongst us. In the name of the shining glory of our King!" In their way stood the soldiers of the kingdom, loyal to a fault.
"Glory for our king!"
Metal screeched against metal as the swords of the guards and the random armaments the prisoners had taken struck one another. I watched dispassionately from above with Sakamoto by my side, his hands quivering slightly, apprehensive for the coming fight.
"Well then, shall we save those prisoners?"
"You shouldn't even have to ask. Captain Kidd!" Sakamoto jumped into the room, lightning crashing and smoke billowing as he did.
"Indeed... a pointless question." In contrast, I brought both fists down with a devastating pummel, crushing a soldier's helmet taking out a single guard. Slow and steady. I didn't have the opportunity to use the same powers. But all the same, I could be effective.
"That's-!"
"Saviour!" The prisoners collectively shouted at me as they saw my figure descend.
"What happened to-" The student was cut off by the raised voices of the other prisoners.
"Sir! Say the word! We are prepared to fight with you! I'll gladly put my life on the line." The former prisoners turned towards me, saluting and thanking me.
"What-?!" Sakamoto shouted, looking back at us.
Everyone had their role to play. Mine was leading this rebellion to a measure of success. By any means necessary. After all, I held a lot of lives in the palm of my hand.
"We have a singular purpose. We must find a key. A book like this. If a single soldier stands in your way, kill him." I stoked the bloodlust of the prisoners.
"RAAAAGGHHHH!" The students all participated in a war cry that shook the room.
The royal guard and the king beyond them.
The weight in my pocket brought my thoughts back to the surface.
6 bullets left.
[Phantom Opera]
Our company of prisoners turned soldiers wandered around the castle, defeating troupe after troupe of the scattered guard, their bodies falling uselessly against the onslaught of numbers and Sakamoto's powers.
Until finally, we got the glimpse of something useful.
Beyond a corner, down a large stretch of corridor.
Soldiers with golden carapaces and red fluttering capes, spears of brilliant golden light in each outstretched hand.
All collected at the edge of a long thin hallway, at the very end sat a pedestal and book in a glass box. The king's guard were ordered to protect this book. If the King would gladly give up his own protection for such a thing, then I was right. Some important information must be behind that wall.
I pointed my sword towards the soldiers.
"Leave not a single one alive."
"RAAAAAHHHHH!" A stampede rushed down the hallway, the fleshy monstrosity bursting against the walls as the tidal wave of bodies came to collide with the soldiers.
"Hehe, now!" The head soldier shouted. Another soldier simply pulling the mouth of a statuette down like a lever.
"-Wait!" Sakamoto shouted desperately. Unfortunately, even if they wanted to the rush of bodies behind them would prevent such a manoeuvre.
I guess they were well prepared.
Blades fell from the roof, large swinging monstrosities of iron that cleaved through the students' apparitions. Blood fell to the floor, like an ocean of red. Scattered body parts and lifeless eyes that once held the bright resolve of victory in them. All following a false idol.
I gazed upon the sight, little stirring my heart.
Sakamoto looked as if his heart had just stopped. I can't have my war instrument losing his sharpness.
"It's fine. After all, they aren't real. Don't forget why you're really here." I spoke those words as much to him as I did myself.
"...Captain Kidd... Leave nothing but ash in my wake..." Thunder rumbled, and lighting crashed. The ceiling give way collapsing the traps onto the ground, rays of electricity collapsed, a shower of lightning on the group of soldiers completely engulfing them. Collapsing again and again as steel melted and the smell of burnt skin wafted to our nostrils. Metal liquefied and skin bubbled but still thunder reigned down upon them, until all that was left was tiny piles of dust that stirred with the ghostly winds of the castle interior.
Sakamoto collapsed in a heap on the floor, exhaustion racking his body.
Convenient.
Time to retrieve what we came for.
"Wait..." Skull managed to spit out between heavy breaths, his shoulder heaving with each new inhalation. Droplets of clear sorrow pattering on the ground inconsistently.
"..."
"Them not being real... is that enough reason for you to stand by and watch...? Did you know...? I thought you-" What? Changed? For even a moment?
"Yes." No.
"...I-"
"The trap was unfortunate. Skull. Even I wouldn't be so callous as to do the same with living people. Trust me."
"...I'm not so sure..." He muttered under his breath. His attention once again redirected to the ocean of red in the middle of the hallway. He choked on his breath, the colour draining from his face. Doubling over almost immediately, his hand still weakly grasping my wrist even as he pulled himself down to the ground. "Fuck... Damnit..."
I walked out of his weak grasp, his arm falling by his side futilely. Sakamoto's fist punched into the ground resignedly, followed by the sound of vomit escaping from his mouth. My digits enveloped the book at the end of the room. Silver title. The large lettering spelling 'The Queen collection'. A slightly different title than I might've expected.
That's the last of them, time to see what was so important it had to be hidden behind this trick...
[Phantom Opera]
It was like I thought.
The final bookshelf shifted, collapsing down into the floor below, shifting and making room for a forbidden alcove.
A small area covered in red ornery, and a ridiculous amount of photographs scattered around the insides.
Evidence. And a whole lot of it.
"Sick bastard..." Sakamoto immediately looked away from the litany of photos spread about the room. Only after verifying what the room was filled with had he already left his disgust apparent.
"This is about the closest we'll get to actual proof, I guess." It still isn't enough, though...
"...We have to take them." He muttered indignantly after a moment of hesitation.
"And do what?" I said whilst pinching a few my thumb and forefinger. Even though the images weren't dirtied I couldn't help but think the object itself would make me unclean just by touching them. Thank goodness, I brought gloves. Peering more carefully at the images...
Explicit wasn't quite a cutting enough word for the thing I was seeing. Graphic, some of them. Others were slightly more innocent, similar to the pinup poses you might find in a racy magazine. Others... well you might find them in a magazine of a different variety.
He said, head vigilantly turned from the disgusting photographs. "Give them to the teachers or... police or something. That should be enough." I could see his eyes searching the peripheries against his better judgement.
I wonder if he was scared of confirming who was in these pictures? Looking once again for something that might spur him on, I double-checked a few. Scanning the room, the pictures also had a strange semblance to them... It reminded me of his office.
Most of these don't seem to include any students that I was familiar with. Perhaps past members of the volleyball club? Or different years? I couldn't find a single image that included Takamaki or Suzui. Does that mean he's yet to have pursued them that far? Or are these merely fantasies rather than concrete memories?
Judging by the fact the office and this space seem to have some connection and that there's physical evidence in this room, would that mean... there's an equivalent in the real world?
...I'm getting ahead of myself. It's hard to make such a judgement without at least examining all the evidence. I sifted through the images until finding one of intrigue.
I finally replied to the disgruntled boy. "There's no evidence he took the pictures, so there's nothing that would lead back to Kamoshida. Plus, I already told you before. We need to be careful we don't expose this world to anyone else unnecessarily." We also didn't know if these would come to the real world with us, they may just completely disappear as soon as we cross over. That was something I was still testing out.
"What the hell's the point then?! Those guys died just to get a couple photos we can't even use? What's the point of any of it?! No, seriously?! I follow your plan, but it just gets people killed or hurt, do you even have any idea how to finish him off?!"
"You tell me then. What should I do, Skull?"
"..."
"There's never a constructed end goal in your plans, just goodwill. It's nothing more than vapid and ignorant intent."
"Like you can say shit! It's better than you! Every last one of your ideas has ended in death or destruction."
"Say what you will, but I have yet to put any 'real' people in jeopardy. Think about the result of your own plan. You release those pictures, you have to make sure it's taken seriously and that it's traced back to Kamoshida. The only way to do so would be to stage a publicised event. It has to be noticed, thus the students in these pictures not only wouldn't be able to recognise their legitimacy they would also be negatively affected by the ramifications of illicit images being spread around. The worst-case scenario is nothing sticking to Kamoshida and plenty of those students go on to have terrible lives thanks to the media coverage." There were also the questions you would have to answer if we delivered them immediately to the police. Even if we anonymously did this there were plenty of ways that they could track us. In the end it might be the case that nothing comes from it. At best these photographs could be used to put Kamoshida on edge, they were more likely to affect others than him.
"Then what the hell can we do...? We have to sacrifice someone to put him away, what's with that bullshit? All because of that bastard..."
"There's an obvious answer. Two choices stand before you now."
"...What are you talking about?"
"You've probably already thought about doing it. You have everything you need. The guard captain's out of the way, royal guard destroyed, the general soldiers are routed. Even the others that might steal that revenge from you are out of the way. All that remains is this room and the path between us and the king of this castle."
"You... what are you saying?"
"No one in this world is truly real, it is an approximation of the ruler's beliefs and subconscious desires given form. However, the only exception to that is the ruler of this castle."
"You mean-"
I looked at the shotgun he held tightly in his hands.
"Defeat the big bad. The evil despot, dictator, whatever you want to call him. If circumstance doesn't allow for any other option, then take it into your own hands."
"But... if I do that-"
"Who's going to know? I certainly wouldn't tell, it would be completely against my own interests, which you're assured is my only motivation in this. There wouldn't be any proof, only supposition, in which case not strong enough to send you away for long."
"Even you don't have any idea what that would do to him!"
"And? Would that be so bad?"
"..."
"I thought you were of the mind that evil had to be culled regardless of the methods? You're cooperating with what you believe to be an unforgivable person right now."
"..."
"You said you would 'do anything to save them', where's that resolve now? Does he not deserve it?"
"...It's not about deserving anything! We aren't the ones that get to choose that!"
"You don't believe that. The reason you came here in the first place is to ensure he's sentenced, whether you had the proof or not. You already made your judgement on Kamoshida long ago, you were so assured you were right, you never even asked for proof of any kind. Why does due process suddenly matter now?"
"It-It's wrong. That's a line we shouldn't ever cross... it'd make us no diff-"
"There are plenty of differences. The crimes are different, so are the circumstances and who's committing them and for what reason. The differences are innumerable. Besides, law is just a guidance that man agreed upon, they differ by location. It isn't a universal constant. One could argue that we aren't even on Japanese soil right now, rendering that moral argument pointless." I severely doubted that the Japanese government had clauses that covered the idea of a separate space even if it did mirror the real world.
"...I won't do it."
"Do you have any other choice?"
"That's like actually killing someone.... Even if it is that bastard, I can't do that with my own hands..." But the other shadows were, okay? I suppose the fantastical nature of them made it more digestible.
"Then... everyone will be in danger forever more. Because you lacked the decisiveness to make a decision that might save them. I'd say that makes you a lot worse than me."
"Oh, shut up! SHUT UP, ALREADY! You don't even have a plan to put him behind bars, all you've done is cryptically say shit and it's worked out. But where's the last part, when does he go away forever? Go on, I'm waiting for an answer!"
"And what if I told you I was going to do just that?" I rolled the chambers of the revolver once, the last bullet awaiting the trigger.
"What... you can't... Oi, you can't really be serious?!"
"It'll probably make him brain dead or comatose. Best case scenario he'll lose all the distorted desire that makes him act in those ways. Either way, it's death."
"What are you even saying, the two are completely different!"
"No. No, they're not."
"..."
"He will not be the same person in either scenario. He's a criminal, that's true. But whether he becomes inoperable, dead or somehow a good person immediately. He will no longer be the same. Every single one of those outcomes is the same as death. It's death, end of story, thematically and literally. Even if that death would be a benefit to the rest of the world, it's still the end of Kamoshida Suguru as a person, someone else would simply take that place."
"What... you feel sorry for him? I suppose the two of you are monsters..."
"Compassion is fine when it's you, but irredeemable when it's me? How regressive." A faint feeling of déjà vu gripped me.
"Are you serious, right now...? It isn't compassion! It's just genuine like... I don't know... morals. Ethics! It's wrong! That's the reason, not because I empathise with the fucked-up bastard or like him in any way whatsoever! But because killing the dude is an obviously fucked-up thing to do!"
"Make your choice. With your powers I wouldn't be able to stop you either way. Whether we strike Kamoshida now and leave this castle crumbling to the ground is your choice."
"Huh? You didn't act like you were giving me much of a choice?!" He shouted indignantly.
"I can't stop you if you decide otherwise."
"..."
"I just want you to be assured of the choice you're making. I have my plans, but I won't divulge them. I can put him away. But the choice is yours. Clearly my loyalty is questionable, so your opportunity has appeared to get rid of Kamoshida yourself. This is the best opportunity you have." I was doing this for myself more than for Sakamoto. Perhaps I didn't want to take the blame for what I planned to do solely, even though the blame lied with no one else. It was all my design and for that reason, I was slightly ashamed.
"Best opportunity? You're talking about butchering a guy, you know?"
"Doesn't change the fact it's your best chance. You are incapable of creating a better opportunity than the one that has been thrust upon you right now." I had created the perfect testing chambers.
"F'real? You just suppose I'm gonna take your word for fact?" It was fact. Sakamoto lacked the fundamental understanding of Kamoshida. He was headstrong and reckless, the exact opposite of what was needed to beat Kamoshida.
"Think whatever you want. It's the truth. If it were anything but that you would've already defeated Kamoshida, powers or not."
"..."
"People you could've saved might be hurt by deciding against your own morals in this very moment. Is that fine with you?" They would be. There's no other way.
"..."
"Countless students from this year to years prior during his tenure." Judging from the number of entries in the library he must've been here a number of years. We don't even know if those books are just students he has plans for or if it includes just the students he's attracted to...
"No, too little? How about Suzui? Mishima? Or Takamaki? Could you walk with your chest held high if they were hurt by this choice? By you failing to recognise the severity of your own actions?" He had to choose. I would make him. It was now or never. Someone had to suffer for this to come to an end, and rest assured that was all but certain. The only question was who it would be.
"...But. I can't do that. I can't, even if I want to..."
"..."
"The only other choice is to leave it in my hands."
"...I can't do that either."
"Then this will continue. Their suffering will perpetuate until you finally decide to change something."
"..."
"I thought you had come to terms with it. You are the villain. What's wrong with following the script?"
"Tch..."
"Time's ticking."
"..." Sakamoto looked away, his hand gripping the sawed-off shotgun with slightly more force.
"Maybe this'll change your mind..." I pressed the single photo against his chest. He looked at me questioningly, slightly shaking his head as if to already dismiss the possibility. Peeling back the paper and glimpsing it his eyes immediately narrowed, face becoming slightly sterner and more frustrated.
"-!" He looked at the image, a sharp breath and rough exhale slicing through tightened lips. Hand tremoring slightly as he viewed it. A picture of Takamaki posing for the camera scantily dressed. Probably one of the most innocent photographs you could find in this treasure trove of information.
I pulled another image of a disgraced woman. Almost waving it in front of him. An image of a woman that had no choice but to offer herself up to Kamoshida. Designated a plaything by the king of the castle. He could connect the dots.
"Your silence will permit this to happen to the people you wish to save. Will your words to Takamaki be; 'Sorry, I couldn't do it in the end? I couldn't save you.' Do you think that would be enough? Make no mistake, if you allow the same to transpire again, you're no different from the other students you demonise. From the teachers who are none the wiser. With power placed in your hands you still choose to change nothing."
Rage boiled in his eyes as indecision seemed to burn away.
There were other options. Another one glaring at me with the intensity of the sun. The glint of gold being tugged closer in memory. I noticed it, of course I did. But it didn't matter. I didn't care to steal treasure.
My hand itched towards the weapon in my coat.
Probable cause. Likelihood due to an ongoing feud with the victim. Suspension adds credence to the believability. The argument in Hawaii looked genuine enough to believe we stopped being friends. Lack of any audio logs on phone or email leaves no data trail between us. The smoking gun would lead to no one else but Sakamoto Ryuji. A crime of passion. He wanted to save those close to him and resorted to violence against a terrible evil.
When the police eventually questioned and requisitioned the firearm used for the crime, they would find a gun with 4 bullets left in the cartridge. Gunpowder and residue evident to recent use. And the only possible explanation will be a single airsoft gun provider on central street. Who by all accounts can only point in Sakamoto Ryuji's direction as the boy who actually picked up that bag.
They might question the other missing bullets and worry about their existence, but at that point the deed was as good as done. It would no longer be my problem. Ryuji would be out of the way, as would the arms dealer, as well as Kamoshida. A three birds with one stone affair. The chance I could be dragged into anything troublesome from then on was fairly small. With the existence of the metaverse I have a convenient place to sort through any of these problems and can live a relatively peaceful, normal existence.
It wasn't too... troubling to get to this point... huh?
In fact, it was rather easy.
Why?
I could come up with these plans, these simulations, that rested on the edge of unhinged unflinchingly. And yet I still couldn't find the definitive reason for my apathy. I just knew it existed. Floating like a cancerous cloud that contaminated everything it touched, metastasizing into one big human shaped blob called Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
Even my own shadow, an approximation of the faux heroism I embodied on that beach... acted more humanely than I ever had.
Why does that irk me?
Do I want to be human? Or do I just want to act more human?
That haziness that had revealed itself when killing Eligor reared its head once more. However, this time I didn't even need to try and push it away, or to even acknowledge it. In mere moments it evaporated like dust in a great wind.
It doesn't really matter to me which choice Sakamoto makes. The very fact that I made things progress in this way was evidence enough of my lack of remorse. It wasn't malice or hate or love or compassion. It was a deep-seated nothingness.
...
You are incapable of doing anything but hurting people.
You are a monster, remember that.
All because you can't sacrifice yourself.
Your pride.
Your ego.
Your unwillingness to let go.
Your fixation on self-preservation.
It will destroy everyone you might ever care for.
...
And you are powerless to stop it.
No matter which path you choose.
[Phantom Opera]
"King Kamoshida, I bring terrible news!" A dark-haired boy dressed in rags ran towards the throne, sliding to his knees and reporting to the unmoved King.
"..."
"The royal captain has been defeated! The rebels are currently engaging the royal guard! If they win, it's only a matter of time before they arrive and take our heads!"
"Who the hell would ever bother taking your head, Mishima?"
"My King-!"
"You're looking too high. Lower your gaze."
"A-Apologies, sire."
"It matters not."
"But My King-!"
"Do they really think they're the only ones capable of mantling the offence?"
"..."
"Just wait, Ayanokouji. I have your precious desire right in my hands. Soon enough you'll be helpless to even raise a hand in defence."
"..."
"It's a shame. You were a good opponent, for a child... It alleviated some boredom for the time being... but more importantly. I can finally break open that bird cage. Did you really think I didn't hold the key in my possession this entire time? You've just given me the reason I needed to finally crack open that cage and devour the sweet honey inside. Hahahaha! Two birds with one stone, as they say."
"..."
"Look upon it, Mishima. You have the great privilege, the time is soon approaching us."
"I don't understand..." The boy shook his head abruptly, bowing once again to the monarch on his throne.
"It's usually bad luck to see them before the ceremony... but what is luck to a King? Shiho, come out."
"..." The girl usually clad in a bunny suit had replaced it with a splendid white dress. Ceremonial and beautiful, the kind you might see a princess wear. A long white skirt dragging along the velvet carpet as she emerged from the vault doors.
"Are you excited for the ceremony?"
"Of course... my King." The girl curtseyed gracefully.
"My darling, Queen. Soon to be. Do you await the day you give yourself to me, as much as I do?"
She said without a delay. "Yes. My King."
"Of course. I expected no other answer. Leave. Prepare yourself thoroughly. I want to regale in the rebellion's loss when they see your devotion to me." She bowed in silence and wandered back into the large vault doors.
"Mishima. You and the rest of you slaves forget your place. A King is not made by his people. A sword does not give the throne. Just as violence will not have me bend the knee. Whether this kingdom is empty or filled with cattle like you. I will always remain the king. The rest of you are mere decorations. You serve because that is your place, not your choice. You would do well to remember that."
"Y-Yes, Sire."
"Hahahaha! I can't wait to see the looks on their faces... Rebellion? Revolution? What a load of shit! The only way you can live is by placing yourselves under my heel! I'll make that clear enough... so even you will understand it, Ayanokouji!"
---
Word count: 4393
I didn't spend much time on the rebel army of students, mainly because they aren't important in and of themselves, but Ryuji's reactions to Ayanokouji's feelings regarding them are. As well as the meaning behind their existence from Kamoshida's POV, that's also important.
Ryuji though he often has a big mouth and acts for fame a lot of the time, is someone that has a good sense of morals. His only real conviction regarding fame and his importance on it is often played for jokes, but it really stems from a need to be seen and recognised. Living as an outcast for the better part of a year would do that to you. As such I think the moral argument made sense for both of their characters. Ayanokouji does things by any means necessary whereas Ryuji is actually concerned by the means even if they aren't necessarily illegal or are for the greater good.
As for Ayanokouji, I see him as a tragic character. Even if he wants to change, his personality and self-preservative nature are always in conflict. However, even in this small time you can see him questioning his own actions quite a bit. He seems to be unravelling slightly...
Ayanokouji is skirting a fine line, ensuring Sakamoto has no other choice but to comply. In the event he doesn't he can make use of his backup plan and sacrifice the board for his sole win. It feels like a very in character way of handling things if you ask me.
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Hopefully you all enjoyed the chapter. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Until next time.