Stone Armour

Koharu’s eyes opened, a slight gasp escaping her lips. The arms of the Cypher opened with a robotic whirr, and she sat up, spotting Ezequiel walk out the glass room.

She looked at the ceiling, closing her eyes. Here we go.

He followed after him, silently stepping in line behind him, her heels clanking against the hard floor.

“I told him not to absorb my Aspect,” Ezequiel said, wagging his finger at the air.

“Yeah,” Koharu said.

“It was one of the two small terms I gave him for such a massive favour.”

Koharu sighed. “Yeah.”

Ezequiel pushed the door to his office open, walking over to his desk and slamming both hands on it.

Koharu stopped in the doorframe, leaning a shoulder against it and folding her arms. As she always did. She tilted her head as he sighed. A chuckle escaped his lips as he pressed a hand to his face.

“What is wrong with me, Kay,” he said, staring at the back of his hand.

She tugged at her ear. This is your turn to play Captain, she thought.

“What’s wrong, Zeeq?” she asked.

He turned around, resting against his desk as he looked at her, his neck muscles taut as he swallowed. “Look at me, man.”

Koharu frowned. “What… am I looking for?”

He smirked, chuckling as he lowered his head. “Exactly.”

She blinked, leaning her head against the door frame. Sometimes it was better just to wait. Not every clue needed a question to be answered.

“You know why Golems exist in the Ethergeist, Koharu?” Ezequiel asked.

She shook her head. “Haven’t heard the reason.”

“We’re supposed to be guardians,” he said, interlocking his hands on his outstretched legs. “Guardians who were forged from our journey through hell. That’s why. The pain we carry is guarded by that stone body,” he said, pointing toward the Cyphers. “It was our pain that forged our armour. We’re the beasts that chose to climb out of hell, stand at its gate, and stop as many people as we can from going in.”

Koharu tightened her lips. “You did that for me,” she said, stepping inside the room and kicking the door shut, the gust swaying her hair.

Ezequiel nodded, staring down at his hands as he flexed them. “I tried to. But the thought of Ignacio absorbing my Golem…”

She jumped up onto the desk beside him, hands on the edge. “It’s like someone’s stealing your armour.”

He nodded, clenching his hands into fists. The side of his jaw bulged. “I know it's stupid. But it’s like I can’t protect you anymore. Or Kiyomi, or Beltran, or Daichi.”

She placed a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t only protect us, Zeeq. We also protect you.”

Ezequiel grunted, lowering his head. “I know. But you shouldn’t have to.”

Koharu squeezed his shoulder. “No one should have to protect anyone, Zeeq. But that’s how this life goes.”

He nodded, folding his arms. “You know why I took you in, right?”

“Yes, I know,” she said. “But I’m not her, Zeeq. And I’m not the little girl who Kaito dumped with you, either.”

“He didn’t dump you,” Ezequiel said, turning to her with a snarl. “You ran away. That’s a world of difference.”

She sighed. “Yeah, fine. Not the point. The point is that I’m not defenceless. Neither are the others. And neither are you.”

He clenched his jaws again, lowering his gaze.

“And if we want to burn Cypher Corp to the ground for all the things they’ve done,” she said, hopping off the desk and placing her hands on her hips. “A Ronin may be the exact trump card we need to win.”

Ezequiel rubbed the back of his head. “I know, I know. Thank you, Kay.”

She gave a nod. “Now, are we going to light a fire at those bastard’s feet or not?”

He chuckled again, leaning his head back with a groan. “Unfortunately, we are.”

“What’s our next move?”

He grinned. “We need to find where that girl is being kept.”

“One of the Cypher Citadels, I’d assume,” she said.

“Yep,” he said, placing a hand to his chin. “So I’ve reached out to an old friend who works there to see what we can find.”

“Isn’t that risky?” Koharu asked.

“Not for me, no,” Ezequiel said. “And not with these particular people.”

Koharu fell silent. There was risk, and then there was carelessness. Ezequiel often walked the line, and sometimes fell right over to the other side.

“Don’t worry, Kay,” he said, punching her shoulder playfully. “We’re going to get back at those bastards for what they’ve done.”