Protection or Prevention

Night of the second challenge

December 10th, 2050

Kanda Summit

‘What color is the moon tonight?’

The words slowly distorted as Ruby’s reflection on the monitor gleamed slightly against it. She looked tired. Exhausted. Angry.

Were these questions her grandfather’s final thoughts? How come he never shared any of this to her? Up to the end of his life he burdened himself with the ascension as if it was his fault. His responsibility.

“Grandfather occasionally talked about the lost moon,” Ruby mused, “but what is this about color?”

“That concludes the round of questions,” the computer said. “Please consider—”

The screen switched from the question to her task. Ruby frowned in confusion as if unsure what it read: ‘Your task is to prevent Ana Lucia Armstrong from reaching the location of the third challenge.’

Huh?

“—location of the challenge: Heaven’s Reach Shrine, Shinjuku. Thank you for your participation.”

Ruby stormed out of the tent in frustration. She nearly bumped into Hidenori who was waiting for his turn outside. “Apologies,” she said, then walked in the direction of grandfather’s lawyer.

“What the hell was that?” She hissed angrily at Jirou, making sure no one else could hear. “Why would our task have us eliminate each other? It makes no damn sense!”

“I, uh, I don’t know what the t-tasks are,” Jirou said. “I simply facilitate the challenge!”

Ruby clicked her tongue, spun her heels and walked away.

The will clearly said the participants could work together if they wanted to. The lottery was at least random. Fair. But this task? Clearly… clearly, she didn’t truly know Daiki Tennojima. The secret experiments and the assassinations already proved that, but… a part of her still clung to hope that it was a mistake.

That man gave her hope that it could be a mistake. Yet in the end all it afforded her was the desolate truth.

Ruby looked around the garden and found Rei speaking with Souichiro. She considered going in to check on them, but she could spoil whatever Rei was plotting.

She massaged her temple and breathed. She probably needed rest. A proper one. She took a seat in one of the chairs and waited for everyone to finish their turn. There was only Hidenori and Gen’ichi left.

“Are you okay?” a voice said.

Ruby looked up to see Kiyotaka holding a bottle of water for her. The boy always looked silly wearing the security team’s blue uniform, but at least tonight he wore it with purpose. She took the bottle and gave her thanks.

“Did grandfather always seem like a bad man to you?” Ruby asked.

Kiyotaka looked surprised for a moment. “He took me in after the accident,” he replied, his breath puffing against the cold. “I was left alone in this world when he reached out to me.”

“You’re family.”

“So are my relatives on my mother’s side.”

Ruby fiddle with her bottle.

“I don’t know if he’s done bad things,” Kiyotaka continued, “but all I remember are the good ones. We barely ever spoke, but he always checked in on how I was doing.”

“I see.”

“Speaking of, I wanted to tell you that Issei regained consciousness.”

Ruby was about to take a drink, but she lowered the bottle. “And? How is his condition?”

“The doctor said he’s going to be fine. Same goes for the rest of his team.”

That lifted a weight off Ruby’s shoulders. “Has Issei said anything about the attack?”

“Only that he thinks it’s done by an exalt.”

“So it wasn’t the Anti-Exalt Faction?”

“We’re trying to confirm it with him, but it may take time to get all the details. He’s still out of sorts.”

Ruby nodded. “We need that information but tell the doctor to make sure they don’t hurt themselves.”

“Will do.”

Ruby drank her water and wondered who could’ve stolen the medallions. It wouldn’t be another vengeful exalt like Ayane Kujo, would it? How many more secrets were there?

“I have one other thing,” Kiyotaka said. “This might actually relate more to your question earlier.”

Ruby looked up. “What is it?”

“I’ve finished looking into all of Shinozuka’s contacts with our ‘friend’. He managed to find a trail.”

“Did he now? What new insight is he offering us this time?”

“Unfortunately, it leads back to the institute after all. One of the scientists there was providing Shinozuka funds to operate with.”

Great. Just great.

“But this was years in the past. Our friend thinks the scientist in question died sometime ago based on Shinozuka’s private messages. He was operating with the last of his money when he decided to start selling his incomplete ‘product’.”

“So, our friend is saying the contact was not grandfather.”

“He says it’s a possibility.”

More hope, Ruby thought wearily. “Thank you.”

“Also,” Kiyotaka added, “Our friend points out Shinozuka’s research was constantly fed back to the institute. He says that information might be relevant.”

Ruby nodded slowly. “Anything else?”

“That’s everything.”

“Good work, Kiyotaka. Send our friend my thanks as well. Tell him his protégé is having fun.”

Kiyotaka raised a doubtful eyebrow.

“Just… tell him.”

Kiyotaka nodded, then took his leave. By that point, Hidenori and Gen’ichi had finished getting their tasks.

Jirou gathered everyone near the tent. “That concludes the start of the second challenge,” he proclaimed, then he looked at his watch. “It will continue tomorrow at Heaven’s Reach Shrine at… eight in the evening. There we will confirm if the tasks given are accomplished, followed by your answers to Daiki Tennojima’s questions.”

“Will the ‘computer’ be the one grading our answers?” Souichiro asked sarcastically.

“I believe so,” Jirou replied. “It’s a state-of-the-art machine with fantastic algorithm! Or so we were told… I’m afraid I’m not too familiar with the details.”

“Joy.”

“Well then, uh… good luck to you all!”

The participants looked at each other, unsure of what they’d share or if they should. Obviously, Ruby wouldn’t want to tell Lucia about her task. She hadn’t even apologized to the woman for losing the gold medallion she promised her.

People started making small talk, asking about the four questions they all had. As it turned out, they all received the same ones after all. End of the world, no ascension, full ascension, the moon’s color. Odd topics for sure, but it got conversations going.

Rei casually approached Ruby and took her to the side.

“Hey,” Rei said, almost at a whisper. “So, Souichiro thinks I’m in love with you.”

“What?”

“Remember our ploy about not-so-secretly knowing each other? I told the guy about our ‘relationship’. Just a heads up.”

Ruby squinted. “Is he your task?”

Rei nodded. “I was asked to make sure he gets to the shrine tomorrow. I already told him.”

“He gets to the shrine?” Ruby said in surprise. “I’m supposed to prevent Lucia from getting there.”

“Seriously? What the hell…”

“I don’t know how I’m going to do this, Rei.”

“I get it, you don’t want to betray her trust twice. But remember what your—”

“Hey lovebirds!” Souichiro called out. “Now’s not the time to make googly eyes at each other. Some of us want to go home and get sleep. Anything to say about the old man’s questions?”

Ruby gritted her teeth. “Damn you, Rei.”

“It was your idea…”

“They are the regrets of an old man nearing his end,” Ruby said as they walked back to the others. “Questioning what could have been instead of what is. I doubt I could offer an answer that would appease him. I don’t think there is one.”

“We’re worried about the second question,” Keisuke said. “I’ve known Daiki the longest of anyone here, and I can attest he had no sympathy for the terrorists that plague this city.”

“The third question is just as complicated,” Gen’ichi followed. “Did he mean everyone in the world becomes exalted or just those in the ascension circles? You could imagine how troubling that would be for the rest of humanity living outside.”

“Hah!” Souichiro exclaimed. “Spoken like a true dissenter. You really don’t like exalts, do you?”

“I never said that,” Gen’ichi replied behind gritted teeth. “Why do you keep insisting this?”

“I don’t know, probably because there was an attack?” Souichiro said with a shrug. “If you listen to our police buddies over there, the city is currently experiencing a coup from the group you supposedly put down years ago.”

“Like I keep saying—”

Keisuke got between the two before another argument broke out. “I think that’s enough on that topic for now… what about you, Reiji? Any insight? I don’t think we’ve talked about the fourth question yet.”

Rei licked his lips and laughed awkwardly. Before he could say anything, however, Gen’ichi moved past Keisuke and towered over Souichiro. “What is your problem with me, anyway? Your snide remarks hold more bite than you let on, boy!”

Souichiro raised his hands and walked away. “Chill, old man. I’m just saying… you had that gold medallion.”

“That wasn’t me, I—”

“And, if you knew what my task was, I think it’d be a biiig disadvantage to you.”

“Whoa, whoa! What does that mean?” Hidenori interjected. “What is your task?”

Souichiro finally closed his mouth, then smiled maliciously.

Ruby glanced at Rei, but it didn’t seem like he knew what it was either.

“My task!” Gen’ichi proclaimed, as if to prove a point, “is to make sure Hidenori reaches the shrine tomorrow!”

Hidenori jumped, looking more scared than happy about what he heard. “What? Me? Uh, m-my task to make sure Ruby reaches the shrine!”

Ruby blinked at that. Three people now, including Rei, had the task to protect somebody, yet hers was to prevent? What’s with this disparity? To make matters worse, everyone expected her to speak up next.

But in the silence of Ruby’s hesitation, they heard the crackling sound of radio from one of the police officers standing nearby. A report came in. A warning.

*

Baaaaang! Bang-Bang!

Bang-Bang-Bang!

The familiar sound of gunfire echoed across the garden, followed by the rustling of leaves and the flight of birds.

People ducked in confusion and fear, while multiple waves of aether spiked amongst the group.

“Keep your aether down!” one of the exalted officers shouted. She was a woman in pitch-black riot gear. “You’re marking yourself for attention!” She put on a helmet with a clear visor, then flared her own aether, covering her entire body with energy. Three more exalted officers did the same as her, while the unarmored police officers and Ruby’s security team surrounded the civilians, herding them away from the garden.

“Move, people!” Detective Miyabi of the first division shouted. Short and old as she was, she dexterously zipped across the garden, pistol in one hand. “We just got word that members of the Humanist Consortium appeared near Akihabara! Some are already closing in on us!”

“That’s one hell of a timing they got,” Rei muttered.

He—

“If this works, then the ascension could be undone,” Daiki Tennojima said, his voice both resolute and full of despair.

“Careful, Daiki,” a voice replied. “You’re gonna have those Anti-Exalt activists knocking at your door if they hear a whisper of this… theory. They’re a dangerous lot. Savages.”

Daiki groaned at the person sitting behind him. “Bah, General Hirano can stave them off. If history could be changed, would you make that choice?”

Rei shook his head of the vision’s memory. Terrible timing, that. Just now he saw Gen’ichi Hirano run to Miyabi’s side as if assessing the situation with her.

That memory just now, it was part of the challenge.

“Well folks, I’m outta here!” Souichiro said, ignoring the officer telling everyone to get in their armored vans. He turned towards Rei with a grin. “Your last chance, lover boy! You with me or not?”

Two more gunshots echoed.

Rei looked back at the garden and saw the exalted police officers burst with aether, leaping towards unseen foes. He found Ruby near the tent with her security team. Their eyes met for a second, and she nodded to him.

Rei gritted his teeth and ran after Souichiro.