Obsession & Choice

A week has passed since the raid on Lust's base, with still no new information arriving.
Tarou and I, along with Full Throttle and Gaia, moved to a house that the Vice Chairman generously provided in order to allow Gaia to much more easily talk with the prisoners.

For the seventh day in a row, Tarou and I finish training for the day as Gaia finally arrives, making her way to the backyard where we were at, with Full Throttle observing us.
"Coach! We've been working hard!"
Full Throttle chuckles for a moment before joining in.
"Yes, they have. They're quite good."
"Very good you two! Time to rest."
I approach Gaia after she says this and ask.
"Nothing new?"
She shakes her head, disappointment in her face.
"Nothing... We've only gotten a couple other locations, but all of them have nothing besides maybe one or two minions maybe and a strange sigil on the wall."
She lets out a frustrated sigh and Tarou approaches her.
"Don't worry, we'll keep training!"
She smiles, when a memory comes back and I ask her.
"Are you afraid they might go into hiding again?"

Her eyes widen in surprise, before they look back down and she nods.
"I don't want a repeat with Neptune where they come back stronger or something."
After a moment, a smile is back on her face and she continues.
"But no matter! We've got no choice but to keep training! We need to be ready for when they attack."
Tarou and I nod as he goes back out onto the middle of the backyard before saying.
"I'll keep training some more!"

"I will head to my room."
Gaia and Tarou bid me goodnight, and I head inside.
I enter my room, locking the door behind me, as I once again create a portal to my room back home, grabbing a book from there, before I begin reading.

...

It's early afternoon the next day. Gaia had decided to stick around today to help us train, with Full Throttle instead going out.
It's all going smoothly until her phone suddenly starts blowing up.

"What the... Full Throttle?"
Tarou, hearing this, starts teasing her with a sly smile.
"Maybe you shouldn't have given him your number. I guess he must be a fan too huh?"
Gaia's face however turns serious, worrying Tarou, and she quickly says.
"Let's go."

...

We run as fast as we can, soon passing by the unconscious bodies of several heroes, finally seeing Full Throttle in the distance.
He had all six tattoos glowing, fire exploding out of him with every punch against some unknown person, until finally he lunges at someone, only to get thrown back, crashing onto the floor.

"DAMN IT!"
Gaia quickly summons a huge bunker around him and grabs Tarou and I before giving me a nod, and I teleport us inside.
"G... Gaia...?"
He slowly stands up with Gaia helping him, the walls around us shaking, and looks at us before saying.
"I'm sorry... I couldn't..."
"Who are you fighting? You only mentioned a powerful enemy, is it Lust?"
He catches his breath, and answers.
"There is a woman with him, yes... But-

Before he can say anymore the walls finally break open and Lust takes a few steps forward, quickly noticing us.
"You again huh?"
Her eyes land on me and she continues.
"Your power is annoying. You'll go first."
Suddenly dozens of knives fly my direction and I quickly teleport, away only for a single knife to land at my feet, with her saying.
"Hm, I misjudged."
'She tried predicting where I teleported?'

She gathers all the knives together again, but before she can launch them, Full Throttle slams full speed into her, taking several knives deep into him in the process, smashing them both against the wall, before falling down.
He looks towards us and struggles to speak.
"I always... Protect... A fan..."
With that he blacks out with all of us rushing towards him.
"Full Throttle? Damn it!"
Gaia looks up at me.
"Kazu! Heal him!"
I nod and start doing it, healing him as best as I can. Meanwhile Tarou walks over to Lust who is crawling away, hurt.
"You're not going anywhere-"
"Holy Command, Crumble."

Suddenly a voice booms out as the walls of the bunker start breaking away as if it was a pile of sand being blown by a strong wind.
We all look towards the source of the voice and see a tall clean shaven man with black hair, speckled with a few gray strands as it had just started to go gray. He wore gray pants and a black shirt, with a dark blue coat.

'...The leader...?'

Immediately Gaia sends a barrage of spikes against him, all of them crumbling before reaching him, with his only reaction being a grin.
More heroes quickly start arriving, with some helping to heal Full Throttle, while the rest stood next to Gaia and Tarou. Ready to face off against him.
However, before they can, Gaia kneels down touching the floor with her hands before shouting.
"IRON DOME!"

'...!'

Like before, many metal pillars burst forth from the ground all around him, twisting around each other, and slowly curving inwards, trapping him in a big, thick, metal prison.
Very few heroes start cheering however, before it suddenly rips apart, and he slowly walks forward.
"Impressive, but not enough."

He extends his arm forward, and suddenly spikes appear out of the ground, aiming towards us.
"As thank you for showing me that she will indeed leave those Headquarters, I'll make sure to make it painless."
Gaia doesn't waste time and shouts.
"I WON'T LET-"
"Goodbye."
As if to taunt Gaia, even stronger looking, thicker spikes launch from the ground, directed at each one of us.

I can't help but close my eyes. Yet I feel only light rocks hitting me, barely hurting, and I open my eyes again.
Every single spike had turned to rubble, and I notice a man standing beside that villain, who wasn't there before.
Gaia's face cracks a wide a smile as she then says.
"I knew it...!"

Suddenly the organization's leader notices too, as his eyes suddenly widen with shock as he tries to turn around and says.
"What the-"
Before he can finish talking however, Uryuu grabs his face and puts him in the ground, holding him in place as he shouts at him.
"You...! How dare you!"
"Quiet."
He looks up towards us.
"I should thank you. I had almost forgotten why it was that I played into being a lowly servant in the filth that is this organization."

As he speaks, the man on ground tries his best to cast all sorts of magic against Uryuu, none working as he remained unaffected as if it was all just a light breeze.

He looks back down, and continues.
"You will die here."
"How would you even do that?! Anything strong enough and I'll be able to run before you can cast it on me!"
"I've been running from myself this whole time. I'm tired of running."
Gaia takes a step forward, but quickly a wave is felt as if a warning from Uryuu to stay back, as the man on the ground switches to begging.
"I remember you now... Uryuu Inoue, yes! Think about this! If we worked together we could revive your famil-"
Before he can even finish a spike goes through his chest, before quickly crumbling as the man starts healing.
"Heal yourself all you want, you'll still feel the pain all the same. Do not speak of my family.
I'll be joining them soon enough..."

When she hears that Gaia can't help but say.
"What? What does that-"
Her question gets drowned out however, as the man on the ground keeps screaming.
"YOU FOOL! They're close enough, anything you do will kill them all! They'll DIE!"
"They won't."
A sudden wave is felt when he says that, so strong that it makes us fly backwards, landing as the man continues.
"My organization will survive! My bases-"
Uryuu cuts him off.
"No. It won't. That is why I was in it in the first place. Even if I forgot along the way. Every single bases you have will disappear when the sigils I placed inside activate. Not one of your underlings will have a place to return to. It ends now."

As the man continues screaming and begging, Uryuu draws a sigil on the ground next to him and says.
"All will cease to exist, as if those areas never were.
I'm ready to return... to my family."
Suddenly the sigil begins glowing, as a wave of power is felt from it.
"YOU'LL DIE TOO!"
"That's ok. But I'm making sure you can't go anywhere either."
Uryuu turns towards us before saying.
"I'm sorry for the mess that I'll leave... Goodbye."
Each of us stands there, too stunned to say anything.
He looks up with a smile on his face and continues as he closes his eyes.
"My family... I can't wait to see them... With those bright smiles once again.
I'm sorry I took so long...
Holy Order."

'...!'

"Regenerate."

The moment he says that a sudden immensely bright light consumes everything for a second, and in the next we open our ways, and see what happened.

In an area around where Uryuu and the man used to be, there is now only nature. As if nothing had ever been built there.
Some heroes start standing up, helping others and carefully navigating the rubble and knives everywhere around us.

"Ha... Ha..."
Suddenly, slumped against a wall with a knife in her stomach, Lust struggled to laugh.
"I can't believe it..."
Gaia turns towards her, walking forwards as she says.
"That we'd win? Tough luck."
"Ha... A better attempt than before... If I remember right... It was your coward sister wasn't it...? That let him go-"
"Shut your mouth."
Just as Gaia is about to grab her, she suddenly disappears. Quickly she looks around and freezes as he hears me.
"Filth."
She turns, noticing as I hold Lust by the neck, with a knife in the other hand.
"Kazu... What are you doing..."
Tarou looks back, noticing the same scene and very slowly walks towards me.
"Calm down man. She's going to get what she deserves. Please put her down."

More and more heroes notice it and start forming a circle around me, with Gaia slowly taking steps forward, when Lust says.
"Hah... Did I hit a nerve...? You don't have the guts... Just like her."

Tarou takes a step, little by little coming closer, and says.
"Please man. What would your mom say?"

'...!'

...

A sudden silence once more. I look around. Nothing but void, yet something feels different.

'"Finally!"'
I turn around and see him, the other me.
'"It took forever to get through that..."'
'...'
'"You already know what I'm going to say."'
'She deserves it.'
'"It's not right. You need to think of her!"'
'I am.'
'"That again? Wake up! What would she think about this?"'
'...'
'"Be honest. Would she w-"'

Suddenly it vanishes, almost as if a deeper darkness consumed him, only for him to return once more.

'"Damn it, not again. Please! At the very least think about it. Would. She. Wa-"'

Silence again, and this time it stirs me awake.

...

I open my eyes, everyone's in the same place looking at me, as if no time at all had passed.

'"What would she think about this?"...'

I drop my knife, as a wave of relief washes over everyone around me.
"What would my mom say...?"
Tarou suddenly looks up at me with a smile, as I repeat his question.
"She would probably hate me..."

A smile appears on Gaia's face, and as she takes a step forward a heart suddenly appears in my hand.
Her eyes snap wide open and she freezes, along with everyone else, stunned.
"...And that's what she can do. Alive.
I'd rather that, than let her rot in her current state."

I look down at the heart in my hand.
"So much lifeforce. With this I'll be able to do it."
Gaia takes another step forward and says.
"Wh-"

Before she can finish, I teleport away.

...

Everyone is left silent, stunned when Kazu teleported away, making Lusts body drop to the ground as she grunted in pain.
Then finally I snap out of it and rush towards Lust, who says.
"That... Bastard..."
"Quiet!"

I frantically look around as I shout an order.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Anyone that can heal, get her treated immediately! Do the best you can do!"
With that a bunch of them suddenly rush forward, pumping as much of their healing magic as they can into her. It doesn't take long for one of them to say.
"I don't know if we can-"
I cut him off.
"Try. She deserves jail, not this. If we were to leave her in this state we'd be no better than the lot of them."
I turn away and continue as I walk away.
"And I don't fancy myself a criminal."

Tarou sees me walking away and quickly asks with worry in his voice.
"Where are you going?"
I look back at him.
"To do my job.
Stay. Here."
I turn back as I can feel my face shift from utter disappointment to sheer rage, and shout.
"Holy Order, Twin Connection."

...

I teleport myself into her room, noticing Light Show as she stood next to my mom.
'Useful.'
She quickly turns around, caught by surprise with my sudden appearance.
"The hell?! Sheesh... Just use the door you idi-"
She stops, noticing the heart in my hand as the blood from it dripped down my arm.
"What the hell have you done?"
"What I had to. You will help me."
"Tsk. To think you'd fall so far. Look who's the villain now."
I ignore her and repeat as I point towards mom.
"You will help me, one way..."
I hold the heart a little higher and continue.
"...Or the other."

She stays silent for a while, then nods.
Just as she's about to turn around, the door suddenly opens as Aya walks in.
"Heya~ How's my gal doing-
Huh?"

'Aya...'

"K-Kazu... Are you... Hurt...? I need to... Help... But... Why do you... Why do... Why..."
She slowly points at something while she speaks. I look towards it, seeing the bloody heart in my hand.

'Huh... Why am I... Why did I-'

"...Kazu?"
Aya suddenly continues, but before I know it, light fills my vision, as Light Show begins shouting.
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE, BUT I AM PUTTING A STOP TO IT UNTIL HELP GETS HERE!"
She starts laughing and continues.
"After all, don't you think my lights are so PRETTY?! Makes you want to SLEEP!"

I wobble as my vision begins to blur slightly. I can see Aya begin to cry and Light show saying something to her.
I can see Aya shake her head, then disappear.

'Invisibility?'

I can see Light Show become more annoyed. Then finally after what may have been minutes, I break free all at once, as a bright light begins shining from the necklace.
"What?! HO-"

'I need to heal her.'

"HOW ARE YOU-"

'She's in the way.'

I take a step forward, causing Light Show to flinch.
I'm about to grab her when I suddenly hear a loud noise from my left.

Turning towards it, I see a huge hazy portal open. Then the next moment, Gaia suddenly comes through it, holding sheer rage in her face, surprising everyone there as Aya suddenly drops her invisibility.
Before I can react, she lands the kick she had ready, causing me to drop the heart as I get launched through the wall, crashing onto the street below.

I start slowly getting back up, the shine in my necklace weakening slightly, when Gaia drops down and kicks me back onto the ground.
"I can't believe this. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS."

I struggle to get up once more as she grabs me by the collar and throws me against a wall, ripping part of my shirt as she keeps holding onto it.
"After everything, EVERYTHING I taught you."
'...What... Huh? What is-'

Before I can finish my thought, she throws the piece of shirt she was holding away, and dashes towards me.

'...!'

I manage to react just in time as I quickly teleport away, appearing near where she stood.
"I don't know if you're lucky or unlucky that I remember you have that protection magic from her."
She slowly turns around.
"Because I REALLY want to make sure you learn your lesson-"

She stops, staring at something on the ground.
I follow her vision and notice the necklace, whose light was now faded.

'My necklace... What's happening...?'

"...No."
I look back towards her as she starts talking.
"We never found it..."
She takes a step forward, a tear dropping from her eye as a mix of emotions appear on her face.
"That damned thing..."
I nervously begin speaking.
"I... I just needed help with focus... That's all... I couldn't keep up so-"
"YOU IDIOT! You actually think that, don't you? That it only affects focus."
"Huh?"
She looks down, disappointment filling her face.
"I guess in a way it does. Incredible focus... Before it turns into obsession. A failed creation from a long time ago. It was in the vault for a reason... Before it was stolen."

'...!'

"You were wearing it this whole time... Weren't you?"

'What did I... Do? The last thing I remember... Greed?'
Suddenly a rush of memories come flooding in, as I start to realize what I have done.
'No. It's all me. What have I done.'

...

'"What have you done indeed."'
I suddenly look up, the voice coming from all around me.
'I... I didn't know.'
'"Excuses won't matter now. I am finally free from that corruption. But you, well, we'll have to live with the consequences."'
'...'
'"Your choice, and my failure."'

...

Suddenly I'm pulled from the void, filled with fear, as Gaia takes a step forward.
"Please, come with-"
As she's talking she extends an arm out, and before I know it, I instinctively teleport away.

...

Steps echo in the hallway as I come closer, entering the room which surprisingly had a huge portal open inside.
'I guess it won't me take too long to travel then! Hahah. Lucky me!'
I look around, noticing two girls suddenly turn towards me.
I let out a small laugh, and with a smile say.
"Don't worry! I'm just a nurse."
They nod as I walk forward, grabbing the heart from the floor.
"Oh my! Lust will be needing this. But first."
I walk over to Kazu's mom, still sleeping in her bed.
"You've been asleep long enough. Rise and shine my dear! There's someone that will need you soon.
I made sure to bring a bowl of candy, so eat up!"
I let out another small laugh, and open my eyes ever so slightly.
"After all, a promise is a promise."

A sudden incredibly bright glow fills the room as I start casting my magic.

...

I teleport away, I keep teleporting, back and forth, all over the place where I don't even know where I am, until I finally stop.

I slump back against the side of the building, tired, and ashamed.
'What have I done. I'm so stupid. Of course it would be bad, it was in the vault!'

Some time passes as I stare at nothing.
'...Will she be ok...? Will they both be ok?'
I let out a small laugh under my breath.
'That huge portal... I should have known Gaia would have something like that.

...I really do feel normal again. After so long...'

Some time passes as I keep staring at nothing, dwelling in my guild, when I start hearing slow footsteps approach me.

I look up, wiping the tears off my eyes as I see Hiro standing there.
"H- How did you... Find me?"
"Like I said. I'm still a Watchdogs Club member."
I look down, staring at the ground for a moment, both of us silent.
"I think..."
"Hm?"
I stand up, and continue.
"I think this is goodbye."
"..."
I approach him and take out my phone, giving it to him, which he takes, silent, with his mouth ajar.
"Tell them goodbye from. I'm sorry."
"...We're... We're gonna miss you... you kno-"

Before he can finish I teleport away, leaving him alone, with tears forming in his eyes.
"Again...
...This sucks..."

A moment later he clenches his fist.
"Tsk."

...

I teleported nearby, now watching the river's water flow by from the slowly moving shadow under the bridge.
"...What have I don-"
"A lot."
Suddenly I spin around to see a vaguely familiar little girl speaking in monotone.
"...Who are you...?"
"You don't remember? Before you helped in the infirmary?"
'..!'
"The fan! Or so I say... A stalker?"
"I'm just here to warn you about the future."
"Huh...?"
"Or I was. Every time I tried getting close to you, you either teleported or something happened that made me unable to do it.
So now I don't have much to warn you about, well, besides one thing."

'Warn me about the future...?'

"What is it?"
She tilts her head slightly.
"Are you sure about this? Running away like that."
"I..."
"You will just be running from yourself. If you keep going, you'll end up trapped."
"How do I know you really aren't just some stalk-"
Before I can finish strange creepy laughter comes from all around me, before stopping.
"W-What was that...?"
"I think it's me in the future."
I look at her, dumbfounded.
"You can see the past too?"
"Not right now, just the future."

'Her in the future? She doesn't even have any emotion in her voice right now...'

"...I."
'What should I do?'
"You should think about it."
"Huh?! D... Don't tell me you can read minds...?"
She was about to leave when she suddenly turns around.
"What? No. Actually, could you create a portal to the nearest train station? I need to go home now. Thanks."
"...Fine. What's your name anyway?"
"My last name is Natsumi Yuuki. Remember to think about it."
I quickly create a portal which she steps through, leaving me with a final message before it closed.
"Oh, you should also take it back."

'...Take what back?'

Before my confusion can stay for too long, I suddenly hear steps behind me as I turn around to see Hiro running towards me.
Finally he stops in front of me as he holds his knees, catching his breath.
"How d-"
"I told you... I AM... A club member...
Hold on..."
He catches his breath, standing back up, and for the first time, I see a serious look in his face.
Suddenly he holds his hand out, holding my phone.
"I don't want this. Besides, if you're going to do this, then you-"
"Take it back huh..."
I cut him off as I look back to where the portal stood.
'"Are you sure about that?"'

Silently I take my phone back, and Hiro continues...
"...Anyway... Just... Do it yourself. If you really do leave."
He turns back and starts heading off, back onto the street above, and likely home.

I stay put for a while, thinking on what to do. Soon the sun starts to set, but not before the bridge's shadow moves.
As I stand there with the sun now beaming its light on me, I finally make my decision, and teleport.