#bigger emotions is hardly something i need right now HAH

[renegadewangs]

Ace Mindhunter - 4th Interview

Characters: Simon Blackquill, Athena Cykes, Shi-Long Lang, and a rogues gallery of AA villains. Fandom: Ace Attorney Pairings: N/A. Warnings/rating: 16+, I would say. Talk of heavy themes such as death and abuse, plus cursing. Spoilers for every AA game up to Spirit of Justice, AAI2 included. Gratuitous amounts of headcanon for antagonists. Summary: Simon Blackquill is roped into a Behavioral Analysis project along with Athena Cykes. They must sit down with convicted murderers for interviews, in hopes of finding out just what drove them to their convoluted crimes.

4th Interview Luke Date: June 16th 2028 Time: 3:00 PM Location: Interpol H.Q. - B.A.U. Office. Simon returned to the B.A.U. office after a very long, calm weekend and a morning of indicting a common burglar for tomorrow's trial. He would've counted himself lucky to still be handling any court cases on a part-time basis at all, were it not for the looks he was getting from his colleagues at the Prosecutor's Office. Even worse than that; he was certain Winston Payne was getting more murder trials as a result of his little venture with Interpol, and that notion chilled him to the bone. He walked through the door to find that Athena was already waiting for him, seated by the desk and a cup of coffee in her hand. “Hey! Right on time!” she said. “And you are early for once. Am I merely dreaming, or have you earnestly adopted a sense of punctuality?” “Very funny. I wrapped up my investigation with Mr. Wright early, so he dropped me off here. How was your weekend?” Simon slipped himself into his own desk chair and heard it creak under his weight. He really wished Interpol would invest in furniture that hadn't been around for three decades already. “... It was uneventful. And yours?” “About as eventful as a weekend at the Wright Anything Agency is, really.” Athena paused, took a quick sip of her coffee and proceeded with visible discomfort. “… Listen, I thought we should discuss our interviewing strategy before we take on our next subject.” “Our strategy?” Simon asked, uncertain why such a thing would need discussing. “Let's face it, our interview with Furio Tigre was a mess.” “Was it really? We got answers, did we not?” “We could've gotten a lot more if he hadn't stormed out! I don't think either of us really knew how to approach him, so we were all over the place. It's no wonder he got upset.” Simon sniffed loudly. “It's hardly our fault that he has such large toes to step on.” “He was right, though! If we keep working like that, at some point it will go wrong. Now, I know you feel like you need to play the bad cop, but I just don't think that you should. Don't take this the wrong way, but... You're not the bad cop to them.” Tempting as it was to pinch himself for verification, Simon knew he couldn't possibly be dreaming. This was real. Athena had uttered those ludicrous words to him. Well, perhaps he couldn't fault her for her ignorance. She hadn't witnessed his time in prison. He wouldn't have wished her to, either. Still, he could illuminate the situation a bit. “You must be joking. Simply because of the Tiger's attitude problem, you believe our subjects won't take me seriously? For seven years, I was one of the most notorious names in death row. Even the guards knew better than to cross me. I had inmates currying favor with me, groveling for my approval and my mercy.” “Yes, and that was when they believed you actually killed someone,” Athena said in the bluntest of tones. “But you yourself outright said it to Mr. Tigre; you never stained your hands with blood. They know now that you're bluffing. So... I'm really sorry, Simon, but you can't be the bad cop when the person you're trying to threaten knows that you're, well, a good cop. Or prosecutor, in this case.” “And I suppose you would be more intimidating to them? A colorfully-dressed teenage girl? Yes, I'm certain someone like Engarde will be shaking in his manacles at the mere sight of you,” Simon snapped. He knew he was being immature, but it was better to contradict Athena now than to let her make a fool of herself in front of a more dangerous inmate. She'd already pushed her luck with Tigre. “Nobody said we had to play good cop and bad cop in the first place! Gosh!” she huffed at him. “There's other ways to get a person talking, you know. We just need to gain their trust. And I'm not really talking about speaking their own language, either. Think back to Ms. Vasquez and Mr. Retinz. Remember how we got them to be more open with us?” “... We engaged them on their interests,” was Simon's conclusion. With Athena's questions about the Diva Producer's movies and Simon's urging for magic tricks, that seemed to be the common denominator. “Kind of? I think, to put it in broader terms, we gave them what they wanted. We asked them what they wanted to hear; the sort of thing they would want to respond to. Their emotional states played a big part in that too. Mr. Retinz was angry, so of course he'd want to let off steam about his family and the Gramaryes. So what's most important when we first meet with a subject is that we analyze their emotional state and what interests them.” Simon thought back to the interview with Tigre and how this strategy would've been applied to him. The resulting hypothesis led to a mean grimace and he tapped a finger against his forehead. “Hmm... So, had we complimented the Tiger on his absurdly small dog's fashion sense, he would have opened up to us more?” “Hah! You know what? I honestly think he would've!” Athena replied with a wide gin. “Seriously though, you may not be a convicted killer, but you spent all those years in death row anyway. I think that's the best way to play it. Just let them know that you understand what they're going through, and you'll do whatever you can to make it easier for them. Like when you got coffee for Mr. Retinz. That was a smart move.” “What does that make me? The sympathetic cop?” “I think sweet-talking, manipulative cop has a better ring to it, don't you?” “Hah! Manipulative cop is the sort of title I will settle for.” The door to the office opened and in walked Lang. He was carrying a box under one arm and something told Simon they weren't about to be treated to pastries. Sure enough, when it was set down on the desk, there was a distinct rustle of paperwork. Athena greeted him with a cheerful tone, Simon merely hummed in acknowledgment. “So I've got good news and bad news. Which do you two want to hear first?” Lang asked. “Uhhh... I guess the bad news, so we can recover from that with the good news,” was Athena's reply. “Right. I'm needed overseas. Big assignment, can't say too much about it. The bottom line is that I'll be gone for at least a week.” Simon smirked and leaned back in his chair, once again enduring its creaking. “Why, Agent Lang, I believe she asked for the bad news.” “Hah. Very funny, Blackquill. The good news is that I got a few inmates to meet your criteria. You can find the profiles in here,” Lang said, patting the box. “And you can schedule most of the meetings whenever it suits you. Just call the prison, tell them what it's for and they'll arrange everything for you in my place.” “Really?! Thank you, Shifu!” Athena pumped both her fists into the air, then reached for the box. Lang didn't release it just yet, instead pulling it closer to his end of the desk. “Ah. Just one more thing. The profile on top? You gotta do that one first.” “Hah? Why is that?” “Because the subject specifically asked to be included in the project and after looking over his profile, I don't see why not. If it fits, he sits- before you, that is.” Simon's eyes narrowed. “Someone specifically asked to be included? Who told him about the project? I cannot imagine the Cowardly Tiger was singing our praise.” “He sure wasn't, and I'll let your indiscretion slide because from what I hear, nobody listens to Tigre's ranting either way. No, apparently he heard about your work from Roger Retinz. You came 'highly recommended', even.” “Highly recommended? By Mr. Retinz?” Athena looked as if she'd just stepped through a portal into some sort of alternate dimension. Indeed, Simon felt quite the same way. “Yeah. Sounds like you made a friend in there,” Lang said with a shrug. Athena leaned in closer to Simon to whisper under her breath. “The manipulative cop strikes again.” “Mmh, I will have to wind every single one of those butchers around my little finger,” Simon remarked in turn, smirking. “Anyway, the guy wants to see you as soon as possible, so I booked you in for tonight.” And just like that, their amusement had vanished as if it'd been subjected to one of Mr. Reus's magic tricks. Athena threw both arms forward, onto the desk, and put her head down. As for Simon, he'd started so badly that he was sure some vital part of his chair had broken. Without a doubt, something had made a snapping noise. He was now sitting as still as possible so as not to test the structural integrity of the construction without drawing attention to himself. This chair was free to come apart once he was standing upright again. “Tonight?!” Athena wailed against the inside of her left arm. “But I was going to help Mr. Wright sort through clues from our investigation!” “And I must do battle in court tomorrow morning. My case requires due preparation,” Simon insisted, though it was only an excuse. The trial for such an obvious burglary could've been prepared right there in the prosecutor's lobby and he'd still have time to spare. He simply didn't want to spend his evening at the prison. “Well, then you'd better hope this interview won't take long. You can report to the usual place at 7 PM. Once you've worked your way through the rest of the inmates I compiled for you and you've got some results to show for it, I'll see about getting you playdates with the bigger fish.” “Uuugh... Fine...” Athena grumbled. “Good luck, and I'll see you when I get back.” With that, Lang left the office. Almost a minute had passed before Athena mustered up enough energy to reach for the box and open it. She took out the top folder, flipped it open and skimmed the papers inside. Simon, who was still attempting to assess whether his chair would hold or not, didn't dare lean in for a glance of his own. “... Oh, this looks like fun! I mean... as fun as meeting with a convicted killer can be. But the way he tried to cover up the murder and abuse a loophole in the law was pretty clever. I guess that makes sense, seeing as he was some kind of ace detective.” There was a loud crack and a thud as Simon fell to the floor. ------- Date: June 16th 2028 Time: 7:02 PM Location: Interview Room. When he'd first accepted to take part in the project, Simon had dreaded a lot of scenarios- and still did at this very moment. He dreaded that Athena might be hurt, either physically or emotionally. He dreaded facing someone who would be quick to draw a shank. He dreaded failing to bring results to the table, thereby disgracing Interpol's name and betraying the trust the Chief Prosecutor had bestowed on him. To some degree, he even dreaded facing the Phantom, should that day ever come. What he hadn't considered, up until that afternoon, was that he might face the most irritating inmate of all. Luke Atmey. Roger Retinz was no friend of theirs, he knew that for certain now. That damned Greasy Producer must've run his mouth about the project on purpose. There was no one in death row who could stand Atmey's long-winded boasting. Those who would pass him in the hall would avoid making eyecontact to the best of their ability. Those who were doomed to sit at his table in the cafeteria would instead stand in some faraway corner. Those who were scheduled to share a workroom with him would feign acute illness. When it came to being avoided like the plague, not a single violent psychopath in prison could hold a candle to Atmey. This little interview would cost Simon and Athena their entire evening, and for what? For absurd tales about Atmey's elegance and grace? This would be the first and last time that Lang would schedule their meetings for them. Atmey entered in the most flamboyant manner possible, his enormous nose stuck high up in the air and one hand held up like a limp animal paw. At first glance, he might've seemed the sort of man who hadn't been dented in the least by almost ten years in prison, but a smug grin could only hide so much. The dark lines beneath Atmey's one visible eye told Simon more than enough. He came to a full stop before the table and instead of sitting down, he leaned forward to assess the both of them up close with his magnifying glass monocle. Already, Simon's first instinct was to leave. He fought it. “Zvarri! The elegant truth has been revealed to me!” Atmey proclaimed. “The both of you were sent by Interpol, on behalf of the Behavioral Analysis Unit!” “We were not sent by Interpol such much as we were sent for. By you,” Simon replied dryly. “Naturally! I, Luke Atmey, heard whispers of your professional psychological project and saw its powerful potential. That you had not come to me sooner is beyond my grasp.” Simon had quite a few things to say about including pompous, pretentious pricks in their professional psychological project, but held his tongue. He wasn't supposed to be the bad cop. “Haha... Well, we're still getting started, you know,” Athena explained. “Baby steps.” “Aaah, you wished to save the best for last? Understandable! I, Luke Atmey, am indeed the finest dish on the menu, so to speak. But you needn't be intimidated by my greatness! We are all only human!” Athena shot a most impressive Look Simon's way. Something between incredibility, amusement and secondhand embarrassment. The only response he could think to give was a helpless shrug. He had warned her beforehand. She hesitated, then turned her attention to the recording device, only to find that Atmey had already taken hold of it. He pressed record and placed it on the table in the most meticulous of fashions. “There we are. This is Luke Atmey, reporting to you live from the Los Angeles prison. With me now are Prosecutor Simon Blackquill and...” Atmey trailed off, slid the recording device at an arm’s length and cupped a hand to the side of his mouth to shield it, speaking to Athena in a whisper. “What was your name, Miss?” “Ath-Athena Cykes...” “And Miss Athena Cykes!” Atmey finished. “Now, I'm sure you'll want to hear all about my daring, elegant adventures in the field! An Ace Detective has many superb, scintillating stories to share!” “Actually, I thought we should start with this statement Interpol prepared. You see, we’ll be asking you about your family history, antecedent behavior and thought patterns surrounding the-” “Yes, yes, I got the gist of it from Sir Retinz.” “Not the most reliable source of information,” Simon pointed out before he could stop himself. He needed to put their new strategy to the test, he knew that, so he changed his tack. “Perhaps an Ace Detective such as yourself would like to review the statement, so as to be certain there are no loopholes we might employ?” Atmey removed his monocle and began to polish it on the sleeve of his prison garb. “Hmm... Well, I suppose I have ten seconds to spare. Very well.” Athena shot Simon another Look, this time one of excited accomplishment. Following that, she issued the full statement to Atmey, psychological profile, statistical analysis and all. Judging by the furrow of his brow and the way his fingers slowed their movements, the man appeared to be listening intently. “Mmh... What does Interpol's confidentiality clause entail, exactly?” he asked once Athena was done. “Well, ah... The specific answers to our questions will be kept within Interpol and can't be shared with outside sources, I guess?” she looked unsure even as she said it. Had she not read the details at all? “Those outside sources include other types of law-enforcement,” Simon supplied. “It is for that same reason that anything you say here cannot be used against you in your applications for parole. If the LAPD or the Prosecutor's Office were to request so much as a sample of these recordings, their request would be struck down without delay.” “Well, that's a shame, isn't it? This is about posterity! I, Luke Atmey, do hereby give anyone who has a desire for it full permission to review the recordings!” “... Right.” “Now, you'll want to know all about some of the amazing cases I've solved!” Atmey stated, lacing his fingers together and stretching them in a leisurely fashion. “Oh! Yes!” Athena opened her folder and tapped at it with a finger. “In particular, we're interested in your involvement with Mask☆DeMasque and the death of-” “No, no, no no no nooo,” Atmey tutted. “How boring! I've talked about that case so often, it would dry my tongue. No, let's talk about some other cases, shall we? I, Luke Atmey, did not gain the title of Ace Detective for nothing.” “I was under the impression you knighted yourself an Ace Detective,” Simon remarked. Atmey pretended not to have heard him. “Let's start from the beginning! My very first case! It was the year 2011! I was a mere twenty seven years old at the time and I had only just opened my doors to the world as a private detective. A fresh-faced rookie, I was eager to prove my worth. In came a woman wearing a red dress- and I remember this distinctly. I have a very keen eye for details, you see, as any detective ought to have. In she walked, and I could see on her face that she-” Simon refused to listen to any more of this tripe. He drew a few calming breaths and leaned back in his chair. Atmey's voice droned on and on in the background as if it were the chatter of distant birds. He closed his eyes for a moment. ------- Date: June 16th 2028 Time: 7:38 PM Location: Interview Room. Sudden pain exploded near Simon's shin, starting him back into awareness. He was sitting. He'd just been kicked. Athena was glaring at him and... Atmey was still talking. The man must've been oblivious to what'd occurred, as he looked quite carefree. “-And so ended my second case, which I like to refer to as Luke Atmey and the Missing Macademias. It is a reference, you see. Quite clever, if I do say so myself. Wasn't it just the most thrilling thing you've ever heard? Now, for the third case I tackled single-handedly-” Athena nudged his arm with her elbow, her eyes narrowing even further. Evidently, she'd been unable to stop Atmey's rambling and was now looking to him for assistance. Tempting as it was to shout the word “silence” loud enough to shatter windows, this was not at all the strategy to stick to. He had to give Atmey what he wanted, so... what did the man want? A listening ear, obviously, yet it was more than that. Atmey wanted a chance to boast. If that was the case, they simply needed to change the way they formulated their questions. “If I may interject,” he said, moving his chair closer to the table and leaning forward. “These tales are all quite interesting, but I do believe the details of your detective career were already recorded in your autobiography.” “Oh! You've heard of my autobiography?” Atmey looked positively delighted. “... I have heard of it, yes,” Simon said slowly, as there was only one source who'd kept bringing it up these past seven years and that source was sitting right in front of him. “However, as I've been unable to attain a copy for myself-” “-Oh, what a shame!” “Yes. A shame. As I was saying, I have not perused it myself and I find myself wondering... Does this autobiography also describe the illustrious Atmey family? As the apple does not often roll too far from the tree, I expect that they must all be successful go-getters such as yourself.” A cringe flashed across Atmey's face, just for a second. Then he was right back to talking. “Yes, yes of course! I'm afraid they aren't mentioned all too much in my book, as their ventures would be too elaborate to describe. Why, every single one of my siblings would be deserving of their own book, and so... Well, I would hate to bank on their glory.” “How many siblings do you have?” Athena asked him. “Seven,” said Atmey. “SEVEN?!” “I have four brothers and three sisters, yes. I was the youngest of eight.” Atmey removed his monocle as he spoke, once again idly polishing it with his sleeve. The most it accomplished was that a greasy blur spread itself out across the glass. “Just as Sir Prosecutor theorized, the Atmey family is quite known for its success. One of my brothers is working with the GYAXA space project to design rockets, another is a top plastic surgeon in Miami... Two of my sisters are the CEO of their own companies... As I said, each one of them would deserve their own biography.” Athena pumped both her fists, excited. “So... Are you like rivals? Do you all compete to show off your best accomplishments when you get together for Christmas? Ooh, I can see it now!” “No, no... Such a thing would be petty and quite beneath the Atmey family. We each value our own worth. There is nothing to prove.” “Even if there was nothing to prove, you must've tried very hard to live up their standards, right?” “Hum... Success comes naturally to any member of the Atmey family, or so they say.” Simon cast a quick glance towards Athena, wondering whether Atmey's voice might've betrayed some sort of emotion, but she was unreadable, just as the notes were that she was taking. When Atmey placed his monocle back before his eye, it was so smudged that one had to wonder whether he could see anything at all. “The Atmey family sounds a formidable, elegant group indeed,” Simon remarked. “They must have come to visit you in prison, yes?” Once again, Atmey cringed. “Ah. Well... They are quite busy, as anyone in our family tends to be. None of them live in Los Angeles, currently, and so it would be entirely too... Too much of a hassle. I have received letters, of course!” Simon glanced towards his partner and this time, Athena did show dismay. Whether it stemmed from Atmey's words or the feeling behind them was debatable. Regardless, she took a few more notes. “What a shame. Family may be considered one of the most important things in the world,” Simon mused. Then he realized that he was speaking to a convicted felon. “Though... Whenever my darling sister visited, she would rub my situation in my face. Quite a vindictive one, she is. Perhaps limiting communication to courteous letters would be a blessing.” “Perhaps...” said Atmey. Interesting. Taking into account a situation where eight siblings were all too occupied to pay notice to one another, it made sense for the youngest of the lot to be thirsty for attention. Atmey must've scrambled to keep up with their reputations quite a bit, as well. With those conclusions in mind, Simon attempted to divert the topic back to the murder of Kane Bullard. They were about to enter the thick of the jungle. “If I may be so bold... I took the liberty of reading through the transcripts of the Mask☆DeMasque trials. You fought some fierce battles, I must say. Your attempt to target a weak spot in the law's armor by utilizing double jeopardy, in particular, I found to be a stroke of genius.” “Oh... Did you really? Coming from a prosecutor, that is quite the compliment indeed.” Atmey smiled at him, but it was not at all a pompous smirk. It was, if anything, born from gratitude. “Yes, I had hoped... Well, no criminal is meant to get away with their crimes, of course. It just goes to show that I am an Ace Detective, not an Ace Murderer. Don't quit your day job, or so they say. Even so, it's disappointing that one man could see through my ruse.” “Mmh, what's important is that you went down fighting. Isn't that so?” “Yes... Quite right. Atmeys are nothing if not determined and I, Luke Atmey, am perhaps the most determined of the lot.” “Now, there was one thing in particular that caught my eye in the transcripts. I had hoped that you could clarify the matter for me, as I find it quite puzzling.” “Ooh, a puzzle?” Simon had Atmey's full attention, now. The former detective looked beside himself to be presented with a conundrum, his fingers drumming along the table. How unfortunate, then, that Simon was sure this was one mystery Atmey might wish to leave unsolved. The only way to be certain would be to ask. “... You said, and I believe this to be a direct quote: “Take a good look, everyone. Unable to find a rival worthy of my genius, I was forced to create one by myself. Here I am. The tragic clown.” Do you recall these words?” Atmey's complexion had drained quite fast. He withdrew from the table, looking as if he was suffering from pain, or perhaps embarrassment. “Ah. Hum. Yes. That does sound like... something I may have proclaimed in the courtroom, yes.” “Then, my question is as follows. Why did you identify yourself as the tragic clown?” “Elementary! It is a reference to Pagliacci! It's a well-known opera. The tears of a clown! Have you truly never heard of it, Sir Prosecutor?” Simon had expected that answer. Athena, it seemed, was missing the point. “I think I've heard of it...” she mused. “It's that story where a man and his wife are part of an acting troupe, known for a play where a clown finds out his wife is cheating on him. Except then, just before going on, the man playing the clown discovers that his wife is really cheating on him. He murders her on-stage, and the audience believes it's all part of the play.” “Yes, yes! That is Pagliacci! See, your assistant knows of it.” Athena hummed quietly, tilting her head. “... It is strange that you would compare yourself to Pagliacci, I suppose. I don't see what it has to do with blackmailing Mask☆DeMasque into working for you, or with killing the man who was blackmailing you.” “That is not what caught my eye about the proclamation,” Simon said. “What puzzled me is that a brilliant detective would lower himself to the same level as a clown at all.” “I beg your pardon?” Atmey asked, looking rattled. “Oedipus, MacBeth, Death of a Salesman, the Great Gatsby... Ah, yes, Javert from Les Misérables is another good example... My question is, why choose a tragic clown when there are more than enough tragic heroes to choose from?” Atmey was so startled, the monocle sprang away from his eye and hit the ground a few feet from his chair. “I... I... Well, that is to say... I don't know...!” There was a very long silence. Nobody dared to speak. Finally, Athena got up and reached for the monocle. There was a crack running along the glass. She frowned down at it, then handed it back to Atmey. “I see,” Simon concluded. “Well, no matter. Be it as a clown or as a hero, I'm sure you will be remembered as a tragic figure all the same.” “Yes... Ah. Thank you.” Still shaken, Atmey was no longer meeting their eyes. Instead, he peered down at the monocle in his hand, forlorn. They'd gained enough to think about from this interview, and apparently, they'd returned this sentiment the other way around. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Atmey,” Simon said, pushing himself to his feet. “Yes, thank you!” Athena chimed in, more cheerful and less formal than the situation might've called for. “We'll visit again if we have more questions.” “Oh. No, that... I don't believe that to be necessary. You must have other things to do.” It wasn't until about five seconds had passed and Athena was already reaching for the recording device that something inside Simon's head clicked. He froze in his tracks and his hand shot towards the device as well, shielding the 'stop' button from Athena's finger. There was one more question to ask. One thing which Simon had overlooked, because he'd categorized it as 'frustrating' and nothing more. “Why did you insist on scheduling this interview today? Could it be...?” “They didn't inform you?” Atmey paused, then raised his cracked magnifying glass to observe Simon closely. “Aaahhh, zvarri! You've figured it on your own, have you? Marvelous! You would make a wonderful detective.” Simon cringed. A prosecutor had no place deducing these sorts of things, he felt. A prosecutor was meant to deal with the truth after it had already been exposed. Athena, as it turned out, hadn't followed Simon's train of thought. She peered back and forth between the two men, her nose crinkled with concentration. “What? Figured what out?” she asked. “Why, he's realized that soon, the opportunity to schedule an interview would be lost,” Atmey said. Simon had never liked Atmey, yet that didn't stop the cold chill from running down his spine. This turn of events was inevitable, a fact of life and horrible all at the same time. He remembered the screams of those who were about to be subjected to that same fate. He could close his eyes and visualize how they would be dragged down the halls of death row by several guards, their attempts to dig their heels into the ground nothing more than futile scrapes. “How soon?” he asked, unable to keep a strained, anxious tone from his voice. Atmey spread his arms out, almost as if he were welcoming what was about to be said. “My execution is to take place two days from now.” To Be Continued

[yuki-d-raizel-blog]

Hero

Chapter 28/??

Relationship: Todoroki Shouto x Reader (Your/Name), (Full/Name)

Summit: It all begin at the Sports Festival when Shouto’s other half met Endevour by mistake. The student never thought to see his partner fight against his father just to show him that he is wrong. It started from that instant, Shouto’s new path started exactly from that moment thanks to his friends and his beloved one.

---

“Verg Avesta?! He is the one who killed (Y/N)?!” <<Midoriya, let’s climb the building and break a window to get inside!>> Shouto creates some stairs, <<Then we can jump directly in the street. Come on! That man can’t go near (Y/N)!>>

Izuku never saw Todoroki so agitated, but without asking anything, Deku runs after him, trying to find the right window. “I never saw him so scared… Does Todoroki-kun know that man?”

<<You said Verg Avesta…? How do you know that name? Wait a second…>> the girl makes a few steps back and stares at the red weapon, <<How it is even possible…?>>

<<You recognized it?>> the man plays with the spear and lets it rests on his shoulder, <<One of the treasures of the Ryuhi family. Forged with God’s blood and the breath of a dragon, the unbreakable weapon that could kill Kafka…>>

“Who is this guy? How he knows the myth of the Ryuhi family?” the girl is composed and collect outside, inside has emotions like anxiety and fear but she controls them and keeps them hidden, there are people that she must protect, a hero never shows his fears to anyone, “I’m completely powerless against Verg Avesta… I can’t win against this guy… How can I make him retreat?”

<<Leaving behind the past, I came here for you, little girl.>> says the man, <<I heard that the Ryuhi family had a brilliant Kafka’s heir, she outclasses her ancestors in everything, so I want to test you right here.>>

<<Hah? I don’t know how did you steal that, but if you aren’t a Kafka’s lineage you can’t use the treasure.>> you try to buy some time to think at something that can save your friends, <<You don’t have any chance->>

<<You don’t recognize me either?>> thinking a bit, the man laughs and moves his black hair backwards, <<Oh yeah, that time I had short hair…>> using his spear, he cuts his own hair and shows his face with a fearful smile, <<How about now?>>

“Mismatched eyes… Two scars on the white eye and a lightning scar that cover his left side, including his pale orange eye… Short black hair with a few streaks discolored… Two metal earrings…” <<You’re kidding me… You supposed to be dead centuries ago, how the fuck are you here?!>>

<<Oh, now you remember? Nice to meet you, (F/N), I am Seatiel, as well as the second coming of Kafka.>>

“The second coming…?! What the fuck is happening here?!” think your childhood friends, they know that the last Kafka’s heir before you lived centuries and centuries ago, how he is alive?!

<<Come on, take your weapon and let’s fight for a while!>> Seatiel plays with his spear making it go between his fingers so quickly and skillfully, that it is so clear who will win if the match begins.

“I need time; I can’t protect them like this... I can’t even lie, he knows everything about the family.” <<I don’t have it.>>

<<Mh? Why not?>>

<<I’ll reject the right to be the next heir of the family, I’ll never hold it.>> you explain, even if you know better than anyone that the only thing that can destroy Verg Avesta, is the other treasure.

<<How boring, how can you fight against me…>> he suddenly disappears and reappears behind you moving the spear towards your back in a blink of an eye, <<If you can’t use your beasts- Oh dang it, I missed you.>>

“How strong are his beasts?!” you twisted and moved aside a little to avoid a strong lunge, it was so powerful that the pressure of the air broke all the window of the building near him. “I’m so sorry Shouto, but I don’t have other choice… I must do it…”

<<That’s interesting.>> Seatiel looks at your snake-shape eyes and whistles impressed when he notices the sky is becoming cloudy and feels the electricity in the air.

<<Sit upon your fulminating throne and come forth, beast of the endless storm…>> the sky is covered by grey clouds and bright lights shine behind them. Thunders fall loudly and when the clouds finally disappear, a huge yellow dragon encloses someone with its coils. A girl who takes on the appearance of a dragon, gets two horns, a jewel on the forehead and an elaborate necklace along with golden scale-like armor over parts of her arms, legs and… a long dragon-like tail. Her hair is painted with a pale yellow and her irises are shining with a bright gold.

<<Don’t do it, undo the fusion!>> screams Tenka but the girl already set her mind in her focused zone, <<(Y/N), please!>>

“I must go with this kind of power from the start. This is gonna hurt a lot… Bare your teeth girl, it’s for everyone’s sake!” <<Go mad, Ba’al!>>

<<Sorry man, you go first.>> Seatiel pushes his pal in the trap that (Y/N) set, while he jumps back, “She left the ice so she could use her beast and increase his powers with the water inside the ice. Really smart this girl, I must admit that.”

The dragon moves to the sky disappearing and a rain of lightnings falls with force and so loudly that everyone covers their ears, and the man is destroyed as the surroundings. Burned and cracked buildings...

<<Wow, you already know how to fuse with your beasts?>> the man hits the spear on the ground and his eyes assume the same shape and color as (Y/N)’s, <<Begone with the thunder clap. Bring destruction as I command, descend in front of us.>> a similar dragon surrounds Seatiel and groans at you, its lightning are much stronger and bigger than the girl’s beast, <<Let me introduce you, my Melancholy beast. Get her, Kirin.>>

As soon the dragon moves its coils, (Y/N) realizes that she is too close to her friends, so she runs using Ba’al to move faster and go farer and nearer the sky. If the hit attacks her first, Hosu is safe. As she predicted, Kirin crashes itself on her with a loudest thunder never heard and the brightest light never seen.

Todoroki and Izuku finally found a window that face your same road, but it’s freaking far from where you are. Focusing on the positive sides, Deku and Shouto climb down aiming to reach you as fast as possible.

“This guy is out of our league…. There’s someone that can help (Y/N)?” thinks Joel looking to the close road to find the strongest hero he can find, “The zone is almost evacuated… Shit, god fucking damn it!”

<<That’s impressing.>> Seatiel claps amused, <<You absorbed the power of my beast, so heroic. But…>> he sees the girl in pain, hardly breathing, <<For how long can you resist? You can’t use your arm now.>>

<<Gh...!!>> inside you there’s so much power that it’s hurting you, your body is on fire, the air is not enough, your breath is speeding up faster and faster, and Kirin completely burnt your arm.

You fall on your knee and tries to control your breath, but it’s so painful, it’s like you inhale fire and not oxygen.

<<You are a prodigy, indeed.>> the voice comes right behind you, the shock of how fast Seatiel is paralyze you, <<You are able to combine your beasts, fuse with them and you are so young.>> he’s using his Gluttony beast so well that his physical abilities are overcoming you so bad, you can’t even follow his movements anymore, in a blink of an eye, you are impaled to the road with his spear on your shoulder.

<<….Kh… Fuck…>> even the pain came later, he’s moving faster than a human brain would react, “Endevour or All Might… Please save my friends… I can’t do it! Please, someone!”

<<It was hard to reach that level. Tiring and painful trainings, endless lessons to fulfill your knowledge, those crappy traditions of the family, your role as a Kakfa’s heir… So annoying and stupid.>> he grabs the spear and pulls it out from you flesh, tights your neck in his strong grip and lifts you up, <<It’s a waste to kill you little girl, you are powerful for your age. We can destroy everything with a snap of our fingers, will you come with me?>>

<<Are you saying… that I s-should give up j-just because you’re… stronger than me?>> “I can’t breathe…!”

<<Am I wrong to think that way?>> the grip on your neck becomes tighter, <<Give?>>

<<N-not today…. b-buddy…>> “Yamato, mom, I don’t mind dying here, but if you are watching me, please, at least save my friends, Shouto and Izuku… I don’t mind having my body teared apart or consumed by my own power, no matter how painful it is, if the persons that I love will be safe… I would gladly give you my whole being to grant that wish.”

<<Bite it off, supreme God of the desolated glacial lands. Make Odin bow to you, stomp on this miserable land and incise this era with your claws.>> his eyes change color, from gold become white with a few blue shades, <<Show you strength, Fenrir.>> a frozen air involves the area, and an enormous wolf born from the frost that is formed with the thermal shock.

<<Dance, mystic beast of the icy lands.>> icy streams surround you in a little tornado that make Seatiel step back, and they turn into a giant white flaming wolf, but that’s not the animal that is the most shocking, it’s you again and your transformation.

You wear a white, ankle-length kimono with lined patterns, the robe has an attached ornate collar, edges, and shoulder design with long, wide sleeves. There are long, flowing ribbons tied at your back that form numerous large loops. A small ice flower formation at the center of your chest, a half crown of ice which extends around the back of your head. Even your hair and your eyes become white, while your lips are painted with a beautiful and deep blue. The wolf stands ready next to you, meanwhile your enemy is surprised once again.

“If she can arise her beasts so easily, she surpassed her ancestors, indeed. I learned how to arise my beasts when I was 20. It’s such a waste to kill her, she can learn more, and that earring is brutally stealing her original strength. That’s why her attacks were weaker than mine.” he gives you the time to relax, meanwhile he’ll study you a little bit, “If she had the treasure, she could control better the beasts and their effects would be reduced, why she refused it? She used too much the beasts that have the most dangerous repercussions, what is she doing? Is she a masochist or something? But, I’m really curios if she can control the Inferno Mode. Let’s test her a bit more. She wants to be a hero, right? Then I’ll be a villain, so I can fight again against her, maybe she’ll learn new moves or else, accept the treasure.”

---Continue...

Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 21.5, 22, 22.5, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, Last Chapter

[a-panda-reads-act-omega]

ACT OMEGA PART 11

THE 27/10/16 UPDATE

ABOUT DAMN TIME I GOT TO HERE AINT IT! Geez, I need to hurry up and get caught up to that new update so I have a good excuse for being lazy. ANyways, this should be the Calliope and Jane interaction. Also, am I the only one who thinks most people pronounce calliope weird? its always like, Call-e-ope-e or cal-i-ope, but I think it’s just Call-e-ope. I dunno, whatta you folks think?

blep

CALLIOPE: (oh!) CALLIOPE: (Um, hello again jane. ^u^)

Dammit she’s adorable.

JANE: (I’m sorry, am I interrupting anything?) JANE: (You seemed to be taking a pretty engrossed gander at that house door thing.) CALLIOPE: (oh no i was jUst admiring it. nothing important.) CALLIOPE: (although... i was doing a little thinking as well.) JANE: (Really? What about?) JANE: (If you don’t mind sharing, that is.) CALLIOPE: (not at all!) CALLIOPE: (well, the main sUbject of my thoUghts has jUst been shock for how i am even here for this moment.) CALLIOPE: (after it became clear that i was never meant to even play the game session i was a part of, despite my foolish hopes...) CALLIOPE: (i was certain that the Ultimate reward was forever oUtside my grasp.) CALLIOPE: (and yet, here i am!) CALLIOPE: (it almost feels like i’m cheating.) CALLIOPE: (i have hardly done anything deserving of any reward, let alone the Ultimate one. u-u;)

Aw, don’t be like that Calliope! You may not have played much of an active role in the story, but  that doesn’t mean you weren’t 100% necessary! Honestly, where would the Alpha Kids be without you? I think you’ve earned this by enduring the bullshit you’re brother has put you through, and doing what was best for the completion of the game, and survival of your friends.

JANE: (That name really is a bit misleading, isn’t it?) JANE: (It seems so... grandiose.) JANE: (I’m not sure if I’m all that fond of it.) CALLIOPE: (really?) JANE: (Mhm.) JANE: (Especially considering, well...) JANE: (My behavior today hasn’t exactly been worthy of accolades either.) JANE: (In fact I think I may have done more harm than good for the majority of my session!) JANE: (Or maybe even further back than that!!) JANE: (I don’t mean to be insensitive when I say this, Callie, but...) JANE: (Throughout this entire mess, at least you have been innocent of any real wrongdoing.) JANE: (Which is more than can be said for me.)

AWGH, dont be like that JANE..... ALl these sad girls need to stop worrying about WORTH n shit. You all played your role dammit. 

CALLIOPE: (oh...) CALLIOPE: (yoU’re referring to the things yoU mentioned in yoUr story?) JANE: (I killed my best friend.) JANE: (And out of such petty jealousy!) JANE: (I might be able to foist blame upon the Batterwitch, for manipulating me into hurting my friends.) JANE: (But she was only able to do that because they were already inclinations I had, deep down!) JANE: (Couldn’t I have resisted more?) JANE: (What does that say about me?)

JANEY

SHUt UR MOUTH

iT says youre a human with human emotions. 

CALLIOPE: (but roxy is here! she’s fine!)

DAYum  RIGHT roxy is fiiiiiine

CALLIOPE: (she may be a slightly different version of roxy than the one yoU knew, bUt certainly that is better than losing her forever, isn’t it?) CALLIOPE: (living in a world withoUt roxy in it...) CALLIOPE: (that woUld sUrely be a terrible fate!)

Yes it would. Because youUUU LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE HEEEEERRRR

JANE: (Oh certainly!) JANE: (You have no idea how relieved I am that despite my horrific deeds, I still have the people that matter most to me in my life.) JANE: (Including my dad!!) JANE: (I’ve missed him so much.) JANE: (I’m almost afraid to ask if he knows about what I did...) JANE: (And if not, would I ever be able to tell him?) JANE: (He’d be so ashamed of me.)

Pretty sure his only emotion is proud. BUT COME ON JANE, youre worrying about the wrong shit. these people, im tellin ya. they never wanna let go of the paST.

CALLIOPE: (jane, i am not very familiar with the concepts of fathers and families.) CALLIOPE: (these are very hUman things which, despite my preoccUpations, are still qUite foreign. u-u;) CALLIOPE: (bUt i think i may be learning slowly by seeing how all of yoU are immediately drawn to each other.) CALLIOPE: (and from what i have learned, i don’t think yoU need to worry, jane.) CALLIOPE: (we are all just glad that yoU are here, i am certain of it!) JANE: (... Thank you, Callie.) JANE: (The same goes for you, you know!) CALLIOPE: (oh yes! I really am qUite happy to be here and not dead!) CALLIOPE: (i jUst wish that i coUld have been a little more UsefUl...) CALLIOPE: (perhaps if i had managed to contribUte at least a little more, i woUld not feel qUite so oUt of place.) JANE: (It’s alright to feel a tad ill at ease.) JANE: (Nobody expects you to be immediately hunky dory with all of this buddy chummy hullabaloo.)

Hah. No comment, other than that I love this line. This interaction  is sweet.

JANE: (In fact I’m certain not even all us humans are on the same page.) JANE: (So your discomfort, in a way, is a very good indication that you fit right in.)

no kidding. Is there anybody here who feels comfortable? Maybe Rose and Jade. 

CALLIOPE: (thank yoU jane. that sentiment really means a lot. ^u^) CALLIOPE: (bUt i mUst admit that it is a little odd to think of myself in sUch a way.) CALLIOPE: (i have always been an oUtsider looking in. never trUly part of anything larger than myself.) CALLIOPE: (thinking aboUt parents and siblings, well.) CALLIOPE: (my only experience with anything of the sort was my brother.)

OH, that actually reminds me of the lil fucker. Where IS caliborn? he defeated his denizen and did a thing with the clock. SOoo, what’s his gameplan now?

JANE: (Oh, yeah. THAT jerk.) JANE: (Do you really need to think about him any more, Callie?) JANE: (I know I will be perfectly happy to never deal with him and his sordid affairs ever again!!) CALLIOPE: (it’s not a particUlarly happy thing to ponder, no.) CALLIOPE: (bUt nonetheless it’s what i have.) CALLIOPE: (and despite how awfUl it may have been, i think it warrants reflection.) CALLIOPE: (there is something aboUt oUr shared experience growing Up that makes me feel... connected to him, still.) CALLIOPE: (i wonder if maybe that connection is at all what family is like.)

I think that connection is what sharing a body for most of your life is like. Thouuugh... They hated each other, sure. But they probably relied on each other for everything as well. So perhaps that could build up a sort of familial attachment.

JANE: (I don’t really know, Calliope. I’m hardly an expert on the subject.) JANE: (But from what I understand, family is really quite a multifaceted thing.) JANE: (And the sort of connection you’re describing could certainly be part of it, I think.) JANE: (Some might say you cannot choose your family, and that they are an important part of who you are no matter what.) JANE: (For better or for worse.)

I mean, I agree with that to some extent. But really it depends on what kinda “family” you’re talking about. Blood, or bonds.

CALLIOPE: (hmmm...)

Ooh, that’s a pretty good panel. Also, his godtier makes me think....... It’s kinda funny how sburb identified calliope and caliborn as two seperate entities, giving them two different godtiers. would it have been like that even if neither have them had taken control?? Bluh, im sure it wont matter.

CALLIOPE: (that may be trUe.) CALLIOPE: (however...) CALLIOPE: (i do feel like whatever relationship we had was not trUly any sort of familial bond.) CALLIOPE: (at least not like anything i have seen thUs far in hUmans.) CALLIOPE: (we called each other siblings oUt of convenience, bUt in reality, we were competitors in a game larger than even that which spawns Universes.) CALLIOPE: (technically, i was the loser in the race to predominate and participate in oUr session.) CALLIOPE: (but in that yet larger game...) CALLIOPE: (which i think one might call the game of life.)

You mean... 

obvious joke im sorry.

CALLIOPE: (it seems like i might be the winner.) CALLIOPE: (i think maybe, given that, i am beginning to Understand what my alternate self meant when she told me to "live"...) CALLIOPE: (becaUse we both know my brother well. and it seems there is no version of him that will ever be able to finish his childish games.) CALLIOPE: (he will stay the way he is forever, never able to move on and jUst live. never knowing that sUch a path, which he views with sUch disdain, is likely far more rewarding!)

Yeah, he doesn’t seem like one to settle down and have a good ol’ time relaxing with friends and family. 

:D

JANE: (Callie, that’s it!!)

:O

CALLIOPE: (hUh??)

JANE: (That’s why it’s called the ultimate reward!) JANE: (We don’t have to play this drab old game anymore.) JANE: (This is our ticket to move on to the much bigger adventure awaiting us.) JANE: (Letting go of the past and learning from it...) JANE: (Puzzling out what it means to have a family.) JANE: (All of that. Living life to the fullest.) JANE: (That’s the ultimate reward!)

You know, that does seem likely. THAT’S probably definitely it. I mean, it’s fitting. the whole GOAL is to get out of this fucking game and live a new life mature in your new universe.

CALLIOPE: (i think yoU’re right, jane!) CALLIOPE: (we jUst stUmbled Upon that realization qUite accidentally, didn’t we?) JANE: (Actually, Callie. I think it might be because you are just that clever and insightful.) CALLIOPE: (oh, shUcks... u^u;) JANE: (You are definitely a winner in my book. And I’m glad you might be a winner in yours, too.) CALLIOPE: (i am certainly getting there.) CALLIOPE: (maybe someday soon i will be able to more fUlly come to terms with all this.) CALLIOPE: (bUt... there’s no rUsh, right?) CALLIOPE: (so long as we are looking forward, instead of back.) JANE: (That’s the ticket!) JANE: (Cheers, to winning!) CALLIOPE: (to winning! ^u^)

Daw, you two. Well, it seems like they had a positive resolution! They’ve discovered what the ultimate reward is! And Callies gona get all good at accepting herself as a big WINNER. HOOray! Im guessing they’ll be moving onto the next pair now, which should be Karkat and Dave.

Yup, character select screen. TO THE DAVEKAT GAYS!

Karkat’s anxious, Dave’s like come on man we fuckin won dont be anxious. 

DAVE: (dude) DAVE: (relax)

KNew it.

DAVE: (i can practically hear you thinking yourself into another shitfit) DAVE: (john looks about ready to twist the shit out of that magic doorknob) DAVE: (i thought youd be relieved or something) KARKAT: (I CAN’T HELP IT.) KARKAT: (I’M NERVOUS, OK?) KARKAT: (LAST TIME I WAS IN THIS POSITION, IT DIDN’T TURN OUT SO WELL.)

OH what could you mean by that? it wasnt so bad. A devil dog appeared slaughtered the fuck out of a door, traveled across your world and destroyed your planets, then murdered all of your dream selves.

KARKAT: (AND I CAN’T HELP BUT FEEL LIKE WE’RE FORGETTING SOMETHING IMPORTANT.) KARKAT: (MAYBE SEVERAL SOMETHINGS.) KARKAT: (LIKE...) KARKAT: (WHERE THE FUCK IS GAMZEE?) KARKAT: (VRISKA JUST SHOVED HIM IN THAT HUNGER TRUNK WHEN SHE REALIZED WE WERE ABOUT TO SHOW UP, AND THEN KEPT HIM THERE SO HE WOULDN’T "CAUSE TROUBLE”.) KARKAT: (BUT I GUESS HE JUST WENT ON AN INTERPLANETARY ADVENTURE! WHERE COULD HE BE? HAS HE BROKEN OUT YET? WHO THE FUCK KNOWS!)

NOpe, he’s still very much trapped in the fridge. 

DAVE: (yeah that is uh) DAVE: (actually kind of concerning) KARKAT: (YOU THINK?!) KARKAT: (AND WHAT ABOUT THE MAYOR? AND THE SPRITES, WHERE DID THEY FUCK OFF TO?) DAVE: (look man well figure it out alright) DAVE: (were not just gonna up and leave without everyone accounted for) DAVE: (like seriously how could we ever abandon the mayor) DAVE: (were going back for him thats not even up for debate) KARKAT: (THANK GOD AT LEAST SOMEONE AROUND HERE HAS THEIR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT.)

FInally, some people who are worrying about the RIGHT things. I mean, jeeez. all these people worrying about their pasts and worth, when they need to be prepared to face a more dangerous threat if one comes. ANYWAys

Thats all for this update. Hope my content was enough to satisfy you... 8 followers?? Jeez. Boy am i POPUlAR. 

Seriously though, I dont know if its just because im starting out, but every follower is feeling like a big deal. Sooo... thanks to you who are following me.